# Browning Bar 7mag or Savage 270 WSM stainless?



## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I have a question for all yall. 
First issue, I have owned a Browning BAR 7mm Rem Mag for the last 14 years, bought it from my dad when I was 18; he bought it right after his mission in the 60's. So, it certainly does have some sentimental value, been in the family that long, classic model, my first rifle, etc. I put a Nikon Prostaff 3-9x40 scope on it two years ago. Problem is that it is very heavy and more importantly 95% of the time it does not eject the shell, most commonly leaving it partially mashed ruining the brass with the action open. First, any ideas of what the repair bill would be? or second:

Cabela's has a sale starting this week for a Savage 270 WSM or 300 WSM with 3-9x40 scope (does not say which brand, I will assume Pine Ridge or Simmons as it is factory bore sighted) all in stainless w/ accutrigger, model 16 FXP3. 24" barrel dual pillar bedded stock in synthetic. Normally $600 on sale for $500 and I have a coupon for $100 off of a $500 purchase, so I could get it for $400 (http://savagearms.com/16fxp3.htm MSRP of $721). They also have a 111xp3 in blue/synthetic with many more of the traditional calibers for $459. I think I could sell my rifle for over $400 or even trade it in at Cabelas easily for well over that amount.

Cons-not a semi auto, although with the ejector not working that is not a factor, ammo is a little more expensive and not as readily available, stainless could easily create a glare and alert game of my presence??,

Pros-I love the accutrigger as I have two already and can't shoot them enough, most likely a much lighter firearm, stainless looks very nice as far as beauty pageants go :wink: ,

So, I would appreciate everyone's opinion on:
1-How much to fix ejector? Or how to fix? I have messed with the spring loaded pin next to the firing pin to no avail.
2-Do you like these calibers better than 7mm?
3-Is it ever much of a factor in the time of a semi auto vs bolt to get a second shot?
4-Would you make such a trade?
5-Which caliber 270 wsm or 300 wsm? Most likely only using for deer with some elk potentially.
6-What is the difference of long/short action?


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

Well ill give you my 2 cents, 

I cant emagine it costing to much to fix the bar but then you are still faced with having to carry that tank. My mossberg 810 loaded was a little over 12lbs on the shoulder so I know all about the joys of luggin a heavy gun.

I looked real hard at the shortmags prior tp picken up my 300wsm. I can tell you that the 270wsm has the largest improvment over the original but I just wanted something a little bigger. I have killed 5 deer with it now and have never once felt it was over kill and I know that I have everything I need for elk. I went with teh .30 cal also for the simple fact that I reload and there is a huge selection of bullets for the .30 cal vs the .270. I can go from a 110gr all the way up to a 220gr. 

As far as the difference in load time on 2nd shot, i wouldnt even worry about it between bolt and semi auto very marginal difference by the time you recover from recoil then locate target again.

A long action can accomodate all of the "long cartridges" as well as the .308 length "short" cartreges. The short cannot accomodate the .30-06 lenth and longer stuff. Advantage is to the short, IF you are shooting a short cartridge, due to faster and shorter bolt throw, less movement of your head off the stock, and less action flex. Disadvantage of the short is if you ever want to rebarrel it to a long cartridge. In the wsm i think they just come in the short action but I may be wrong.


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## Frisco Pete (Sep 22, 2007)

The Savage would be a good rifle. Bolt actions are less prone to trouble than semis, and have a greater extraction power for troublesome cases. Seeing as how the vast majority of hunters do fine with a bolt action and feel that they can easily get a quick-enough follow-up shot with them, I think the that bolts are not a "con" at all. By the time the gun settles from recoil, you can work the bolt with proper technique and be back on target with a caliber with reasonable recoil. They are also normally lighter to carry. Dull matte stainless finishes shouldn't reflect light any more than normal blued barrels, and less that glossy high-polished blueing that Browning and Weatherby is wont to do. Ruger comes to mind as a bad offender when it comes to polishing stainless shiny, but I think the Savage is a subdued matte.

I hate to get rid of any good rifle that has sentimental and actual value because down the road you may regret it. So I would try to avoid that if at all possible - which it may not be.
Is your Browning clean? Semis need to be clean and properly lubricated to run correctly.

As to caliber - considering that you are used to shooting a rifle that has moderate recoil and a fast follow-up - I would get the Savage in 270 WSM. This caliber is a virtual performance twin, in real life, of your current 7mm Mag. You will get a bit more recoil due to the lighter bolt action and the fact that gas semi-autos siphon off gas to reduce recoil. Because of this I am very sure that you would find that you would not do your best shooting with the much heavier recoil (probably double of what you're used to) and slower follow-up of the (otherwise excellent) .300 WSM.

Bullets of 130-150 grains in the .270 WSM, with their high sectional density and ballistic coefficient, will do absolutely everything you intend to do with your rifle, especially with today's premium bullets, even on elk. As mentioned, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between your current 7mm.
The .270 WSM will be easier on the cheaper package scope compared to the pounding the .300 WSM would give them over time. .30 mags are known killers of cheaper optics.

I also think that you will notice an accuracy improvement over your current rifle as well.

Ammo is a bit more expensive, maybe, but performs up to spec (unlike many calibers) and considering how few rounds are actually fired and the cost of gas getting to your hunting area, I think that should be a non-issue in the big picture.

Short actions are around 4 oz lighter and a bit stiffer, contributing to a theoretical improvement in accuracy. WSM rounds also apply some ballistic advantages attributed to a short/fat case that also adds to theoretical accuracy. Your overall rifle length will also be somewhat shorter with the same barrel length because the action is shorter. IMO this is a plus.


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## El Matador (Dec 21, 2007)

Yes, the BARs are some burdensome things to pack. If I were in your shoes, I'd go for the 300 short mag. 150 grain bullets are great for deer, and 180s are a fair bit better for elk than anything available in the 270. But I also like the 270 a lot. In fact, I dare say it is the best deer cartridge available.


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## Frisco Pete (Sep 22, 2007)

You gotta realize that _Huge29_ is going from a heavy gas-operated rifle that hardly kicks at all to a much lighter bolt rifle chambered for calibers that can get his attention when fired! I would guess that a Savage in .300 WSM would DOUBLE the amount of felt recoil over what he is used to. You can spell that F-L-I-N-C-H. Seeing as how he is happy with the well-proven power level of the 7mm Mag already, a switch to the .270 Short Magnum will equal that performance and only add recoil to the level that has been proven is the upper limit most people do well with _i.e._ the 30-06 bolt-action area recoil that the .270 WSM generates.

I have a big, tough, burly, concrete-working friend that shoots a 7mm Mag BAR. He bought a Rem 700 ADL bolt in .25-06 (120-gr bullet) for his kid and COMPLAINED that the recoil was MORE than his 7mm Rem Mag! So a .270 WSM would be enough, yet let him concentrate on shot placement more than recoil management.


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## El Matador (Dec 21, 2007)

Ok, I will add a qualifier to my previous post: If you are recoil sensitive, you should get a regular .270 or .30-06. Magnums recoil a little more, and are not recommended for people that are "shy". But if you are more interested in the performance of the cartridge than a slight difference in felt recoil, go with the .300 short mag.


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## BRL1 (Sep 12, 2007)

On the recoil issue. My youngest sister shoots a Weatherby 300 WSM, yet complains my Winchester 70 regular 270 kicks too much. I have shot hers and the felt recoil is less. I was not impressed with my brothers 270 WSM over my 270. I did not see an advantage of paying more for the shells for the performance.


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## swampdog0 (Feb 15, 2008)

try changing your shells to winchester supreme nickel plated brass worked for me


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