Meet the Mare’s Leg
Sure, it’s a stretch to call the Mare’s Leg a handgun, but technically it is, as reflected on your FFL’s form 4473. We can’t discuss the piece without also tipping a hat to Steve McQueen’s “Wanted” character Josh Randall, who drove the platform to continued fame. Though we have no way to verify this, Henry says its stock is “cut to the exact specification of the gun used on the television series,” upping the cool factor for McQueen fans.
Related: What the Heck is a Mare’s Leg?
The Mare’s Leg name actually denotes the style of the firearm, that compact, hip-fired, madly holsterable Western darling. Henry builds it in two base variants: rimfire and Big Boy. The latest iteration puts a side gate on the Big Boy, following suit with the company’s long guns. These handgun-chambered thumpers can be had in .357 Magnum/.38 Special, .44 Magnum/Special, and .45 Colt.
The Test Gun
We were pleased to acquire a Big Boy Brass Side Gate Mare’s Leg (official model name H006GMML) chambered in .357 Magnum, which of course fires .38 Special as well. With an octagon barrel length of 12.9 inches and checking in at just 25 inches overall, this is one compact number. Despite its small stature, the piece carries its weight. Our tester measured in at 5.8 pounds unloaded, a solid feel for a shorty dressed in hardwood and brass.
The Big Boy Mare’s Legs are lookers, with a receiver of polished brass, which is drilled and tapped for scope mounting. That satin-finish American walnut is tipped with a polished brass buttplate and barrel band. There’s a large-loop lever, saddle ring, and the convenient side loading gate offering a speedy reloading gate in addition to the tubular magazine port, which retains its removable tube.
The rear sight is a fully adjustable semi-buckhorn with a diamond insert set against the brass bead front. Like the company’s other brassy firearms, this one is marked as being made in Bayonne, New Jersey.
Field Notes
In most cases, we shoot for accuracy testing, but the Mare’s Leg is simply not like most. While it’s both drilled and tapped for optics and dressed with practical iron sights, the platform is almost always fired from the hip. However, some buyers opt to apply for the appropriate tax stamp to add a full buttstock, transforming the piece into a pleasantly compact, short-barreled rifle.
As is, though, the Mare’s Leg is all about smooth-functioning fun. Thus, we tested for overall reliability, which was flawless through all types of both .357 Magnum and .38 Special ammunition, including multiple projectile types. Recoil is surprisingly minimal (almost nonexistent, in fact) especially with the gun topping the 6-pound mark when loaded.
It’s worth noting that with such a platform, and its fairly heavy octagonal barrel, the balance point is noticeably forward of the receiver. This is more evident with a loaded magazine tube. That’s not a fault, but rather a fact of the design. Don’t expect to spin these centerfire pistols like a revolver twirler, unless you’re a unique type of acrobat.
The wood is smooth and sleek, and the tolerances are notably tight out of the box. Thus, it’s important to run the Mare’s Leg like any other lever gun – with authority. Realize there’s not the traditional buttstock offering leverage for cycling the action, so it’s a different feel.
Rimfire Mare’s Leg
Those seeking the same good time of firing the Mare’s Leg but hunting more affordable, even lower-recoil plinking will appreciate Henry’s rimfire variants. The rimfire can be had in two chamberings: .22 Short, Long, Long Rifle (LR) and .22 Magnum (WMR).
The .22 LR barrel is 12.875 inches with a grooved receiver for easy optics mounting. Its capacity is significantly increased, housing 16 rounds of shorts or 10 rounds of LR with an overall footprint of only 25 inches from buttplate to muzzle, along with a svelter 4.45-pound weight.
Like its bigger brother, the rimfire also wears American walnut furniture, a saddle ring for Western flair, and blued steel barrel, though the rimfire forgoes brass. The rimfire version retails for about half the price of the centerfire models.
Firing Practice
Those who’ve never fired short guns like the Mossberg Shockwave or even Henry’s related shorty .410 Axe “shotgun” may wonder how best to position the gun. High ready? Held out like a handgun? From the hip? There’s really no wrong answer, as long as safety is observed.
The handgun can be holstered with numerous belt holster options on the market, but that’s quite a beastly carry. Still, the Mare’s Leg can be fired and cycled quickly as any lever gun. The pieces are compact, eye-catching, and purely enjoyable. Hitting well with them, though, requires some serious practice, and those who’ve never shot from the hip will want to spend some time on the range.
Final Thoughts
At around a grand in real world cost for a Big Boy Mare’s Leg, the price sounds steep for a niche gun without a clearly defined purpose like so many firearms that fit neatly into categories of hunting, concealed carry, or home defense. The Mare’s Leg may find use in any of these areas, though it excels at none. However, who are we to discount the purpose of fun, collectible appeal, and Western flair?
Those who appreciate a little bling along with a stoutly built weapon will appreciate this centerfire Mare’s Leg with clear attention to detail in fit and finish, the shine of polished brass from barrel band to buttplate, and the sturdy feel of American walnut. Though we can’t think of anybody who truly “needs” a Henry Mare’s Leg, plenty of folks – present company included –surely want one.
