Montana Vintage Arms Scope

[Sixgun]

I tell ya guys, nothing, I mean nothing has been as good for us guys who shoot the old guns like it is today. Back when I started in '72, it was case forming, bullet casting, and hunting for old original/worn out junk, buying old loading manuals, and then hoping for the best to get your shooting irons on target.

Today, we have everything, with the internet leading the way for finding good quality stuff.

I'm sixty now and my eyes are not what they used to be, but I still get by, using experience and wisdom to replace my physical eye disabilities. For the long range stuff, I decided to take the plunge and buy me a real deal long range scope for the original Schutzen Winchester Hi-Wall in 40-82 caliber. This gun, with a resized cast bullet designed for the .405 W.C.F. will hit beer cans out to 500 meters as long as the wind is not blowing too fast, but my eyes can't do it anymore.

Yea, a scope is made in China and is sold by Buffalo Arms for $500 or so, but I will not send my money overseas, period!

The boys right here in the good ole U.S. of A. in Montana land make a top notch scope using American made materials. They make a dovetail mount so I don't have to drill and tap a rifle made in '93.....1893. As I have an original 1881 Marlin with an extra heavy buffalo barrel that's the exact dimensions as the Hi-Wall, I can switch the scope between rifles in a matter of about 2 minutes, thanks to the great design of the boys from Montana Vintage Arms......4 screws and I'm good-to-go.

The scope is 6X and has Mil-Dots, is crystal clear and guaranteed for life as long as I don't smash it after a few swigs of Wild Turkey 101.

The sight on the left, a huge Lyman click adjustable Model 15 that was made from 1889-1906 has been on the Hi-Wall for the last 20 something years. On the right is a standard Lyman for the 1894 Winchester.



The scope comes with mounts that are so smooth and accurate that I can hit a tick at 500 meters



This scope is the Creedmore style and is 37" long and is good for at least a thousand meters.(yea, Twinkles demands to get attention and wanted to get in the pics. )


All of the adjustments are in the mount and those boys at M.V.A. Know what they are doing.


I did the best I could to show you boys the reticle with the mil-dot. I have it almost on the salt block out back at 140 meters.


Because scopes are barrel length and diameter specific, I ordered an extra set of dovetail mounts for the 30 inch buffalo barreled 1881 Marlin and stuck that baby on this rifle. This rifle was made in 1881 and shoots as good as the Hi-Wall. Caliber is 40-60 Marlin, which is identical to the 40-65 Winchester (almost) but I use an NEI custom mould with a flat point so I don't blow up the magazine tube. There's 14 pounds of rifle there.


The two rifles, side by side to show the identical length and width of the barrels.
.

[Mescalero]

I see the guardian of the bullets has now become the guardian of the scoped rifle.

[vancelw]

Photo-bombed by a Siamese

That ain't right!

Nice rifle and scope. I oughta fix up one of my BPCRs that way for fun.

[Sixgun]

Photo-bombed by a Siamese

That ain't right!

Nice rifle and scope. I oughta fix up one of my BPCRs that way for fun.

Ahhhh, come on Vance, cut me some slack. The cat is Siamese, which is from Thailand.......does that make it a China-cat or a Thai-cat? ----------6

[Mescalero]

No,
Just the one that does what she wants or the old lady will kick your butt.

[ollogger]

That's the way to go when the eyes say its time, I scoped a Marlin & I was shocked
how well I could shoot again




Brad

[Grizz]

those are beauties. I bet they are fun to shoot with the scope letting you reach out there. looks like a lot of fun.

[pokey]

but I will not send my money to those bastard Chinamen.



I can hit the pecker on a tick at 500 meters

wait let me wipe my eyes............eyes?

oh yeah , i hear the visual acuity deficiency, i will have to look into
a scope like that, and stop guessing where the bullseye is.

[OldWin]

Great post Six.

That scope is some quality work for sure. I like how you can switch it from the High Wall to the 81.
Your 81 makes mine look like a SRC with a helium filled stock. That thing is HUGE.....and real cool bro.

[BrentD]

That is an interesting highwall. I wonder what its history might be? Lettering it might generate some information that would provide a few clues. I don't recall seeing a stock quite like that so I suppose it was restocked at some point. Maybe by someone of some fame perhaps, though the style does suggest anyone specific to me.

For those wanting to scope a lever gun, you may want to consider the non-malcolm style of MVA. Namely the MVA recreation of the Winchester B5. It is a superb scope, a bit more compact and user friendly than the super long or even medium long MVA malcolms. It is also considerably less expensive.

I shoot one of the B5s on one of my highwalls and wrked well enough to take second overall at that Nationals this year. It gets the job done, and a bit more easily on more conventionally sized lever rifles.

[J Miller]

Sixgun,

Love the cat. She's one classy feline.

Last picture; why is your Simple Green, blue?


I've never handled let alone shot a rifle with a scope like that. They do look classy that's for sure.

I'll have to see if I can find MVA's web site and peruse it.

