Smokeless Savage ML II check list

[Food Plot 101]

I think I have finished the last of my checklist, except for a sharpie to mark my rod once I put powder/bullet down the barrel. I'm planning on going to the range to shoot this for the first time. I found a Vortex Viper BDC 3.5 X 10 X 50 recently and had it mounted. Here's my checklist. If anyone has anything to add feel free.

Caldwell lead sled
N110 powder
Hornady scales
Hornady 250XTP w/ MMP short blacks
Winchester 2009A primers
Brand new vent liner w/ clean breech plug

 

[Rubberduck270]

Ditch the lead sled. Big boomers and lead sled's take a helluva toll on scopes. Get a shoulder pad or even a pillow to put between you and the gun if the recoil is a little more than you can handle.

You'll want to pre-measure out your loads at home and put them in vials. Powder scales don't work very well outdoors in the wind.

Make sure you put anti-seize on the vent liner and breech plug threads. And a dab on the counter sunk part of the breechplug where the vent liner seats.

 

[GMB54]

N110 is a cream puff as far as recoil goes in the MLII.

A word of warning about N110 and its not a slam. I love it but it can be hard on sabots. I prefer to use less than the load data in the manual. You gain very little fps after 40-41gr but you gain a far amount more peak pressure. Its still safe but the fast rise time and higher peak is really tough on sabots.

Do yourself a favor and try 38-39gr. You should still be over 2100fps with a 250gr bullet and recoil will be really mild too. Dont worry about groups until after a couple shots. N110 is SUPER clean and may take a few shots to get the bore fouled. More often than not the MLII will shoot better on a fouled bore and since N110 is not corrosive just leave it fouled.

Make sure the barrel is cool before each loading and shot. A warm barrel is the worst thing in the world for sabots.

 

[dhpro]

Just curious, wanting to smoke less this coming season.doe they still make this gun?

 

[elknturkey]

Nope gun is no longer made and used ones are expensive. Cheapest route is an h&r conversion and some other new ones now. Might as well go 45 while you're at it.

 

[mike243]

I sboot 43g of n110 with any 250g round.also with 240g xtpmag which has a thicker jack.deer really hate them good luck

 

[Food Plot 101]

N110 is a cream puff as far as recoil goes in the MLII.

A word of warning about N110 and its not a slam. I love it but it can be hard on sabots. I prefer to use less than the load data in the manual. You gain very little fps after 40-41gr but you gain a far amount more peak pressure. Its still safe but the fast rise time and higher peak is really tough on sabots.

Do yourself a favor and try 38-39gr. You should still be over 2100fps with a 250gr bullet and recoil will be really mild too. Dont worry about groups until after a couple shots. N110 is SUPER clean and may take a few shots to get the bore fouled. More often than not the MLII will shoot better on a fouled bore and since N110 is not corrosive just leave it fouled.

Make sure the barrel is cool before each loading and shot. A warm barrel is the worst thing in the world for sabots.

Question about the "really tough on sabots". Does this mean it will leave excess residue from the plastic in the barrel?

Thanks.

 

[Food Plot 101]

I sboot 43g of n110 with any 250g round.also with 240g xtpmag which has a thicker jack.deer really hate them good luck

So you are saying 43g is fine and not too much?

 

[Food Plot 101]

Ditch the lead sled. Big boomers and lead sled's take a helluva toll on scopes. Get a shoulder pad or even a pillow to put between you and the gun if the recoil is a little more than you can handle.

You'll want to pre-measure out your loads at home and put them in vials. Powder scales don't work very well outdoors in the wind.

Make sure you put anti-seize on the vent liner and breech plug threads. And a dab on the counter sunk part of the breechplug where the vent liner seats.

I'm not worried about recoil at all in the field. And I don't weigh down the sled at all so i hope it won't hurt the scope. I only use it for patterning my 835 3.5" mags and scope set up . Thanks for the tip about the vials at home. i probably would have brought the scales to the range, lol.

 

[Food Plot 101]

I sboot 43g of n110 with any 250g round.also with 240g xtpmag which has a thicker jack.deer really hate them good luck

I never knew you could use 240g xtpmag with the MLII. I thought the min. was 250. How does it fare accuracy wise compared to the 250 xtp?

 

[GMB54]

N110 is a cream puff as far as recoil goes in the MLII.

A word of warning about N110 and its not a slam. I love it but it can be hard on sabots. I prefer to use less than the load data in the manual. You gain very little fps after 40-41gr but you gain a far amount more peak pressure. Its still safe but the fast rise time and higher peak is really tough on sabots.

Do yourself a favor and try 38-39gr. You should still be over 2100fps with a 250gr bullet and recoil will be really mild too. Dont worry about groups until after a couple shots. N110 is SUPER clean and may take a few shots to get the bore fouled. More often than not the MLII will shoot better on a fouled bore and since N110 is not corrosive just leave it fouled.

Make sure the barrel is cool before each loading and shot. A warm barrel is the worst thing in the world for sabots.

Question about the "really tough on sabots". Does this mean it will leave excess residue from the plastic in the barrel?

Thanks.

N110 reaches peak pressure faster and produces higher peak pressure than any other "book" powder except maybe Lil Gun which is no longer recommended. Just keep a good eye on your sabots. 43gr of N110 makes over 38kpsi with a 250gr bullet and that is a recommended book load. Any load that makes over 35kpsi is hard on sabots. The quick rise time makes it even harder on sabots.

 

[Food Plot 101]

What does hard on sabot mean? How will i find at a range full of sabots to know? I see the chart but not sure what higher pressure means to a sabot? Will it disintegrate in the barrel for reduced accuracy or is this a dangerous for the barrel load?

Thanks.

 

[GMB54]

No it will not damage the barrel. It only increases the chances a sabot will fail. A failed sabot either looks mangled or has the center blown out. You will probably be fine with a 250gr bullet but if you find mangled sabots, you will have a good idea why.

Like i said though, you gain very little fps from 39gr to 43gr so why bother if the main increase is pressure and not much speed? 38-39gr is a great starting point for N110. Thats all i usually use in my NULA and i never use more than 41gr anymore. It shoots great and speeds are well over 2100fps.

 

[mike243]

2400fps with the 240g mag or rite close to it.practice shooting them in warm weather and a sabot might fail which it is designed to do when the barrel gets to warm.,I tried some 200g xtp and no dice with even 35g if i remember rite,was trying to get a easy load for the grandson,fps dropped to less than 600 and it was a funny sounding shot.I haven't seen the 240mag xtp's in walmart lately but have been seeing Hunter in that weight,don't think the jacket is thick as the mag id look it up before taking a deer with it. I set my limit at 200y with the 250g or less xtp ,good luck i carry mine most of rifle season