You might have been looking for the H&R Ultra Hunter model, as it use to be availible in a 280 with a nice Laminated stock. But they stoped offering the 280 in that config.
You could have ordered in regular hardwood or sythtetic and switched the stock out to a Laminated one.
But any way Savage makes a good gun and they are great shooters. And you did no harm by changing over to the 270. The ballistics are very close, yet the 270 doesn't have quite as many bullet selections as the 7mm. But then again it really doesn't need them
Congrats on finding what you like.
-Aaron