A Field Handgun For Canadians

[Airdale]

I've been toying with the idea of getting a Rossi Ranch Hand in .44 Mag lately, and while researching it found out that while BATFE considers it a pistol, Canadian authorities classify it as a carbine (you can even replace the hand grip with a carbine stock north of the border, go figure).

 

 

Admittedly, at four pounds empty and 24" it's only a compact for those on the upper end of the human size bell curve, but with a stout gun belt it can be worn in a holster (Steve McQueen did it for three seasons of "Wanted, Dead or Alive"). It appears a couple of inches could be shaved off of the hand grip without affecting handling, though you would have to make a new grip cap, I'm thinking brass would look nice. It holds six rounds of .44 Mag in the tubular magazine, but the side loading port allows topping off without much of a slow down, and it has a tang mounted safety so a round in the spout would not be out of the question.

 

My thought is, for 25 to 50 yard shooting, attach a green laser like this Sightmark LoPro Green Combat Laser Sight mounted vertically beside the barrel and magazine tube. Maybe dress it up with some brass paint for a steampunk look.

 

 

If you fixed up a bit of a hand guard on top of the barrel near the front of the fore end and attached the laser switch, it should be possible to fire from the hip with fair accuracy, keeping down pressure on the barrel to control muzzle rise.

 

There are a couple of other entries in this field, the Henry Mare's Leg is one. Henry makes fine firearms; the only drawback to my mind (if you discount the $975.00 for centerfires) is the lack of a side loading gate. For plinking it wouldn't matter, but if things dropped in the pot, being able to top off the magazine without taking the weapon out of action could make a difference.

 

Chiappa Firearms also makes a Mare's Leg with a side loading gate, not sure of pricing but it seems substantially higher than the Rossi.

 

Does anyone have any experience with any of these on either side of the border?

 

 

 

 

[MagniAesir]

I own the Ranch Hand in 44 magnum

I am not a fan of how you have to hold it to shoot it

in fact I just order a full stock for it today, with the stock I am hoping it makes a good quad/hiking rifle

They are notorious for shooting 8 or 10 inches high at 25 yards, most people end up buying a taller front site. I will be doing that next, if I like how it handles with a full stock

I only tried my leather holster once in the field

The Rossi Rifleman'so forum has a lot of information on them as does Steve'S Gunz

[Airdale]

Thanks for the heads up on the forums Mag. I've seen comments about the front sight issue and agree holding one as if there is an imaginary stock looks cumbersome. One of my reasons for looking into it is that my arthritis and fibromyalgia make shooting conventional magnum handguns out of the question these days. That also drove the idea of using a laser sight and developing a hip shooting technique with my upper body controlling muzzle rise. Hopefully that, combined with the extra heft of the piece will allow me to enjoy shooting it without further joint damage. 

 

The second reason I'm intrigued with it is as a project gun; I enjoy working on my firearms about as much as shooting them, so slicking up the action, installing custom springs and otherwise personalizing one of those appeals to me. Also, I've never owned a lever gun so it would be challenging.

[MagniAesir]

Of course the stock I went to order is out of stock lol

Edited March 19, 2016 by MagniAesir

[norseman]

http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/862751/precision-gun-works-buttstock-winchester-1892-1894-straight-grip-crescent-butt-walnut-unfinished

[Yuchi1]

Having owned a Rossi rifle several years ago that had two (2) failures within three (3) rounds being fired, sent it back to the factory and immediately sold it afterwards.  IMO, major piece of junk.

 

ETA: Spend the extra money and get a Marlin 1895 guide gun in .45-70 and you will be miles ahead.

Edited March 19, 2016 by Yuchi1

[MagniAesir]

http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/862751/precision-gun-works-buttstock-winchester-1892-1894-straight-grip-crescent-butt-walnut-unfinished

The problem is Norse that a lot of the USA distributors won't ship to Canada due to state department rules

And those that do ship to Canada make you PAY for the privilege

it is illegal for me to ship it to my Washington post box and bring it to Canada because of the US state department laws

I do have a local supplier but he is expensive

As far as I know Yuchi you cannot get a Marlin in ranch hand or mares leg style

Here in Canada it would be illegal for me to take a guide gun and cut the barrel and stock down to a mare's leg

It can only be done by a manufacturer

Also I doubt the op could comfortably fire a 45/70 in the manner he describes

Edited March 20, 2016 by MagniAesir

[Airdale]

^^^ You got that last right Mag. The only 45/70 I've fired is the Model 1894 Trapdoor Springfield that my father-in-law gifted me this last Christmas before passing away in February at 85 of COPD. That beast hung over his front door for a lot longer than the 40 years I knew him. If I wanted to carry a rifle it would be my Springfield Armory M1-A Socom 16; with that I can empty a 20 round mag of 150 Gr. in under ten seconds and without battering my (so far) arthritis free shoulder black and blue.

 

Also, thanks for the links above. I believe I watched the first one already but will check them both out.

Edited March 20, 2016 by Airdale

[MagniAesir]

One thought they do also come in 357 magnum and 45LC

If you hand load then you could shoot the relatively mild 45LC and then handload the 45 to 44 magnum levels

I have not tried 44 special in my gun

In fact BC Witness want to take mine out to play with

All my experience is with a friend's Ranch Hand in 44 magnum and it was as smooth as my winchester and marlins

The only 2 lever actions that I have in pistol calibers are my Ranch Hand and my Marlin 1894RC both are in 44 magnum

I also have lever actions in 30/30, 308win, 450 marlin

If I had to choose 1 for stopping power it would be the 450 marlin

If you can't view the thread below I suggest that you join the forum and look at a few of the photos on this thread

http://www.rossi-rifleman.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=4386&hilit=Ranch+hand

These are not my photos but are a few from the link above

Edited March 20, 2016 by MagniAesir

[Yuchi1]

Using a sawed off rifle (Rossi) or something that can loose off 20+ rounds in seconds may well make you a casualty if 1) you cannot aim/hit the target with any degree of accuracy and 2) are firing rounds in such succession that accuracy is also lost.

 

I can sling the 18" barreled Marlin 1895 Guide Gun either underarm or across the back and deploy it in seconds, dispatch a highly lethal round (e.g., Garrett Hammerhead) with necessary accuracy via the ghost ring sighting system. This rifle/cartridge setup has been proven capable of stopping the African Big Five thus validating the lethality of the .45-70 with hardcast, high meplat bullets.  The .44 magnum is woefully short in comparison and would be a distant second choice when critical stopping power is required.

 

There's a reason this combination is SOP with many Alaskan bush pilots.

[MagniAesir]

Please reread the op's reason for wanting a ranch hand on his second post

it has nothing to do with stopping power on dangerous game

Nobody but you is comparing the 2 cartridges

Edited March 20, 2016 by MagniAesir

[Yuchi1]

It (OP) has to do with accuracy and the Rossi fails miserably in that aspect.

[norseman]

I own a Rossi in 44 mag. I use it for cowboy action shooting and it has jammed just one time on me, because a mag screw backed out on me.

I do prefer the marlin action to the winchester action.

I think this would be the bomb, and his package can be done in a 1894 44 as well. Seems the guy is busy, but airdale might be able to drive up there and sweet talk him.

http://www.grizzlycustom.com/custom_lever_action_rifle_backpacker_scout_sbr_package.html

[PBeaton]

What about a Thompson Center Contender ?

[norseman]

Thats a break action single shot correct?