Savage ML II - Opinions
10-14-2002, 06:40 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Blythewood SC USA
Posts: 102
Savage ML II - Opinions
Looking to buy my first ML. I hunt alot of clearcuts so I'm hoping to find a ML that I can become proficient with out to 200 yds. Hearing some good things about the Savage ML II. Any disadvantages to smokeless powder. Thanks again for your feedback. Looking forward to my first smokepole!!
11-08-2002, 09:56 AM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Iowa
Posts: 343
RE: Savage ML II - Opinions
I've never tried a muzzleloader either but saw the ads for the savage using smokeless powder and am very interested.
Hasn't ANYBODY out there tried these guns?? Geez, I really thought the members of this board would be a little more knowledgeable and into muzzleloaders. Aren't muzzleloaders techies? Go to the bowhunting section and they obsess over new equipment.
Hasn't ANYBODY out there tried these guns?? Geez, I really thought the members of this board would be a little more knowledgeable and into muzzleloaders. Aren't muzzleloaders techies? Go to the bowhunting section and they obsess over new equipment.
11-08-2002, 11:34 AM
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
RE: Savage ML II - Opinions
Well, its a subject that has been beat to death I think. I shot one. I like it. I have seen them be a little sparatic in accuracy. Seems it has to do alot with the barrels being extreamly rough. Alot of people are taking 2000 passes with JB Bore Cleaner, to smooth.
Part I like about these muzzleloaders is you can shoot BP just the same. Gives me something else to play with at the range.
Part I like about these muzzleloaders is you can shoot BP just the same. Gives me something else to play with at the range.
11-08-2002, 02:41 PM
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Iowa
Posts: 343
RE: Savage ML II - Opinions
Sorry if the topic has been addressed so much before, I looked for posts on it and only found this one. For somebody who has never dealt with black powder, and the messy clean-up, I think the Savage would require much less maintenence. Do you think the accuracy issue was related to the initial products and may have been resolved?
11-09-2002, 09:19 PM
#6
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Greensboro NC USA
Posts: 563
RE: Savage ML II - Opinions
The biggest disadvantage about the use of smokeless powders in the 10ML-II is that it may not be legal to use smokeless in your state during the established muzzleloading season. Make sure you check your state rules and regulations. And never shoot smokeless pwoder in any muzzleloader but the Savage 10ML-II.
One of the biggest detractors of out of the box accuracy for the 10ML-II is that the bore is somewhat rough, due to the button rifling method used by Savage, especially in the stainless models. The first thing that I did to all 7 of mine, and I recommend to everyone who buys one, is to lap the bore atleast 200 passes with J&B bore cleaning compound, to smooth the bore and take the sharp edges off the lands. It is much easier to do this, than to shoot the 10ML-II enough for the lands to naturally smooth out. Their are several powders that produce good top excellent results in the 10ML-II, but the bullets that seem to perform the best are the .452 Hornady 250gr and 300gr XTP's. The MMP and Hornady high pressure and high velocity sabots perform the best in the 10ML-II.
The advantages of using smokeless powder, and the Savage 10ML-II, is that you can get a very wide range of performance, for many different applications. You can use smokeless powders, BP, Pryodex, or any other of the BP subsitutes. You can tone down smokeless powder loads to equal the performance of BP, Pyrodex, and other subistutes or you can jack the velocity up to 2,600 FPS plus. With the 10ML-II you can shot it year round, with smokeless pwoder to equal preformance of a BP or Pyrodex load, then use BP or Pyrodex for the muzzleloading season if smokeless is not legal, then switch back after the season or during regular gun season.
Maintenace is much less of a hassel with smokeless powder, clean up takes less than 5 minutes, and is not really required at all after a day on the range. I hunted the first week of October this year here in eastern NC, just wiped the outside down, never cleaned it, then went this morning for the opening day of the central muzzleloading season and shot a nice 4 pointer at 7am. Never cleaned it the entire month from eastern to central muzzleloading season.
