Savage 10ML-II Exterior Ballistics
There is no substitute for the shooting of your own rifle, confirming it at the ranges you intend to hunt at, of course. As with all rifles, exact results are contingent on barometric pressure, humidity, and scope height-- so nothing is perfectly exact. However, there are some real-word guidelines that I hope you will find to be useful.
These exterior ballistics are representative:
This is one of my favorite loads, using 57 grains by weight of Vihtavuori N120 Smokeless Powder, standard Winchester W209 shotshell primers, the Orange MMP .458 / 50 sabot, and one of the most accurate bullets I've found for the Savage 10ML-II: the Barnes Original Semi-Spitzer Soft-Point 300 grain, Barnes #457010.
The Barnes Originals are available from many sources, including Barnes Bullets direct. The sabots are available from MMP: please see http://mmpsabots.com.
I've used this load with fabulous results from about 9 to 290 yards for several years by now; just this past year this load took over a dozen whitetails in neighboring Indiana near or exceeding 300 yards within just a few days. I've been able to get 1-1/2 in. or better groups at 220 yards with near-perfect range conditions, some folks have done even better.
The .45-70 has taken more than its fair share of deer, bear, moose, elk over the decades-- and the Barnes Original has the jacket thickness to allow for deep penetration on larger animals, when taking raking shots, or breaking big bones. A look at the high velocity weight retention of this bullet should speak for itself:
Below, from the left, is an unfired Barnes Original 300 gr. SSSP, ther Orange MMP sabot, and an underside view of the recovered, expanded, 285 out of 300 grain weight retained Barnes Original.
This remains one of the very best combinations out of the Savage 10ML-II, and allows for quick clean kills on medium to big game commensurate with your shot placement-- a legitimate 300 yard gun and load and beyond in the hands of the accomplished shooter (isn't that right, Dwight?) but I can tell personally that it is equally devastating inside 10 yards, at 200 yards, and at 285 yards.
Copyright 2011 by Randy Wakeman. All Rights Reserved.
