Thoughts, comments?

It it interests you...go ahead on. Since you asked, I'll share my thought on those:
Solution in search of a problem....

Dudes catch a lot of flack depending on where they post about smokeless muzzleloaders. I have shot sidelock muzzleloaders for about 18 yrs (since I was 12), inlines for about 15 yrs, and smokeless muzzleloaders for a year or so.

Can they do things a BP/Sub gun won't? Absolutely. The guy who got me into SML shoots a Bad Bull that propels a 275gr bullet at 3100fps. A Savage will do a 300gr bullet at about 2400fps and group like this (did math wrong, group is really .522MOA):


Both of the guns mentioned are heavy and I don't like toting them. As a result I opted for a NULA 209 and a Rem700ML that I'm rebuilding.

Regardless of others' opinions I think they are fun and where legal I don't see an ethical issue.

I have been using a savage smokeless for several years now and i love it. It is accurate enough to kill deer at 150 yds all day long. I will not even use a black powder rifle anymore. These savages have taken all the cleaning and corrosion issues away. Those are the things i hated about black powder. I do not believe your performance will be that much better, probably about the same, maintenance will go way down for sure. Like any muzzleloader they can be a bit fickle to get a load working in.

Have fun trying to use your smokeless powder out west...

FWIW, I have several Whites that will cut holes using T7 or Swiss black, and I wouldn't hesitate to take a shot at 200 with any of them...

Legal in TX (my home), OK, and NE. Those are the ones I know for sure and I think there some benefits to high BC bullets at higher velocity on the windy plains. Same goes for neighboring IA. I have a Hot Rod Renegade like IdahoRon's (the inspiration) for draw hunts out west where open ignition, irons, BP/subs, and full bore conicals are required.

I'm stationed on the east coast and smokeless is legal nearly everywhere here. Muzzleloader season is often wet in NC and the woods are still thick and green. My NULA 209 with 1-4x Trijicon is a better here than my Renegade with vernier and globe. Right tool for the job.

I own a Savage Smokeless, mainly because it is a Stainless version and is very sought after. We will see if I ever go shoot it, for now it has a spot in the safe

I have two of them; one stainless/laminated with accu-trigger and the other blue/synthetic without accu-trigger. The latter was at a pawn shop in unfired condition that I got for $200.

Both are very accurate and solid. For the deer shooting I do not sure the accu-trigger makes that big of a difference in the field. I had a gunsmith (A-R's 'Toomanytools') add an extra action-bedding screw to both of them so that I can remove the bolt without disturbing the actions seat in the stock (the one thing that I think Savage dropped the ball on).