bdeather

cayugad or anybody else, what is the difference between the ultra mag M97 and the M97 whitetail hunter?

Underclocked

UltraMag are stainless, .504only,have a 26" barrel, wear a small Sportsman's Warehouse logo on the barrel, and come with #11, musket, and 209 ignitions. They were supposed to have included a 209 bolt and a cap bolt but some do, some don't. You can get an UltraMag new for 299.xx at the Sportsman's Warehouse in Phoenix, Az or Aurora, Co.(last I knew) The synthetic stock on the UltraMags is quite nice and was made especially for that model.

UltraMag http://www.whitemuzzleloading.com/M97UltraMagFullRight.jpg <-- pic is big (from Doc's website)

The standard Whitetail is shown below (from WhiteRifles website)
Whitetail has a 22" barrel, laminated stock, one ramrod thimble, one ignition. Same action, same trigger on both.

cayugad

What's the difference.. I shoot an Ultra Mag because it was on sale. They both are great rifles, but the rifle Underclocked described is a great rifle and very easy to clean because of all the stainless steel parts. I can't get over how fast that rifle cleans up.

Also the barrel is longer. Whether that would make all that big a difference, I could not say since I never shot a model 97 other then the Ultra Mag.

If you order one, tell them to look in the hard case before they ship and make sure they have the musket breech plug in there as well. It would be nice if they put a hammer for the #11 but then you can't get everything for free. I have one of them, another spring, and another #11 breech plug coming from Sunrise Archery. I do not think there is too much more could go wrong with a rifle built like a Sherman Tank.

cayugad

The other day I was shooting with the open sights at 50 yards. I wanted to see the difference a wad would make in the group size. The circled group (all but the intentional bulls eye because I changed my POI) was with 90 grains of Goex 3f, a 1/16th fiber wad unlubed, and a 460 grain Conical. The best part is that was the last of the ten shot group, and I never had to swab the barrel to shoot those ten rounds. The dirtier that rifle gets the sweeter it sings.

Underclocked

5-shot group attempt at 100 yards. Shots 1, 2, and 3 just put too much pressure on me!



after I shattered my nerves by blowing the 4th shot in the 5-shot group above, I tried a couple of Bull Shop's conicals at the same distance (top two groups below), the center shots were done prior to the 5 shot attempt while zeroing my scope with the 496 grainers.

cayugad

Are those Bullshop conicals, the 373 500 grain, what diameter did you have him size them too? Also are they under 1.008 inches long? Batchief's big trashcans look they they do a good job also.

Underclocked

Yes, those are the NEI mould number 373 conicals and yes, they are western state legal. I mic'd the length of one and it was barely over an inch (CRS on the exact measure, but it's legal). Sized to .504, they load nicely in the UltraMag.

Here's another bullet from a mould that Dan has (or will have in a day or two - this one from TooTall, a Mtn Mold NE clone at 460 grains, western state legal). Great looking bullet even if it is a little out of focus. That's one TooTall made and sent me. Be sure to request some of those in your sampler (might specify mold from Darrel of Kansas so he will be certain of which).