RE: semi auto for deer
I have an old Remington 742 in 30-06 and have taken a lot of deer with it. If you keep it clean, it will do the job every time. I can't remember the last time I had to take a second shot on a deer, but it is good to have that feature anyway.
I had a BAR in 7mm Remington, but never liked it that much. Too long and heavy. Where I hunt, you need something you can get on your shoulder quickly and make a fast shot a lot of the time.