Savage 10ML II

[jrkrk]

I have been reading quite a few reports of the excellent accuracy that people are getting with the savage whether they are using BP, 777, or smokeless. I have a gunshop nearby where I can purchase a savage at a really good price. Does anyone in this forum have anything good or bad to say about  the gun.                THanx :grin:

[mamaflinter]

Well I don't personally own one, but my hubby does. He has found his to be quite accurate once he found the rifles pet load. There are message boards out there that are dedicated to the Savage. I can send you a few links if you email me.

[crow_feather]

JRKRK,

I guess most comments depend on what you plan to do with it.


 (and whether or not you put oil in the bore)
Hi mama

C F

[simonkenton]

Buy that Savage you won't regret it.
I bought one a few months ago. This is my first in line, though I have lots of experience with black powder, as well as with center fires.
This is a rugged and well made rifle. It is very accurate. If you aren't getting less than 2 inch groups, something is wrong. The third group I fired was 1 and 1/4 inches. This is with a 250 XTP coming out of the muzzle at 3,000 foot pounds, an astonishing amount of energy for a muzzle loader.
The rifle has a good safety that is  easy to use. The bolt closes to completely enclose the breech, unlike many in lines in which the breech is exposed to rain, or a twig could get in there and block the thing from firing. Not so with the Savage. And with the safety on, the bolt is locked closed, a feature I really like when going through thick brush.
The Savage is more finicky than any other muzzleloader. You have to have just the right sabot and slug combo. Lets say you just grab some .50 XTP with the green sabot. Bad choice, they won't be accurate.  You need the .50 XTP with the black sabot, in .452. The good thing is, there is great tech support for this gun on the Savage web sites. I went over there, picked the brains of the experts, and the first powder and bullet I tried were dead on accurate.
Another thing I like about the Savage, it is easy to get an aftermarked wooden stock for it if you don't like the plastic stock. The stock that Richards Microfit makes for the Savage 10 centerfire action will fit the muzzleloader, you just have to rout out the wood for the ramrod. You can get a beautiful maple or walnut stock, made to your length of pull and with the recoil pad of your choice, for under $100, then you have to sand it and put oil on it. I don't know of aftermarket stocks available for the other plastic inlines, such as Knight or TC.
Last but not least, praise God for a muzzleloader you don't have to clean.
ps it is also very easy to load the 209 primer, and very easy to unload after firing. Half the time when you work the bolt the old primer just pops out. No need for a capping tool or a "disc".

[RandyWakeman]

Does anyone in this forum have anything good or bad to say about  the gun.                THanx :grin:

It is the strongest muzzleloader made, the only bolt action with a sealed action, it cannot stick primers, and it even shoots Pyrodex pellets / Powerbelts well-- despite being designed for smokeless, where it really shines.

Only good, and it will only get better as time goes on.

[mamaflinter]

JRKRK,

I guess most comments depend on what you plan to do with it.


 (and whether or not you put oil in the bore)
Hi mama

C F

Hi to you.  

[Mel Taylor]

I bought a 10-ML in December 2000 and a ML-II in August 2002. Both are great rifles and function well with Pyrodex and Triple 7 as well as smokeless.

They ARE finicky with sabots when shooting smokeless, not so much so with Pyro or T-7. You can shoot .451, .452 and, with the right sabot, .458 (45-70) bullets in it.

Contact mamaflinter. She will send you the links you need for more detailed information.

Mel[/u][/i]

[Toby Bridges]

It's good to see a few familiar old friends on this thread.

You know, even if the Savage 10ML II did not shoot faster...flatter...with more energy...with less recoil...and more economically...one other trait of this muzzleloader would still make it superior to anything else on the market.

And that is its easy maintenance.


Last year, I hunted with the same synthetic stocked stainless 10ML II through the entire 3 1/2 month hunting seasons...hunted 7 states and took 14 whitetails with it...in weather ranging from rain and 90 degrees to snow and -10 degrees.  Plus everywhere I went, folks wanted to shoot the "new smokeless frontloader" and some 300 shots were sent down range during October, November and December 2003.  And in all that time, with all of that hunting, and all of the shooting...I only broke this rifle down four times to give it a thorough cleaning.  Now, try that with any other muzzleloader...and you can probably pitch it in a ditch after about the end of the first month!