Mare's Leg

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“Mare’s Leg”
Type cut-down lever-action rifle
Place of origin Flag of the United States United States
Production history
Designer Kenny “Von Dutch” Howard
Designed 1958
Produced 1958, 1993
Number built 3 (1958), ~2 (1993)
Specifications
Length ~2 feet[1]
Barrel length ~12 inches[1]
Cartridge 44-40 (actual)
45-70 (fictional)
Action Lever-action
Feed system 6-round Tubular magazine

The Mare’s Leg (aka Mare’s Laig, with both sometimes spelt without the apostrophe) was the name given to a customized shortened rifle by Steve McQueen’s character on the television series Wanted: Dead or Alive (1958–1961) . McQueen’s character was named Josh Randall, and the gun has also been referred to as a Winchester Randall, or a Randall Special.

The original Mare’s Leg was made by cutting down a .44-40 caliber 1892 Winchester rifle to a size that could be worn in a large leg holster, and wielded one handed. The barrel was cut down to a length of twelve (or possibly nine) inches,[1] and much of the butt-stock was removed. For filming three guns were actually made, each with an enlarged loop on the cocking lever. The first gun differed in the size of its lever enlargement, and the last gun had an octagonal barrel instead of a round one. The actual gun being used could sometimes change from shot to shot in a given scene. While the guns were chambered for the .44-40 round, McQueen wore more impressive looking .45-70 rounds in the loops of his gun belt.

To create such a cut-down rifle in the United States, or cut any weapon originally built as a rifle to a barrel length less than 16 inches, requires that the maker comply with the tenets of the National Firearms Act. This entails paying a $200 tax and awaiting approval from the BATFE.[2] However, such a permit is not required to make an exact copy from scratch as a “lever action pistol”.[3]

As of the 1980s, one of the original guns was on display at the Fort Spaghetti Restaurant and Museum (999 Ball Road, Anaheim, California).[4] Another one was bought by French singer/songwriter Gilbert Bécaud.

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[edit] Other appearances

The gun makes an appearance as the favorite weapon of key characters in a film sequel to the McQueen series, and two later series, that use the weapon as an homage.

The film Wanted: Dead or Alive (1987) starred Rutger Hauer as Nick Randall, the grandson of Josh Randall. Nick keeps his grandfather’s Mare’s Leg in a display case in his office.

The television series The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993–1994) starred Julius Carry as Lord Bowler, whose weapon is a Mare’s Leg.

In the television series Firefly (2002) — and its film sequel Serenity (2005) — Gina Torres plays Zoe Alleyne Washburne, whose weapon of choice is a Mare’s Leg. The prop used was the same one created for Brisco County, Jr..

At the beginning of the film "Once Upon A Time in the West," one of the three gunmen (played by Woody Strode in a silent cameo) sent to kill "Harmonica" (played by Charles Bronson) is armed with a "Mare's Leg."

[edit] Replicas

There have been a number of toys based on the Mare’s Leg from small cap guns, to larger detailed toys complete with a holster.

A number of companies have marketed functional reproductions of the Mare’s Leg, making them the same way as the original, by cutting down Winchester rifles. These reproductions also have the same legal restrictions as the original; a rifle may not have a barrel length less than 16 inches without a Class 3 weapons permit, available in only some states.[5]

Because of the legal problems, non-functional prop-quality replicas have also been produced by the same companies that make functional copies.

[edit] Pistol

1892 Mares Leg Lever Action Pistol
Type Lever action pistol
Place of origin Flag of the United States United States
Production history
Designer Jim Buchanan
Designed 2005
Manufacturer J.B. Custom
Produced 2005—
Number built ~50
Specifications
Length 24 inches
Barrel length 12 inches
Cartridge .45 Colt,
.44-40 Winchester,
.38-40 Winchester,
.44 Magnum, or
.357 Magnum
Action Lever-action
Feed system 6-round Tubular magazine

Since 2005, J.B. Custom has been marketing a 1892 Mares Leg Lever Action Pistol.[6] This weapon is a fully functional copy of Randall’s weapon, available in a number of calibers. Since they are newly manufactured pistols, rather than cut down rifles, they avoid the aforementioned legal difficulties. Just like the original weapon, the J.B. Custom version has a 12 inch barrel, and an overall length of two feet.

The gun was available in .45 Colt, .44-40 Winchester, and .38-40 Winchester. Early promotional material specified a limited production run of 50 units based on the number of available 1892 actions that could be used legally.[7]

Currently produced weapons use a slightly different action that while not exactly like the 1892 model, cycles more reliably, and is commercially available. This version is also available in .44 Magnum, and .357 Magnum.

[edit] References

Lachuk, John. “The Gun That Brings ’Em Back “Dead or Alive” Guns Quarterly, Volume Five. ©1961.

  1. ^ a b c Lachuk's detailed Guns Quarterly article states that the gun is 19 inches long with a nine-inch barrel. John Taffin—the Senior Field Editor for Guns Magazine—describes the gun as having a 12-inch barrel, and being about 2-feet in overall length, in his articles about the Mare’s Leg. The detailed replicas—available from multiple sources—have 12-inch barrels, with overall lengths of 22–24 inches.
  2. ^ Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. "NFA Handbook, Chapter 4: Taxes Imposed By The NFA" ATF Online. (June 21, 2007)
  3. ^ Codrea, David. “The Mare’s Leg Loophole” The War on Guns. (July 12, 2006)
  4. ^ Wilson, R.L. “Arming the Fictional West.” The Peacemakers: Arms and Adventures in the American West. (Random House, 1992)
  5. ^ Bounty Hunter Special (A Class 3, Mare’s Leg reproduction)
  6. ^ Mares Leg pistol, Limited Edition at JBcustom.com
  7. ^ Mares Leg pistol, Standard Edition at JBcustom.com