Pglasgow

Doesn't surprise me. As I said earlier, smokeless powder offers the opportunity to REDUCE pressure in the breech. 4350 is one of the SLOWEST burning powders manufactured. Go here to see it's peak pressures in a 50-140 sharps http://www.hodgdon.com/data/cowboy/lrrd.php#50-140.

So obviously with a 300 grain projectile, one can put alot more powder behind the bullet.The question is, "Is it appropriate for a muzzleloading weapon" I truly can not speak for Savage, however,I do have the sense that Savage does not feel that it is. The reason? 140 grains (of any smokeless powder to include 4350)has more than enough potential to burst a rifle, let alone a double load of 280 grains of 4350. A savage and a "bad bull" are neither one 50 BMG. Guess what? 4350 is "too fast" for a 50 BMG.

If I were the one pulling the trigger, there is no way you'd get me to cock it, let alonefire it,with 140 grains of smokeless powder.As a concientious reloader, would you?

Savage recommends powders which are appropriate for pistols. Why? I think so better performance can be delivered to the muzzle while limiting the rifle to 46 grains or less AND keeping pressures at some predetermined limit of operation. If there is a delayed ignition, obstruction, or a double loading, they "know" the rifle can withstand 46 grains which has "all the time in the world to try to destroy their rifle". On the other hand, shove 140 grains in , or a double load of 140, they probably aren't so confident that the rifle can withstand that charge when it has "all the time in the world" to do its work. (Also this load delivers more energy to the muzzle, BUT, on a grain per muzzle-energy basis, it is very, very, inefficient.)

One could, in principle, given proper consideration and design for iginition, more safely use a smokeless muzzleloader by using slower burning powders. But given the additional risks of muzzleloading, it entails using limited (46 grains MAXIMUM in the Savage) quantities of powder and accepting the lowered efficiency of slow burning powders on a grain per muzzle-energy basis. Furthermore, it would require the choice of heavier projectiles, propelled to lower velocities, in order to optimize the efficiency of such powders. The ultimate performance "UNDER SUCH CONSTRAINTS" is not dramatically better than what can be obtained with conventional muzzloading weapons using Black Powder or equivalents.

Black Powder and equivalents actually produce high pressures relative to the muzzle energies associated with them. This is because they burn VERY FAST. But on a grain weight basis, they are rather weak in their energy potential. The 4 pellet load maypeak higher than 140 grains of 4350, but the potential for destructive harm is much greater with the smokeless powder, provided it has sufficient time to release that energy in the breech. For example, if the ignition is delayed, and the bullet becomes and obstruction in the bore.

I don't really know, but I suspect a pistol powder like 110 is easier to ignite than 4350. This may have influenced Savage's decision to approve 110 for their rifle. If so, it may reduce at least one potential source of problems, delayed ignition. In any event, I have the sense that Savage is confident that the 10ML can survive any 46 grain load of their recomended powder, even when things "go wrong".

Happy Hunting, Phil