Question regarding the Savage bolt removal

[Bayou]

Well I'm trying to decide on what to upgrade to, either a savage smokless or another BP. I have been doing alot of research and I have a question regarding the 10 MLBTSS-II bolt removal. After reading the thread about breech plug removal I am confused as to whether I can take out the bolt without taking the action/loosening the action screw. To be honest I don't think I want to fool with ratcheting out the breech plug through the BP area, seems to be over complicating a simple objective. I'm from Ohio and have several shotguns and a couple BP's but only two rifles which are Winchesters inwhich I can remove the bolt without doing anything else. I am looking at the thumb hole SS and it has a suggested retail of $915. After $915 I don't want to send it off to get a third piller/screw added. Shipping, postal insurance, price to upgrade for the modification by someone and I am lookin at probably $1200. Might as well get the Nula, am I mistaken about the bolt issue?

 

[Mountainam]

It isn't that big a deal. I loosen mine all the time when cleaning and retighten it and I don't see any change in point of impact. I glass bedded my action with JB weld. The laminated stock is very stable that you're looking at and I would not worry about it. If you do experience problems then I would address them. There is no other muzzleloader currently produced that will perform at the level of the Savage with smokeless. Lock time is 1.6 milliseconds. Even the Encore Prohunter which is the considered the cream of the crop of the exposed hammer rifles has a lock time of 14-16 milliseconds. TEN TIMES SLOWER! You are thinking in blackpowder terms as far as breechplug removal. You won't be removing it as frequently when using smokeless powder. I use 10x in mine now and it burns clean. Actually AA-5744 is the dirtiest that I've used so far and I stay away from it. Start out with what you want to end up with and you'll be money ahead. Ther's a big gap between a Savage 10ML II and whatever is in second place. It can wail a 300gr bullet at speeds approaching 2500fps. Most of the BP sub guns won't smell 2000fps---BIG difference in performance. Good Luck with your decision.

 

[rjhans53]

loosing the back action screw isn't that big of a deal IMHO. Knight's MK 85, disc, t-bolt, lk 93, bighhorn, etc only have one, all that I've own shot great and I take them out of the stock every time. I do have timing marks on my savages so I get the same torque every time but I'm not sure that's really needed, but it is something I do

 

[tnv]

The bolt removal procedure wa s ahangup for me as well and I went ahead and bought a hex style breech plug so that I could use a 3/8" socket on a 1/4" drive, ratchet and swivel to take the plug out without altering the rear stock screw. It's still a pain in my opinion but I have a Wheeler torque wrench should I need to loosen the screw.

In the end, I'm new to the Savage but I hope it is an improvement over the MK-85 I've been using since '92.

 

[younghunter_86]

I second what Mountainam said