Looking for a Mare's Leg

by **Anianna** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 12:55 pm

I know several of you have a mare's leg and am curious what your experience is with one brand or another. I have been looking at the Rossi Ranch Hand as well as the JB Custom Mare's Leg but I don't see why the latter should be so much more expensive than the former (in reference to their standard model, not the even more expensive hex barrel, full break model). If the Rossies are a reliable firearm, I don't see much reason to pay nearly three times as much for the custom (even if I do like the grain on that JB butt stock). I am leaning toward the 357 Rossi at this point, but I'm not hard set on that caliber. I was hoping for the least expensive and most available ammo possible. Also, I have heard that the .45 kicks like a mule and I would prefer something that kicks a smidge less than that. :wink:

So, what brand mare's leg do you have, what do you think of it, and would you recommend what you have?

by **Tetra Grammaton Cleric** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:15 pm

Wonder if you were inspired in your choice by...

But seriously...

http://www.henryrepeating.com/rifle-mares-leg.cfm <--- They make a .22 as well Anianna,
.357 might be the choice for you though depending on what you want to do with it ultimately. 8-)

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by **Anianna** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:29 pm

Well, at least that's how I learned of the mare's leg ....

I don't know if I can justify such a small caliber in a mare's leg. It just doesn't seem right. Considering my joint issues, though, it might be just the thing for me whether I want to admit it or not. It certainly is probably a better choice for me than the .45, anyway. The sights on their larger calibers sounds nifty, though, "Marbles fully adjustable Semi-Buckhorn rear, with reversible white diamond insert and brass beaded front sight". I would love to compare the Henries and Rossies (and the JB, for that matter) first hand. Between the three, I don't really prefer the look of the Henry in the larger calibers, but I do like their .22. Decisions, decisions ....

by **Tetra Grammaton Cleric** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:46 pm

Whichever manufacturer you go for I think .357 magnum out of 12" approx barrel would be appropriate for a lot of things.

Also in terms of sights you could always "dot it" with a pistol sized intermediate eye relief sight or the like.

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by **Caenus** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:54 pm

I'd love a mares leg. Dumb question: what is the proper grip?

by **bae** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 2:06 pm

This little puppy followed me home from the gun store yesterday, the Rossi "Ranch Hand" in .357 magnum, their Mare's Leg clone. Seems to be made by Taurus for Rossi in Brazil. Fit and finish seem quite decent for the price (It was ~$440 out-the-door.) It's good enough that I wouldn't feel compelled to go the more-expensive J.B. Custom route, which for a while was just about your only choice.

by **JTNieman** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 2:12 pm

Caenus wrote:I'd love a mares leg. Dumb question: what is the proper grip?

When shooting a Mare's Leg, I think it's more about the stance. One must spread the feet to a broad, hardass stance, canted at a roughly 45 from the target, weak-side foot rearward. Hold the gun in one hand and fire with the glare of The Man With No Name, fully expecting that the target will explode. The confidence in annihilation adds an aura of fear around your presence.

Alternatively, when faced with multiple targets, the proper stance is a bent-knee crouch, feet squared up with the center target, gun held slightly in front of you at gut-level, butt comfortably against the chest or waist, depending on height. Weak hand holds the barrel guard out front and pulls into body, while the strong hand works the lever and fires like Chuck Connors in The Rifleman.

Hope that helps.

by **CaptAmerica** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 2:13 pm

I so want one!!

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

by **Anianna** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 2:22 pm

Caenus wrote:I'd love a mares leg. Dumb question: what is the proper grip?

