Can you hit anything with your Mare's Leg?

[Canuck Bob]

I was on a thread on another site were folks were suggesting a Mare's Leg as a bear rifle. I know they are a fun gun but how easy is the handling for offhand shooting without a stock?

I'm so used to full size long guns I couldn't picture a fight with a big bear without my 444S.

[O.S.O.K.]

I think they're just a fun range toy really as there are so many other better options for "social" and protective work...

I have seen threads where people are showing decent accuracy at 50 yards and in but I don't know how quickly the action can be cycled... some owners will pipe up soon I am sure.

[Streetstar]

I was on a thread on another site were folks were suggesting a Mare's Leg as a bear rifle. I know they are a fun gun but how easy is the handling for offhand shooting without a stock?

I'm so used to full size long guns I couldn't picture a fight with a big bear without my 444S.

I would like a couple of grams of whatever the folks on that other site are snorting. I'll take your 444 plus a Smith 29 on the hip over a MAres LEg/Ranch HAnd any 'ol day

(but i'd like to have a ranch hand for a "just because" gun )

[rjohns94]

Quote

I would like a couple of grams of whatever the folks on that other site are snorting. I'll take your 444 plus a Smith 29 on the hip over a MAres LEg/Ranch HAnd any 'ol day

(but i'd like to have a ranch hand for a "just because" gun )[/quote]


I think I'm allergic to what they were snorting. I like a 44 mag on the hip for things that bite. Here where I live, I switch between a bearcat in 22lr and a 45 cap or a 44mag. No bears so the 22 normally supports the long gun while hunting

[FWiedner]

I imagine you'd find chunks of a Mare's Laig in there with the little bells and a slight pepper scent.

[Retro]

Well, there are two issues.

1. A short barrel is more accurate than a long barrel. Long barrels whip more. But of course long barrels give higher velocity and in turn flatter trajectories.

2. A long barrel gives a longer sight radius, which is why it's easier to aim a rifle than a handgun with open sights.

So, a mare's leg with a red dot should be as accurate as the full length gun with the same red dot, at short (100 m) distance. Unless you cut the stock to the point where you can't control it.

IMO of course

[.45colt]

I imagine you'd find chunks of a Mare's Laig in there with the little bells and a slight pepper scent............ Not to mention if the authorities cant find much left of the shooter they will probably send a bill to the family for removel of the gun from a very mad bear.....

[Bill in Oregon]

I had one in .44 Magnum. Once I installed a taller front sight and one of the aperture rears from Steves Gunz, that thing was a very fine shooter with full house loads. I would not have hesitated to use it for bear.

[AJMD429]

I posted this just yesterday actually, and the original author commented he got very good accuracy with his.

http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... =1&t=44342

[Old Savage]

I doubt that any will see much use.

[AJMD429]

I want one in .30-30 that shoots .45-70 ammo, like Steve McQueen's...

I think it held ten or twelve rounds, even...

Actually, I would sort of be interested in one chambered in .22 LR, for teaching the very young kids to shoot; they are just about the right length to actually shoulder normally for a first-grader, vs. the under-armpit stuff you see kids have to do with ordinary 'kids' guns (then they have to gyrate their neck to get a 'cheek-weld' and use the sights, when the gun is already in the wrong place). Of course a collapsable-stock AR-15 Shorty with a .22 LR conversion accomplishes the same thing, plus turns in to a much more practical 'adult' gun later on for the same kid...

[cowboykell]

THAT HAS TO BE THE DUMBEST USE OF A 92 I HAVE EVER SEEN.

[william iorg]

THAT HAS TO BE THE DUMBEST USE OF A 92 I HAVE EVER SEEN.

I agree, but…. My wife grew up with the TV westerns and she wanted one. W e bought a Henry 22 and I’ll admit it is a lot of fun to lever those 22’s as fast as you can. The only way we could get any real accuracy using the sights was to attach a camera strap to the saddle ring. When you loop the strap over your shoulder and pull against it while holding the “rifle” with both hands you have a steady sight picture and you can hit – we use the rubber rolling target blocks and balls.
With a little practice you can “scare the fool” out of the little rolling targets levering from the hip.

