{"id":415003,"date":"2023-12-11T11:00:39","date_gmt":"2023-12-11T17:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/?p=415003"},"modified":"2024-10-10T11:59:24","modified_gmt":"2024-10-10T16:59:24","slug":"the-mares-leg-pop-culture-cool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/the-mares-leg-pop-culture-cool\/","title":{"rendered":"The Mare\u2019s Leg: Pop Culture Cool"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hollywood\u2019s record on firearms is spotty. Gunplay is often goofy and very unrealistic. But, sometimes that goofiness leads to something cool \u2014 even to the point of creating new types of firearms like the Colt Peacemaker Buntline Special. Another example of that rare phenomenon is the Mare\u2019s Leg pistol. Mare\u2019s Legs have only been around since 1958. They seemed so common that I didn\u2019t realize they were a complete Hollywood fabrication until very recently. I blame that on the fact that my limited television options as a kid didn\u2019t show the right reruns.<\/p>\n

\"Steve
Steve McQueen and his Mare’s Leg in 1958’s Wanted Dead or Alive. (Wikipedia)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hollywood prop or not, Mare\u2019s Leg pistols are perhaps more popular than ever, So, let\u2019s take a look at the admittedly cool Mare\u2019s Leg, where it came from, and a few modern takes on the not-as-old-as-you-might-think design.<\/p>\n

What is a Mare\u2019s Leg?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A Mare\u2019s Leg is basically a cut-down lever action rifle. Barrels range from 9 to 12.5 inches with the stock chopped off right behind the lever, often just back of the comb rise. They\u2019re currently available in popular lever action pistol calibers. There\u2019s even a .410 shotgun model.<\/p>\n

Factory Mare\u2019s Leg firearms are classified as pistols by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), but cutting one down yourself requires an NFA tax stamp. Likewise, the short “stocks” qualify the guns as pistols. Adding a longer stock for shouldering would likewise make the gun a short-barreled rifle (SBR) or shotgun (SBS), requiring the tax stamp. I understand the temptation, but make sure you\u2019re doing it legally.<\/p>\n

The result is a seemingly unwieldy, but undeniably cool-looking weapon. The problem is, how does one shoot such a thing and is it actually good for anything? Fear not, we\u2019ll get to that. First, let\u2019s go back to \u201cthose thrilling days of yesteryear,\u201d or just to 1958, and see where this thing came from.<\/p>\n

\"Mare's
Josh Randall’s Winchester Model 1892 Mare’s Leg from Wanted Dead or Alive. Note the .45-70 Gov’t rounds next to the .44-40-chambered Mare’s leg. (imfdb.org)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Steve McQueen inadvertently named the Mare\u2019s Leg<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In case you didn\u2019t know, Steve McQueen was the epitome of 1960s cool. I recommend Bullitt<\/em> and The Magnificent Seven<\/em> (the original) if you want to check out some of his movies. McQueen\u2019s star was still rising when he signed on to play bounty hunter Josh Randall in the 1958 TV Western, Wanted Dead or Alive.<\/em><\/p>\n

Four Star Television launched the series as a spinoff from its popular Western, Trackdown.<\/em> McQueen first portrayed Josh Randall in a Trackdown<\/em> episode titled, \u201cThe Bounty Hunter.\u201d The producers decided to give Randall a \u201cgimmick\u201d weapon. They turned to artist\/gunsmith\/custom car designer Kenny \u201cVon Dutch\u201d Howard, who altered a Winchester Model 1892 lever action rifle by removing most of the stock and cutting the barrel down to nine inches.<\/p>\n

McQueen, himself a hunter and firearms enthusiast, suggested adding a duckbill hammer and the large lever loop. The large lever loop is reportedly a Hollywood invention via stuntman Yakima Canutt, who suggested creating it for John Wayne\u2019s big hands. The duckbill hammer made the gun easier to \u201cfan,\u201d and the large loop is undeniably attractive, if mostly impractical. The large loop was also featured prominently in the Western TV series, The Rifleman<\/em>, which, coincidentally, premiered in 1958. Chuck Connors used The Rifleman\u2019s<\/em> large loop Winchester 1892 to popularize the sweet looking lever action spin cock.<\/p>\n

