Savage Arms 10 User Guide

Congratulations on joining the Savage Arms family of
sporting firearms owners. With reasonable care, your
firearm should deliver years of reliable service and
perform to our “legend of accuracy”.

For your convenience, this INSTRUCTION MANUAL
has been divided into 8 SECTIONS:
SECTION 1: 10 Commandments of Shooting Safety
SECTION 2: Muzzleloader Safety Guidelines
SECTION 3: Operating Instructions
SECTION 4: Recommended Powder Loads
SECTION 5: Statement of Limited Warranty
SECTION 6: Rings & Bases
SECTION 7: Frequently Asked Questions
SECTION 8: Parts List and Product Diagram

This manual should always accompany
your firearm and be transferred with it
upon change of ownership. This is
your responsibility and may protect
you from future liability.

SECTION 1

10 COMMANDMENTS OF SHOOTING
SAFETY

(The following excerpts are from SAAMI bulletin #081
1MM 7/97 BP. The entire booklet can be obtained by
calling: NATIONAL SHOOTING SPORTS
FOUNDATION, 11 MILE HILL ROAD, NEWINGTON,
CT 06470; 203-426-4358)

Firearms Safety Depends On You

From the time you pick up a firearm, you become part
of a system over which you have complete control.

You are the only part of the system that can make a
gun safe – or unsafe.

You can help meet this responsibility by enrolling in
hunter safety or shooter safety courses, if you have not
already done so. You must constantly stress safety
when handling firearms, especially to children and non­shooters. Develop safe shooting habits and remember,
firearms safety is up to you. Make no mistake about it.

ALCOHOL, DRUGS AND GUNS DON’T MIX.

1. ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE POINTED IN A
SAFE DIRECTION

This is the most basic safety rule. If everyone

handled a firearm so carefully that the muzzle never
pointed at something they didn’t intend to shoot, there
would be virtually no firearm accidents. It’s as simple
as that, and it’s up to you.

Never point your gun at anything you do not intend

to shoot. A safe direction means a direction in which a
bullet can not possibly strike anyone, taking into
account possible ricochets and the fact that bullets can
penetrate walls and ceilings. Even when “dry firing”
with an unloaded gun, you should never point the gun
at an unintended target.

This is your responsibility, and only you can control

it.

2. FIREARMS SHOULD BE UNLOADED WHEN
NOT ACTUALLY IN USE

Firearms should be loaded only when you are in the

field or on the target range or shooting area, ready to
shoot. When not in use, firearms and ammunition

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should be secured in a safe place, separate from each
other. It is your responsibility to prevent children and
inexperienced adults from gaining access to firearms or
ammunition. A loaded gun has no place in or near a
vehicle or building.

Whenever you handle a firearm or hand it to
someone, always open the action immediately, and
visually check the chamber, receiver and magazine to
be certain they do not contain any ammunition. Never
assume a gun is unloaded – check for yourself! While
in the field, there will be times when common sense
and the basic rules of firearms safety will require you to
unload your gun for maximum safety. When in doubt,
unload your gun!

3. DON’T RELY ON YOUR GUN’S “SAFETY”

Treat every gun as though it can fire at any time,
regardless of pressure on the trigger. The “safety” on
any gun is a mechanical device, which, like any such
device, can become inoperable at the worst possible
time. The safety serves as a supplement to proper gun
handling but cannot possibly serve as a substitute for
common sense.

Never touch the trigger on a firearm until you
actually intend to shoot.

Your firearm is a precision instrument. Regardless
of the position of the safety, any bump strong enough to
actuate the firing mechanism of a gun can cause it to
fire. The only time you can be absolutely certain that a
gun cannot fire is when the action is open and it is
completely empty. You and the safe gun handling
procedures you have learned are your gun’s primary
safeties.

4. BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET AND WHAT’S
BEYOND IT

No one can call a bullet back. Don’t shoot unless

you know exactly what your bullet is going to strike. Be
sure that your bullet will not injure anyone or anything
beyond your target. You should keep in mind how far a
bullet will travel if it misses your intended target or
ricochets in another direction.

Be aware that even a .22 short bullet can travel

over 1¼ miles and a high velocity cartridge, such as a
30-06, can project a bullet more than 3 miles. Shotgun
pellets can travel 500 yards, and shotgun slugs have a
range of over a half-mile.

