Relative to the question about states allowing smokeless some actually state no nitrocellulose based powder unfortunately that is Arizona so I passed on the Savage but was close to buying it. Settled on the Omega instead.

ROSCOE,

You better steer clear of Lil' Gun, it's a headache. It's definitely no the safest or the most accurate. It's doable but, it'd be last on my list.

IMR SR4759, VV N110,AA XMR 5744, AA 2015 BR, or IMR 4198 would all be on my list before I went to Lil' Gun or 4227.

2015 and 4198 will probably give you less pressures but, they are slower so, you'll have to use hefty charges in th 60-70 grain range and recoil may be alittle more. This gun is pretty heavy so, recoil has been nil' when speed is in the 2300 fps range w/ the 250s.

You'd be correct in your assest ment on sabot stress, Reading sabots is a good way to tell if pressure is getting too high.

Have a Good One

Reloader

Thanks for the advice. I hope to find some 4759 tomorrow and give that a try. I have 5744 so I hope between the two I can find a load that I am happy with. Thanks again and I hope this weekend I can produce groups similar to yours!

R

Well I made it to the range today to shoot the Savage and I must say that I am impressed with the gun. Last week I bedded the plastic stock so after a week for the stuff to set up I was ready to shoot. I am shooting SST 250g with the Hornady sabots. Once the gun had a zero at 100 yds I set up the worked charges up beginning with 40g of 4759. This load gave me just under 2100fps. I worked up to 46g and a velocity of 2300 fps. I tried one load of 47g and velocity only went up 15fps...thought that was too hot and went back to the 46g load. Not sure I could not get to the 2400fps mark? That was where I was looking to go. Sabots look fine with 46g however me being new to the gun and knowing what others here seem to be shooting I did not want to go any higher. Temps were in the low 80's when I left the range maybe that had something to do with it. Let the gun cool between shots as recomended. Accuracy at 100 yds was about 1" when I did my part. I must say that this guns is fun to shoot and so much easier on cleaning. Others at the range shooting BP loads were impressed with the ability to fire a string of shots with nothing more than a dry patch in between. Several of them were having misfires after only 7 to 8 shots using BP guns. I am not ready to give up my other smoke poles...I enjoy shooting the Hawken type rifles with round balls. I do however think that for a inline rifle the savage and smokeless powder is the way to go.

Congrats on the good shooting.

You are lucky to be able to get to 46 grns w/o blowing the sabots to shreds w/ the 250 SSTs. I can shoot 43 grains if I allow proper cooling time when the temps are in the 80s. When it's in the 70s or below I can get to 44 grains which, is my hunting load.

Reloader

Reloader,
Yes I get 46g but the velocity is 100fps slower than what you are getting with 44g. Maybe I have a slow lot of powder. The one shot I took with 47g showed little gain in velocity however the Sabot still looked fine. I am happy with the speed I am getting and think it will be more than enough to kill a buck! Thanks for all your help.

R

Roscoe,

It's a good thing you can shoot those loads w/o too much sabot stress. The difference is most likely in our interior bbl diameter. It's just like centerfires, some bbls are fast and some are slow.

My bbl is probably a very minute amount tighter than yours which, is the reason for the higher velocity and increased sabot stress w/ a slightly lighter charge. I've heard that minor differemces in bbl ID is common in bbls even from the same Manu.

Good Luck this season.

Reloader

Reloader, count me in as another person who has converted or bought a Savage!

Can you get a Savage muzzleloader that uses smokeless powder in 45 cal? If so, what bullets are being used? What twist barrel does Savage provide?

