Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Curious how many here own/shoot the Savage ML II........

I just bought my first Muzzleloader (inline) and am anxious to try it out. It's a Savage ML 10 II with stainless barrel and laminated stock. I've seen others make comments about their ML and so let's see how many own/shoot the ML 10 and how they like it.

I do. I love it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,but I have to admit it does make me feel a tad guilty. I started hunting with a muzzleloader to do it the way it USED to be done. I have killed more deer with a side hammer gun than ANY other type of firearm. I just got frustrated how many times in rainy weather I was crippled with mis-fires or hang fires. I bought the 10-MLII thinking that would solve all the problems. WRONG..............At first I was plagued with mis-fire after mis-fire. After talking with Savage I was told that the load must be almost compressed for it to consistently fire. Now when I seat my bullets, I use a delrin palm pad and actually smack it to make certain the bullet/sabot is seated FIRMLY on the powder. The other think I think is a negative is that 10/32 flathead screw with the .020" hole through it. It's called the vent liner. It needs to be replaced about every hundred or so shots. If you buy them they're expensive. I just used regular stock screws we have in the shop amd made my own. The nostalgia is gone, but it fills my freezer!!!!!!!!!!! Again, I have to stress. For those that do NOT like them, I respect their opinions. We all admit you can't stop progress. If your method of killing a deer is legal than I won't argue with you.

LBK, what's the vent liner for? I assume it uses primers for ignition? I'm familiar with vent liners in flintlocks but can't envision how it works in an inline.

If (and that's a mighty big if) I were to venture into the world of inlines I would look at the Savage.

A guy could make one, no? After all it really isn't much more than a glorified zip gun. No offense intended, it's just that they seem pretty simple.

If it's a rainy day, I don't go out with any kind of gun. The older I get the more rainy days= a good book by the fireside and a glass of scotch!

The vent liner is part of the breech block. The 209 shotgun primer slides into a device which is part of the boltface. Similar to a shell holder used on a reloading press. The bolt slides the primer into the breech block. Almost, but not quite, a press fit. The hole through the breechblock is about the same diameter as the 209 primer. On the end of the breechblock towards the powder charge is the vent liner, aka, the 10-32 flat head cap screw. It has the .020" through hole. I would imagine the purpose of the vent liner is to choke the flash from primer ignition down to create a more violent ignition. Other than that, I haven't a clue. The vent liner errodes with every shot and only last about 100 shots before you start losing accuracy. If it were an integral part of the breechblock, then the whole unit would have to be replaced.

The one thing diffrent about the Savage ML is that one can shoot smokeless powder with it! Me Ill stick with my Doc White 50cal! useing Swiss 3X Black powder!

I have one and posted pics on yesterdays post. ANYTHING you want to learn about the smokeless savage can be learned on Dougs Message Boards savage smokeless site. there is a wealth of knowledge there, not unlike here just for the MLII.

mine shoots .40 cal 200grn hornady ssts @ over 3000 fps and is very very accurate. it has a .45 cal Pacnor custom barrel on it along with lots of other goodies but I truely love to shoot it.