5. USE CORRECT AMMUNITION

You must assume the serious responsibility of using

only the correct ammunition for your firearm. Read and
heed all warnings, including those that appear in the
gun’s instruction manual and on the ammunition boxes.
Using improper or incorrect ammunition can destroy a
gun and cause serious personal injury. It only takes
one cartridge of improper caliber or gauge to wreck
your gun, and only a second to check each one as you
load it. Be absolutely certain that the ammunition you
are using matches the specifications that are contained
within the gun’s instruction manual and the
manufacturer’s markings on the firearm barrel.

Handloaded or reloaded ammunition deviating from

pressures generated by factory loads or from
competent recommendations specified in reputable
handloading manuals can be dangerous, and can
cause severe damage to guns and serious injury to the
shooter.

Ammunition that has become very wet or has been
submerged in water should be discarded in a safe
manner. Do not spray oil or solvents on ammunition or
place ammunition in excessively lubricated firearms.

Form the habit of examining every cartridge you put
in your gun. Never use damaged, old or questionable
ammunition – the money you save is not worth the risk
of possible injury or a ruined gun.

Discharging firearms in poorly ventilated
areas, cleaning firearms or handling
ammunition may result in exposure to lead
and other substances known to cause birth
defects, reproductive harm and other
serious physical injury. Have adequate
ventilation at all times. Wash hands
thoroughly after exposure.

6. IF YOUR GUN FAILS TO FIRE WHEN THE

TRIGGER IS PULLED, HANDLE WITH CARE!

Occasionally, a gun may not fire when the trigger is
pulled. If this occurs, keep the muzzle pointed in a safe
direction. Keep your face away from the breech. Then,
carefully open the action, unload the firearm and
dispose of the cartridge in a safe way.

Any time there is a cartridge in the chamber, your
gun is loaded and ready to fire- even if you’ve tried to
shoot and it did not go off. It could go off at any time,
so you must always remember RULE #1 and WATCH
THAT MUZZLE!

7. ALWAYS WEAR EYE AND EAR PROTECTION

WHEN SHOOTING

3

All shooters should wear protective shooting
glasses and some form of hearing protectors while
shooting. Exposure to shooting noise can damage
hearing, and adequate vision protection is essential.
Wearing eye protection when disassembling and
cleaning any gun will also help prevent the possibility of
springs, spring tension parts, solvents or other agents
from contacting your eyes. No target shooter, plinker or
hunter should ever be without them.

8. BE SURE THE BARREL IS CLEAR OF

OBSTRUCTIONS BEFORE SHOOTING

Before you load your firearm, open the action and
be certain that no cartridge is in the chamber. Then
glance through the barrel to be sure it is clear of any
obstruction. Even a small bit of mud, snow, excess
lubricating oil or grease in the bore can cause
dangerously increased pressure, causing the barrel to
bulge or even burst when firing, which can cause injury
to the shooter and bystanders. Make it a habit to clean
the bore with a cleaning rod and patch to wipe away
anti-rust compounds in the gun each time immediately
before you shoot it. If the noise or recoil on firing
seems weak or doesn’t seem quite “right”, cease firing
immediately and be sure to check that no obstruction or
projectile has become lodged in the barrel.

9. DON’T ALTER OR MODIFY YOUR GUN, AND

HAVE GUNS SERVICED REGULARLY

Firearms are complicated mechanisms, which are
designed by experts to function properly in their original
condition. Any alteration or change made to a firearm
after manufacture can make the gun dangerous and will
usually void any factory warranties. Do not jeopardize
your safety or the safety of others by altering the

trigger, safety or other mechanism of any firearm or
allowing unqualified person’s to repair or modify a gun.

Your gun is a mechanical device, which will not last
forever and is subject to wear. As such, it requires
periodic inspection, adjustment and service.

10. LEARN THE MECHANISM AND HANDLING

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FIREARM YOU ARE

USING

Not all firearms are the same. Consequently, never
handle any firearm without first having thoroughly
familiarized yourself with the particular type of firearm
you are using, the safe gun handling rules for loading,
unloading, carrying and handling that firearm, and the
rules of safe gun handling in general.

You should always read and refer to the instruction
manual you received with your gun, or if you have
misplaced the manual, simply contact the manufacturer
for a free copy.

Having a gun in your possession is a full-time job.
You cannot guess; you cannot forget. You must know
how to use, handle and store your firearm safely. Do
not use any firearm without having a complete
understanding of its particular characteristics and safe
use. There is no such thing as a foolproof gun.

