Kit Instructions

read this entire section carefully before you start.

The kit you have received should contain the following parts: please check the contents to be sure the list is complete.

Barreled action

Walnut or myrtle stock with trigger guard and ramrod spring and screw

nipple-breech plug- it may be installed

hammer with mainspring and mainspring detent

hammer handle and action end cap

rear sight and screws, plus front sight base and screw- it will usually be installed with front sight blade installed

Delrin ramrod with single brass end- threaded 8 X 32 on both ends for accessories.

sample lubricated bullets and sample naked bullets.

In addition you will need a long 3/8 inch socket from your 1/4 inch socket wrench set, a 6 inch extension for the same set, (alternatively a White Nipple-BreechPlug wrench). A 5/32" hex wrench, small screwdriver, small Phillips screwdriver, 320 or 400 grit sandpaper, plastic electricians tape, dark auto primer, black or camo paints or clear varnish (I suggest Brownell’s AcraCoat) and bedding compound. (See below), a small tube of Valve Grinding Compound from your local auto supply store. Brownells is easy to find on the web.

Follow this Process to assemble the rifle

You are going to assemble the barreled action with all internal action parts , screw on the sights, and fit barreled action to stock. Once fitted, you will disassemble the barreled action from the stock then finish the stock. Once the stock is finished, you will reassemble the rifle into your finished product, then shoot and accurize it.

Start by screwing the trigger to the barreled action. You may need to trim the 10 x 32 hex-head screw a little with a file or sanding belt.

Now screw in the nipple-breech plug, grease it liberally with White BreechPlug grease or similar product before you screw it in, finger-tight only, then back off 1/8th turn. If the nipple- breechplug is in place when it arrives, it mayl NOT have any grease on it.

Now slip the hammer into the rear of the action, pull the trigger with the safety off, push the hammer past the trigger sear into contact with the nipple. Rotate the hammer so the transverse hole in its middle can be seen from the left hand hammer side slot.

Now slide the hammer handle through the left hand hammer side slot into the hammer hole and push the handle all the way forward in the hammer handle slot

Fit the hammer spring detent into one end of the hammer spring, then slide the detent and spring into the rear of the action, thence into the rear of the hammer into contact with the bottom of the rear hammer hole. The detent should click into the slot on the hammer handle and lock into place. Now you should not be able to pull out the hammer handle.

Now screw on the end cap, compressing and pushing the mainspring into the action. Once the cap is on, cock the action and ‘fire’ it by pulling the trigger with the side trigger safety off, (forward) then try to ‘fire’ it with the side safety on safe to the rear. It should NOT snap..

Now re-cock the action by pulling the hammer handle to the rear and lock it up into the UP safety position. Put the side trigger safety on safe (back) and snap the hammer handle briskly down. The safety should hold the hammer safely to the rear. Pull the trigger to ‘fire ‘ the rifle. It should NOT ‘fire’. If the set-up will not perform these functions safely, please call.

Now screw the rear sight firmly onto the barrel. Finish by screwing down the front sight base (if a Whitetail), then forcefully sliding the front sight into the dovetail of the base (into the dovetail on the barrel in the case of the Bison). This can be difficult and may require professional help. Most gunsmiths will do it for a small fee. It may have been done for you already.

Now you are ready to mount the completed barreled action into the stock. It should nearly fall into place. The Brrel channel may require a little scraping for final fit. Screw in the 1/4 inch blued stock screw from below. You may have to shorten it a bit. Use a sharp hacksaw, the screw is quite hard. The barreled action should fit well without wobble. You may have to remove a little wood where the hammer cocking handle slides.

If your stock has an internal ramrod cut, you may need to install a ramrod spring. If so, there will be a small cutout to fit it. Place the spring with the screw hole towards the muzzle and screw it down with the small flat headed wood screw provided.

GLASS BEDDING

If wanted, you are ready to glass bed the action. The best and quickest bedding compound in the world is the two part black and gray epoxy sold in Car Quest auto stores. It comes in a one inch diameter approximately 3 inch long clear plastic tube with an inside black and white label. Mix a small amount by cutting off an appropriate amount, knead it between your fingers until the color is uniform, (Hurry fast, it hardens in 12 minutes), place just enough of it into the stock to fill the space behind the recoil lug and bolt lug, ( be careful to NOT use too much, the process can be repeated) spray the recoil lug and bolt lug area of the barreled action with oil (be sure and get a liberal amount into the bolt lug threaded hole), and squeeze the barreled action into the stock. Clean out the threaded bolt hole if any epoxy has squeezed into it, then oil the stock bolt and screw it in tightly. Leave it 5 minutes then remove the bolt, re-oil it and place it again. Leave it for 10 minutes, then remove the bolt and barreled action from the stock. It should pop free easily. The black epoxy will be hard as iron after 24 hours.

