canoeguy
US Veteran
About six months ago, I picked up a Rossi "Ranch Hand" lever action handgun, .357 caliber, lever action made famous by Steve Mcqueen in "Wanted, dead or alive". Steve Mcqueen played bounty hunter Josh Randall who used a cut down Winchester 1892 called a "Mares Leg". Of course the Mare's Leg was a Holly wood made for TV prop, but it has been re-introduced by Rossi in .357 and .44 Magnum caliber, as well as Henry in .22 and centerfire calibers. It has a 12" barrel, large loop lever, hammer half cock notch safety and a weird "Lawyer" firing pin block safety on top of the action that is largely useless. The hammer half cock notch safety is sufficient.
When I got it six months ago, I was a little (read that a whole lot) disappointed with it on my first range visit, it shot way high, like 12" at 25 yards, off the map at 50 yards. The gun was unusable with the issue sights. I contacted Rossi, they told me they would give me a taller front sight so it would shoot to point of aim. Months passed. I contacted them again and they told me they were working on a fix, machinist's in Brazil were making a taller front sight that should be shipped to the States at the end of August, 2014, and I would get a new front sight shortly thereafter.
Not full of confidence, I contacted Steves Gunz, a Rossi M92 specialist, he recommended changing out the rear sight with his low mount rear sight, he specifically recommended against changing out the front sight. I bought the Steves Gunz low mount rear sight, and it fixed the problem. The Ranch Hand now shoots dead on at 25 yards, and about 4" high at 50 yards. I can now hit a soda can every time at 25 yards, and an 8" swinging steel target from 50 to 100 yards.
The "Mares Leg" Ranch Hand has a lot of cool factor, but "Cool" isn't worth "Doodley Squat" as Granny says in "Outlaw Josey Wales" if the gun doesn't shoot good. It now shoots good thanks to Steves Gunz.
I bought the Ranch Hand to serve as a utility weapon or truck gun, here in Virginia you can't carry a loaded long gun in a vehicle, not so with a handgun. In this role, I think the Ranch Hand will shine, the more I shoot it, the more I like it. My best efforts have resulted in 2" groups at fifty yards, shot from a seated position with the Ranch Hand rested on my knees. This beats revolver accuracy by a wide margin, at fifty yards the best I can expect from a conventional revolver is maybe hitting a man sized target. The ammo I have been using is hand loads, 158 grain cast lead flat points from Missouri Bullet company, loaded with enough Unique to give 1000 FPS.
Rabbit season starts in October, I'll post a hunting report then. I will also load up some 158 grain jacketed ammo in case I jump a deer....
Hers' some pics of the Ranch Hand, and a Voodoo Tactical "Breachers Scabbard" made for short barreled shotguns but fits the Ranch Hand perfectly:
When I got it six months ago, I was a little (read that a whole lot) disappointed with it on my first range visit, it shot way high, like 12" at 25 yards, off the map at 50 yards. The gun was unusable with the issue sights. I contacted Rossi, they told me they would give me a taller front sight so it would shoot to point of aim. Months passed. I contacted them again and they told me they were working on a fix, machinist's in Brazil were making a taller front sight that should be shipped to the States at the end of August, 2014, and I would get a new front sight shortly thereafter.
Not full of confidence, I contacted Steves Gunz, a Rossi M92 specialist, he recommended changing out the rear sight with his low mount rear sight, he specifically recommended against changing out the front sight. I bought the Steves Gunz low mount rear sight, and it fixed the problem. The Ranch Hand now shoots dead on at 25 yards, and about 4" high at 50 yards. I can now hit a soda can every time at 25 yards, and an 8" swinging steel target from 50 to 100 yards.
The "Mares Leg" Ranch Hand has a lot of cool factor, but "Cool" isn't worth "Doodley Squat" as Granny says in "Outlaw Josey Wales" if the gun doesn't shoot good. It now shoots good thanks to Steves Gunz.
I bought the Ranch Hand to serve as a utility weapon or truck gun, here in Virginia you can't carry a loaded long gun in a vehicle, not so with a handgun. In this role, I think the Ranch Hand will shine, the more I shoot it, the more I like it. My best efforts have resulted in 2" groups at fifty yards, shot from a seated position with the Ranch Hand rested on my knees. This beats revolver accuracy by a wide margin, at fifty yards the best I can expect from a conventional revolver is maybe hitting a man sized target. The ammo I have been using is hand loads, 158 grain cast lead flat points from Missouri Bullet company, loaded with enough Unique to give 1000 FPS.
Rabbit season starts in October, I'll post a hunting report then. I will also load up some 158 grain jacketed ammo in case I jump a deer....
Hers' some pics of the Ranch Hand, and a Voodoo Tactical "Breachers Scabbard" made for short barreled shotguns but fits the Ranch Hand perfectly:
