An interesting post from one of the designers of the 10ML:
http://www.nchuntandfish.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30429
RB, I am not sure just what point you are trying to make here, but I can tell with 110% certainty, that there is absolutely nothing, notta, zip, zilche, "official" about Toby Bridge's statements on this matter. But since you seem to like to bring this matter up on a regular basis, I think it is about time to put this matter to rest once and for all.
In 1998, Toby Bridges was hired by my father and I, for $42K a year, to find a major arms manufactures to market our smokeless powder muzzleloader and in February 1999 we sign a contract with Savage Arms for Patent production rights for the model 10ML. Later that very same yeart Savage Arms hired Toby Bridges as a consultant and R&D consultant for $30K a year. By Toby Bridges own admission (please keep in mind, his word, written or spoken is suspect at best) he was making more money off the Savage 10ML, than he ever had in his life. Keep this in mind as your read further.
Toby blew that first Savage 10ML-II up in March 2004. I have the faxes and e-mails that he sent the very same day as that 10ML-II was blown up. His written words that very same day, do not reflect the story he has on his website today. There were many things going on between Savage, myself, my father, and Toby. These things were a direct result of Toby doing things that were detrimental to Savage arms, the Savage 10ML-II, as well as to himself and those around him. All this started in 2003, when Toby had made some extremely poor decisions in his personal life, but I don't need to get into the details of that. Early in 2004, Toby was palced on notice, both from Savage and my father, that if he didn't get his crap straighten out and straighten out fast, there would be dire consequences.
Toby was repeatedly warned and told to cease and desist the use and advocation of non-Savage recommended loading data, to include duplex and triplex loads and powders. Toby was also told to cease and desist from insulting and harrasing various game departmants across the US, concerning the Savage 10ML-II. Savage even demanded that he send written appologies to them, for his misconduct. Instead of heading the warning from us and Savage, Toby turned his anger towards us and Savage. He became belligerent and insubordinate towards us and Savage.
It all came to a head, early in August 2004, when Toby was employment from Savage and us, was terminated. For 3 weeks, Toby sent faxes and e-mails daily in an attempt to exort a six figure sum from Savage and $25K from us, or he would make sure that his "blown up" Savage 10ML-II would be plastered all over the internet. We and Savage refused to give into his demands, and for one time that I am aware of, Toby actually was true to his word and plastered it all over the internet on 24 August 2004. He even came back to us about 1 year later and tried the same extortion attempt again, but was told to go pleasure himself.
Toby sent that blown 10ML-II back to Savage in May 2004. Savage did a thorough examination of that 10ML-II and had external experts exam it as well. In September or October 2004, that 10ML-II and 6 brand new 10ML-II's were sent to H.P White Labertories, the world reknowned small arms testing lab, for examination and to duplicate the blow up. H.P. White's determination was only an over charge combined with a bore obstruction could have caused the catrastropic failure, such as Toby claimed to have. Toby was present at the Savage Arms with us, when Savage was conducting destruction test on Savage 10ML-II's. Toby was and is fully aware of it takes to destruct a Savage 10ML-II. I can tell you that it takes in excess of 129,000 PSI to destruct a Savage 10ML-II.
Bottom line is Toby Bridges blew that 10ML-II up intentional. He did it because he knew very well that his days were numbered with Savage and us. He blew it up to use as extortion material to use at a later date.
When H.P. White returned that 10ML-II and the other to Savage, I requested that Savage send the 10ML-Ii that Toby blew up to me. I now it is the same 10ML-II, because the serial number says so and I knew what serial number 10ML-II Toby had. It was sent to me after Savage replaced the barrel, barrel nut, recoil lug, breech plug and stock. This is what that very same 10ML-II looks like today.
Now as for regarding the second blown Savage 10ML-II, the owner of that Savage 10Ml-II has not even contacted Savage Arms about it. So as of this date Savage Arms has no knowledge of the details of the incident, much less an opportunity to examine the muzzleloader. However, there are numerous reports coming out of Canada, supposedly by people who know this invidual and of the incident, that he used a black powder volunmmetric powder charger, to measure and dump his powder chargers. There is another report, supposedly from one of this guys hunting buddies, that the muzzleloader had a charge from the previous season in it and he loaded it again.
I and everyone else should take these reports, as to the cause, with a grain of salt, as they could be just hearsay or pure speculation. The only sure way to know for sure, is for that individual to send that muzzleloader back to Savage Arms for examintion and external examination and testing.
Bottom line is there has never been a firearm made, rifle shotgun, handgun, that cannot be blown up, has been blown up, nor will be blown up. The Savage 10ML-II, with the books loads only generate pressures in the 34,000 - 42,000 PSI range. It is impossible, let me say that again, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE, to blow a Savage 10ML-II up with those low pressures loads. So, if Toby says he was only shooting 45gr of 5744 and 250gr bullet, he is lying (actually I know he is lying because his fax that same day states he was shooting something diferrent) and if this guys in Canada says he was only shooting 42.5gr of 4759 and 250gr bullet, he is lying, because it is impossible to blow a Savage with those loads, simply impossible.
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Last edited by 1SHOT1KILL; 02-24-2010 at 01:12 PM.
