Savage 10ML-II Update
ML orders will be delivered between now and the end of June. We initially anticipated shipping them by the end of May but they take more machining time so they have to be fed into production at a slower rate so they do not bog down the production of all other models.
-- Savage Arms, April 28, 2011.
In one period over eighteen months, I fired in excess of 3500 rounds through one of my personal 10ML-IIs, and sent it off to Savage Arms for inspection. Though all firearms wear with use, there was no wear visible to me at all save for a small burr I had raised on the receiver by my heavy-handed bolt closing, that was a cinch to smooth out. It still easily shot sub-MOA after all that time, having taken a varied assortment of deer, boar, mouflon, and caribou over that time cleanly with one shot. Savage Arms completely disassembled the gun, and air gaged the barrel. All parts were found to still remain within Savage new 10ML-II tolerances, the tightest of any muzzleloader. For the average muzzleloading enthusiast, that is some 140 years of use. That was several years ago and many, many enjoyable hunts ago. Muzzleloaders don't have to be disposable items and Savage has proved that to me.
I don't maintain any e-mail mailing lists and never have. Most people, including myself, get all the spam they can enjoy so I long ago decided not to add the e-mail spam blast over-population. A couple of people will thank me for that, somewhere.
Alright, as most readers are aware the 10ML series was dropped from the Savage 2011 catalog, the decision being made by Savage just prior to the start of their 2011 fiscal year, November 2010. Overnight, the Savage 10ML-II became the sought-after, talked about, and popular muzzleloader in the country. The folks at Savage travel a great deal and listen to their customers, so they became aware of the new-found demand. As a result, they responded, and the “Last Run” was announced in mid-January, with a very brief ordering window. Those orders exceeded expectations and demand is still high.
That original ordering window has come and gone, so congratulations to those who snapped to it and got their 2011 10ML-II 4140 Chrome-Moly rifles on order. At the time, I was told that delivery of “April sometime” was a pretty good guess. Sure enough, right on April 1st, I've received dozens of e-mails and phone calls asking, "When is Savage shipping these rifles?" As this is written, it appears to be late April – early May delivery. They will go out from me in the order received, I'm advised that it won't be all the rifles in one giant shipment, but several shipments.
A month ago, in early March, Savage CEO Ron Coburn informed me that 10ML-II production was continuing on a “Made to Order Basis.” To add to that, though, I was just informed that Savage has reached the limit of their production capacity, enjoying a fabulous year thus far, and as a result they are currently quoting 18 weeks to ship. This is not a muzzleloader situation only, but essentially for the entire Savage Arms product line. It is good to see that an American business is doing so well . . . as many are not.
I place orders with Savage Arms, for muzzleloaders only, as they come in on a continuing basis. If you want a new 10ML-II to hunt with this year, we are all just about fresh out of time. For example, a new order received by me next week won't likely arrive before August. I'm guessing, of course, as I have no control over when exactly shipment occurs. So, if you want one, better hurry.
Believe it or not, Savage Arms is now the last independent American muzzleloading manufacturer of any significance. The rest have long ago bailed on the inline muzzleloading business. Even T/C, long a leader in muzzleloading, has been absorbed into the S & W structure. Multiple layoffs quickly happened at the Thompson-Center Rochester, New Hampshire plant. December 9, 2010, SWHC announced that the T/C plant was being idled, with some employees and products being absorbed into the S & W Springfield pistol plant. S & W bought T/C in 2006, in less than four years the plant is no more.
The Savage 10ML series began with Savage and now, eleven years later, it continues with Savage. It is the only muzzleloading rifle today that has this enviable position, being produced by the same staff, the same management, and in the same facility in Westfield, Massachusetts for all these years with integrated engineering, production, and customer service all under the same roof.That's the situation as of today, April 9, 2011. Of course, I'm not a Savage employee much less Savage management, even less a decision-maker. For any further clarification of the situation, I rely on Savage management to issue a press release or list the 10ML-II muzzleloader along with details on their website.
I well understand that the great sport of muzzleloader hunting is primarily a big game hunting sport, and that most folks that choose the 10ML-II would like to enjoy hunting with it this year. All I can say is “Better hurry!” Now is the time to see your local dealer or lacking that, I'll get one on order for you promptly.
Savage has done a good job listening to their customers. By now, it is time (or past time) for those that present themselves as Pro Shops and competent outdoor supply chain stores, BassPro, Gander Mountain, Cabela's, etc., to start listening to their customers as well.
Contact: Randy Wakeman, 12362 S. Oxford Lane, Plainfield, IL 60585
Email: randymagic@aol.com
© Copyright 2003-2011 by Randy Wakeman. All Rights Reserved.
