MNbuckhunter
Member
I'm in the same boat but with a TC Pro Hunter. 110gr BH209 and 250gr Barnes T-EZ.
I'm in the same boat but with a TC Pro Hunter. 110gr BH209 and 250gr Barnes T-EZ.
Swampy_44
Member
Smokeless all the way. People don't know what they're missing out on! Extremely clean shooting. Clean the gun once a year after late season. Shoot 62 grains of powder, pushing a 200gr hornady sst. Zero in at 200yds, just over 2" high at 100. With less recoil than a 243. Baddest ML on the planet! period. Or you could go sabotless using more powder and a heavier slug, with faster trajectory and more down range power.
skyleralan
PMA Member
Yeah, try finding one! Why Savage quit making them I have no idea?!?!? I am in the market, but the prices are crazy. If anyone has a Savage 10 ML II let me know!
StickersNKickers
Camo Up!
Didn't realize they quit making them, but when I was somewhat looking at MLs, I stopped in at Scheels and asked if they had any. Response was no and never will for liability reasons...thought people would overload them using rates for other propellants and injure themselves. Not sure if this could be part of it or not, or if sales weren't there.
JNRBRONC
Well-Known Member
Toby Bridges
stirred a lot of controversy regarding the safety of the ML10II which was patently untrue, IMO. There was also a move to reclassify the ML10II as a "modern" firearm, which most other MLS can be shipped without a FFL. So, IMO, the cost of production versus the profit margin, the shipping issues, and the competition of cheaper ML's made Savage re-evaluate the product and they opted to stop production. Most gun stores wouldn't touch them due to phantom stories of liability. Well, guess what, operator error can occur with ANY firearm! I think most were just against smokeless creeping into the "tradition" of ML, but really, how "traditional" are most ML's and the popular powders out there today? Who shoots a flint lock, Elephant powder and a patch and ball these days (besides Shovelbuck)?
At least I bought two while I could.
10hunter
PMA Member
Glad I have two also. Bought my first 10 ml II years ago when first out on the market and now several other friends have followed suit. Is one of my favorite weapons to shoot. Low recoil even with a 300 gr. barnes original pushed over 2000 fps by 44 gr. of AA5744, and you can even see where you shoot while being hard hitting on whitetail. Sold my rifled slug gun and now just bowhunt and late muz with my Savage. if I decide to go Shotgun again I will just carry it.
Definitely recommend to anyone wanting a muzzleloader, if you can find one.
Definitely recommend to anyone wanting a muzzleloader, if you can find one.
The thing about ANY inline muzzleloader today is that they are all 150 yard guns out of the box which is good enough for most people.
Spend a little more and start tinkering with loads and you can easily push that to 200 yards and beyond. Spend big dollar on a custom spoke-less and all of the sudden you have a firearm that is deadly accurate out to 400+ yards. I know folks with Badbulls that have killed does at over 500 yards, but they are spending $3,000 on those guns.
I shoot a TC Pro Hunter FX, BH209, Hornady SST. 200 yards and in and goodnight. I live and hunt in an area of the state that is very hilly with tons of cover, so the need to shoot beyond 200 yards is very unlikely to happen.
Spend a little more and start tinkering with loads and you can easily push that to 200 yards and beyond. Spend big dollar on a custom spoke-less and all of the sudden you have a firearm that is deadly accurate out to 400+ yards. I know folks with Badbulls that have killed does at over 500 yards, but they are spending $3,000 on those guns.
I shoot a TC Pro Hunter FX, BH209, Hornady SST. 200 yards and in and goodnight. I live and hunt in an area of the state that is very hilly with tons of cover, so the need to shoot beyond 200 yards is very unlikely to happen.
Monsterbuck
Active Member
I bought the Savage. They did do another production run a couple of years ago.
Need to play with some more load combinations. So far my old Knight Rifles Bighorn is more accurate for me. Do have to love the convenience of smokeless powder though.
Need to play with some more load combinations. So far my old Knight Rifles Bighorn is more accurate for me. Do have to love the convenience of smokeless powder though.
skyleralan
PMA Member
SEIowaDeerslayer
Well-Known Member
I really like my knight disc now after installing the Lehigh conversion. I can use blackhorn now with no hang fires and zero blow back. Drives tacks too.
I've been shooting & hunting with muzzleloaders for 25+ years and have owned 6 TC's and a several different CVA's.
My recommendation would be a CVA Accura V2 w/ thumbhole stock and a nitride barrel. With the nitride barrel, CVA guarantees that they won't ever rust. That's a heckuva statement from guns that tend to see the worst of the worst from a corrosion aspect.
As others have said, Blackhorn 209 is the best thing to happen to muzzleloading since inline 209 ignition and I wouldn't even think of using anything else.
If you're planning on hunting with a muzzleloader in CO, keep in mind that (as already said), pelletized powder is not allowed, nor are sabboted bullets (Powerbelts are ok) and you CANNOT use a scope- you need to use iron sights. My suggestion would be to buy the model #PR3122SN that comes with iron sights. IMO it's easier to get a scope mount than to try & get iron sights for a gun that doesn't come with one, which many don't.
My recommendation would be a CVA Accura V2 w/ thumbhole stock and a nitride barrel. With the nitride barrel, CVA guarantees that they won't ever rust. That's a heckuva statement from guns that tend to see the worst of the worst from a corrosion aspect.
As others have said, Blackhorn 209 is the best thing to happen to muzzleloading since inline 209 ignition and I wouldn't even think of using anything else.
If you're planning on hunting with a muzzleloader in CO, keep in mind that (as already said), pelletized powder is not allowed, nor are sabboted bullets (Powerbelts are ok) and you CANNOT use a scope- you need to use iron sights. My suggestion would be to buy the model #PR3122SN that comes with iron sights. IMO it's easier to get a scope mount than to try & get iron sights for a gun that doesn't come with one, which many don't.
10hunter
PMA Member
2x
I was glad I bought a second so I would be able to take my kids muzzleloader hunting in the future...more convenient for me so I do not have to carry different powders or clean multiple guns in evening. Hope you are able to enjoy a "smokeless" muzz in the future. Not much more $ to find a carryover or build your own compared to a TC as has been stated here previously.
I was glad I bought a second so I would be able to take my kids muzzleloader hunting in the future...more convenient for me so I do not have to carry different powders or clean multiple guns in evening. Hope you are able to enjoy a "smokeless" muzz in the future. Not much more $ to find a carryover or build your own compared to a TC as has been stated here previously.
I have a 10 MLII since they first came out. I can't imagine why you would want anything else. Head and shoulders above any other ML. Check out dougs message board for blog just for the Savage ML. http://dougsmessageboards.proboards.com/
The proven accuracy load for the MLII is 59.5 gr VV n120, Harvester crush rib sabot and the .458 diameter 300 grain Barnes bonded original spire point. MOA accuracy in the 4 MLII'S in my camp.
Monsterbuck
Active Member
I've heard that VV n 120 is often hard to find so I went with something else to start. I believe it's H4198.
Last edited:
meyeri
PMA Member
I have a knight disc extreme and I have no problem getting consistent groupings. I had to tinker with quite a few bullets, grains and powder to get that though. Barnes gave me the best groupings. It is a pain to clean though. I will probably try to build a custom smokeless one day since the savages are impossible to find. I did see a first generation used savage at Gander Mt. in CR and they wanted $800 for it. Might as well get the Remington customized for that kind of bank.