The Best Savage 10ML Powder Ever?
It appears highly likely. The new benchrest rifle powder from Accurate, Accurate LT-32, looks to be the best thing going for the several tens of thousands of Savage 10ML-II fans out there. In fact, during its development while the Savage 10ML was still in production, there was a lot of talk about releasing it as a "smokeless muzzleloader propellant" for the Savage and other rifles designed and approved for smokeless propellant use. Johan Loubser and I discussed the matter in detail. HOWEVER, currently Western Powder Company does not endorse the use of most of their propellants for muzzleloading applications. Blackhorn 209 is the product of choice for modern inline muzzleloaders and is the best blackpowder replacement available today as I've discussed, in detail, in several articles.
Accurate LT-32 is a related propellant to Accurate 2015, but cleaner, more consistent, and with better ignition characteristics compared to 2015. It has a faster relative burn rate, 5% faster, so that means LOWER charge weights than you would use with 2015. Savage allows a 300 grain saboted bullet weight as the heaviest bullet you can use. To get good velocity with 2015, you have to burn a lot of it. One lot of Accurate 2015 (Czech mfg.) produced an average velocity of 2194 fps at 15 feet with 70 grains by weight pushing the 300 grain Parker Match / Hunter.
A more consistent, cleaner, more efficient powder is just what the doctor ordered for the Savage 10ML, particularly with the "unobtainium" status of N120, the discontinuation of SR4759, and so forth. Accurate 5744 has always been the standard field propellant for the 10ML for me, and its sure-fire ignition has yet to be topped. The only negative, to 5744, in the Savage application is that it is not a particularly high-velocity propellant, for 2000 fps with a 300 grain saboted projectile is about all she wrote. Accurate 5744 is the only Savage-recommended product currently readily available.
Accurate LT-32 looks to be the answer for those looking for a clean, easy igniting 2200 - 2300 fps load. More details when they become available.
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Please Note: Randy Wakeman, his agents, heirs and assigns, hereby disclaims all possible liability for damages including, actual, incidental and consequential, resulting from usage of the information or advice contained in these articles. Use the data and advice at your own risk, and with extreme caution.
