I recently received a new savage 10ml-II need imput about these smokless powder guns and suggestions for scope and rings.

go here
www.modernmuzzleloader.com

look under the Smokeless Section Super INFO.

Ron

Join this board: http://dougva.proboards34.com/index.cgi?board=Savage

Don't get caught up in "hot-rodding the rifle", just read the tips and hints at the top of the forum.
Scope and rings. I have a Bushnell 3x9 with firefly, costs about $200 and is excellent. I have Weaver Grandslam bases. Read this:

http://www.randywakeman.com/ballltd121.htm

My suggests:
1) shoot the book loads with the book powders and the book bullets and get it shooting 1.5" or less at 100, easy to do wiht an XTP 250 or 300g.

2) Branch out into different bullets and powder that you read about on the various forums.

3. Some tips.
a) sabots must be tight, how tight, well "Golilocks tight", how much is goldilocks tight, well not loose so you can push them down with 1 hand, and not so tight you have to pound them down.

b) buy a better ram rod, an XS Power Rod is what I use, you will bend/break the Savage with "tight bullets and sabots"

c) seat bullet firmly with >>>all<<<<your weight on Ram Rod, not 25 lbs, not 30 lbs but all your weight on ram rod, you >>>will<<< have misfires if you do NOT, even with AA 5744 powder

d) As for bullets, well I am shooting 300 Barnes Origonal (.458 diameter) with Crushed Rib sabot (for .452 bullets)--don't ask me why it works, just believe "Grasshopper", it just does. I have shot all these
Barnes TMZ
TC SW
Knight Untimate Slam
Parker Ballistic Extreme
Harvester Scorpion PT
See here for how they shot in my gun:
http://www.the-gleasons.com/this_is_my_savage_10_ml_page.htm

e) You should buy a package of each of the following sabots:
MMP12, MMP24 and MMP 3 petal EZ Sabots, MMP shot black sabot from www.mmpsabots.com

Harvester Crushed Rib, Red Crushed Rib for Savage, Harvester Black High Pressure from "Mid South Shooters Supply".

You will find Sabot thickness critical to good shooting of the Savage. If your going "long range" with the Savage (>= 200 yards) bullets to try are on my web page, but in addition add the Barnes Origonal.

Other Barnes bullets that shoot well in the Savage:

http://www.randywakeman.com/A%202008%20Look%20at%20Savage%2010ML-II%20Preferred%20Loads.htm

http://www.randywakeman.com/ballltd116.htm

http://www.randywakeman.com/ballltd115.htm

Actually you should read all of Randy's pages on Savage:

http://www.randywakeman.com/savage3.htm

You should NOT have trouble shooting 1.5" groups with the Savage at 100, you can shoot <1.0 groups if your up to it, the gun can at least. Most folks consider 4" groups at 200 good shooting, but I have seen several shoot 3" and better at 200 yards, but don't get caught up in that unless you want to buy 2 rifles, 1 for hunting and 1 for chasing accuracy. I guess you could buy two scopes 1 for hunting and 1 for chasing accuracy, although I have not see folks do that who are "into accuracy".
Chap Gleason

PS. "Why do I shoot Savage? Answer: 'Cause I can, it is not better than an inline only legal where I hunt, it is still MLing and with the new Blackhorn powder the line between Savage andinline substitute powders will indeed blur." I have only done this once in my life at 100 yards (actually 92.5 laser) and it was the 3nd time I shot my Savage after I got it, so your gonna get wowed.

Thanks for the info, I have some learnin' to do about these in-line critters. I have hunted for years w/ a CVA Hawken quite successfully, looking forward to new adventures. Thanks again

they will indeed be new adventures for you if you have only shot a CVA Hawken, but your familar with loose power, so that is a huge help. You need to get some scales also for measuring powder. I just bought these that do a good job, I also bought some Lee that were not electronic, but the electronic are good. Chap

Chap what's wrong with hotrodding? Its fun and gives you something to work on till hunting season!

I do agree start with the book loads, then when you get tired of shooting 1 1/4" - 1 1/2" start searching for under 1", then start backing up the target to 300 yds. A few people are getting bored with that and talking about 400 yds. This is one amazing ML, and can be a handful. Be patient and do check out http://dougva.proboards34.com/index.cgi?board=Savage. This can be a very picky rifle, but the payback is well worth the work.

Yes it is fun and interesting and challenging and something to do,but for a newby that doesn't know folks, they get mixed up between the what is resonable to do and what is hotrodding. It is not alway clear to a new person when the guys are talking hotrodding stuff or stuff they should be paying real attention to.When I couldn't get 4198 to go off, I had no clue and the search on that site is terrible. I then found out about all the sabot tightness and loading pressure and consistency deal, then I was enlightened. I have been on that board for 1 year now and I know what to stay away from and what not, but when I first started it was all so new and all so much info. I do beleive Randy Wakeman's getting started is good:

http://www.randywakeman.com/ballltd67.htm

http://www.randywakeman.com/ballltd37.htm

for the newby. Randy doesn't appear to be into hot rodding long range shooting, but is into low recoil
accurate shooting. It is hard to figure that out with powder that you know nothing about.
Chap