Henry Mare's Laig

Drayton Calhoun · June 28, 2011, 12:42:08 AM

Just got my first look at a Henry Golden Boy 'Mare's Laig' today. Awkward, heavy, impractical, but DANG IT WAS COOL! .45 Colt.

RickB · June 28, 2011, 11:17:19 AM

I bought a Rossi Ranch hand a few months ago and love it. To my personal view it looks better and feels better and just has the design of the old Mares leg that Steve McQueen used in Wanted Dead or Alive.

I've looked over a few of the Henry ones at the gun show over the weekend and it's just not my cup of tea. But opinions vary.

Drayton Calhoun · June 29, 2011, 08:48:53 AM

Oh, without a doubt, I agree. The thing about the Henry I just can't see is, it doesn't look like a real Mare's Laig and the price. The ones I was looking at were $760. True, they are cool looking, but I would still rather have a Ranch Hand. It's just that I didn't even know they were producing one.
One other thing...on the Ranch Hand, what, other than the law, prevents you from putting a full length buttstock on it and making it a really short Trapper?

Bow View Haymaker · June 29, 2011, 09:57:47 AM

Is Henry making one of thesein .22? that might be cool.
I think a full stock could be added to any of them as long as you pay the tax.

Drayton Calhoun · June 29, 2011, 10:00:07 AM

Yep, they are in .22. Blued reciever but, oddly enough, a hooded front sight...

RickB · June 29, 2011, 03:42:12 PM

Quote from: Bow View Haymaker on June 29, 2011, 09:57:47 AM
Is Henry making one of thesein .22? that might be cool.
I think a full stock could be added to any of them as long as you pay the tax.

You'd have to check the legality of owning a Short Barreled Rifle in your state. In Iowa, where I live, they don't allow citizens to own SBRs. So there would be no legal way to attach a longer butt to the pistol.

Not only that, but since they are made as a pistol, federal law would keep you from legally putting a regular butt stock on them. The BATFE would have you in for a nice talk or more if you were caught doing something like this.

Drayton Calhoun · June 30, 2011, 12:05:52 AM

My point exactly. While it would be extremely cool, it would also be extremely illegal. Anything under 16 inches barrel lengh or less than 24 inches total length I believe. What is the barrel length on the Ranch Hand anyway?

RickB · June 30, 2011, 02:38:20 PM

I think the barrel length is around 10 inches. Maybe 12. It has a ammo tube just long enough to hold 6 .45 Colt rounds. 7 if you have one in the pipe.

Two-Step · July 02, 2011, 03:42:39 PM

Personally, I would love to own a Mare's Laig. I know that one individual was making custom MLs and was charging a small fortune for them... not to mention the special tax stamp needed from the Feds. I really like the looks of the Rossi, myself... and the price is a darn site lower to boot.

The problem is that while the Mare's Laig is pretty cool I am not sure that is would serve much purpose beyond wall hanging and fun shooting... though it might be fine for busting bucks in very heavy cover. While I would like to get one, doing so would be with the understanding that it is pretty useless at any of the cowboy shooting organizations. Even the organizations that allow "B western" costumes won't allow "B western" guns... unless it happens to be a Winchester with a "John Wayne" loop ( NOTE: the "Big Loop" which is accepted by SASS originally appeared on the "Dead or Alive" TV series, ON THE MARE'S LAIG").

Yes, I love western... I just can't help it. I like the cloths, the guns, the leather, and the "romance" of what we think of when we think "wild west". The visions of Fredrick Remington,William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody, and Sergio Leone are the "wild west" most of us love yet deny. Even some of the historical groups try to use the "romance" of the wild west to draw us in... god love them anyway.

GunClick Rick · July 02, 2011, 05:20:07 PM

Heck just get one of these,drill a hole where thr pin would be,put a screw in there,cut down the screw just so a number 10 or 11 cap fits over and POP! I did that with a replica pistol i had..

I'll sell this one for 400.00

RickB · July 03, 2011, 07:48:54 PM

The Rossi has the John Wayne loop just like the old Wanted Dead or Alive.

What more reason do you need to own one than "fun shooting". Every time I go shooting it's for fun. LOL

Actually. The Goddard Cowboys shoots have a few that allow the Ranch Hand. So I can use it from time to time to shoot cowboy.

I know it's not a practicle gun or one that I needed, but if I only bought things that I needed I would own very few of what I wanted.

GunClick Rick · July 03, 2011, 08:42:54 PM

Meant to put this up..

http://www.circlekb.com/product/CA22-1095.html

Two-Step · July 06, 2011, 12:44:20 PM

Forget practical, the fact is it would be fun to have and shoot... even if it weren't at a CAS event. Besides, there isn't a law in the land that says I can't throw up a couple of stages on my property and invite some friends over for a fun filled day of b western shooting fun. And who knows where that could lead to, maybe a whole "B" western shooting organization... where it is actually okay to admit that you enjoy western movies and TV shows.

Also, while technically not a "mare's laig" there is a nice sawed off ( at barrel and stock) Spencer at the Buffalo Bill Memorial museum.

Links to "coin talk" thread
https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/rieb/web/Cointalk/indian%20rifles.JPG

Doc Neeley · July 06, 2011, 12:54:49 PM

The .22 Henry Mares Leg is really nice. I had one go through the shop (lasted 1 day). It holds 10 in the tube and cost is reasonable. I want one!