Henry - Mare's Leg

Has anyone seen one in person yet?

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Not yet. I have the 22 on order but the distributor hasn't received any yet.

I do have the Rossi Ranch Hand in 38/357. I bought it Nov 19 and I've yet to see another one.

I emailed the company about the .22s. I got a return email - it said it was from the president of the company - saying that they were going to start shipping them in March. I'm looking forward to it.

M2C, that's a good looking gun you've got

These are beautiful guns. What would a person use one for?

I have a Ranch Hand in .44mag,but damn now I want one in .22.

M2, did you replace the lever loop on that one? That doesn't look like the shape I've seen in promotional pictures.

What a person use one for?

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I believe it's called "fun."

Kidding aside, if you're the right age to remember Wanted: Dead or Alive then it's nostalgia. In fact, it's pretty much entirely cool factor.

I don't know that I'd call it a nostalgia or "fun" gun only. Looks like an ideal truck or backpack weapon. Should provide similar velocities to a same barrel length single shot pistol and have a faster firing rate.

What is the fascination with these things? To me they look clumsy and hard to handle. Ugly, too. I don't get it.

The fascination has a lot to do with TV shows like "Wanted: Dead or Alive" 1958 which introduced the "mare's laig"; "mare's leg" was later used in "The Adventures of Briscoe County Jr.". The Briscoe County prop gun was later used by the character Zoe Washburn in the TV series "Firefly" and movie spinoff "Serenity". The TV shows and movie have a huge fan base fascinated with the gun.

J.B. Custom claims a trademark on "Mare's Leg" but lowercase "mare's leg" or "mare's laig" are generic terms. Most makers use tradenames like "Ranch Hand" or "Bounty Hunter". When Wanted Dead or Alive was on the air, a toy "Mare's Laig" was marketed, I believe by Mattel.

ADDED: "clumsy and hard to handle", I believe that was Steve McQueen's personal opinion on the mare's laig. If you want to make a replica Trapper Special short barrel rifle (12" and 14" barreled Winchesters and Marlins were sold before the 1934 NFA), getting an ATF Form 1 approved to make an SBR from a factory made mare's leg by adding a full buttstock is the easy way to go. As it is, the mare's leg is a buttless trapper.

M2, did you replace the lever loop on that one? That doesn't look like the shape I've seen in promotional pictures.

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No, it's original on the Rossi. The Henry uses a different shape lever.

What is the fascination with these things? Ugly, too. I don't get it.

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Mostly, like 99% of my guns, the primary purpose of them is to enjoy shooting.
I think they look good.

To me they look clumsy and hard to handle.

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Actually they are easy to use, fast and accurate.
Aimed, 10 yards.


With a little practice' multiple targets can be quickly, reliably hit COM from about 10 yards, shooting from the hip.
But the most fun is chasing tin cans across the berm.

I emailed the company about the .22s. I got a return email - it said it was from the president of the company - saying that they were going to start shipping them in March. I'm looking forward to it.

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I'm glad to hear that.
The gun has me loading a lot of 38 Special. A tin can doesn't know if it's being hit with a 22 or 38.

The concept is mostly "cool".
Awkward & inefficient in real use, especially with hotter rounds.
They can be inherently accurate, but they're plinkers for the most part.
Denis

I emailed the company about the .22s. I got a return email - it said it was from the president of the company - saying that they were going to start shipping them in March. I'm looking forward to it.

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Good news!
I have first dibs on the first one to arrive at my favorite LGS (in .22), I don't need such a toy, but I intend to have fun with it for casual blasting!

I'm curious with the large lever loop, is cocking the lever smooth or clunky? There are cool as heck looking.

Depends on how you do it.
Large loops leave a lot more room for the hand to bounce around in while cocking, but they tend to be a little longer & can offer better leverage if you slide your hand to the back while operating it.
The difference is more noticeable in a rifle than in the ML.
Denis

I have GOT to move...just so's I can get one!

I'm curious with the large lever loop, is cocking the lever smooth or clunky? There are cool as heck looking.

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I didn't like it at first but now I don't really pay any attention. It is fast.

Sometime I would like to try a normal lever on the gun but I don't want to buy a new Rossi rifle lever just to try it out.

What would a person use one for?

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Other than just fun shooting I can see it as a HD or car gun. Maybe not the best gun for those jobs but personally I wouldn't want to face one in the hands of someone that knew how to use it.

I'd prefer something that can be used quickly & with one hand if necessary.
If that were all I had, I'd use it. Fortunately, it's not all I have & there are so many better choices for serious purposes.
Denis

I saw one at the local gun shop. I am pretty sure it was .357.

And, there you go.....
Denis

Mostly, like 99% of my guns, the primary purpose of them is to enjoy shooting.

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What? Are you trying to put me out of a moderating job? If people started to accept this as a viable reason for manufacturing, wanting, selling, buying, or even just considering a gun instead of needing to evaluate it's practicality and somehow associating the opinion of someone else about a gun to their self-worth, there wouldn't hardly be anything to do around here instead clean up spam. Madness, I tell you.

I have GOT to move...just so's I can get one!

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It boggles my mind that a fun, retro cowboy gun can wind up on a state's "restricted" list...And the home of Roy Rogers at that!!!



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Sorry guys. I just don't get it!