SECTION 2

MUZZLELOADER SAFETY GUIDELINES

Loading and shooting a muzzleloading rifle is not
difficult, but does require procedures that are different
than loading and shooting a cartridge firearm. To avoid

possible damage to the rifle or injury to the shooter and
bystanders, read, understand, and practice the 10
COMMANDMENTS OF SHOOTING SAFETY
(SECTION 1) and MUZZLELOADER SAFETY
GUIDELINES. Always use common sense when
loading and shooting any firearm.

Ten Commandments Of Muzzleloader Safety

1. The beginning muzzleloader shooter can receive
instruction and information from the National
Muzzleloading Rifle Association, local muzzleloading
clubs, the National Rifle Association and state hunter
education programs.

2. The Savage Model 10ML-II has been designed
and built to shoot prescribed smokeless powder loads.
This rifle will also give outstanding performance with
black powder or Pyrodex® propellants.

CAUTION: DO NOT USE SMOKELESS POWDER IN

ANY OTHER MUZZLELOADING FIREARM NOT

SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR ITS USE.

3. ALWAYS keep the muzzle of the rifle pointed in a
safe direction, especially during loading. With any
muzzleloader, there is always the possibility of an
accidental discharge while loading. It is imperative that
the barrel be vertical and angled away from the face
and body when pouring in a measured powder charge
and while seating the projectile over the powder.

4. ALWAYS open the bolt of the rifle before loading
powder and projectile in the barrel. Once the primer is
loaded and the bolt closed, the rifle is ready to fire.

4

5. Remain focused during loading to insure that you
use the proper sequence of components. NEVER hand
a loaded muzzleloader to another shooter. NEVER fire
a muzzleloader someone else has loaded (without
knowing how and with what it was loaded). NEVER
attempt to jump across a ditch, climb across a fence or
log, or hoist a muzzleloader into an elevated tree stand
while it is primed and ready to fire. ALWAYS know if
your rifle is loaded or unloaded, primed or unprimed.
NEVER let yourself become distracted while handling a
loaded and primed muzzleloader.

6. ALWAYS seat the projectile firmly over the
powder charge. Any projectile that sits off of the
powder charge will usually produce poor accuracy and
could result in pressures high enough to burst the
barrel and cause injury. In some cases, the powder will
fail to ignite.

7. The best accuracy with smokeless loads in your
Savage Model 10ML-II will be achieved with powder
charges that have been carefully weighed on a
smokeless powder scale and carried in small, capped
plastic tubes. Never load directly from the can, powder
flask or powder horn. A burning ember left in the barrel
from the last shot could ignite the powder and result in
the explosion of the container. ALWAYS use a
separate container/dipper/charge tube to transfer the
charge from the container. ALWAYS keep your face
and hands away from the muzzle when loading, and
immediately close any powder or Pyrodex® container
after use.

8. DO NOT smoke while loading or handling a
loaded muzzleloader, or when handling propellants.

9. Keep powder and primers away from where
firearms are being discharged. Sparks, intense heat or
a sharp impact can detonate powders and primers.
ALWAYS read and understand the manufacturer’s
instructions for details on safe handling and storage.

10. Thoroughly check all safety and functioning of
mechanical parts before loading your Savage Model
10ML-II rifle. Take precautions against overcharging
the rifle and always make sure that the projectile is
properly seated over the powder before closing the bolt
with a primer. Accidental double powder charges,
improper seating of bullets, or an obstruction in the
bore could result in damage to the rifle and serious
injury or death to a shooter or by-stander.

SECTION 3

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

PRIOR TO LOADING, FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF
THOROUGHLY WITH THESE OPERATING
INSTRUCTIONS AND THE MAIN PARTS OF YOUR
FIREARM.

FAILURE TO OBEY A SAFETY WARNING MAY
RESULT IN INJURY TO YOU OR OTHERS.

KNOW HOW TO LOCATE AND OPERATE THE
SAFETY MECHANISM.

SAFETY

The safety on your Savage Arms bolt action firearm has
3 positions:

1 – FULL SAFE - Pull safety button towards
shooter (trigger blocked – bolt can not be opened).

2 – MID POSITION (trigger blocked – bolt can be
opened).

3 – SAFETY OFF - READY TO FIRE. Push safety
button away from shooter.

1. FULL SAFE

A) The safety is in the FULL SAFE position when it

has been moved fully rearward, covering the red “F”
(See FIGURE 1).

B) The safety should be moved into the FULL SAFE
position when the bolt has been closed and the firearm
is ready to fire.

Caution: When carrying a loaded firearm the safety
must always be in the FULL SAFE position.

C) In the FULL SAFE position, the trigger is blocked
from moving and the bolt on rifles can not be opened.