Joe

[BrentD]

Joe, it is at
www.montanavintagearms.com
The B5 is not shown on their website, unfortunately.

[6pt-sika]

My shooting buddy that left this world about 16 months ago had a MVA scope on his C Sharps 45-100 . I shot that rifle a few times and liked the setup .

[Sixgun]

Thanks guys! Our gunclub was closed to shooting this weekend due to Youth Day so I'll see how this thing works out next weekend.

Joe, the cat is a barn cat. One day I was in the barn and I saw these 5 little kittens scrambling, but they were still small enough that I could catch them. One really stuck out so I snagged it and low and behold, the cat had blue eyes and is Siamese.....She was in the same litter as the other four......things like this are over my head...so I took the cat in the house and that is where she resides not. My constant pal.

Yea, the Simple Green people must have changed their formula as the last gallon of concentrate was blue. It's either that or I paid $14 for cheap windshield washer.

I have grown to be very fond of this cat. She is unusually smart as far as cats go. Our Yorkies are always trying to get her but as usual, she is one step ahead of them.----6

[Sixgun]

Brent,
As far as the Hi-Wall being restocked, that is going to be found out as I have a list of about 15 rifles that are being factory lettered. The forend has the standard ebony inlay and the fancy buttplate is Winchester. The fit of the wood to metal is standard for the time frame......very nice and the rifle has the standard factory set trigger which works great.

This rifle is also exceptionally accurate and knocks down the 500 meter rams with ease......when I can see them.

Who says you need a 535 gr. bullet to knock the rams down? I have yet to lose one from the 40 caliber 300 gr., even with low center belly hits. ------6

[BrentD]

I've never left a ram standing with a 300 gr bullet from my .38-72 and I have shot lots of them. But like your .40, it gets the job done with a lot of velocity. I do much better with my .45-70s for a variety of reasons.

I have a friend building a .40-82 long range rifle on a Fraser Action. It will be a spectacular rifle I'm sure.
http://www.steveearleproducts.com/fraser.html

[w30wcf]

Six...
That's really neat! The steel coyotes at 1,000 yards are calling your name........out yonder just below the forest line....







Ridgway Rifle Club, Ridgway, PA

w30wcf

[BrentD]

Just a caution for those who are considering the plunge, if you want to shoot very long ranges, let MVA know what your intentions are. Some of these scopes are difficult to impossible to set up for 1000 yd shooting, or at least require special blocks etc. The very long scopes have a hard time with getting enough elevation for 1000 yds and some of the shorter ones can't either.

Do your homework.

[6pt-sika]

John , Ridgeway looks a good bit different since I was there !

But then thats been about 9 years ago !

[w30wcf]

6pt,
Yes, about 3 years ago or so, they added a Long Range Varmint Benchrest course of fire.
10 shots each distance - 40 round match - steel targets

850 yards - crows
900 yards - woodchucks
950 yards - bobcats
1000 yards - coyotes

Lots of interest in this game.
They are getting over 100 shooters to a match.

w30wcf

[Sixgun]

Hey Jack-O!!!! Those 1000 yard coyotes should be an easy target. I have the special Creedmore mounts that will give me a thousand yards, guaranteed by the boys at Montana Vintage Arms. If not, there's mil-dots and good ole Kentucky elevation.

Let's see now......the levergun Jubilee is on the 11 and 12th, right? you going to be there?......geeze, is the Pope Catholic?

Still kicking it around......elk season starts on the 18th----Jack Jr.

[KirkD]

Thanks for that report on MVA's scope. As you said, they are not only a made-in-the-USA company, but their quality is excellent. Thus far, I only have an MVA combination tang sight, but it is of outstanding quality. Now you got me wanting one of their scopes.

[Sixgun]

Thanks for that report on MVA's scope. As you said, they are not only a made-in-the-USA company, but their quality is excellent. Thus far, I only have an MVA combination tang sight, but it is of outstanding quality. Now you got me wanting one of their scopes.

Kirk,
It's an "age" thingy. Yea, you and I can still see the sights but.....not like we used to.

I figure it ain't nothin' to knock out the old sights and install a set of dovetail mounts......so...........
........at the $40 price for an extra set of dovetail mounts, you can hook up all of your shootin' irons and just use one scope.

Not yet, remind you, but 70 is only ten years away!----6

[KirkD]

One of these days, I'm gonna fold down the tang peep and see what the old geezer can still do.

[w30wcf]

Jack,
Yes the 11th & 12th. I need to start a post with the information.
I will be there....unless the good Lord knows something I don't

Hope you can make it and topple some of those distant coyotes.
w30wcf

[1894c]

really like that "old style" scope...I'm impressed that someone is actually making that scope...thanks for sharing... :)

[Blaine]

Photo-bombed by a Siamese

That ain't right!

Nice rifle and scope. I oughta fix up one of my BPCRs that way for fun.

Ahhhh, come on Vance, cut me some slack. The cat is Siamese, which is from Thailand.......does that make it a China-cat or a Thai-cat? ----------6

Are we talking Stir Fry, here?
Dang, you have cool toys.....