\"Legacy
Chiappa manufactures the Puma M-92 Bounty Hunter Mare’s Leg for Legacy Sports. (Wikipedia)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the time, no one had ever turned a Model 92 into a sidearm before. Because that\u2019s how McQueen carried it, fast draw leather craftsman Andy Anderson created a special holster for McQueen to wear the gun on his right hip and draw it effectively. Ultra cool. But cool or not, the producers failed to consult the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Division (ATTD), forerunner of the ATF. The feds were not pleased with this clear violation of the National Firearms Act and the producers paid $1,100.00 in taxes and license fees for the three Mare’s Legs they made for the show.<\/p>\n

The name \u201cMare\u2019s Leg\u201d came from McQueen himself. While familiarizing himself with the weapon, he was asked about the recoil. He replied that the gun kicked like a mare\u2019s leg. The line was adapted for the show\u2019s dialogue, in which McQueen\u2019s character, Josh Randall, said of the weapon, \u201cIt\u2019s kinda like a mare\u2019s leg, only not as mean\u2026but if I have to use it, I want to make sure the message gets to where\u2019s I\u2019m pointin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

The name stuck. The guns were all modified Winchester 92s chambered in .44-40<\/a> but weren\u2019t identical. One had a larger loop than the others and the second and third models had octagonal barrels unlike the original\u2019s round barrel. Despite the .44-40 chambering, McQueen\u2019s cartridge belt packed .45-70 Gov\u2019t<\/a> rounds because the producers thought the bigger rounds looked more menacing, which, to be honest, they do. Hollywood never really worries about reality if it looks good.<\/p>\n

A Big Hit<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Wanted Dead or Alive<\/em> ran for three seasons. It was a big hit, but moving its time slot killed the show as it has for many other programs. Some say McQueen pushed the change knowing how it would turn out, because he wanted to leave the show and get into movies.<\/p>\n

\"Arnold
Arnold Schwarzenegger fires his Winchester Model 1887 Mare’s Leg in Terminator 2: Judgement Day (imfdb.org)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Regardless, the Mare\u2019s Leg lived on. Gun magazines wrote about it and toy Mare\u2019s Legs graced department store shelves. TV shows and movies used the Mare\u2019s Leg: Arnold Schwarzenegger\u2019s cut down Winchester Model 1887 shotgun in Terminator 2: Judgement Day<\/em>, Zo\u00eb\u2019s Winchester \u201992 Mare\u2019s Leg in Firefly<\/em>, and Woody Harrelson\u2019s standard lever loop 1892 in Zombieland.<\/em> In the 1987 film, Wanted Dead or Alive<\/em>, Rutger Hauer played Josh Randall\u2019s grandson, Nick, where the 20th<\/sup> century bounty hunter kept his grandfather\u2019s Mare\u2019s Leg in a display case.<\/p>\n

Mare\u2019s Leg imagery was so commonplace that many, including me, thought the guns had been around forever. So, it\u2019s no surprise gunmakers began building real Mare\u2019s Legs for the shooting public and Western enthusiasts.<\/p>\n

A Mare\u2019s Leg of Your Very Own<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Reproduction Winchester Model 92 Mare\u2019s Legs were made by Eagle Squadron and JB Custom, chambered in .44-40. Meanwhile, Rossi introduced the Ranch Hand in 2010, based on the R92, Rossi\u2019s Winchester 92 copy. The 12-inch barreled Ranch Hand was originally offered in .357 Magnum<\/a>\/.38 Special, .44 Magnum<\/a>\/.44 Special, and .45 Colt<\/a>. Looking at the Rossi website, it appears .45 Colt is the only chambering still available for a new Ranch Hand.<\/p>\n

\"Heritage
The Heritage Settler Mare’s Leg is chambered in .22 Long Rifle. (heritagemfg.com)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chiappa makes a nice Mare\u2019s Leg for Legacy Sports that\u2019s nearly identical to the TV version. Dubbed the Puma M-92 Bounty Hunter, you get your choice of a 9 or 12-inch barrel and the guns are chambered in .357 Magnum\/.38 Special or .45 Colt. Chiappa also offers a 12-inch barreled Mare\u2019s Leg in .44 Magnum and even have a takedown version.<\/p>\n