Not dumb at all. It's likely to be awkward until you're used to it given the design. Anyway, here's a demo of the JB:

by **Krypticklown** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 10:19 pm

I've got the Rossi in .44mag; the kick isn't too bad. The sights on it though are WAY high there's another post on the fourms here on how to mod it for better aim. Paid $430 out the door for it; not gonna lie I'm in the fan base for it: Steve McQueen in Wanted Dead or Alive, Bruce Campbell in Brisco County Jr., Zoey in Firefly/Serenity, and Woody in Zombieland. One thing I wish I knew is the low capacity 6+1 for the .44mag.....sadly the fun of the gun has worn off and now I'm trying to sell it off. BTW the nice leg holster that's in Brisco County Jr and Firefly cost $320, the one in Zombieland is $200.

by **Tetra Grammaton Cleric** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 10:57 pm

And you can shoot .38 Special out of the .357 Magnum, that might be an option for your joint issues, Ani.

Krypticklown wrote:low capacity 6+1 for the .44mag

^Actually that's one more than it's competition kinda sorta. lol

and in other news...

Rule 32 Subsection SP: If it exists there is SteamPunk* Pr0n of it. No exceptions.

http://brassgoggles.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=8833.950

And quite possibly Airsoft of it, too. lol

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by **Kutter_0311** » Sun Apr 15, 2012 2:05 am

bae wrote:This little puppy followed me home from the gun store yesterday

Does that flashy big lowwer ring come standard? Can you cycle it all spinny-like? Must take lots of practice...

by **Anianna** » Sun Apr 15, 2012 11:43 am

Kutter_0311 wrote:
bae wrote:This little puppy followed me home from the gun store yesterday

Does that flashy big lowwer ring come standard? Can you cycle it all spinny-like? Must take lots of practice...

Yea, all the Rossi Ranch Hands have the large ring and so does the JB Custom. I'm sure you can mod it with various different style levers if you really wanted to. "All spinny-like" is demonstrated in that vid I posted a few posts up, if you'd like to see it. I'd love to try that, but the phrase, "you'll shoot your eye out, kid" keeps running through my head .....

by **xLionx** » Sun Apr 15, 2012 12:00 pm

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/prod ... s_id/64706

357 in stock

they also have 44 and 45 in stock

it is not possible to spin load it because the ejection port is on top and the ammo will spin so that the end is sticking out and get all jammed up

by **Tetra Grammaton Cleric** » Sun Apr 15, 2012 12:00 pm

Anianna wrote:
Kutter_0311 wrote:
bae wrote:This little puppy followed me home from the gun store yesterday

Does that flashy big lowwer ring come standard? Can you cycle it all spinny-like? Must take lots of practice...

Yea, all the Rossi Ranch Hands have the large ring and so does the JB Custom. I'm sure you can mod it with various different style levers if you really wanted to. "All spinny-like" is demonstrated in that vid I posted a few posts up, if you'd like to see it. I'd love to try that, but the phrase, "you'll shoot your eye out, kid" keeps running through my head .....

I would pay good imaginary money to see that. :mrgreen:

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by **Anianna** » Sun Apr 15, 2012 12:33 pm

xLionx wrote:it is not possible to spin load it because the ejection port is on top and the ammo will spin so that the end is sticking out and get all jammed up

Aw, I feel all let down, now. Really?

But the guy demoing the JB Custom spinnies it. That's so unfair. I can still do it while it's unloaded and just look super cool, right?

You just shattered my apocalypse dream of dual wielding this thing and a pistol and spin loading the mare's leg while still shooting the pistol. I mean, I know I am a clumsy oaf and don't have anywhere near the dexterity to actually pull that off, but I had hopes and dreams. HOPES AND DREAMS!!!

by **TheLastOne** » Sun Apr 15, 2012 2:05 pm

JamesCannon wrote:
Caenus wrote:I'd love a mares leg. Dumb question: what is the proper grip?

When shooting a Mare's Leg, I think it's more about the stance. One must spread the feet to a broad, hardass stance, canted at a roughly 45 from the target, weak-side foot rearward. Hold the gun in one hand and fire with the glare of The Man With No Name, fully expecting that the target will explode. The confidence in annihilation adds an aura of fear around your presence.

Hope that helps.

