Mare's leg accuracy - or not
 

Hi, just curious about mare's leg rifles: can you hit anything with it? Seems like an unhandy configuration to aim (although no doubt it is easier to carry).

What have you hit, and at how far? What caliber?

I don't own a mare's leg rifle, and have no intention o ever doing so, just curious about them.

For it's intended purpose, they are plenty accurate.

Interesting idea though, has anyone even tried to hit the gong at 200 yards with one?

better
 

With a stock and regulated sights

I got a Mares Leg 1892 44 mag. Its sorta miserable to shoot, but you can hit things with it. I dont shoot paper with it but it blows things up pretty good out to 50yrds. The gun seems to use sights that come with a full length rifle... so it shoots low if i remember right. I was looking into a full length stock for it as the lever punches my hands pretty good, should be a quick job with minor fitting and would probably double its useful range.

I have had many requests from owners of these and stores that sell them to come up with a sight system that will at least put them on target at 50 yards. Generally if you buy the highest front sight you can find .550 or there abouts with a 3/8 ths dovetail this should get you close however the last post claims his shoots low so don't take this for gospel. Or buy a Williams "shorty" base and work with various front sights from there. Personally I think they are a bit of a gimmick, why not just buy a regular carbine at least you hit where you aim. D.H.

The original 1892 carbines
 

Sent to South America in 12-14" barrels 44-40 to the police depts. are worth a fortune today.We can't cut an existing barrel that short so maybe that's the attraction with these shorties?

I had a Rossi Ranch Hand in .45Colt,it was minute of pie plate accurate,lol
The short sight radius and I’m gonna guess 10MOA(?) bead on the front post I know completely covers a wolf’s head at 80 yards....his head was all I could see and missed him clean,seconds earlier I hit another one running @20y in thick brush which I never did recover.(gutshot I think?)
Target shooting it was a reasonable 3-4” group @50y....good enough for my purposes,mainly bear defence while bowhunting in griz country.
I packed it for a few years bowhunting and fishing but sold it last year....in the meantime,I picked up a 14” barrel and birds head grip for my 870,no regrets... I have more faith in 12ga slugs then I do a pistol cartridge vs a grizzly that might like my moose calling,lol

I have a 357 with the Boyd’s stock. Allowing better groups ,still quite handy.
In this pic 4 shot spread from 75 yards shown by my fingers (38special)
The 3 above are 357 mag 158 grain flat point pmc
Also a few 22 holes my nephew stuck in there

Notice how clean the 357 holes are as compared to the 38s? Why is that?

Another pic. Same group. Shot from kneeling position at 75 yards. Open sights.
It’s mostly a fun gun with 38s. I have a hip holster rigged up for
Trapping season. Whenever I walk into my wolf Sets I load up357’s. Carry a few 38’s for grouse and ptarmigan and hare.

The 357’s were likely a semi wadcutter design bullet, while the 38’s were probably a round nose I’m guessing.

Semi and full wadcutters do cut nice clean holes in paper.

The 38s were rounded. The 357s were not semi wad cutters but did have a wide flat nose. That makes sense.

I had one in 45, quickly learned it was almost impossible to aim so sold it. Some of the newer ones have an optional full stock but I would prefer a skeleton folding stock. I also don't like the big lever on some as it is too bulky. The purpose of a Mares leg should be as compact a unit as possible for easy carry.
I also had a Weatherby Platform (similar to a Mares leg but in a bolt action)in 22-250, and even with a scope I couldn't hit anything

When I bought mine at CSC the guy there showed me unique way of aiming it which was the method I found best for the few years that I owned it.
Instead of gripping the forestock with support hand like a “normal” rifle,fold/flex your off arm(I’m a righty,so my left arm) and support the front of gun in the “V” created between your bicep and forearm.Recoil is not an issue,there’s little to no recoil with pistol cartridges(I had .45LC) and its much more comfortable and solid rest then trying to shoot it like you would a full size rifle.