Reloader and Roscoe was reading over your results with the 4759 and was surprised that you both couldn't get any loads above 46 grs.
I asked the question on Dougs board awhile back as to what one thought as to where you lived had to do with different loads because savage only recomends up to 43 grs if I am not mistaken. I have been shooting 4759 as my favorite powder for going on three years now because I tessted it with grouping in hot and cold weather (doesn't get all that cold here in NC during the muzzleloader season)I started out with 43.5 grs and have shot very impressive groups using 43.5,44.5,45.5, 46.5 and 47.5 which is my favorite because I get the speed I want (2440 avg)and have been working on that load from 100 to 300 yds.I use the 250 sst and have shot the same load with 300 sst and they shot very well also.But if anyone wants to go that many grains he is on his own.I was curious and tried the 43 gr. load the other day and I can see why one is happy with it,it shot a one hole group @100 and a 1.75 in group at 200.
Will add a copy of my speed results from last year if you want to compare them with yours.
I don't know what pressuer 47.5 gives but there are 6 friends that shoot that load and one shoots 45.5 grs in his savage without a problem so far.
shot 3 three shot groups last week that measured 3.4,3.9,and 4.2 at 300 yds soon as I get some below 3 inches I will make a pic of it.
Getting back to the sabots,I shoot the ones that comes with the sst,no sub base,I don't swab between shots with either rifles.I posted a composite of some of the good groups that I have gotten on one of the threads if you want to see it and cannot find it let me know and I will post it again.

Owensby,
Maybe I can go higher...I just did not want to push things being new to this rifle. I went up to 46g and did not seem to pick up much velocity over 45 so quit there. Sabots still look fine so maybe there is more room to move. I had little time to play due to a pending hunt. Now that is over and maybe I will play around a bit for some local hunting. I must say that shooting is much more fun when you dont have to worry about cleaning after every shot. I also found that my rifle shoots better with a dirty bore. When I quit dry patching between shots groups shrank! I used 46g and a 200 yrd zero to take a decent buck a few weeks ago. Shot the deer at 206 yards and he droped like a sack of rocks. The 250 SST went through the buck and wasquite effective even at that range. I did not hit any large bones, only ribs however with this performance I would have no issue trying a 300 yard kill. That is what I am after...most of my ML hunts are in open areas and my other smoke poles just do not provide the energy I like to have much past 200 yards. I think this rifle may get some hunting time in with me over the next few years. Thanks for your load notes and if I do any more experimentation I will let you know. It would be great to get to 2400fps.

Owensby,

It may have something to do w/ where you live. I now I've worked w/ two diff ML10IIs in the last year and one maxed out at 43 grains but the other at 44. Any more than that and they'd blow a sabot about evry 2-3 shots. That was w/ ample bbl cooling time and cleaning w/ dry patches inbet. shots. Accuracy has been goo w/ those loads and it's only dropping about 4" at 200 when sighted 3" high at 100 so I can't really complain. I don't intend on shooting much past 200 w/ this rig. I would venture to believe that our bbls are probably alittle differnt in Diameter as well which, may be the reason for the blown sabot issue.

Man, the ML season is creeping up on us fast, I wish the weather would cooperate and cool off a bit. I sweated like a dog last night skinnin' a doe I shot w/ my bow.

Good Luck this season

Reloader

Congradulations on the deer.One of our muzleloading seasons open next monday so hope I see one.
I too don't use a dry patch between each shot if I do the accurracy goes and it is very hard to get the sabot down the barrel.
I took one at 234 yds last year and hoping for one close to 300 this year if the deer cooperate.
Good luck to all you fellows wether shooting a savage or anything else.

How much heavier is the laminated stock than the synthetic?

According to the specs I've seen the Laminate is only 1 lb. heavier but, it seems that it would be more than that.

Reloader

Shot some 300 yd groups this morning was so tickled with them,thought I would post them,I posted them on Dougs board too.
With my favorite load of 4759 I had a dang awesome group goeing untill I pulled the fourth shot so I didn't finish the 5 shot group.With the other 2 loads I didn't do too bad at that distance either.

Well, you guys have converted another one to the Savage. Shot it over the weekend and I must say I'm impressed!

Did very well with the savage this year.took doe at 200yds opening day,didn't see any bucks.A 10 pointer the following monday morning@78 yds running across a power line.An 8 pointer @152yds and a 6 pointer @ 162 yds the next morning.

I have had good success with 45 gr of VV N110 under Hornady 250 gr SST/w included sabots. Clocked 2465 fps at the range with good accuracry.

Congrats Owensby, That's a heck of a MLer season for sure.

Reloader