Product Reviews

Montana Vintage Arms has developed three new items that are sure to be of interest to all riflemen, both hunters and competitive shooters alike.
Short Hood Front Sight: The first new product is a globe front sight specifically designed to appeal to hunters who like an interchangeable insert front sight but have found most to be too dark for use in the field during poor light conditions.
The new Short Hood sight features a drastically shortened hood that still protects the insert while letting in a huge amount of light. Under low light conditions, I’ve tried this new sight and found it to be just as good as a typical blade sight. In fact, I consider it to be better than a blade front, as one can use the hood as a reference point (and see it) when the light is so bad that a blade sight all but disappears.
My preference has always been for an insert front sight because I like to tailor the insert to the hunting conditions and game. A crosswire works great in good light and for small varmints, especially when holding over for windage and elevation at extended ranges. For general purposes, it is hard to beat a square-topped post of medium width, and of course, many hunters like a bead front sight. With the new MVA sight, you can use all of the above. The Short Hood sight takes all standard MVA inserts and also features the same dovetail locking screw in the base. The price is $115.00 and the sight comes with an insert card.
Stepped Rear Scope Block: The second new product is a “stepped” rear scope block that fits all MVA scopes and many of the old Lyman and Unertl scopes as well. One problem that many scope shooters have with their telescopic sights is not enough elevation to reach the longer ranges. With the new Stepped Block, one can simply slide the rear mount to the higher block to give additional elevation, rather than make a complete block change. The main block is .400 high and the step provides for an additional .250 elevation that will easily allow adjustment to the ram line and quite a way beyond.
Doing the math, an additional .250 height of elevation should provide for an additional 125 minutes of elevation when using a 7.2-inch scope block spacing. Having the Step Block on your rifle is just a good way to cover every sight adjustment you may need, without changing blocks and introducing more variables to your sight settings. The MVA Step Block goes for $40 and is ready for immediate delivery.
Windage Adjustable Scope Block: The third new product, which will really interest those of us who regularly shoot old vintage rifles, is a windage adjustable scope block that allows one to adjust the scope mounts to a zero windage setting on both the blocks and the mount.
The MVA Windage Block consists of two parts that can be adjusted sideways to get the block in a dead zero position on the barrel. Many old rifles that have had their scope blocks mounted by a “less than a precise” method, show an offset one way or the other. One has to take this into account when zeroing the rifle and many times an offset block results in a serious reduction in adjustment for windage. With the MVA Windage Block installed you can set the scope mount on zero windage and then make the necessary adjustments to the block to bring the actual impact to zero windage. This is very helpful, especially when trying to get a vintage rifle sorted out for competition. My old Peterson Ballard that has a seriously off-center front block will get one of these for sure. The Windage Block has graduations that allow for precise movement and repeatable settings, as well as a locking screw that makes sure it does not move under recoil. The height of the new block is .400 and will cost you $50; well worth the money, especially when one considers the problems it can solve on scope zeroing.
For more information on these great new products contact: Montana Vintage Arms, 61 Andrea Drive, Belgrade, MT 59714. Phone: 406-388-4027 or visit their website at montanavintagearms.com. All of their products come with MVA’s excellent customer service and outstanding warranty. These new products are in stock and ready for immediate delivery and just in time for the 2024 shooting season.

The need for a 45-70 taper crimp die overwhelmed me recently and “the hounds” were let out to try finding one. I had been using a file trim die for the 45-70 to squeeze down the bell at the mouth of the cases (put there by the expander die) after paper patched bullets had been seated into the cases with fingertips. That worked, but it probably was not the best because the file trim die would also squeeze down the diameter of the bullet, which was not desirable. So, the search for a taper crimp die was begun.
This search ended – as so many seem to do – at Buffalo Arms Company. They had in stock Lyman’s “Short .45 taper crimp die” ready to send out. Lyman says this die is for the 45-70, 45-90, and 45-100 cartridges, with lengths from 21⁄10 to 26⁄10 inches. I’ll be using this die a lot with 45-70 cartridges as well as the 24⁄10 inch cases for the 45-90. Instead of re-adjusting the die’s “set ring” each time a different cartridge is to be used, I’ll just set it for the 45-70 cases and then screw it into the loading press with a .300-inch collar, which will immediately put the die at the height needed for the 45-90s.
In use, this taper crimp die by Lyman works just fine and it is exactly what I wanted. At first, I was a little worried that the hole in the top of the die was not big enough because it would not allow the nose of the bullet to enter. I wondered if this die had internal dimensions that were meant for deeply seated bullets, such as what would be used through repeating rifles. That, however, is not a problem and, so far, I have not found a bullet that extends beyond the mouth of the case too far for this die, paper patched or otherwise.
Why this die is referred to and marked for “Short .45s” is somewhat of a mystery because I don’t see anything for the longer .45s. In fact, this die could certainly be used with the 45-110 and the 45-120 cases just as easily, especially after having collars made which would hold the die firmly in the loading press. I used to shoot a 45-110 and had such a collar made to use with a file trim die. While looking for a longer .45 caliber taper crimp die, I did not find one by Lyman either on their web site or on the Buffalo Arms web site. It is possible that Lyman simply doesn’t recommend this die for the longer calibers.
This taper crimp die is now a regular member of my 45-70 and 45-90 reloading dies and I’m using it with both grease groove and paper patched bullets. It puts a “hold” on the paper patched bullets firm enough that the cartridges can be carried in a cartridge belt without the fear of losing the bullets. I also believe, I’ll see an improvement in accuracy because the bullets are not being squeezed down like they are when the file trim die is used for “crimping.” Lyman’s current suggested retail price for one of these dies is $33.95 and that seems like a bargain when compared to similar dies by other makers. Contact information for Lyman Products and Buffalo Arms Co., is: LymanProducts.com or phone: 800-225-9626 and BuffaloArms.com or phone: 208-263-6953.