On a lot of muzzleloading forum or boards, the shear mention of the Savage 10ML-II will bring forth the more traditional mind and muzzleloader hunters and shooters with a vengence. They make the point, and a good one, that the muzzleloading seasons were establish, so that they, key word is they, have a a set apart season so that they and their their liked minded, can hunt in peace with their flintlocks and at most a sidelock percussion. They see, inlines in general and the Savage 10ML-II in particular, as a cancer on the the muzzleloading sport. A few go so far as to assume, and in extreme case stating, that anyone hunting with an inline is a non-hunter, just some lazy slob who is out for another week in the woods and to fill another tag. As one who has hunted with flintlock, sidelocks, inline percussion, and now the 10ML-II. I take a little offense as such broad, uninformed, and assuming statements. I beleive to each his own, they all load from the muzzle. I will diligently defend the right or privlage a trad to hunt with his or her flintlock, but I have doubts if very many would do the same for me to enusre I can hunt with my 10MLs or 10ML-IIs. Since the first inlines really hit the market back in the late 1980's, the number of hunter who have taken up the sport of muzzleloading has jumped from about 400,00 to about 2.5 million. Seasons and bag limits for the most part, have been expanded. To my knowledge, no state has eliminated the muzzleloading season or seasons, because of the inlines or the increase of the number of hunters. For the most part, I guess muzzleloaders are techies to a certian degree. They want positive ignition, consistent performance, and clean killing power.
If you want to check into the Savage 10ML-II more, check out the site about the 10ML-II. You can get tons of information and feel free to ask questions that you might have.
http://www.dream-tools.com/tools/mes...gemuzzleloader
Edited by - 1SHOT_1KILL on 11/09/2002 22:22:00
One of the biggest detractors of out of the box accuracy for the 10ML-II is that the bore is somewhat rough, due to the button rifling method used by Savage, especially in the stainless models. The first thing that I did to all 7 of mine, and I recommend to everyone who buys one, is to lap the bore atleast 200 passes with J&B bore cleaning compound, to smooth the bore and take the sharp edges off the lands. It is much easier to do this, than to shoot the 10ML-II enough for the lands to naturally smooth out. Their are several powders that produce good top excellent results in the 10ML-II, but the bullets that seem to perform the best are the .452 Hornady 250gr and 300gr XTP's. The MMP and Hornady high pressure and high velocity sabots perform the best in the 10ML-II.
The advantages of using smokeless powder, and the Savage 10ML-II, is that you can get a very wide range of performance, for many different applications. You can use smokeless powders, BP, Pryodex, or any other of the BP subsitutes. You can tone down smokeless powder loads to equal the performance of BP, Pyrodex, and other subistutes or you can jack the velocity up to 2,600 FPS plus. With the 10ML-II you can shot it year round, with smokeless pwoder to equal preformance of a BP or Pyrodex load, then use BP or Pyrodex for the muzzleloading season if smokeless is not legal, then switch back after the season or during regular gun season.
Maintenace is much less of a hassel with smokeless powder, clean up takes less than 5 minutes, and is not really required at all after a day on the range. I hunted the first week of October this year here in eastern NC, just wiped the outside down, never cleaned it, then went this morning for the opening day of the central muzzleloading season and shot a nice 4 pointer at 7am. Never cleaned it the entire month from eastern to central muzzleloading season.
On a lot of muzzleloading forum or boards, the shear mention of the Savage 10ML-II will bring forth the more traditional mind and muzzleloader hunters and shooters with a vengence. They make the point, and a good one, that the muzzleloading seasons were establish, so that they, key word is they, have a a set apart season so that they and their their liked minded, can hunt in peace with their flintlocks and at most a sidelock percussion. They see, inlines in general and the Savage 10ML-II in particular, as a cancer on the the muzzleloading sport. A few go so far as to assume, and in extreme case stating, that anyone hunting with an inline is a non-hunter, just some lazy slob who is out for another week in the woods and to fill another tag. As one who has hunted with flintlock, sidelocks, inline percussion, and now the 10ML-II. I take a little offense as such broad, uninformed, and assuming statements. I beleive to each his own, they all load from the muzzle. I will diligently defend the right or privlage a trad to hunt with his or her flintlock, but I have doubts if very many would do the same for me to enusre I can hunt with my 10MLs or 10ML-IIs. Since the first inlines really hit the market back in the late 1980's, the number of hunter who have taken up the sport of muzzleloading has jumped from about 400,00 to about 2.5 million. Seasons and bag limits for the most part, have been expanded. To my knowledge, no state has eliminated the muzzleloading season or seasons, because of the inlines or the increase of the number of hunters. For the most part, I guess muzzleloaders are techies to a certian degree. They want positive ignition, consistent performance, and clean killing power.
