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Joined: Aug 2006
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OP
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I found an old booklet describing his rifles.They looked pretty slick for a rifle made back in the 80s
Does he still build rifles? Anybody have one. Craftmanship, accuracy? Your thoughts?
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 980
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Campfire Regular
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Do a search and you will find some info. Yes according to some info I found, he is still at it.
Harry Lawson LLC (520) 326-1117 3328 N Richey Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85716 Very knowledgeable and experienced gunsmith and stock maker according to a few reviews I found. Myself I am not familar with that company and cannot verify that.
NEVER GIVE UP
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,390
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2006
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Thanks Will start searching
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,419
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Campfire Regular
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Posts: 2,419 |
Harry passed away several years ago, but his son Randy Lawson is still at it at that same address.
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,335
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This is a 270 Win.
I've been so overwhelmed with fake news that I'm now nuts. Let's go Brandon
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 4,284
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 4,284 |
Yes they are still in business. Harry's son Randy runs the business. He and Joe Reid combine their talents to make many styles of customs. He keeps adding new designs to his pattern collection. He has a stock duplicator that can do two at once. The facility is a complete gunsmithing operation.
I have had many rifles rebarreled, bedded, and other jobs as well. All sorts of other custom jobs can be done besides the classic thumbhole rifles.
They have a large selection of stock blanks.
One of their original super lightweight thumbholes used the model 600/660s. They have many custom pieces for that older action including bolt shroud and crossbolt safety built into the triggerguard and a few other parts I cannot remember.They still have a supply of those parts. (this triggerguard/safety is incorporated into all their thumbholes)
The thumbholes were designed with no drop to the comb so high recoiling rifles are easy to shoot. The stock excells for offhand shooting when hunting. Note the recoil pad in the pic above. They have an interesting flared rear which I haven't seen anywhere else. It fits well with the other stock lines and also helps mitigate recoil.
I had Randy make me a pattern for a wooden version of the A-5 McMillan with a few twists. I changed the grip and put a higher cheek into the pattern as well as a thicker rear portion. I had one laminate made and will probably make more. They are quite versatile.
This shop turns out work quite quickly. Rebarreling/bedding. triggerjobs, recoil pads etc will be done in approx 3 weeks. A full blown custom in around 3 months.
Last edited by Azshooter; 03/11/11.
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 12,338
Campfire Outfitter
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I can only second what Azshooter said. Joe is an extremely meticulous metal man and Randy's stock work is excellent. The 7x57 and .280 Rem. they did for me are both sub-MOA rifles. They look real good too. A .308 Win. they just finished a while back has been MOA so far but I'm still working up loads for that rifle. Paul B.
Our forefathers did not politely protest the British.They did not vote them out of office, nor did they impeach the king,march on the capitol or ask permission for their rights. ----------------They just shot them. MOLON LABE
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,419
Campfire Regular
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Harry was a trailblazer in the ways of what made a rifle shoot. He was glass bedding rifles long before anyone would give it a second thought. He was also one of the fastest guys out there for barrel work......Cut the crown, chamber the barrel and fit the action in 45 minutes on a 700. That was in the mid-60's, all the while guaranteeing 1MOA with factory fodder. They routinely did better than that and bugholes with handloads.
Harry was a tool and die man, mixed with the knowledge of a production furniture maker.....A unique skill set for sure and being probably one of the best, if not the best off-hand shooters I've ever seen didn't hurt either.
Randy doesn't get the press often, but he knows what he's doing. His dad was on the cover of Guns Magazine more than a couple of times.
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,182
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Randy Lawson restocked my Rem 700 in .375 H&H several years ago and I subsequently used that rifle on a Tanzanian buffalo hunt. Although Lawson is primarily noted for his thumb-hole designs, I chose his conventional "Classic" style in French Walnut for my Model 700, and the work is absolutely top-notch. Randy and his dad, Harry (prior to the latter's death a couple of decades ago), also did quite a bit of stock/metal work on a friend's rifles, including a Sako and a Model 70. Lawson doesn't seem to get the "press" of many other custom riflemakers, but he does fine work at a reasonable price with rapid turnaround. Lawson will mail you a catalogue and price list upon request.
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Joined: Jan 2010
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Campfire Tracker
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I bought a piece of wood for a custom from Randy 5-6 years ago and he was a gentleman to deal with. Let me look at a lot of what he had and made suggestions that worked out well for me. If I was in teh market for a blue, wood stocked gun I would sure consider having him build it,
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 161
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I met Harry a the CrossRoads of the West gun show in Pheonix in the late 90s. His rifles are the tops. He was a artist and craftsman. If I could get one of my rifles to come out like his I would be estatic. He was a very good man and he is missed. I would have liked to have worked for him.
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