Rossi "Mare's Leg" is Legal?

[flmason]

Hi All,
   While digging around I tripped over the Rossi "Something or other"... a Mare's Leg lever gun in .45... Sawed off lever gun basically.... How is it these are legal? Looks like a stock pistol to me.

I guess the real name is Rossi Ranch Hand...

http://www.everydaynodaysoff.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Rossi-Ranch-Hand.jpg


To be honest, this has me confused on the rules... using this thing as a model, there's all kinds of shorties that would seem to be legal.

[mcwoodduck]

It all depends on what you call it coming out of the factory.
Legally you can make a Pistol frame into a Rifle but you can not go in reverse. 
You can cut down a Rifle as long as the barrel is 16" and has an over all length of 27"   Or you need the $200 tax stamp for a short barreled rifle.
If the frame comes out of the factory as a pistol and is registered as a pistol then it is a pistol.  When I bought my T/C contender I made sure it was registered as a pistol, so I can use it as a pistol and if I wanted to I could turn it into a carbine or rifle
With a pistol it does not matter what the bearrel length is as long as it is under 16"   
I wish that Henry and Rossi had also offered a Volcanic version in center fire and rim fire. 

[geezerbiker]

The mare's leg is officially a hand gun and since it was made that way, it's not a cut down rifle.  I think you could get into trouble if you replaced the stock with a rifle one.  It's one of those oddities that only exists for the cowboy action crowd.

Tony

[Rangr44]

With a pistol it does not matter what the bearrel length is as long as it is under 16"   

 

REALLY ? ?   - AFAIK, there are no Federal or state legal limitations on handgun barrel length.
 
Soooo, although I'm not from Missouri, if you know of any, I'd like to be shown (link, please ) .
 
 
.

[SHOOTALL]

That said it might be worth while to check state and local laws. I have seen replacement barrels for 1911 pistols up to 36 inches long ( where do you find a holster ? )

[Ranger99]

+1 on the state and local regs.


i think it was pachmayr that used to offer
a 1911 carbine kit with a stock and rifle-length
barrel to make a regular 1911 type peestol into
a carabeen.

[Richard P]

I believe what the gentleman meant is there is only a Federal requirement that rifle barrels are 16'' or longer.  Yes, shotgun barrels need to be 18'' or longer, but that's another story.   I have noticed some on Specialty Pistols have handgun barrels in excess of 16''.  I believe they must abide by the 27'' overall measurement.  rp

[wganz]

The mare's leg is officially a hand gun and since it was made that way, it's not a cut down rifle.  I think know you could get into trouble if you replaced the stock with a rifle one.  It's one of those oddities that only exists for the cowboy action crowd.

Tony

If you put a rifle stock on it without first paying the $200 serf tax for a tax stamp on an ATF Form 1, you're creating an illegal Short Barrel Rifle(SBR). I'm tempted on getting one and making a legal SBR from it since that would a most 'handi' home defense weapon when properly loaded with Corbon bullets.

[Lloyd Smale]

you cant make your own out of a rifle without a short barreled rifle batf stamp. But rossi doesnt sell them as rifles they sell them as handguns. They were not cut down, they were made right from the git go as handguns and must be registered as one.

[DCmauser]

Henry Repeating Arms (gbo sponsor) states (like many online merchants) no sales to California or NY, for a similar hollywood item.  An american rifle man's paper-magazine had a hollywood gun-prop article last year, iirc, with some explanation on state (police) lawyer interpretations.  Other mfgr's just say - you figure it out; how would they know what new laws that a distant legislature might enact up.

[DCmauser]

Here's the link to Henry's Mare's Leg, in 22 and pistol/revolver cartridges:
http://www.henryrepeating.com/rifle-mares-leg.cfm
Only the paper catalog, notes the sale restrictions tho.
See above where to click for a free Henry's 2013 Catalog.

[Richard P]

You will find many sellers state they wont sell to Cal, NY--esp NYC, NJ, MD, MA,or others.  Some of this is due to existing law and some due to the expectation of enactment of laws we term distasteful.  To some extent it punishes people who abide by the laws. It also sends a message (ignored by most until they want to buy something) to the effect of ''stop electing people who would pass and enact these laws''.  Colorado is the latest example.  Richard 

[flmason]

Speakin' of the devil... on of these turned up at the LGS. Have to say.... after seeing one... I can't see an real advantage over a double action revolver in the same calibers really. 

I guess what pulled me in was that it looks for all the world like an illegal sawed-off to me.

[mcwoodduck]

Speakin' of the devil... on of these turned up at the LGS. Have to say.... after seeing one... I can't see an real advantage over a double action revolver in the same calibers really. 

I guess what pulled me in was that it looks for all the world like an illegal sawed-off to me.

The only advanmtage I can see over a revolver  is the longer barrel and the lack of a cylinder gap will give you higher velocities. 
I see the strait wrist as a disadvantage.

[hillbill]

i just dont have the desire for one. no idea how you would shoot it accurately? i do however have a spare win 94 im planning to cut down to 16.5 inches for a truck gun.around here in hillbilly heaven i think it mite actually increase its value some.