If you want to check into the Savage 10ML-II more, check out the site about the 10ML-II. You can get tons of information and feel free to ask questions that you might have.
http://www.dream-tools.com/tools/mes...gemuzzleloader
Edited by - 1SHOT_1KILL on 11/09/2002 22:22:00
11-10-2002, 05:47 AM
#7
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Hickory NC USA
Posts: 964
RE: Savage ML II - Opinions
I bought one when they first came out(not the ML11)and I tried every powder and bullet I could get and using One-shots loads and many others and when using smokless powder it wouldn't hit a bull in the ass at 50 yds.BUT using 100 grains of clean shot and a 250 XTP mag it would make one big hole at 100 yds with a three shot group.
Don't get me wrong I really liked the rifle but sold it because I couldn't get it to shoot the smokeless powder the one I sold it too just wanted it for deer season,because someone broke into his house and stole all his guns.I have watched him shoot it using the cleanshot and he is still getting the good groups with it.
I hope to get another one (ML11) and try it again,really like the one with the laminated stock.But have so many now I can't find the time to shoot them all,sure have fun trying though.
http://www.hunting-pictures.com/memb...ght&encore.jpg
Don't get me wrong I really liked the rifle but sold it because I couldn't get it to shoot the smokeless powder the one I sold it too just wanted it for deer season,because someone broke into his house and stole all his guns.I have watched him shoot it using the cleanshot and he is still getting the good groups with it.
I hope to get another one (ML11) and try it again,really like the one with the laminated stock.But have so many now I can't find the time to shoot them all,sure have fun trying though.
http://www.hunting-pictures.com/memb...ght&encore.jpg
11-11-2002, 08:21 AM
#8
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Baxter Tennessee USA
Posts: 117
RE: Savage ML II - Opinions
I got one last year, a 10mlII stainless and I LOVE IT. I guess I am more of the "muzzleloader season=more hunting" group. I have been MZ hunting since they first opened a season here for them. I started with a CVA kit gun, it was all I could afford. My next MZ was an Investarms hawken with chrome lined bore. It shot great, but I had to have a Knight. I had an MK-85 Predator stainless next, that was the WORST shooting gun I have owned to date, and the most expensive MZ yet! Next was a BK-92 which I still own. Then I bought a wolverine for an extra. It is still here also. And FINALLY last year I had to try a Savage. The savage is by far the most user friendly rifle I have. My whole point is to show that I have been from one end of the scale to the other, and I will stay at the high tech end!
My advice would be that if you want a Savage get it now. I just have a bad feeling about their longevity in the market place. Too many people that I mention it to have never even heard that savage made a mz let alone a SMOKELESS MZ. If marketing doesnt change, the simple law of supply and demand will eliminate it from the marketplace. If savage wants to keep this gun alive they need to do more advertising and maybe sponsor someone, (me???) to do a hunting show strictly with the savage mz. These guns are very capable of harvesting ANYTHING at all ranges average hunters will shoot their smokeless cartridge rifles! With the right loads, a .375 H&H has NOTHING on these guns in energy, and with the right loads a 30/06 has nothing in velocity! The key is all in the loads chosen, and bullet weight selected.
My longest shot so far is a laser rangefinder measured 167 yards. This gun has been shot at game 7 times and brought blood all seven times. Im just now getting started good with it!
My advice would be that if you want a Savage get it now. I just have a bad feeling about their longevity in the market place. Too many people that I mention it to have never even heard that savage made a mz let alone a SMOKELESS MZ. If marketing doesnt change, the simple law of supply and demand will eliminate it from the marketplace. If savage wants to keep this gun alive they need to do more advertising and maybe sponsor someone, (me???) to do a hunting show strictly with the savage mz. These guns are very capable of harvesting ANYTHING at all ranges average hunters will shoot their smokeless cartridge rifles! With the right loads, a .375 H&H has NOTHING on these guns in energy, and with the right loads a 30/06 has nothing in velocity! The key is all in the loads chosen, and bullet weight selected.
My longest shot so far is a laser rangefinder measured 167 yards. This gun has been shot at game 7 times and brought blood all seven times. Im just now getting started good with it!
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