Lets clear up some misconceptions and myths about the Savage 10ML-II and get some correct info out. I have never shot a T/C Omega so I cannot and will not comment on it. I have, however, fired in the neighborhood of 25,000 rounds through custom built smokeless muzzleloaders and the Savage 10ML's and 10ML-II's.

The Savage 10ML-II, is currently the strongest, safest, most advanced, and most versatle muzzleloader on the market today. Not to mention that it is very user friendly. I can shoot ANY of the blackpowder substitutes, blackpowder. Of Course, it is also the only muzzleloader that can shoot smokeless powders. Now, that (smokeless powders) only will turn many people against the Savage 10ML-II. They firmly belief or rather opinion, that smokeless powder has no place in the world of muzzleloaders. That is fine with me if they that opinion, just don't opinions confused with facts. Fact is, smokeless powder is the original blackpowder substitute. Oh yeah, back in the late 1880's and early 1890's, blackpowder began to give way to the new smokeless powder. Pyrodex didnot come about until around the mid-1970's, Clean-shot until the early 1990's, and Triple 7 until 2003. Even today, smokeless powder is refered to as equivelent to old blackpowder drams in shotgun shells. There is really nothing equivelent between Pyrodex/T-7 and blackpowder, either chemically, composition, or volumetrically wise. You can't load grain for grain, as you have to back off 15% or so when using Pyrodex (even more when using T-7) as compared to blackpowder loads. The only thing they have in common is they all create a large clouds of smoke when fired.

Projectile wise the Savage can and will shoot, bore size conicles or saboted bullets. Some projectiles work better when used with Pyrodex or T-7, some work better with smokeless. Ignition is 209 primer, same as most in-line muzzleloaders sold today. One of the myths the surrounds the 10ML-II is, "a one or two grain overcharge could or will have devasting results". That is 150% pure Bravo Sierra. When shooting smokeless powder and saboted bullets, in the 10ML-II, if a charge is too hot by a grain or two, or even a double charge, upon ignition the gas and pressure will blow the base of the sabot, causing the gas to blow by the sabot, thus reducing the pressures. In other words the sabot if blown by a hot loads, acts as a pressure relief valve. What about conciles and smokeless powder? Savage doesn't recommend bore conicles and smokeless powders, even though I have gotten PowerBelts to give decent results as long as I kept the velocity to 1,600-1,800 FPS. I have not shot any Buffalo or Plains bullets or anything like that in a 10ML or 10ML-II, becasue I saw no need in it. But with Pyrodex, T-7, or Clean-shot, or something like that, that style for bullet should work just fine.


The advantages of shooting smokeless powder are many. Like after 1 shot, 2 shots, 50 shots, or even 100 shots, you can take the 10ML-II home and stick in the safe for a day, a week, a month, or even 6 months, without cleaning it. If you did this to a T/C Omega or any other muzzleloader, you would have one rusted up paperweight. The cost is also much cheaper per shot, on average a 10ML-II cost approximately $.40-$.50 per shot. A T/C Omega, Knight, CVA, etc., with Pyrodex or T-7 pellets could cost as much as $2.00 a shot. At the cost of $25 for a box of 100 pellets at Wally-World you could get as many as 50 shots out of it, but with 1 pound of IMR 4227 or AA 5744, I can get 150+ shots.

Don't be worried about the myth of "having to weigh each and every powder charge". Heck, I weigh about 5% of the loads that I shoot in the 10ML-II. The other 95% of the time I use a Lee Powder Dipper Set, and dip my powder charges. This is a VOLUMNETRIC way of weighing powder. In fact Savage inlcudes the 3 most popular dippers with the 10ML-II, I beleive they are the 2.8cc, 3.1cc, 3.4cc dippers. 45Hawken was right about 1 thing, and that is accuracy. If you want 1" or better groups, then weigh your powder charges, but if 1.25-1.5" groups are fine then use the dippers. The dipper work great either at the range, at the hunt camp, or in the field.

With smokeless the rifle is almost maintenace free. Much less maintenance than your centerfire rifle. By the time you could get a T/C Omega, Knight, or CVA taken aprt for cleaning, you would be through cleaning a 10ML-II. The 10ML-II is also the only muzzleloader with a truely sealed closed breech. You will get zero blow back with the 10ML-II.