Follow this process to finish the rifle:

The stock is already rough sanded. Remove the trigger guard then sand the stock with 320 or 400 grit finish paper to your satisfaction.

PAINT: You are now ready to paint the stock. First use your electricians plastic tape to tape off the recoil pad so finish will not get on it. Spray the stock with several coats of dark auto primer, sand with finish paper, then repeat the process until the wood grain is nicely covered. Now spray with exterior epoxy paint in your selected color(s). ( Ace exterior spray epoxy enamel is a good choice) Use several coats.

PEBBLED: If you like a pebbled finish, get a spray can of black auto undercoating from the auto supply store. Do this outside, better to splatter the grass than your walls. Once the stock is primer coated, speckle the stock with auto undercoating. Do it from a 3 foot distance so the gooey paint gobs on in speckles. Repeat this process several times to satisfaction then paint with exterior epoxy in your selected color.

CAMO: If you want a camo finish, apply primer and pebbling as above. Buy spray camo in several colors, (most paint and auto stores carry it), cut out various designs of leaves, critters or whatever in cardboard, then use the cutouts as templates to apply the camo. Start with a solid coat of one color, like green, then add other colors in selected patterns until you have the pattern you like. If you don’t like it, sand it off and try again until you do. Be imaginative.

CLEAR VARNISH: If you want a clear finish that shows the wood, first raise the grain on the wood after finish sanding it. Merely wipe off with a moist towel, wetting the stock, then dry it quickly over a gas or electric burner. This will raise the grain. Now cut the grain down by re-sanding lightly with 400 grit finish paper. Do this several times. You are now ready to apply finish. Several are available. Linseed oil is an old one, available from your local paint store. ‘Linspeed’ is quicker with similar finish qualities, it is available from most gunstores. Exterior spar varnish can be used, always buy it as a spray, use many coats, wet sanding between coats to get the fill you want. I like Brownells AcraCoat best. It is an epoxy, is impervious to water and sprays on easily, rarely smears when drying and sands easily. 2-3 coats usually suffice, sanding lightly between coats. Finish with fine steel wool, then wax. (Car or gun waxes work fine.)

Finishing the metal

The action and barrel may have been bead blasted or blued. If that is sufficient, leave as is. You may also polish stainless barrels with fine steel wool, polishing compound on a wheel or with a steel brush. Be sure to use a stainless brush on stainless steel. You may also paint it, first with metal undercoat, then finish epoxy in color of choice or camo. Don’t paint the internal action parts..

Shooting your rifle.

Follow the instructions in the White M97 instruction manual that can be found on ‘whitemuzzleloading.com’, click on the’ M97 manual’ hyperlinc in orange at the top of the page. Instructions for your Whitetail or Bison are the same as for the newer White M97 Whitetail Hunter with a few obvious exceptions, like a single stock screw and plain-end ramrod., You can always call Whiterifles LLC at 801-785-6655 and ask for a set of M97 instructions and the latest White Rifles catalogue. They will be sent to you free.

YOU MUST READ AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. MUZZLELOADING FIREARMS ARE DANGEROUS WEAPONS, NOT TOYS, AND MUST BE USED WITH GREAT CARE TO AVOID ACCIDENT OR LOSS OF LIFE.

ACCURIZING YOUR RIFLE.

Your rifle may not need accurizing. If it is accurate enough for your purposes, leave it alone. If not, and you want ultimate accuracy, then do as follows: A small number of plain, non-sized and non-lubricated bullets are enclosed with the kit. Lubricate these bullets, which are of slightly larger diameter than lubricated ones, with valve grinding compound, available in small tubes from auto stores. Shoot them in the usual fashion using a moderate load of 70-80 grains of Pyrodex P or 777. Shoot three of the valve grinding compound lubed bullets, then fire a 3 shot group with the load of your choice to test for accuracy. (I usually use the same load) Repeat several times as you think necessary. Be cautious, you can do it too much. Groups of less than 2 inches at 100 yards with open sights and ordinary eyes is an excellent stopping place. You may be able to get better groups with a scope.

If you will spend as much time and care searching for the best load and group with this rifle as you would your favorite 270, you will achieve similar results.

The Whitetail or Bison rifle you have purchased was designed for use with White PowerPunch slip-fit bullets and the Powerstar and SCS sabot, which is available in 320 and 435 grain weights. Loads of either saboted bullet with Pyrodex P in the 70-100 grain volume range (measure Pyrodex and 777 in volume equivalents) usually produce excellent accuracy and startling killing power on deer sized game. Please try them.

Good Hunting, DOC

PS- Here is a sample of what you might be able to do with a White rifle

Blacktail, oregon, 1992 Mouflon sheep, Mo, 1996

Mule Deer, Utah, 2000 Tahr, Mo, 1995