Anyone getting a Mares Leg/Ranch Hand?

[Richard Simmons]

Finally decided to get one of these. Was in Sportsmans Warehouse and way two of the Rossi Ranch Hands on the wall and asked if either was 38/357? To my surprise one of them was. Every other time I've ever seen one it was either 44Mag or 45 Colt. This was the last one they had and it had a couple of little bitty dings, scratches on the stock right at the edge of the butt plate. Sticker was $449 but talked to the store manager got 5% off for the defects.

Unfortunately, not only was SW slammed but we have a gunshow in town as well so my background check was delayed. Clerk said about 1 in 3 have been getting delayed due to the volume and it could be 30 minutes or 3 hours. Told him I'd just stop back tomorrow and pick it up. Should be a fun little gun. Will post some pics tomorrow after I have it in hand.

[alismith]

Finally decided to get one of these. Was in Sportsmans Warehouse and way two of the Rossi Ranch Hands on the wall and asked if either was 38/357? To my surprise one of them was. Every other time I've ever seen one it was either 44Mag or 45 Colt. This was the last one they had and it had a couple of little bitty dings, scratches on the stock right at the edge of the butt plate. Sticker was $449 but talked to the store manager got 5% off for the defects.

Unfortunately, not only was SW slammed but we have a gunshow in town as well so my background check was delayed. Clerk said about 1 in 3 have been getting delayed due to the volume and it could be 30 minutes or 3 hours. Told him I'd just stop back tomorrow and pick it up. Should be a fun little gun. Will post some pics tomorrow after I have it in hand.

Congrats! Sounds like you made quite a deal on that. Will you be getting any leather for it?

My preference would have been the .45LC, but I'd "settle" for a .44 Mag.

Don't have anything that shoots .357 Mag.

Can't wait to see the pics.

[Richard Simmons]

Congrats! Sounds like you made quite a deal on that. Will you be getting any leather for it?

My preference would have been the .45LC, but I'd "settle" for a .44 Mag.

Don't have anything that shoots .357 Mag.

Can't wait to see the pics.

That was kind of my dilemma in reverse. I don't have anything in 45 Colt and though I do have a SuperBlackhawk in .44 Mag I almost never shoot it and have no ammo on hand in that caliber nor dies/components to reload it. I do however have a pretty good assortment of .38 and .357 firearms and ammo as well as a buttload of bullets, brass, etc. to reloading.

Hadn't thought yet about leather for it. I'd like to make up a sling of some sorts to use for offhand shooting but for the most part it'll either be a truck gun or maybe something to keep by the backdoor for varmints in the yard.

[abpt1]

I keep looking at them .....They look fun .

[Richard Simmons]

Didn't get the background check back until 4:30pm today. Just got back with the gun so pics will have to wait until tomorrow. I like it!

[Richard Simmons]

Well no pics today. Cold, rainy and overcast. Did carefully cycle some loads through it. Based on some Youtube videos I was expecting to have issues with some .357 loads and that is what happened. The ammo I have the most of is the American Eagle, 125gr JSP. Loaded fine but you have to giggle and mess with the lever to get it to chamber. Not sure why as a slight nudge with my finger and it will chamber fine. Some smearing on the exposed lead of the soft point so it is either a rough feed ramp, overall length of the cartridge or both. Too bad I have like 450rds of this stuff. For plinking and just messing around it will be fine and as the gun gets broke in the feeding issue might go away or lessen somewhat. Could always sent it back to Rossi, take it to a local smith or just try my hand and a little fluff and buff with my dremel.

The other load I tried was Winchester 38+P, 125gr JSP. Loads and feed fine. I've got some .357 125gr JHP as well as 158gr metal piercing but haven't dug those out yet to give them a try. I'm willing to bet that just about any .38 Special load will feed fine and as will any .357 that has a FMJ or as little exposed lead as possible. For plinking and such I think it will be a great little fun gun. Also thinking that my youngest granddaughter, 6 yo could just about shoulder it so I might see how she does with it. At 4 pounds I bet it has zero recoil, especially with 38 special target loads.

Not sure if it's worth the cost to SBR this but you can pick up a full length, unfinished buttstock for like $75 or on ebay they have factory 2nds, also unfinished for around $50. Not the coolest SBR but with the price of the gun, ($425), new stock (say $75 for a factory 2nd that I finish myself) and ($200 for the stamp) it might be one of the cheaper ways to go. If you SBR it can you go back to the original stock and return it to a handgun or would you always have to have the rifle stock on it?

[Viking350]

How does giggling like a little girl help chamber the round?

[Richard Simmons]

How does giggling like a little girl help chamber the round?

That kind of giggling will get a round in the chamber every time. Actually I should have typed jiggling not giggling.

[Viking350]

That kind of giggling will get a round in the chamber every time. Actually I should have typed jiggling not giggling.

Sorry man, I just couldn't resist! Merry Christmas!

[Richard Simmons]

Sorry man, I just couldn't resist! Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you too.

[Richard Simmons]

FYI.

Winchester 110gr, .357 Mag JHP feed perfectly. Not a hitch at all with these so the less exposed lead the better at least in this caliber. From what I've read the 45Colt and 44Mag versions seem to feed everything regardless of the bullet profile. I bet these 110gr loads will be moving pretty good out of the 12" barrel. The metal piercing rounds I have say they are rate at 1500fps, that's for a 158gr bullet. Don't know what barrel length they were using to get that fps but I'd like to try a few in this Ranch Hand and see what they do. Was thinking about shooting a section of railroad rail and see if they will penetrate the web of the rail.

[Schuetzenman]

Stay well back, like 55 to 60 yards back to avoid bullet splash back.

[5.56NATO]

Cowboy M4s.