New Member here with questions.

[cenill]

Hello all I have been follow this forum for a while but have never joined because I never owned the 10ML until now. I having been putting it off for a couple years waiting to draw a muzzle loader tag for a special hunt i have been applying for. Will with the stopage in production i and my dad both bit the bullet. Anyway I have a few questions:

1. I know the loads and combinations are practically endless but I am looking for a basic starting load for deer (out to 200 yds) but want to work up to 250-300 (I have over a year to get there if I get lucky and draw this year. I have studied the loads on here and they are overwhelming for a newbie although I have been a reloader for 30 years. So I am just looking for a reasonable starting point to learn the gun.

2. I have also found a original 10ML not the II that I can pick up real reasonable that maybe has 50 shot through it is all. Are they basically the same (ventliners, etc.) because I wouldnt mind having it also if I do not need a whole set of different materials.

3. As for as sabots i ordered a bunch of HPH12 to get me started correct?

4. 250-300 grain. Thinking the BO 300 but have had great success with the 250 hornady SST through my Omega and Triple7

5. I was gonna order some extra ventliners from Randy correct?

6. Was gonna go with the EGW 41018 scope base.

7. Rings?

8. Scope? Keep in mind I will be working up to 300 yd over the next year in prep for whenever I draw my tag.

9. Video from Randy's website?

10. Any other must have accessories?

Thats all for now and thanks in advance for the replies.
I am sure I will have many more questions.

Once again I truly enjoy this board and look forward to actually being a contributor in the future!

[10ga]

I'd suggest you check out the tips/hints section. Also do some searches under stuff like, "most accurate load", "favorite load", "hunting load", etc... I have 3 SMLs, 2 savages and one Encore 45-70 conversion. I'm pretty much a hunter but here I don't usually shoot that 300yd. stuff, 187 is longest kill so far. My loads are:
1. 42 gr. 4759, orange sabot and 300 gr. .458 bullets. CCI or Fed mag primer. Plenty of power and accurate to 200 for me in my blue/camo MLII.
2. 38 gr. 4759, and 250 gr bullets, .451 or .458 cal., CCI or Fed mag primer good to 200 in my SS/black MLII.
3. Encore conversion for shorter range, 31 gr. 4759 and blue sabot with 200 gr bullet and Rem. primers.

More lurking and searches will initially bring more questions but range time will quickly sort out many of the variables.

I have recently picked up several cans of 4198 so I'm about to try some other combos and that is what keeps things interesting.

I will make several reccomendations.
#1 do a bedding job.
#2 get some/a "barrel cooler" from rossman or other so wait time between shots is reduced at the range.
#3 use a spinjag.
#4 If lurking and searching dosen't answer your questions post them. We're all glad to help.

Welcome, I see you're already looking at another SML. It's addictive. 10 ga

[whyohe]

welcome to the board. as suggested look at the tips and hint before you start shooting. it may save you alot of aggavation. a big thing is clean it good and make sure the scope bases are mounted so they do not touch the recoil lug and that the screws are not bottoming out. as to loads, well I would use book loads to start and get yourself a good base line. the 250 SSTs are good at low velocities but when you start to push them fast they have been known to fragment. alot of it is how fast you want to shoot and what kind of bullet performance you want. but to start, they should do fine with book powders and loads. HPH 12 are a good place to start but fit is everything. you want a good tight fit.

[Richard]

Cenill...............................................
Keep in mind that the HPH12's may not work with the .458" bullets. If you go with the Harvester's (I suggest you do) you can probably get by with the Red Crush Rib's for your .452" bullets and the Black Crush Rib's for your .457-58" bullets (Remington's run closer to .457 while the Hornady #4500 and Barnes Originals (BO's) are .458". This is definitely not a "one sabot fits all" game in the .50's! Some claim good results with the orange mmp's along with .458 bullets.........others (myself included) find the orange too loose? In general, I find that your bullet/sabot combination needs to measure around .507 to .508" irregardless whether its a .452 or .458 bullet. The different sabots should make up the difference. Whether you clean or don't clean between shots will also influence how tight a combination fits. A loose fitting sabot such as the orange mmp may work fine if you get the barrel fouled with a few shots. On a clean barrel it may be too loose? What ever your combination, you should be using two hands to seat it. If you can seat with one hand, it probably will not shoot or not good anyway . Most feel that if you put the butt of your rifle on a bathroom scale and push a bullet/sabot down (take out the breech plug to do this), you should be reading upwards of about 40 lbs. This is not carved in stone, but a good starting place.
Richard

[cenill]

Thanks guys and keep them coming. I picked up a # of H4198 and 5744 today as well as cci209m, a pack of hph12 as well as a pack of the mmp short black, a box of hornady ftx 250 gr sst and the same in 300gr. He talked me out of the 110 powder as well as the 4759 and into the 4198 instead. I also ordered from Wakeman ventliners, a spare breech plug and the video.

How is the EGW 41018 scope base? That is the one I was gonna order.

[zakjak221]

cenill,

I have used Warne QR rings/bases. All steel,tried and proven.
The Savage will put out some recoil especially with 65-70 gr's H4198 & 60 gr's of N120.
Did anyone mention a Limbsaver or Kick-eez recoil pad?

Mark

[Richard]

Don't get talked out of the V V N-110 powder! (not to be confused with H-110 which is a NO-NO!) N-110 is a great powder for the 250 gr. SST and XTP bullets. It is also extremely useful if you start to duplex powders (using the N-110 for the starter and various others as the main charge........such as H-322). Also, the SR4759 is one of the "standby and go-to" powders for the .50 cal. Savage.
Richard

[bloodtrailer]

Get the rifle and a good scope mount it (watch that the mount base is not touching the recoil lug) and shoot it with a book load at first (a good bullet like Rem .458 300s harvester black crushed ribbed sabots ) and see what the groups are like (remember to wait between shots 15min) some clean between shots some like a dirty barrel(every gun is different) This will give you a BASE LINE ON WHAT TO DO NEXT! Some guns need a lot of work to get great groups (like my rifle) and some shoot lights out right out of the box (like my son's ) And yes read and reread the tip section (saves a bunch of hair pulling)

[boarhog]

I get good accuracy in 2 50 cals with the MMP short black sabot, and .452 250gr FTX bullets. With .458 300 gr bullets, the Harvester Black Cr Rib fits best. I really like the Burris rings that use the plastic inserts.
Boarhog