45-70 mares leg

[darkcloud]

Have your dental insurance up to date if you shoot one.

 

[John_Doe]

American Derringer made a 45-70 derringer at one time, so yeah someone could have definitely made a 45-70 mares leg.

Well if i ever see another you can bet I'm going to buy it, if for no other reason than to prove to myself that in not crazy lol

 

[John_Doe]

Would the mares leg be more difficult to handle than a BFR?

I would guess so if it had a straght grip

 

[someguy2800]

As with all 45-70’s, if you want it to be brutal you can make it so. If you want it to be fun you can make it so as well. I can guarantee you a 300-350 grain cast bullet loaded over like 12 grains of trailboss or unique would not offend any but the most sensitive shooters.

 

[robhof]

Well I have fired a 45-70 T/C with a 14" barrel and it's definitely NOT FUN, so I would definitely pass on a ML in 45-70. I have taken many deer with a 30-30 T/C, but that was a pussy cat compared to the blast from a hot 400 grain bullet out of a light single shot pistol. There's a revolver out there made in 600 nitro, wouldn't even want to think about pulling the trigger on it. I have also fired a 50BMG but out of a Barrett and that's a whole different animal.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Would the mares leg be more difficult to handle than a BFR?

I'm guessing not but I wouldn't shoot one of those either. It seems the velocity loss with that short of a barrel would negate any benefit. A 460 S&W mag would be a better fit in my mind.

But the OP wants what he wants. So whatever.

 

[WestKentucky]

It would be difficult to reproduce a frame, but not impossible. That’s about the only way that it would happen legally because very few people would pay the tax to make a ML in a thumper caliber. I can also see potential with a custom falling block design looking like a ML. That might be interesting. I can also see a damaged 45-70 barrel being reworked and rechambered to install on another gun.

 

[someguy2800]

I wouldnt rule out the possibility of getting a bare 1895 or 1886 from someone to build one legally as a pistol. It’s possible they would sell one to someone with a license to manufacture. A lot of custom stuff gets built this way.

 

[gwpercle]

Steve McQueen's original Mare's Leg from "Wanted Dead or Alive" were converted M1892 rifles in "pistol calibers". His guns were chambered in Five-in-One Blank caliber (a blank that fit .38-40 and .44-40 rifle and revolver, .45 Colt revolver, one-for-five common western prop guns).

For looks, the prop department had bounty hunter "Josh Randall" (McQueen) carry 45-70 rounds in his cartridge belt. (Over the series, "Randall"'s mare's legs had either an octagon or round barrel; he only carried one at a time).

I suspect that is the cause of the confusion.

As an aside. Most modern "mare's legs" made on new receivers and sold as pistols do not match the TV guns in detail (barrel length, forearm length, placement of the stock band and magazine band). Dixie Gun Works advertised exact replicas of the Josh Randall gun but they were expensive compared to some of the modern "Mare's legs" made for fans of "Wanted: Dead or Alive", Briscoe County", or "Firefly".

I always thought that was one of TV Western's dumbest "looks" .....Just once , I wanted to see Josh try and shove one of those 45-70's into that model 92's loading gate....but you know , I don't think he ever reloaded from his belt !

 

[DPris]

You & I are not going to get along.

The ML was one of the coolest guns ever invented & I wanted one sooooooo bad in 1960.
That's why I have four today.

Randall pulled a round from his belt & got it CLOSE to the gun in one scene, before the camera cut away.
Good enough for TV work.
Denis

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Wouldn't be fun to shoot.

Amen! A Mare's Leg in .45-70 would truly merit the judgement, "A bad idea, poorly executed."

 

[rugmar]

Henry makes or did make a mare’s leg. It was in 45LC I believe.

 

[DPris]

They do, I have one.
Denis

 

[PapaG]

As a side note, tv's Bounty Hunter carried a mare's leg in a pistol caliber but a bandolier full of 45-70s. As a kid I wondered how he could fire so many shots when the gun couldn't possibly hold more than one or two of those huge rounds.

 

[BSA1]

What is it about the 45-70 that some folks have to reload to push jacketed bullets as fast as possible?

I have a friend that has a Marlin 45-70 that he shoots 300 gr. jacket bullets loaded to OMG velocities. Recoil on this gun is just plain brutal. He scoffs at my 405 gr. cast lead bullets loaded around 1250 fps. even though I have shot through a buffalo from 155 yards away. He also doesn't believe me when I tell him how I can shoot a lot of my reloads comfortably and it's long range accuracy through my Rolling Block.

Besides maybe those 45-70 cartridges in his belt are for his back-up gun?

Dang it! Now I need to go re-watch my DVD collection of Wanted; Dead or Alive.

 

[MTNSTRYDER]

I own and shoot 45 and 454 and 44mag in revolvers.plus 45 /460 and 45/70 in lever action carbine and a Rossi 44mag ranch hand.
The ranch hand is a good truck gun fits in a saddle bag on my bike too.the point of it is it’s easy to have with you.
With a 2 to3 inch lace on leather pad you can shoulder it and easily hit a pie plate at 100 yards.It holds 7 rounds I very seldom shoot more than that but I do shoot it every time I play. All of my other guns 45 though 45/70 get a lot more love .If you want it go for it make a good pad thick enough to not hit your nose 45/70 in a mares leg can’t be any worse.44mag is a sharp fast ouch 45/70 is a hard shove.

 

[Engineer1911]

I have a 45-70 Sharp's replica with a 32" barrel. With the right load, it can get right sporty even with an 11# weight.

 

[Pat Riot]

I saw a 45-70 Mares Leg at a gun show in Orange County, CA years ago. I remember asking the guy selling it if he had ever fired it and he said that he did, but not much.
I don’t recall any details on the gun.

 

[John_Doe]

I'm guessing not but I wouldn't shoot one of those either. It seems the velocity loss with that short of a barrel would negate any benefit. A 460 S&W mag would be a better fit in my mind.

But the OP wants what he wants. So whatever.

I honestly don't want it , I was just wondering if it exists. I thought I saw one but now I'm thinking it was either mismarked or a special made peice made in very small numbers.

 

[John_Doe]

I saw a 45-70 Mares Leg at a gun show in Orange County, CA years ago. I remember asking the guy selling it if he had ever fired it and he said that he did, but not much.
I don’t recall any details on the gun.

Well that makes me feel alot less crazy.

 

[ar-newbie]

And as useless as a Mossberg Shockwave

I wouldn't discount a mossberg shockwave as useless. While it is not for everyone, someone of sufficient stature and the correct target laser on it, is quite useful as a home defense weapon. Like anything, practice is required if it is to be truly effective.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

And as useless as a Mossberg Shockwave

I can't agree there... I have shot a short barrel Mossberg 500 with a pistol grip and the shockwave grip. The pistol grip is far more harsh than the shockwave grip, enough that I changed the grip on my bedside shotgun.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

My first round in most handguns I carry on the mountain is a shot shell round. Usually .38. Sometimes .22 or .45.

I practice snake avoidance, but if I find myself in a choice between it or me ....

A .45-70 mare's leg with microgroove barrel and shotshells would be awesome snake medicine. But terrible with ,45-70 bulleted rounds.

Thunder Five made a .45-70 / .410 cylinder for their revolver for the California market.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Like the original witness protection shot shotgun with a birdshead grip, the Shockwave is actually a better choice than a pistolgrip 18" barrel gun.

They are all niche guns. I would prefer a 18" barrel deerslayer with 13.5" LOP buttstock as more versatile as a shotgun.