Smooth action as expected from any Henry product.

I’ve finally had the opportunity to take a Mare’s Leg out and fire a few rounds this week; it was a great time to finally put some rounds down range with this pistol.

The lever, the action, and the accuracy are second to none.

Seeing this type of pistol and wondering just what they purpose was for this led me to do some research on it, learning more about them in a couple hours than I thought I could.

The Wild West cowboys and lawmen, in the days when horse transportation reigned supreme, everyone carried firearms. Most carried a sidearm revolver and some sort of long gun at the minimum. The problem with the long gun was that carrying a full length rifle was hard to access quickly.

Cowboys and Lawmen alike cut length from their rifles to make the easier to access from horseback.

The cowboys and lawmen began to cut some length from the stock and the barrel so that the firearm could be carried in a scabbard ahead of the saddle and more accessible, this scabbard would hang lengthwise of the horses front leg in order for the rider to draw the firearm quickly if needed. The term “Mare’s Leg” was soon coined and it didn’t take long for it to stick.

While in today’s world cowboys still ride horses but it isn’t like it was in the days of old. Many ranchers and farmers have moved to other modes of transportation such as UTV’s, pickup trucks, and tractors, the idea of the cowboys riding the trail and sleeping out under the stars every night carries a romanticized idea of the old west. This still happens in parts of the country, but isn’t nearly as prevalent as it once was. I admit when I sold the first Mare’s Leg, I thought they were being purchased as a novelty item, something neat to have in the collection and maybe fun to get out and shoot once in a while. I held the notion that they weren’t really a useful tool to be taken seriously, but after spending a few days carrying one, I can see that they are certainly fun to shoot, accurate (if taking time to aim) they are also a very versatile tool that can be used by farmers and ranchers in their operations in the defense of their livestock from predators and varmints.

I use the terms predators and varmints because the Mare’s Leg is manufactured in the rimfire calibers of .22 S/L/LR the .22WMR (.22 magnum) and three popular handgun rounds, the .45 LC, .357Mag, and .44Mag.and for anyone with questions, the Henry engineering allows the use of the three .22 calibers, the .22 short, .22 long, and the most popular .22 Long Rifle.

Without boring you, these rounds are the same diameter but have different case lengths, most lever actions or .22’s with tube magazines are designed to cycle the .22LR but they don’t cycle the shorter cased rounds. The same principles apply to the .357Mag it will also fire the .38 special. Likewise, the .44Mag will also fire the .44 special rounds. I didn’t intend to go on a tangent about caliber specifications.

Concealed Carry firearms aren’t always easy to access when operating tractors or UTV’s

For years I’ve had my CCDW (Carry Concealed Deadly Weapon) license, and I’m pretty much always packin’ but, what I have found is that a concealed firearm isn’t always easy to access depending on how it is carried. With my family, we have a few head of cattle and work throughout the year to keep them fat and sassy. We produce our own hay so we spend some time on tractors while doing this, I’ve found carrying a long gun on a tractor is much more practical than a pistol. While the Mare’s Leg is technically a pistol, designated by the ATF as such, these are very versatile to carry on a tractor, or on a UTV, in a truck, and of course, on a horse.

This Mare’s Leg sells for $469.99 and we would be happy to sell this one, field tested, ready for work, or we would be more than happy to order in another one that has not been fired or field tested by us.

Shop Mare’s Leg Pistols

short video Matthew and I filmed the other day. Not the best video, but it was fun.

These firearms are great to own, whether something to add to a collection or something to put to work, these firearms are exactly what you would expect from a brand like Henry. While other brands produce similar products, nothing comes close to the operation, the reputation, and the reliability of Henry.

Here at Labascus Armory, we are proud to be list as a HenryUSA gold dealer and we would be overjoyed to help in the acquisition of your next Henry product. Come by the shop for a free Henry Catalog, or order a catalog direct from Henry here.

Chad Davenport

To say that this revolver is as good as any other large caliber revolver would not do proper justice to Henry. This revolver, like most other Henry products, is a cut above the competition

As Henry Repeating Arms made their handgun debut a little over a year ago, I have not had the opportunity to get my hands on one until now, and satisfaction is a word I would use.

Admittedly, when Henry made the announcement that they were getting into the realm of handguns, I was skeptical. The first photographs released in my mind were a vain attempt to break into the handgun world by making another revolver reminiscent of Heritage Manufacturing or the older models of Iver Johnson revolvers. I’m not trying to belittle either brand, but they are known for being cheap revolvers. Therefore, I expected that Henry had taken a concept from those styles and put their name on it in order to sell it at a Henry-style price. I was certainly wrong.

To set the scene, I took a firearm transfer around Christmas 2023 for a customer whom I was unable to produce one of these revolvers for on my own abilities. I did have the opportunity to see and feel this new product, but I was not able to put it through any tests of my own. While I was quick to realize Henry had done a good job in building this revolver, I was still not sold on its quality.

Now, it is the day after Christmas 2024, and I have finally been able to receive one of these revolvers from one of my distributors. The first look was certainly satisfactory, as Henry always produces a good-looking firearm. The Henry Repeating Arms H017GDM is the .357 Magnum version, which also accepts .38 Special cartridges, with what they are calling the “gunfighter grips,” as I like this style better than the “birdshead” grip myself. This was most certainly a well-built firearm to match the sleek look of it.

Once the initial phase of inspection was over, the real tests began. I pulled back the hammer, and with a smooth, gentle pull of the trigger, I released the hammer while holding it, careful not to let it fall on an empty chamber. Again, this action was so smooth. What does the inside look like? I can tell again that this is very well made. I didn’t take this revolver completely apart, but I took the grips off to look around a little bit, and I was happy with my findings. For point of reference, I did get out my trigger pull gauge. This revolver holds a very consistent four-pound trigger pull in single-action mode. I decided there was no reason to test it in double action, but this is a very smooth operating handgun used either way.

Finally, the moment of truth has arrived. After a couple of hours of looking at this gun and putting it through all these tests, it was time to do what I had been wanting to do for over a year: test fire it. I dragged out my target stands that we use for the Concealed Carry Courses and put a silhouette target on it, setting the target at the CCDW qualifying distance of seven yards, and then I began to fire. The first shot hit paper right where I was aiming. The smooth action of this revolver right out of the box is something I’ve never experienced. The second shot landed about four inches to the left, and I take all responsibility for it. It was a double-action shot, and I was not prepared for this gun to operate so smoothly when fired in the double-action fashion. The last four shots left a grouping on this paper target of about three inches, which for me, with a handgun, is very good shooting.

To say that this revolver is as good as any other large caliber revolver would not do proper justice to Henry. This revolver, like most other Henry products, is a cut above the competition and can be obtained at a lower price compared to some other brands. The MSRP on these revolvers is $928, which is well worth the price for the quality and workmanship. Though it is several months from the Whitetail season in Kentucky, I fully intend that when it comes around again, I will have a Henry revolver sitting in my chest rig holster as I’m walking in and out of the woods.

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