Savage smokeless front stuffer

[Mr. Ten-X]

Not as high-tech as a fine custom sporter for hunting, but still very impressive for what it is.

Clocked a 250gr SST at 2330fps ave and final zeroed the rifle at 200yds (though if I do my job as a HUNTER, I will be shooting far closer).

This thing hits pretty good on both ends and gives amazing accuracy for a front-stuffer. Have owned many muzzle-stuffers since '72 and still have a half-dozen besides the Savage. In the 11 years that I have owned this, the others collect dust in the safe.

It puts out so much horsepower that I have to be real careful about staying away from bone with that SST bullet. It was designed to operate best at far lower velocity and tends to be a bit frangible when it hits anything hard within 150yds.

Some of my final sight-in targets from 200yds are attached. Am now zeroed 3" high @ 100, 3" low at 200 and 12" low at 250. Did a test at 250yds with a fairly brisk 10+mph wind at a 10 o'clock vector. It displaced the group some 8" and opened the horizontal to just over 6"...but, the elevation for 5 shots was MONSTER tight.

 

[muslmutt]

The Savage 10 MLII is a neat rifle. I use a 300 grain Shockwave at about 2100 fps. This load really puts down whitetails and hogs and penetrates better than many of the lighter faster loads.

 

[XTR]

I've been thinking about getting one of those, though my Knight rolling block has been putting a lot of meat in the freezer in the last few yrs. I bet you really can overdrive standard muzzle loader bullets shooting smokeless.


I'd look at buying sabots and getting some 45 cal bullets that can handle the speeds you are pushing. I just skinned out 2 deer shot with a 250 Shockwave over 100 gr of 777. In one I found the jacket completely separated and opened up under the skin on the off side (60 to 80 yards), in the other, about a 50 yard shot, I found a fragment of the jacket on the off side and 2 exit wounds. Neither hit the shoulder on the way in, both fragmented before exiting at BP load levels. Driving them that fast they may disintegrate.

 

[bowfisher]

That is some AMAZING vertical ! I haven't used SST's on deer, but the Barnes 195's in my 45cal really hit hard. Smokeless is the only way to go.

 

[Mr. Ten-X]

I have been swearing for 5 years that I would change from the SST because it is so frangible at those velocities, but I have a bunch of them yet to use up. The farthest poke I made with the bullet was a center ribcage hit on a deer that dressed about 165# and it was at 165yds. The bullet exited tight to the shoulder on the far side. There was blood under the hide and into the meat AHEAD of the shoulder. Exit hole was golfball sized and the deer made it 20-25yds before it did a crappie-flop. Have had deer closer where the bullet did not exit and the inside looked like a stick of dynamite went off inside them.

I think these 250SST's were designed to expand at BP velocities The 300gr would be better because of the lower velocity, but at the expense of added shoulder soreness and rattled marbles. It's just at my threshold for recoil.

Going to see if I can find a slippery 250gr .452" bullet with a flat base at some point in the future as a replacement. Something bonded hopefully....

 

[FryeGuy]

When I had my savage ML, I use to buy the high pressure sabots, and get the Hornady XTP bullets, I think they were 250grains? I still have some. they did great on deer, but none of my shots were really all that far, 80yds max maybe? the XTP bullets also did well in the regular ML that I used before the savage. they expand well, and really put a smack down on deer!! I have a couple I dug out of the ground after they passed thru deer (some were deep!) but I just had to see how the bullets did. every one of them had really opened up nicely, and still had good weight to them. I have them all in a zip lock bag. hitting a deer with a bullet that big sometimes leaves you in awe!

maybe some pics will be in order from you when you get to use it on a deer??

 

[Mr. Ten-X]

This was shot at 30yds with the load as described. Purposely aimed just ahead of the diaphragm to avoid a possible deflection because it was a "take him now" affair. He ran 60yds. Dressed at 160-165# and netted 150".

Can you see what is on his body just inside the frame on the right side? What are the chances?

 

[Catfish]

My son-inlaw has one that shoots sub moa with the proper loads. He is useing the 45 cal. 250 gr. Hornady bullets with the balck sabots, and I`m not sure what powder. He has tried several different bullets and sabots but nothing shot close to the load he is useing now. Power belts were no good at all in his gun.

 

[rogn]

The Savage front stuffers can be really , really precise, when all the variables can be ironed out. Flash holes, breech plugs, sabots, loading technique, and on. I have one in SS that when all is in line including the planets will give 5 shot groups at 200 yd of 1/2"; but only on that day- I mean 2 or 3 groups one after the other. Don't expect it tomorrow. Still accurate enough at >3" at 200 though. Hornady 250 XTP ahead of 44.5 gr VV N110. The few Ive chronoed were 2395 ave. Small doe shot a few weeks at 70yds, and bullet blew up. Deer shot a couple of years ago had > 20" penetration and good exit wound,1", 175yd. Good reliable accurate ML, but sensitive to many variables.

 

[T 700]

rogn,

I agree with you on the grouping of the MLII. I have been hunting with mine for 3 years now. Last year when i sighted it in i got right at an 1 group, and this year the best i could do is 2 1/2 inches. I am shooting a Hornady 45cal 250gr XTP bullet with a MMP HP sabot with 43grs of IMR SR4759. The hornady XTP bullet is the best i have shot. I shot a 10 pointer the other saturday at 175 yards according to Nikon RF. I found the bullet on the exiting side under the skin, It was one of the best looking mushroom i have ever seen, That is the second bullet i have recovered from the gun. As for me i will never go back to black powder!!

T 700