Where can I obtain a Winchester 1892 Mare's Leg?

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It's OK!

I've developed a fairly thick skin over my years!

But every now and then, a splinter works its way in... and it is irritating until tended to. ;)

I've learned many things through my 68 years, but I am still ignorant about many more!

That splinter gets in there when I am called Dumb or Stupid! :eek:
 
Thanks!

I tend to be obsessive about researching things I have interest in!

Back in the early 80's, when I first got into Buckskinning... I read just about everything I could find on the Fur Trade and the Mountain Men... including artwork of John Catlin and Alfred Jacob Miller... who captured the visuals of the time.

Likewise with Cowboy Action Shooting in the early 90's... with the added benefit that photography was present in the late 19th Century.

While researching the Mares Leg prior to purchasing, I found many forum threads full of "I heard" rumors, and opinions.

Generally, I found the majority of negative views were from pundits that never owned... and many that never fired a Mares Leg.

However, the majority of the pundits that had a positive views owned, or at least had fired a Mares Leg.

Although I could not find any record of a period Mares Leg converted Carbine, Winchester did make 12" barrel 1892 Carbines (Cody affirmed).

There was no shortage of sawed off shotguns, or "Street Howitzers".
Like wise, there was no shortage of revolvers with detachable buttstocks... and revolver action based Carbines!

So... the crossover between long arm, and handgun did exist in the period.

And... I can imagine a Carbine breaking the buttstock off at the wrist... and getting an expedient repair of wrapping the tang with rawhide!

The best reference I could find on the original Mares Legs (3) was in a 1961 Guns Quarterly Article. 1961 was the last year of the series, and Steve McQueen was available for corroboration:

http://www.originalprop.com/blog/20...-mcqueens-prop-gun-from-wanted-dead-or-alive/
 
Wasn't aware we were arguing. :)

I watched the show when it was new, it created a "want" in me that is still strong enough to push me toward getting my fourth ML.

Most of us knew it was never a historical reality, but it's a legit question for those who don't.
Few of us think a Mare's Leg has any practicality at all, but it doesn't have to.
Being cool is simply enough for those who think it's cool.
Denis
 
Denis,

The new "Third Model" from Chiappa is about the most accurate production rendering of one of the originals... although at a steep price.

Since the buttstock is mounted between the tang and trigger bar, there is no complication in cutting off the back 2" to replicate the original's length of 19".

The buttplate is flat steel, and attached with 2 screws. It would need to be dressed to fit the narrower stock near the wrist... and edges colored with diluted cold blue to blend with the case hardened finish.

I had found a vendor that had them for $1099, but didn't bookmark it... this is the best I could find tonight:

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_92_185&products_id=17297&
 
DPris said:
Most of us knew it was never a historical reality, but it's a legit question for those who don't.
Click to expand...
True.

I also watched the show as a kid. And it wasn't until just a few years ago that I finally twigged to the fact the the cartridges Josh Randall carried in his belt were just for show, because they were bigger and more impressive looking. The cartridges in the belt were .45-70, but the Mare's Leg was chambered in .44-40.

Hollywood fantasy at work, but it fooled me and probably just about everyone who watched the show.
 
The issue in lopping off the rear of the stock nub is the upper plate screw.

I've had a Rossi shortened at both ends to make it more authentic to the TV show versions, and that upper screw sorta determines how short you can cut the wood at its rear end.

Too short & the screw end, or its channel, will pop through & be visible.

I agree the new Chiappa is much closer.
The 12-inch barrels & long stock nub are not true to the prop guns.

My Rossi has a 9-inch barrel.
I have one of the first Chiappas, I may have that one cut back, too.
Wouldn't mind having one of the new short Chiappas.

My customized Rossi has no sights, like the TV guns, but I can hit a man-sized silhouette out to 35 yards or so with it by aligning the front receiver bridge with the front barrel band held at eye level.

Lately I've been thinking of actually wearing the thing on a desert ATV run when it warms up enough, just to say I have. :)
I've got a holster for it.
Denis
 
The top of the buttplate could be lowered to be even with the comb, lowering the top screw hole into thicker wood.

The tip of the screw could be ground shorter to fit a measured blind hole.

The screws only need to retain the buttplate in position, and shouldn't require very much tensile strength.

I don't have leather for mine yet, but have been looking at a bandolier slung cross-draw style.

In the mean time, I have one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Tactical-20-8916-Breachers-Shotgun-Scabbard/dp/B007FGPJSK?th=1

It fits my Chiappa 9" round barrel with its abbreviated large loop quite well... and enough of the loop is accessible to initiate a draw.

It might be good alternative for your off-roading?

Oiled leather would retain desert dust, and be quit abrasive.
 
The upper screw can be relocated, and it can be shortened.
Mine wears a custom plate on the back.

Just saying that screw has to be factored in when deciding how short you trim the stock nub.

If you use the existing factory plate, you can reduce its outside dimensions to fit flush with the wood, but you'd still be stuck with the upper screw hole where it is.

Depends on how much money you want to put into the project.
Obviously cheaper to just trim the factory plate in shortening the back end, but you can go a bit shorter with a custom-made plate & a re-located screw hole.

