1st time W/ a White

[rugerbh103]

I recently picked up a Whitetail in .504. I've been doing physical therapy to get through a shoulder injury and hadn't shot it due to fear of making it worse. I couldn't take it anymore. Set a target out at 50 yards and loaded light. Still have some work to do, but it shows promise. I need to play around with a different sight picture or change sights. I'm hitting at least 6 inches low with the rear sight all the way up. Never shot a slip fit bullet before. It will take some getting used to, just feels loose.

1st shot was a misfire and had me worried I'd wasted my money. I took care to fully seat the cap and all else was good. Used a moist patch after the 2nd shot of each charge to simulate a follow-up shot in the field, dont know if it was necessary. I shot the following with T7 FFG powder and CCI #11 magnum caps using No Excuses 460 conicals. Be kind, I haven't done any serious work with iron sights in some time.

- 50 grains was a powder puff, but the group was horrible. By my eye more. than 6 inches.
- 60 grains was comfortable. Looks like a 1 inch group, but again way low.
- 65 grains was a little tighter than an inch, but started to bother my shoulder.

I was using a 6 o'clock hold, may look at a taller front sight. I'm more interested in a peep sight. The XS low mount Weaver backup has my interest. If all else fails I'll scope it. Thanks for bearing with my ramblings. I was excited to shoot again.

 

[Harleysboss]

Look on the right side of your receiver, there should be two small holes. The Lyman 57 SME peep sight fit these. You may have to removed a small amount of stock material but they were made to fit the white rifles. I have them on both of my whites. They are a quality sight and have a lot of adjustment capability.

 

[sbuff]

You had fun that's all that matters

 

[toytruck]

Is your rifle bedded with a square lug? If you add another square lug behind the trigger it will increase stability and accuracy. (Use the rear trigger guard hole).
All my White's are scoped, makes dialing in groups much easier!

 

[rugerbh103]

It has a bladed recoil lug.

 

[flounder]

Is that the Armstech? You will find that the recoil blade will bend when shooting conicals. I had a stout lug welded to mine and inletted the stock for it, then did the bedding and that made a lot better rifle out of it.

 

[toytruck]

You probably have the basic gun with the blade in front of a round pillar that the action screw goes into which holds the action/barrel to the gun frame.
I was referring to the pillar being square instead of round which is a better system and like I mentioned another square pillar (lug) is even better. That is what Doc did to improve the Whitetail when he created the Model 97 Whitetail by adding the second square pillar.
If I was you I would at least have your gun glass bedded, that will certainly improve your groups and save your gun from a bent blade caused by recoil. Which is a common problem with the Whitetail rifle.
Most gun smiths would be able to do this if your not inclined.

 

[rugerbh103]

It is the Armstech. I'll look at having the lug upgraded. Not sure thats something I should be messing with at home.

 

[flounder]

Here is a link to a the rifle I use to own which is just like yours, I hope Dean doesn't mind. I have some pics of it with the lug welded to it but don't have time to search for them right now. Can live with this inaccuracy | Modern Muzzleloader

 

[Matthew323]

Consider having the recoil pad replaced with a Kick-eez Magnum, 1.375" thick pad. You can also shorten the length of pull at the same time (if you need to), since Doc tended to make all his guns with a 14" L.O. P.

Most of the custom, lightweight, .308 Scout rifles use this pad, as it really tames recoil. It also is helpful for people like me who have osteoarthritis in their shoulders.

 

[one-shot]

Help an old man out here. Pictures please of the mods, or where I can find them.
Thanks in advance.

 

[flounder]

Here is the lug that was added right behind the blade. The same hole in the stock is used where the screw use to go into the receiver but now goes into the recoil lug. The inked areas are where I made sure to have them bedded to the stock. That recoil blade by itself just wasn't enough to handle heavy conical loads. I've had people smarter than me remark that if doc had used a heavy blade, say a quarter inch thick or so, that probably would have done the job better. That makes sense to me, especially if it were bedded good and tight.
In the whitetails after the Armstech there was a small cylindrical recoil lug in the same spot as this one. In the later model 97s an additional lug was added straight above the back screw of the trigger guard which made it even more solid.

 

[muzzlestuffer]

It is the Armstech. I'll look at having the lug upgraded. Not sure thats something I should be messing with at home.

Have a gunsmith do it I've had doc do a couple they were off center or cocked to one side

 

[muzzlestuffer]

Here is the lug that was added right behind the blade. The same hole in the stock is used where the screw use to go into the receiver but now goes into the recoil lug. The inked areas are where I made sure to have them bedded to the stock. That recoil blade by itself just wasn't enough to handle heavy conical loads. I've had people smarter than me remark that if doc had used a heavy blade, say a quarter inch thick or so, that probably would have done the job better. That makes sense to me, especially if it were bedded good and tight.
In the whitetails after the Armstech there was a small cylindrical recoil lug in the same spot as this one. In the later model 97s an additional lug was added straight above the back screw of the trigger guard which made it even more solid.

If the gun is bedded properly it should not be a problem the stocks white used did not match the quality of their barreled action imo

 

[flounder]

If the only thing you've got to bed against is that skinny recoil blade it will bend in time without exception and you can't blame the stock for that. It was a design flaw in the early Whites and that point is further proven by the fact that design changes were made to remedy the problem.

 

[muzzlestuffer]

If the only thing you've got to bed against is that skinny recoil blade it will bend in time without exception and you can't blame the stock for that. It was a design flaw in the early Whites and that point is further proven by the fact that design changes were made to remedy the problem.

Well I thought they all at least had the small round recoil lugs and the big square ones were the upgraded version that's what I meant the only gun I have ever seen the way you described is my white javelina pistol which has been upgraded. I have glass bed many many white rifles and done many super safari conversions so I've seen and worked with many stocks

 

[flounder]

The Armstechs were the earliest ones and they didn't even have that small cylindrical lug. The stock screw went right into the receiver and that hole would get elongated too.
The Armstech was my first White and I started right out shooting Batchief's conicals which are about 500 grains. After a few sessions the damage was done. Getting that lug on there and rebedding it cured the problems.

 

[rugerbh103]

That is what I have. Early model with only the blade. If I wanted to replace the blade and have a lug welded on, how big of a job is it?

 

[flounder]

I'd talk to a gunsmith. They should be able to straighten the blade if it's bent and weld a lug on there straight with a tapped hole for the stock screw.. The bedding you can do yourself easy enough.

 

[muzzlestuffer]

That is what I have. Early model with only the blade. If I wanted to replace the blade and have a lug welded on, how big of a job is it?

That's technically a recoil lug you can have the barrel removed a install one of the newer thick version maybe doc has some but I would still install a action recoil lug on it !