Bear Hunter Barrel length

[lcq01]

Hi all

I'm interested in the Bear Hunter in 300WSM but they state the barrel is 23". Is that 23" with the break or actual barrel length? I don't want to be hit with a 100fps penalty for a really short barrel.

Thanks much

[agentjoey]

Hi all

I'm interested in the Bear Hunter in 300WSM but they state the barrel is 23". Is that 23" with the break or actual barrel length? I don't want to be hit with a 100fps penalty for a really short barrel.

Thanks much
I believe that is WITH the muzzle break. I have one on order in 375 Ruger I'll let ya know when it arrives

[olddav]

The Bear Hunter has the same over all length as another model with a 24" barrel (both 300 WSM). I would assume the the Bear Hunter has. 23" barrel in addition to a muzzle break. As all ways I could be wrong.

[FEENIX]

I believe that is WITH the muzzle break). I have one on order in 375 Ruger I'll let ya know when it arrives

Yes, it's 23" including the brake. The brake is 2 1/4" in length.

[lcq01]

Yes, it's 23" including the brake. The brake is 2 1/4" in length.

Thanks for clearing that up. I'll look at the long range hunter instead

[bignorm40]

Don't miss out on a very accurate rifle, 100fps is pretty insignificant. I have a 270 and 7mm mag with the same factory fluted barrel with muzzle brake and they both shoot .5moa

[bignorm40]

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/09/16/4df94d7ca972dd5cd4fa988fbb7c5e67.jpg

[FEENIX]

Don't miss out on a very accurate rifle, 100fps is pretty insignificant. I have a 270 and 7mm mag with the same factory fluted barrel with muzzle brake and they both shoot .5moa

I agree! I'll take accuracy over velocity gain anytime.

[lcq01]

Is the Bear Hunter any more accurate than the Long Range Hunter?
I agree! I'll take accuracy over velocity gain anytime.

[bignorm40]

Its probably more accurate than the shooter. #no insult intended

[lcq01]

Its probably more accurate than the shooter. #no insult intended

none taken. I would say there are ****ed few shooters as good as most rifles produced today

[big honkin jeep]

Yep Savage barrel length includes the brake. Personally I prefer a shorter barrel on a hunting rifle for a couple of good reasons. For one you spend a lot more time carrying a rifle on a hunting trip than you do shooting it. For another they are much easier to wield when the time comes. I wouldn't consider a 23" barrel a really short barrel, I'll bet the game you hunt wouldn't even notice any difference in velocity when the bullet arrives.
With this being said after spending years with an accuracy and velocity obsession and having a pretty nice stash of long barreled rigs, my latest hunting build has a sporter barrel in .308 whacked down to 16". Much easier on me, much lighter, way more handy and I promise the things I shoot with it are just as dead.
I have a predecessor to the Bear Hunter made many years ago and since discontinued as part of the Savage factory rifle lineup. It's a 116 FLCSAK in 30-06 and is probably my favorite hunting rig. It's just like the one bignorm posted above only a lefty with the 22" fluted barrel.(cant tell from the pic if that ones fluted or not) Best group is 10 shots into .446 with IMR 4350 and 165gr SGKs.
Just my opinion but the 16/116 Bear Hunter is currently the most feature laden factory hunting rifle on the planet at a price that the others cant touch at twice the money. If I were in the market for a magnum caliber rifle I wouldn't hesitate to purchase one. I sure wish they'd put out a deer hunter version in standard long action calibers.

[bignorm40]

Big honkin jeep, they are both fluted with factory brake. I shoot the 270 out to 600yrds and the 7 mag sees 800yrds quite often. I actually took the 7mag out yesterday and was playing around with some Berger 168 vld hunter I loaded for the 7mag. 69gr H1000 here is a 5shot group cold, clean bore.

The first shot was a fouler... the small group is actually 4 shots. Not bad for an older rifle

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/09/17/5a05ae70dd09625702c75845c89595a3.jpg

[bignorm40]

I am considering the bear hunter as my next rifle simply because the two that I have that are built like the bear hunter have been amazing

[big honkin jeep]

Just glad I got a lefty before they were discontinued. The 116 FLCSAK is awesome.
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w188/bighonkinjeep/00ca7186-d5bd-4a09-8d21-0e3ebf3d5c7e_zpsf5138a4e.jpg (http://s176.photobucket.com/user/bighonkinjeep/media/00ca7186-d5bd-4a09-8d21-0e3ebf3d5c7e_zpsf5138a4e.jpg.html)
I also have a 116 lefty 300RUM without the DBM or fluting. Great rifle just WAY WAY too much cartridge. Cant bring myself to pay 300RUM price for downloaded power level 1 (=30-06) ammo for it
Looks like if I want all the bells and whistles in a standard caliber lefty I'll have to put it together myself or pay a premium for the services of the custom order shop. Last time I checked I was looking at around $1200 for something with the bells and whistles that I paid a little over $400 for out the door in the mid 90s as a factory rifle.
Bear hunter is a great deal if a magnum caliber right handed rifle suits you.

[FEENIX]

Its probably more accurate than the shooter. #no insult intended

+1! Check out this video of a Savage Bear hunter in .300 WSM at 1500 yards ...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVMCBEe0E_4&feature=player_detailpage#t=24

[bignorm40]

The 300wsm is actually whay I was considering

[FEENIX]

The 300wsm is actually whay I was considering

I just acquired my 1st ever shortmag in 300 WSM >>> http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?38337-Got-my-1st-shortmag-ever