Savage Arms Model 10 ML-II: Savage's Modern Muzzleloader Offers Smokeless Performance

Guns Magazine, Feb, 2002 by Sam Fadala

Part of the cleaning process deals with removing the breech-plug vent liner with a 1/8-inch Allen wrench. This step is not necessary after every shooting session. However, the small vent liner should be taken out, dropped into solvent, and cleaned up periodically. Savage recommends this procedure after 100 shots are fired in order to maintain peak ignition performance. As with the breech-plug threads, the threads of the breech-plug vent liner should also receive a light coating of anti-seize lubricant. Excessive lube can cause a misfire. On the other hand, failure to treat threads can lock both liner and plug so fiercely that the rifle must be taken to a gunsmith or sent back to the factory for unthreading. The usual methods of cleaning the bore prevail: I flushed with hot water, following with solvent on a bristle bore brush, then wet patches, ending with dry patches. Long-term storage calls for a touch of metal preservative in the bore, which must be wiped free before the next shooting session.

Smokeless-powder cleanup is accomplished with the same products normally used for modern cartridge guns. This pertains to breech-plug and liner as well as the bore and working parts of the rifle. As with more traditional muzzle loaders, if using black powder, you will need to clean after every shooting session and between strings of shots. Pyrodex will produce less fouling, and you may be able to wait until the day's end to swab Out your bore. The size of the powder charge, with black-powder, Pyrodex, and similar powders, makes a big difference in cleaning frequency. Obviously, squib loads in the 50grain (volume) domain will not foul the bore as quickly as maximum charges of three times that volume. Smokelesspowder cleaning is recommended at 50- to 60-shot intervals.

High Power Performance

Savage lists only three suitable smokeless powders in the owner's manual for its .50-caliber Model 10ML-II. These are IMR-4227, Accurate Arms XMP-5744 and Vihtavouri N110. Hornady 250- and 300grain XTP sabot bullets are listed at velocities ranging from around 2,100 fps to nearly 2,400 fps. Sabots with smokeless powder must be the magnum type as sold through Magnum Muzzleloading Products (870-741-5019). Other sabots may fail. A typical maximum powder charge with Hornady's 250-grain bullet is 48.0 grains of IMR-4227 for a muzzle velocity of 2,254 fps with 2,821 ft.lb. of energy. A typical maximum powder charge with the 300grain Hornady bullet is 44.5 grains of Vihtavouri N110 for a muzzle velocity of 2,244 fps and an energy rating of 3,355 ft.lb. At closer ranges, the rifle has 30-'06 power, but Savage has not, so far, touted the 10ML-II as "most powerful muzzleloader," which it is not. For example, October Country offers a muzzleloader capable of pushing a 1,400-grain round ball with 6,000 ft.lb. of muzzle en ergy.

The strength of the Savage Model 10ML-II is its sound construction and topflight materials. That it shoots smokeless powder is unique, and it is, of course, the flag waved at the head of the parade for Savage. On general hunts -- where the muzzleloader fan shares the field with other outdoorsmen who pack scoped, longrange cartridge rifles -- the use of smokeless in the 10ML-II is certainly sporting. Rules for special blackpowder-only "primitive" seasons are another matter. A cursory investigation of game laws shows "blackpowder or substitute only" as common. No smokeless powder allowed. Meanwhile, smokeless powder makes after-shooting cleanup easy, and this is where the Savage 10ML-II shines -- lots of practice at the range with very little fuss afterward. The marksman who says, "I sure would like to shoot today, but I don't have time for cleanup," has no excuse with the Model 10ML-II.