Oh, and I do have a 10ML-II, and was very concerned when Bridges came out with his "revelation" about the 10ML-II, primarily because his work and that of Randy Wakeman were very influential in my decision to buy the gun. But being a former cop, and never one to take anything at fact value, I started digging, and I not only found that email, but I also found another forum where both Bill Ball and Randy Wakeman (an unrelated third party at that point) had posted a great deal of commentary discussing Bridges behavior up to and including the blow up. Also, from the mouth of Bridges himself, when he posted his "press release" on his website he admitted, inadvertantly or not, that he had repeatedly and regularly fired overcharges as large as 6 grains in that very gun, and had in fact just shot a 4 grain overcharge the shot immediately preceeding the one that supposedly blew up the gun. He also, as previously mentioned, experimented with both duplex and triplex loads (layering two or three powders before loading the bullet) which can be dangerously unpredictable and by mixing powders. These are all things that any handloader knows are grossly reckless and dangerous with potentially catastrophic results. But apparently Bridges thinks himself smarter that the ballisticians and engineers working for Savage and employing the best pressure measuring gear money can buy. This whole thing is nothing but sour grapes on Bridges part.

Oh, and I too regularly shoot 42.5 grains of N-110 out of my 10ML-II with 300gr SST's or XTP-Mag's. It's accurate, clean and simple. I have no concernes about the safety of the rifle whatsoever. My rifle has not, nor will it ever, shoot anything other than clean, safe smokeless powder. If one an safely handload CF cartridges, one can safely load and shoot a Savage. The only difference between metallic cartridge handloading and loading a Savage is the absence of a brass case.

Mike