Am I Crazy?!? Or Did I Catch the Mid-Bore Bug?

[hawkeyesatx]

Hey everyone!

I think I have a bad case of the Mid-bore-idous bug.
I bought, yet again, a Savage 110E in .270 Win, and am now thinking of sending the barreled action off to JES to have them rebore/rechamber it to 9.3x62 (the African 35 Whelen).

Is this a good idea?
Or should I buy another ER Shaw barrel kit, and get the 338-06, and switch it to that caliber?

Ugh! I hate this!
But whatever I decide, I think I’ll really like it.


Hawk

 

[Sarg]

Your right you can't go wrong with any of those really ! lol

 

[curtism1234]

The Savage 110E has the heavy bulky wood stock? If that's the case, I'd probably rebore if JES can do it to keep it light. Many of the aftermarket barrels have to be a heavy sporter contour above 30 cal. There is no sense adding a 1/2 pound to an already heavier rifle unless for recoil mitigation. My guess is your rifle is already with scope is already 8.75 pounds. Even if you get it to 8.5 with the rebore, I think that is heavy enough.

 

[sestoppelman]

There was a nice Ruger 77 9.3x62 here a few days ago, I would be more tempted by that were I looking one.

 

[hawkeyesatx]

The Savage 110E has the heavy bulky wood stock? If that's the case, I'd probably rebore if JES can do it to keep it light. Many of the aftermarket barrels have to be a heavy sporter contour above 30 cal. There is no sense adding a 1/2 pound to an already heavier rifle unless for recoil mitigation. My guess is your rifle is already with scope is already 8.75 pounds. Even if you get it to 8.5 with the rebore, I think that is heavy enough.

I fully agree with you there!

I was thinking it might be a little more weight off, but I could handle 8.5lbs.


Hawk

 

[hawkeyesatx]

There was a nice Ruger 77 9.3x62 here a few days ago, I would be more tempted by that were I looking one.

Yeah, I saw that one as well.
Unfortunately I don’t have the cash flow to get a rifle in $1200 + range.


Hawk

 

[sestoppelman]

Sell the .270 you just bought and skip the rebore job and the difference wont be huge.

 

[hawkeyesatx]

Sell the .270 you just bought and skip the rebore job and the difference wont be huge.

Yeah, I originally thought of just having the 35 Whelen, but I want a decent sized back up rifle.


Hawk

 

[Labman]

"Sell the .270 you just bought and skip the rebore job and the difference wont be huge"

If you don't want a .270 that's what I'd do. Now if you would like to have a .270 and a 338/06 I'd go for the new barrel. Since you can easily switch barrels on a Savage. You'd have the luxury of a switch barrel gun. Since both calibers are based upon the same parent case (30/06) you won't have to change the bolt head or do any work to make it feed. It's like getting a new gun for the price of the barrel.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Sell the .270 you just bought and skip the rebore job and the difference wont be huge.

What he said. And in the end it won’t be a Savage.

 

[hawkeyesatx]

"Sell the .270 you just bought and skip the rebore job and the difference wont be huge"

If you don't want a .270 that's what I'd do. Now if you would like to have a .270 and a 338/06 I'd go for the new barrel. Since you can easily switch barrels on a Savage. You'd have the luxury of a switch barrel gun. Since both calibers are based upon the same parent case (30/06) you won't have to change the bolt head or do any work to make it feed. It's like getting a new gun for the price of the barrel.

Oh yeah! I’m definitely keeping a Savage .270 barrel, just in case.
But I’ll either rebore, or buy the barrel kit to switch it out.


Hawk

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hey everyone!

I think I have a bad case of the Mid-bore-idous bug.
I bought, yet again, a Savage 110E in .270 Win, and am now thinking of sending the barreled action off to JES to have them rebore/rechamber it to 9.3x62 (the African 35 Whelen).

Is this a good idea?
Or should I buy another ER Shaw barrel kit, and get the 338-06, and switch it to that caliber?

Ugh! I hate this!
But whatever I decide, I think I’ll really like it.


Hawk

@hawkeyesatx
Just keep getting different barrels to try. Easier to sell barrels when you have made up your mind on what you want.
Bob

 

[hawkeyesatx]

@hawkeyesatx
Just keep getting different barrels to try. Easier to sell barrels when you have made up your mind on what you want.
Bob

I fully agree with you there!


