Also if you will be using smmokeless powder be very careful when working up a load as smokeless powder will give you much more pressure than black powder will. It also creates a much bigger change in pressure with a minimal change in charge weight and bullet weight/ type. Black powder and its substitutes are not nearly as sensative to these changes in loads.
I have to respectfully disagree with this assessment of the dangers of smokeless powder in the Savage 10ML-II, and in fact I would counter that using smokeless is SAFER than BP and subs. In fact, I believe that the Savage is the safest ML in existance today, ESPECIALLY when used with smokeless powder. Why?
First of all, the Savage 10ML's barrel is proofed to 129,000psi (that's 129 thousand, no typo). That pressure is twice the pressures generated by most CF magnum rifles. You'd have to pack a crapload of powder into the barrel before you'd hit those pressures, but the pressure levels won't ever get that high as long as you're using the projectiles listed in the manual. The Savage 10ML clearly indicates the use of .45cal bullets and high pressure sabots ONLY when using smokeless powder. Even high pressure sabots won't stand up to more than about 50,000psi before the sabot blows out and vents off any additional pressures right down the barrel. The worst that could happen is gas cutting and of the sabot, tons of plastic fouling and possibly bore erosion, but the sabot will blow long before dangerous pressure levels are reached.
In addition to the above, smokeless powder itself is actually MUCH safer to handle than BP and subs. BP and most subs require little more than a tiny spark to light them off, and as such require brass (which doesn't spark) or plastic powder flasks and measures. Smokeless, on the other hand, requires intense heat to light it off, meaning that it's far more stable than BP. And if uncontained smokeless does ignite it simply burn intensely but progressively, unlike BP which can effectivly explode when ignited in excess air.
I will admit that when I first heard of the Savage ML10 being able to use smokeless powder, I was skeptical of the wisdom of using it in a muzzleloader. In fact my first thought when I heard of it was that it was only a matter of time before some jackass dumped 100 grains by volume of smokeless powder down the barrel and proceeded to blow himself, and anyone standing next to him, straight to kingdom come. But still being curious I did some poking around and found the following articles by Mr. Randy Wakeman, a man who's fairly well versed in the realm of muzzleloading and from what I can tell, his opinions are well researched and thought out. After reading his articles detailing the ML10 and exposing the myth that it is unsafe (probably perpetuated by Savages competitors), I'm convinced that the Savage is the best built, and safest muzzleloader on the planet today.
Here are four articles written by Randy Wakeman that convinced me that the Savage ML10 is not only safe, but actually safer than any of the other ML's on the market today. See for yourself.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/instant_slamification.htm
http://www.chuckhawks.com/savage_ML10.htm
http://www.chuckhawks.com/savage_10MLII_accutrigger.htm
http://www.chuckhawks.com/savage_ML_FAQ.htm
Mike