I have one of those shotgun scabbards, used it for a couple years strapped under the ATV roof to carry a Remington 870.
Would not like it for on-body carry.
Since replaced it in the ATV with a custom two-gun leather scabbard for a short-barreled 870 & a Marlin Guide Gun.

The holster I have for the 9-inch Rossi was made for the gun by Bob Mernickle in Nevada.
It's not a copy of the McQueen "hanger", it's more of a standard holster type, built for the ML.

The TV holster was designed for easy access without having to raise the gun very high when clearing leather and quick-draw swiveling in front of a camera & it's not a particularly secure design.

If you watch closely in the TV episodes during action scenes you can occasionally see it flopping loose. If it ever made a break for freedom, they could stop the camera & set up for a re-take, and I imagine they had to on occasion.
I don't want that, even though I didn't acquire the gun to carry, so went with Mernickle's design.

He has other ML rigs, including a bandoleer and a backpack type.
My ATV is a three-seater & I can't have anything riding between my back & the bucket seat, it'll have to travel in the belt rig.
Denis
 
The ML's gotta be on-body.
I occasionally get out of the machine & walk around on foot, the Yamaha's too heavy to carry with me when I do. :D

I may look into that for something else, though.
Been trying to figure out a way to mount an in-cab AK for quick access.

Too many pot farms where I wander. Too isolated to call for help.
Twice run into non-native people under odd circs in odd places, twice read about farm busts in the papers not far (not far enough) from where we'd been within a week or so after an outing.

The 14-inch Remington & heavy-loaded .45-70 are for critters on four feet.
The AK would be for other critters.

The ML, if & when, will be almost entirely for sentiment & ceremonial nostalgia.
It will be in addition to another handgun in a shoulder rig.

This is not paranoia.
Bodies turn up occasionally out on the desert, and on one excursion we found a full backpack just sitting off the side of a Jeep trail.
No owner, no tracks, not there long. Just abandoned.

Besides the extra-nationals out there, my prime desert stomping grounds are also 50 miles or so from Utah's "Area 51", with the always-present possibility of extra-terrestrials. :D

But, I digress.
Denis
 
I have a vertical two-gun UTV rack mounted to the floor of my Arctic Cat Prowler.

It has multiple angles for mounting to fit between dash, console, and seat protrusions... with access by driver or passenger.

Exterior visibility would be similar to the old police riot gun mounts.

Another option might be an overhead gun rack with partial concealment in the hollow of the headliner.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=utv+gun+mount

Fortunately, we don't have a haunted forest problem here in Central Oregon.

Southwestern Oregon, down by the California border is a different story! :eek:
 
Thanks, I'll take a look.

The .45-70 was a comfort in the mountains east of Boise. They gots b'ars there!

We've got a few here, too.

Shotgun for cats & misguided coyotes.

The ML in .45 Colt can be a handful with heavy .45 loads. I wasn't paying sufficient attention with a round of Buffalo Bores in it when it was new, hit the trigger before I was ready, and opened up my thumb pretty good with the hammer spur when it came back at me.

Have no interest in a .44 Mag version.

The gun could be used for defense, as long as there's lots of time to get rounds off. :)

I'd tote it once or twice just as a nod to Josh Randall & the "me" of 55 years ago. :D

The Chiappa's a .44-40 & it's never had a hot load through it, no need.
The Henry's too heavy to carry or shoot one-handed, and it's a tough fight with myself to keep it the way it is.
There's a part of my soul that keeps getting louder & louder with the "SBR, Dummy!" whisperings......
Denis
 
Give Hornady Ammo a try.

I used their LEVERevolution 45 Colt in my Rossi Circuit Judge a couple of years ago to bag a forked Mule Deer. Split his heart in two. They are safe for tubular magazines. And not any more perceived recoil than my Cowboy loads!

http://www.hornady.com/store/45-Colt-225-gr-FTX-LEVERevolution/

And they have one that should work for two-legged varmints:

http://www.hornady.com/store/45-Colt-185-GR-FTX-Critical-Defense/

HSM has the hottest 45 Colt 250gr Cowboy loads.

http://thehuntingshack.com/?page_id=86
 
Worked up a good load for the Chiappa .44-40 some time back, but have not done anything for the .45 Rossi.

If & when I do, I'll have to decide on a bullet that'll work equally well through the Colts, the ML, and the Rossi 16-inch looper, without having to resort to a round nose.

The load'll need to have an effective bullet, and to feed through the leverguns that'll probably end up being a jacketed one.

I'd prefer to go lead semi-wad for the Colts, but don't know how well the two Rossis would feed that profile.
Denis
 
And that's why many of us don't want NY, CA, or IL style gun regulations!

My Rossi Circuit Judge is included in California's Assault Weapon Ban! They class it as a "Revolving Shotgun" and thus is banned there.

It is only a wording technicality that cleared the way for production of the current Mares Leg offerings.

Whether cut down from a Carbine, or originating as a production Pistol... there is no physical or functional difference in the end product.

And I'm sure that if one ever shows up in the commission of a crime, there will be protests demanding a ban! :mad:
 
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