Hawk

 

[BeeMaa]

What he said. And in the end it won’t be a Savage.

Except it will be a Savage...and that's a good thing.

Those rifles are wicked accurate. I've had 3 and each of them has been better than 1/2 MOA at 100 yards with factory ammo.

 

[hawkeyesatx]

Except it will be a Savage...and that's a good thing.

Those rifles are wicked accurate. I've had 3 and each of them has been better than 1/2 MOA at 100 yards with factory ammo.

I’ve had 2 Savage 110’s, both in 7mm Rem Mag, and they loved 175gr bullets. I could easily get .75 inch and better accuracy from them.
I would bet that my big rifles to come would be as accurate.
And by the way, there’s nothing wrong with Savage rifles. They’re as strong and accurate as any other rifle out there, if not more so.


Hawk

 

[Forrest Halley]

"Sell the .270 you just bought and skip the rebore job and the difference wont be huge"

If you don't want a .270 that's what I'd do. Now if you would like to have a .270 and a 338/06 I'd go for the new barrel. Since you can easily switch barrels on a Savage. You'd have the luxury of a switch barrel gun. Since both calibers are based upon the same parent case (30/06) you won't have to change the bolt head or do any work to make it feed. It's like getting a new gun for the price of the barrel.

This is sound advice since Savage has gotten it right on the .270. One of the most accurate rifles with factory ammunition I have ever fired

What he said. And in the end it won’t be a Savage.

Savages are great rifles for the money. I take a hard look at a man talking badly about them. There's got to be a good reason to disqualify them. They don't look stunning, but when it needs killing they just work.

Except it will be a Savage...and that's a good thing.

Those rifles are wicked accurate. I've had 3 and each of them has been better than 1/2 MOA at 100 yards with factory ammo.

I know right!?! My friend's .270 was a true tack driver with Remington ammunition. My .223 is boringly accurate.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

To be clear, I do not dislike a Savage. It’s just that to me they feel “cheap” sort of a like a Ruger American.
They are accurate. But I find it hard to like one with that ugly barrel nut, the particle board stock, and the barrel channel gap big enough to plant a row radishes in.
In the end they are cheap, durable working rifles. However I would rather have one Win M70 than two Savages.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I would keep the .270 barrel and get a .35 Whelen barrel? Same case dimensions, so hopefully no feeding issues. I don’t know if the 9.3 would feed smoothly with different case dimensions?

 

[hawkeyesatx]

I would keep the .270 barrel and get a .35 Whelen barrel? Same case dimensions, so hopefully no feeding issues. I don’t know if the 9.3 would feed smoothly with different case dimensions?

I already have a barrel kit in 35 Whelen that I’m going to switch my Savage 111 270 barrel out with.
I thought it might be cool to have 2 heavy hitters, both Savage 110/111 long action rifles.
Both 35 Whelen and 9.3x62 are legal here, of course. But I want a 9.3x62, just in case I would make it to Africa, where it is legal to use.
And the 35 Whelen is only legal for PG.
The 9.3 shouldn’t have any feeding issues, since it was originally chambered in the Mauser 98’s, and they used to be the 8x57 variety, mostly.
But, I could be wrong.


Hawk

 

[CoElkHunter]

I already have a barrel kit in 35 Whelen that I’m going to switch my Savage 111 270 barrel out with.
I thought it might be cool to have 2 heavy hitters, both Savage 110/111 long action rifles.
Both 35 Whelen and 9.3x62 are legal here, of course. But I want a 9.3x62, just in case I would make it to Africa, where it is legal to use.
And the 35 Whelen is only legal for PG.
The 9.3 shouldn’t have any feeding issues, since it was originally chambered in the Mauser 98’s, and they used to be the 8x57 variety, mostly.
But, I could be wrong.


Hawk

Hawk,
I completely understand. If you want a 9.3, by all means get one. If you don’t, you WILL regret it. Just like I and many others here and elsewhere, you will always think about the 9.3 or any other cartridge that was intriguing to you and what could have been? Compromise is bittersweet. It may be the logical choice, but you’ll never get that “what if” out of your thoughts.
CEH