I like that a lot

I've been kicking around trunk gun ideas; one of these in 357 is on my list.

also, I know we're all kidding (for the most part), but spinning anything loaded in a way that puts the bang bang end towards me and mine is kind of a really bad idea :lol:

by **JTNieman** » Sun Apr 15, 2012 4:09 pm

TheLastOne wrote:also, I know we're all kidding (for the most part), but spinning anything loaded in a way that puts the bang bang end towards me and mine is kind of a really bad idea

That's why I'm more partial to the flick/snap motion where you drop the barrel down, flick the lever open, then snap it back up closed... the only example coming to mind at the moment is John Wayne in True Grit with his rifle, after shouting the iconic "FILL YOUR HANDS YOU SONOFABITCH!" where one handed manipulation was required due to the dual wielding badassery.

by **xLionx** » Sun Apr 15, 2012 4:54 pm

Anianna wrote:
xLionx wrote:it is not possible to spin load it because the ejection port is on top and the ammo will spin so that the end is sticking out and get all jammed up

Aw, I feel all let down, now. Really?

But the guy demoing the JB Custom spinnies it. That's so unfair. I can still do it while it's unloaded and just look super cool, right?

You just shattered my apocalypse dream of dual wielding this thing and a pistol and spin loading the mare's leg while still shooting the pistol. I mean, I know I am a clumsy oaf and don't have anywhere near the dexterity to actually pull that off, but I had hopes and dreams. HOPES AND DREAMS!!!

Its easy to do unloaded you just have to make sure to add a little extra push on the loop as it spins or it won't fully dock .... not that it matters because it doesn't work with ammo

by **TheLastOne** » Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:38 am

JamesCannon wrote:
TheLastOne wrote:also, I know we're all kidding (for the most part), but spinning anything loaded in a way that puts the bang bang end towards me and mine is kind of a really bad idea

That's why I'm more partial to the flick/snap motion where you drop the barrel down, flick the lever open, then snap it back up closed... the only example coming to mind at the moment is John Wayne in True Grit with his rifle, after shouting the iconic "FILL YOUR HANDS YOU SONOFABITCH!" where one handed manipulation was required due to the dual wielding badassery.

I can totally picture that; I can't place where I've seen that, but I think I've seen it in a few movies. Thumbs up.

by **KentsOkay** » Mon Apr 16, 2012 1:14 am

TheLastOne wrote:
JamesCannon wrote:
TheLastOne wrote:also, I know we're all kidding (for the most part), but spinning anything loaded in a way that puts the bang bang end towards me and mine is kind of a really bad idea

That's why I'm more partial to the flick/snap motion where you drop the barrel down, flick the lever open, then snap it back up closed... the only example coming to mind at the moment is John Wayne in True Grit with his rifle, after shouting the iconic "FILL YOUR HANDS YOU SONOFABITCH!" where one handed manipulation was required due to the dual wielding badassery.

I can totally picture that; I can't place where I've seen that, but I think I've seen it in a few movies. Thumbs up.

I can attest that the tip method works with my Daisy bb gun, but not the spin.

by **Kutter_0311** » Mon Apr 16, 2012 1:42 am

TheLastOne wrote:
JamesCannon wrote:
TheLastOne wrote:also, I know we're all kidding (for the most part), but spinning anything loaded in a way that puts the bang bang end towards me and mine is kind of a really bad idea
That's why I'm more partial to the flick/snap motion where you drop the barrel down, flick the lever open, then snap it back up closed... the only example coming to mind at the moment is John Wayne in True Grit with his rifle, after shouting the iconic "FILL YOUR HANDS YOU SONOFABITCH!" where one handed manipulation was required due to the dual wielding badassery.
I can totally picture that; I can't place where I've seen that, but I think I've seen it in a few movies. Thumbs up.

Yeah, I thought it was True Grit...

by **azrael99** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 8:15 pm

since we can't carry handgun in Canada , i was thinking to get a mares leg, where non restricted can be carry

by **Texas19Delta** » Fri Jul 20, 2012 12:18 am

The mares leg is sold as a pistol in the US to get around the SBR rules.