Looking for thoughts on the Henry Mares Leg .22

drpestilence

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Looking to maybe pick up a .22 and have really enjoyed level actions, love the look of the mares leg. Anyone have any experience for or against? (Also, new guy question, can they take a scope?)

Cheers!
 
my dad has one of the Henry Mares legs in 22 and he loves it.
i had the opportunity to shoot it earlier this year and i must admit it was a hell of a lot of fun to shoot!

personally im not a big level action gun fan but i had a hankering to get one of these after shooting his.
he picked it up to plink beer cans around the camp when out hunting and from what i hear it fills that niche very nicely.

i even managed to get a pic of it when he had it up here in the spring, its same quality as his full sized one, really nice gun.

D4B0C168-C5EC-4275-96C5-6ABE2E9A670C_zpsl1s1cyhd.jpg
 
I've got the .357 magnum. They are nicely made but not sure how practical, I personally find it hard to shoot. Never take it out anymore.
 
my dad has one of the Henry Mares legs in 22 and he loves it.
i had the opportunity to shoot it earlier this year and i must admit it was a hell of a lot of fun to shoot!

personally im not a big level action gun fan but i had a hankering to get one of these after shooting his.
he picked it up to plink beer cans around the camp when out hunting and from what i hear it fills that niche very nicely.

i even managed to get a pic of it when he had it up here in the spring, its same quality as his full sized one, really nice gun.

D4B0C168-C5EC-4275-96C5-6ABE2E9A670C_zpsl1s1cyhd.jpg

Plinking is what I'm after.
 
I have used subsonics and had agreat time . Bit of a challenge to aim but once you get the hang of it not all that hard . Every one that sees it has to handle it . The more you use it the smoother it gets, its not a big scary gun one person remarked.
 
It's a bit of a strange concept, a Mare's Leg in .22, no?

I always thought the idea behind the Mare's leg was to have something that is very compact, light and easy to handle to use for personal defence (typically in the woods). Having it in .22 kinda defeats that idea, and for plinking the short stock and short sight radius kinda makes it harder to use accurately. Which is why I can see one being scoped with some kind of optics to compensate (also if you are nearsighted).

But in any case, if it's for defence, would not a .38spl/.357mag or a .44spl/.44mag do better and still be relatively economical to shoot?

Or for plinking, why not the Frontier H001T? It's got the same action, loads 15 rounds, it's accurate, light enough (6.25 lbs because of the octagon barrel, the regular one is 5.25 lbs abd the carbine 4.5 lbs) and handles like a dream.

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Disclosure: I also have a full size H012M in .357mag (Big Boy Steel 20" barrel), and I'm loving it. Don't let me dissuade you from the mare's leg in .22 if you want one, though: I don't think one could ever be disappointed in any Henry carbines! :d
 
Thanks for the thoughtful reply! I really just want to plink at targets and what not, I'm not into hunting and I know my collection will remain small as that's what the boss tells me ; ) The Mares leg is really appealing aesthetically! However I just had a look at the Frontier and I sure go like octagon barrels.

It's funny I didn't think I'd go in for lever actions but I tried out my buddy's golden boy (I think) and it was just really fun.


Cheers!
 
So if picking a lever action you'd maybe just go with something a more normal size and shape?

Yes, I would for sure as I find the Mares leg more a novelty, Ymmv. I have a Winchester .44 mag 1892 model and really enjoy that, and I have shot the Marlin 45-70 and it is great as well IMHO.
 
I'll put in another vote for the Frontier. My go to plinker and man is she classy. Everyone who has shot it has commented on how nicely it handles and how fun it is to shoot.


 
i had no problem shooting gold balls and those little 22 flip targets for the hour i was playing with the mares leg one.

i did however have a couple hot shots go off..... guess i used my trigger finger as the fulcrum when i was cycling the level...... barely get that sucker closed and it was firing off!
but thats more of a me not using lever guns very often than the gun or design flaw or anything.
 
I use mine for dispatch when trapping. When I get out of the truck with a full size 22 not to long after I get a visit from a cruiser as some one driving by reports a man with a gun . With the mares leg no one sees it and I do not have to try to get a carry permit for my handgun.
 
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