[Malamute]

I don't think they are very practical, as a bear gun in particular. They are too long to be a good one handed gun, and can't be cycled one handed. If two hands are available, I'd much rather have a rifle, with more power, more rounds, and easier to operate and shoot well in a hurry. A true pistol can be used one handed, and at "laying on your back contact distance".

As it is, I carry a pistol and a rifle in bear country.

As a plinker and range toy, sure, as a bear gun, no thank you.

[mikld]

Yeah, but how fast can it be cycled. When I'm shooting my '92 I have the stock against my shoulder or against my hip, and can get leverage to work the lever. How fast can the 'Leg (or can it) be cycled holding the forend and working the lever? I don't think I'd want to go up against a bear with a short 30-30 single shot...

[O.S.O.K.]

Yeah, but how fast can it be cycled. When I'm shooting my '92 I have the stock against my shoulder and can get leverage to work the lever. How fast can the 'Leg (or can it) be cycled holding the forend and working the lever? I don't think I'd want to go up against a bear with a short 30-30 single shot...

That's my question too.

I know that I can aim and fire my Ruger BH quite rapidly. And its a lot more compact to carry

[AJMD429]

I know that I can aim and fire my Ruger BH quite rapidly. And its a lot more compact to carry

Same here.

The Mare's leg looks cool, though...

[Leverluver]

The gun is plenty accurate but to take it beyond the "plaything" stage, cough up the $200 for the stamp and put a stock on it. That's what I intend to do.

[7.62 Precision]

I have mixed feelings about this. Small and compact is nice, because it means you are more likely to have it available when you need it when it is easy to carry. This makes it very attractive. The barrel is still long enough to get respectable performance out of a heavy .45 Colts.

I feel like I would be slowed by having to find the sights, though. It is kind of like trying to line up a red dot sight in your hand to look at it - you have to kind of find out where your head needs to be positioned in order to see the reticle. I have the same feeling with a mare's leg. I suppose that with a lot of practice I could find it quickly, like with a traditional pistol, but without a lot of practice, finding the sights would slow me down. A stock lines me up with the sights, and even very close, I would be looking for the sights.

I have shot a bear in self defense at about 6-7 feet from the muzzle of my rifle. I fired three shots in maybe 1 1/2 seconds at most. I used my sights for all three shots and each shot was a kill shot. I shot a charging moose at 10 feet - it was totally unexpected, and I did not think about shooting - it was just a reflex, yet when the rifle fired, I was looking at a sight picture. So I think I would instinctively look for the sights, and would be slowed, even if it was a point blank target.

So for those of you who have shot these a lot:
Does finding the sights become more natural and reflexive with practice?
How quick can you shoot accurately with heavy loads? Can you stay on target like you can with a stock?
Can you stay on target when you work the lever?

[AJMD429]

The gun is plenty accurate but to take it beyond the "plaything" stage, cough up the $200 for the stamp and put a stock on it. That's what I intend to do.

That is an interesting option and makes lots of sense. An SBR levergun...!

[Canuck Bob]

Remember fellows that handguns are out in Canada. As I understand it the Mare's Leg is a legal rifle here, it was a Canadian forum.

If you chopped a 92 into a Mare's Leg it would send you to court. If it is a factory mod it is legal to licence as a rifle and allow field use. I may be wrong but it seems this way. And you thought your gun laws were stupid!

Edit: The Rossi Ranch Hand is a legal rifle in Canada. It is as close to a pistol as I can carry here. I bumped into some threads were guys are carrying in holsters. I may have to do a flip flop on this one, no I'm not a Democrat.

They other current thread of the Hog hunter video with the extended padded butt got me thinking. I might move it from toy to buy list now.

The 444 is still my camp rifle in bear country but this thing would hide in a backpack and not scare the civilians!

[Canuck Bob]

I saw one with a Boyd's stock. It looked real handy. If a guy cut a stock to a minimum LOP it would be real handy and Canadian legal.

[samb]

Bob,
I have been wanting to get one and put a full length stock. Which as you alluded to is quite legal up here. It sure looks handy, i saw one pick where the shooter rested the butt next to cheek and was quite accurate.
Sam

[jh45gun]

I put a Uncle Mikes Magnum Split barrel band for a quick detach swivel on the magazine tube and made a sling that goes over the shoulder and out to the barrel band. I had this set up for my Encore also it makes for a sturdy rest when shooting off hand as your pushing the gun out and the sling steadies it.