Well let's see how the story unfolds here... See me and ol' Steve McQueen could not get those big 45-70 rounds to fit our Mare's Leg shooters no matter how hard we tried and hoped that any
troublemakers would get scared off from seeing them in our ammo belt. Tired of it I went searching for a 45-70 Mare's Leg or better call it a Mules Leg when you shoot it!
Everyone told me oh it will fly out your hand and hit you or you couldn't hit the inside of a barn with it if I was in it. Rossi and Henry the makers of such would not think of such a large caliber in the little cut down rifles. Well I said I will do it with the new Rossi R 95 Trapper with 16 inch barrel.
So here we are with the rough cut stock and some of my 45-70 loads to see what all the fear is about. First load was my mild for 45-70 405 gr RNFP loaded over 13 gr. Unique and the round has been clocked at 1100 FPS out of 18 inch barrel Marlin 1895.
Get myself planted and using a push pull type grip pull the trigger....not bad at all and a decent group to the upper left of target. I had stolen the ghost ring sight I made for my 1895 Marlin GS and it luckily slip right in the new Rossi dovetail cut and make for quick getting on target. Not bad at all and I moved it over a touch to center it. Target distance was a modest 12 yds. as this thing I call the Mule's Leg is for shorter distance and did not know where it would hit. Plinking the steel was downright FUN!
Now lets try a hotter load like my same 405 bullet but with 40 gr. of the good IMR 3031 powder. Watch out Forty it might kick ya!!!!
Big boom and still holding that Mule Leg as it rises up...just roll with it....beautiful and fired off 3 of those rounds hitting where one of the previous rounds had hit before. WOW look at that ragged 3 shot slotted hole!!!
I like that round and it lets you experience a controlled kick of the Mule. Fired of several more of those for a total of 25 shots of 45-70 that most everyone has feared coming out of a sawed off pistol grip carbine.
Check out the video to see if I survived the recoil https://youtu.be/f9YxzF30eK4?si=-yAR2SPaiLSNnYM4
Now to be more correct of a short Mare's Leg type gun a 13 inch barrel length would be perfect and allow 4 rounds in the shorter mag tube. However will 3.5 inch off the now 16.5 barrel affect accuracy...I don't know. Is it worth the 200 buck tax stamp to do that....Might be if it still shoots as well and really look the part!
Well I'm still here breathing and able to hit the keyboard with all my fingers in place and no black eye or stiches in face so I give the project a big thumbs up success! So yes easy for me to hit what I aim at with that big ol' Mules Leg. Now to finish up the stock!
Don't fear the Mule's Leg 45-70...just respect it!
