Hello,

I just picked up my 458 Lott and I can't wait to shoot it, my question is, is there anything that has to be done to this rifle? I plan on taking it to Africa or Argentinia in a year or so. Thanks

I assume you're talking RSM.

I'd shoot it a few times before doing anything. Make sure it flawlessly feeds the rounds your going to hunt with.

Then think about mods. I ended up swapping out the recoil pad with a limbsaver and replacing the trigger on mine.

If not feeding or shooting well, send it off to a gunsmith, like Mark Penrod.

Enjoy!!

-Steve

Thanks Steve, yes it is a M77 RSM. I already swapped the recoil pad with a limbsaver. Hopefully I can shoot it this weekend or next.

I agree, take it out and put a couple boxes through it... See how she functions and go from there.

Watch for stock cracking at the tang area... Some of the heavy rifles will split the stock here. Bedding greatly reduces or eliminates this problem.

If it feeds/extracts/ejects flawlessly and shoots groups you're satisfied with then you're good to go. The express sights are probably regulated for 500gr at 2300fps or so. You'll have to check that they shoot to point of aim with your ammo.

My RSM is a .375 and I've got nothing but praise for it. It's an awesome rifle for the money and my all-time favorite by far.

PS: NECG carries a white/ivory front bead sight you may like as it is more visible than the smaller brass bead Ruger uses. The express sights on my .375 are dead-on at all ranges - 50, 100 and 200 yards with standard factory 300gr RN ammo.

Shoot it RAPID FIRE, working the bolt as fast as humanly possibly as you would if there were a charging buffalo within 10 feet of you to see if it feeds and ejects properly.

Check feeding slow and fast with the muzzle pointed up, down, horizontal, at a 45 degree angle, tilted, etc.

I would glass bed it, cross bolt it, and add a life saver recoil pad to it...

I would test it every way possible, fast, slow and otherwise for feeding and function and with a variaty of bullets...before going to Africa..

I would do this with any rifle...

IF your moving to San Antonio, I know a good gunsmith that does pillar and glass bedding at a remarkable price.......

grettlerj,

Great choice of rifle

The limbsaver is a great pad and I wish Ruger would put something decent on at the factory I recommend checking the action screws after every shot for the first 20 or so and after each session from there on. My RSM Rigby and Lott needed this attention and believe it helped my stocks survive. In a perfect world one would have a good smith bed the rifle and tune it before the first shot is fired. However in the real world we want to shoot that sucker right now and hope for the best (the rifle functions good and the stock remains intact). My RSMs each have about 250 rounds through them now, but I am sending both off to Roger Ferrell for a full tune. I would hate to see those nice stocks split and each of my rifles could use a little fine tuning. The triggers of mine are okay, but I would like a little crisper, lighter pull. Both of my rifles could use a little polishing to ensure feeding especially my Lott with flat nosed rounds. My Lott's floor plate latch gave up the fight after 200 rounds, and since electrical tape holding the floor plate closed is not aesthetically pleasing this needs to be addressed as well.

I love my RSMs. I think they are the best buy out there with the usually nice wood and quarter rib. ANY production rifle, especially any heavy caliber rifle can use some tuning. My advice is to shoot your Lott, check the action screws while you are getting familiar/breaking in the rifle and then have a good smith go through it.

John

grettlerj

I had been lucky with all my RSM's in that I shot them without bedding them before taking them out on the range. If your RSM has the nice wood that all of mine have, I suggest you just curb your impatience and bed it first. There have been some cases of RSM's cracking their stocks within the first 100 rds or so. Besides, you'll have a more accurate rifle after proper bedding.