5

The only time you can be absolutely certain that a
gun cannot fire is when the action is open and it is
completely empty of ammunition.

2. MID POSITION

A) MID POSITION allows the bolt to be opened and

cycled while still blocking the trigger.

B) The safety will move to the MID POSITION when
the following sequence is performed:

• lift the bolt handle

• move the safety to the FULL SAFE position

• push the bolt handle downward

3. SAFETY OFF – READY TO FIRE

A) The safety is in the OFF position when moved
fully forward, exposing the red “F”.

CAUTION: NEVER CARRY A LOADED FIREARM

LOADING

Firearms should be loaded only when you are in the
field, on the target range, or at a shooting area ready to
shoot.

Use ONLY the correct powder charges and sabot/bullet
combination specified in the Instruction Manual or listed
on the “Savage Arms, Inc.” web site
(www.savagearms.com).

Thoroughly clean the inside of the barrel, breech plug
and vent liner to remove all grease and other possible

WITH THE SAFETY OFF.

obstructions prior to loading. Lightly coat the threads on
the vent liner and breech plug with an anti-seize
compound before reassembly.

CAUTION: EXCESS ANTI-SEIZE COATING WILL

WET POWDER CAUSING MISFIRES.

1. MAKE SURE THE RIFLE IS UNLOADED AND
THE BOLT IS OPEN. The ramrod is approximately the

same length as the bore of the rifle. When dropped into
an unloaded barrel, one end should sit nearly flush with
the muzzle (See FIGURE 2). If it protrudes an inch or
more, the rifle is either loaded or has a barrel
obstruction. See instructions for disassembly to remove
load or obstruction.

2. Before pouring in the powder charge, make sure
the bolt is open.

3. WIPE THE BORE FREE OF OIL. With the barrel
pointed away from your face, use cleaning jag on the
end of the ramrod to push a clean dry patch down the
bore to remove excess oil. After checking to be sure
the rifle is not loaded, again pointing the barrel in a safe

direction, fire a primer to clear the breech plug and vent
liner of oil or cleaning solvents. The rifle is now ready to
be loaded. Open the bolt and remove the fired primer.

4. With the barrel vertical and away from the face,

POUR IN MEASURED OR WEIGHED POWDER
CHARGE. Your Savage Model 10ML-II rifle can be

loaded with charges of black powder, Pyrodex

®

or
prescribed loads of certain smokeless powders (see
SECTION 4). For safety and consistent accuracy, all
powder charges should be carefully measured. When
loading with black powder or Pyrodex
type measure. Pyrodex

®

should be loaded on a volume-

to-volume basis with black powder. MAXIMUM

PRACTICAL CHARGE WITH EITHER PYRODEX

®

, use a volume

®

OR

BLACK POWER IS 150 GRAINS. Best accuracy (with

prescribed smokeless loads) is obtained when charges
are precisely weighed on a smokeless powder scale.

NEVER CLOSE THE BOLT WITH A PRIMER
ATTACHED WHILE LOADING…AND ALWAYS KEEP
FACE AND HANDS CLEAR OF MUZZLE.

5. START AND SEAT THE PROJECTILE OVER
THE POWDER CHARGE. Plastic sabot and bullet

combinations must fit barrels tightly. Insert the sabot
and bullet into the end of the barrel and press down
past the muzzle. The ramrod is then used to firmly seat
it over the powder charge. DO NOT CRUSH THE
POWDER CHARGE. Simply push the projectile down
the bore until it makes contact with the powder, then
seat firmly. For best accuracy, always exert the same
amount of pressure on the ramrod for every shot. Note
position of ramrod when loaded – it should always be in
the same place after subsequent loading, or something
is wrong! Always check it.

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6. WITH THE SAFETY IN THE FULL-SAFE
POSITION AND BOLT OPEN, place a #209 primer

c

fully into the slot in the firing pin support (See FIGURE

3) and close the bolt to chamber the primer. SINCE
THE SAFETY WILL AUTOMATICALLY MOVE TO THE
MID-SAFE POSITION, RESET TO “FULL ON”
POSITION BEFORE CARRYING.

.

CAUTION: ALWAYS WEAR PROPER EYE &
HEARING PROTECTION WHEN LOADING AND
SHOOTING YOUR NEW SAVAGE MODEL 10ML-II
MUZZLELOADER

TO FIRE

Do not move the safety forward to the SAFETY OFF –
READY TO FIRE position until you are ready to shoot.

c

Note: Due to differences in manufacturers, we

recommend the use of Winchester or CCI primers