Henry offers perhaps the most complete Mare\u2019s Leg line out there. Why wouldn\u2019t they? Henry is synonymous with lever guns. You can choose the 12.9-inch barrel Big Boy Side Gate model in .357 Magnum\/.38 Special<\/a>, .44 Magnum\/.44 Special<\/a>, or .45 Colt. They also have rimfire Mare\u2019s Legs in .22 Short\/Long\/Long Rifle and .22 Magnum. As if that weren’t enough, the Axe .410 bore<\/a> with 15.1-inch barrel is also available from them. Henry even offers a nice leather holster for Mare\u2019s Leg and Axe firearms.<\/p>\n

Finally, Heritage just released a new Settler lever action rimfire line in .22 Long Rifle<\/a>, including a 12.5-inch barrel Mare\u2019s Leg.<\/p>\n

What are Mare\u2019s Legs good for?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Great question. Glad you asked. Honestly, Mare\u2019s Leg firearms aren\u2019t good for much. I suppose you could hunt with one, but I can\u2019t imagine why unless you\u2019ve got nothing else. Range and accuracy would be questionable at best. Self-defense? Well, sure, but maybe not your best option. You might toss a Mare’s Leg in your truck, but again, other guns do that better. However, I see where the Henry Axe would make a good snake gun.<\/p>\n

\"Henry
The Henry Axe is a Mare’s Leg style .410 shotgun. It might make a good snake gun. (Mike Searson Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You may have a real use for one, but I recently picked up a Heritage Settler Mare\u2019s Leg .22 as a fun gun. Purely a range toy. Oh, I\u2019m gonna do cool stuff with it, like attaching a single point sling to the saddle ring and running it (sort of) like a sub-gun. I fully intend to get very good at spin cocking it. That\u2019s probably it aside from taking cheesy photos, but I don\u2019t care. It\u2019ll be tons of fun for not much money.<\/p>\n

Shooting it properly will take some practice. You cannot shoulder this thing. I tried. So, extended on a single point sling and hip shooting will be the thing. Hip shooting is obviously inaccurate as heck, but it\u2019ll be fine since I usually shoot into the side of a mountain.<\/p>\n

A Pop Culture Win<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Like it or not, pop culture influences the firearms world. Sometimes it\u2019s good. Sometimes not. The NFA regulates suppressors partly because politicians bought into movie mischaracterizations. Then, you have the John Wick<\/em> effect. However, Western movies and TV shows reign supreme here. Lever action rifles and single action revolvers\u2019 popularity exploded in the 1950s as Hollywood ushered in the \u201cGolden Age of Westerns.\u201d<\/p>\n

The iconic Colt Peacemaker was discontinued because of World War II and declining sales. Colt rushed it back into production in 1955 amid skyrocketing demand. The Mare\u2019s Leg was part of that process, even though it was created specifically for a TV show.<\/p>\n

\"Wanted
Undeniably cool<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thanks to the need to draw eyeballs, we now have Mare\u2019s Legs and 12-inch barreled Peacemakers (the Buntline Special). Gun owners often sneer at Hollywood \u2014 and usually with good reason. But occasionally, they do something right. Impractical as it surely is, the Mare\u2019s Leg is a cool and fun concept. Sometimes I like having cool guns of questionable utility. After all, shooting is supposed to be fun. If nothing else, the Mare\u2019s Leg delivers that fun. Steve McQueen can\u2019t be wrong.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Mare’s Leg is born of Hollywood imagination, not the Old West. While undeniably cool, what’s it good for and where did it come from? Let’s delve into this increasingly popular piece of movie lore.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":415004,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2622],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-415003","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-firearms-history"],"small_media_thumbnail":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/mares-leg-feature-300x225.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/415003","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=415003"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/415003\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":427151,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/415003\/revisions\/427151"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/415004"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=415003"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=415003"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=415003"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}