Do you feel like taking a walk on the wild side? I mean, do you want to try crossing the railroad tracks?
Yes, I am talking about shooting smokeless.
I bought a Savage 2 months ago. I like this rifle a lot.
The rifle is very accurate. I am getting 1 and 1/4 inch groups at 100, this is with the 250 xtp. It is easy to load the sabots, it does have the QLA type muzzle. Loading the primers could not be easier, they slip into the front of the bolt, no disc or capping tool needed. Even with a scope on the rifle they are easy to load, and easy to unload. Half the time the used primer pops right out of the bolt when you open the bolt.
Another big advantage is the rifle has a closed bolt. A lot of these in lines the bolt and primer are exposed to brush and debris. Some of the hunting we do in the southeast in this brush, you might draw down on a buck and find that a twig has gotten into your action, your gun won't fire. No way with the Savage. Even better, with the Savage your safety locks the bolt closed.
I live in the country and can shoot right off my porch. A week ago I took one shot at my deer silhouette, and put the gun back in the closet without cleaning. That is one big advantage over the other guns, you don't have to clean it.
With the smokeless powder, you can get longer range than with the other muzleloaders. I have just gotten the new SST. Depending on how much thumping your shoulder can take, it would be easy to develop a 200 yard load with the SST, and you could reasonably take this slug out to 250. [When I order my stock I will get a big heavy varmint stock, plus a big recoil pad. With this, I can push the SST up to 3100, 3300 foot pounds and see what it will do at 250 yards. With the dinky lightweight plastic stock I have now, I keep it under 3000 foot pounds]
On the down side, I dislike the plastic stock. However, being a bolt action from a major manufacturer, you can buy an aftermarket stock from Boyds or Richards Microfit. I am going to get one this winter, you can get a beautiful maple or walnut stock, made to your exact lenght of pull, your exact recoil pad etc, for around $100. Then you have to do a little sanding, put linseed oil on it etc.
Also, the Savage is finicky. You have got to go to the Savage web sites and find out which loads will shoot. If you just grab the first box of .50 sabots at the gun store, they will probably not work. In other words the XTP at 240 grains with the green sabot, not good. The XTP at 250 grains, black sabot, quite good. With a little due diligence you can get the right sabot and powder to begin with, and save yourself a lot of trouble.
Another problem, they are finicky about heat. If you are shooting in 80 degree weather, you have to wait 15 minutes for the barrel to cool between shots. If you don't wait, you will not get accurate groups. In 40 degree weather, little or no waiting.
This is no big deal for hunting, the whole ball game is the first shot, which is deadly accurate even in warm weather. But at the range it is, I admit, a hassle. I tried cooling the barrel with ice cubes between shots, that didn't work either.
Every inline has some drawbacks, and as you know there is a bewildering variety of top quality guns out there. The Savage is a rugged, accurate and reliable hunting rifle. I got a local gun shop to order mine and got it for $395 plus tax, a very good price.
I did a lot of research, and if I hadn't got the Savage I would have gotten the Omega or the A&H.
