Henry Bear's Leg lever-action pistol
Henry Repeating Arms introduces the Bear's Leg lever-action pistol, featuring a solid polymer furniture set and available in .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .30-30 Winchester and .45-70 Government
Henry Bear's Leg lever-action pistol
Officially announced on the US market by Henry Repeating Arms on April 9, the Bear's Leg is the latest upgraded variant of the "Mare's Leg" large-size pistol concept based on a Winchester 1892 action first manufactured as a custom weapon for actor Steve McQueen to use in his role as bounty hunter Josh Randall in the late 1950s TV series "Wanted - Dead or alive".
The Mare's Leg lever-action concept rapidly arose to pop icon status, and to this day it remains a very sought-after gun among gun enthusiasts and recreational shooters; numerous brands, in the United States and in Europe, to this day manufacture more or less modernized Mare's Leg clones.
Among those is Henry, which has been offering Mare's Leg type centerfire and rimfire pistols for a while now; the new Bear's Leg is a vastly upgraded variant of the design, chiefly designed as a target shooting pistol and as a defensive firearm for hikers, campers and ranchers to protect themselves against aggressive predators in the great outdoors of North America.
Henry Bear's Leg lever-action pistol – right side
The Henry Repeating Arms Bear's Leg lever-action pistol is built around a blued steel receiver, with a side ejection window and loading port, and features a blued steel, round-profile 35 cm / 13.8" barrel with a 5/8x24 thread at the muzzle for sound suppressors, muzzle brakes, flash hiders, or compensators.
The ergonomic-profile, slip-proof black polymer handguard features a M-LOK slot on each side and a short Picatinny rail segment at the front bottom, allowing easy installation of modern accessories.
The horizontal grip is also manufactured out of black polymer; the receiver extension is already configured for its replacement with a stock (in compliance with all local laws and regulations).
In terms of sights, the Henry Bear's Leg pistol features a green fiber optic front sight and a fully-adjustable, semi-Buckhorn red fiber optic rear sight with diamond insert; additionally, the receiver is drilled and tapped for Weaver 63B or Henry Big Boy scope mounts depending on the variant.
The Bear's Leg is available in four calibers: .357 Magnum, also compatible with .38 Special; .44 Magnum, also compatible with .44 Special; .45-70 Government; and .30-30 Winchester.
The magazine tube will hold four rounds of .38/.357 or .44 caliber ammunition and three rounds of .45-70 or .30-30 ammunition, plus one round in chamber.
All variants are extremely compact at 637 mm / 25.1" in overall length; weight ranges between 2,6 and 2,9 kilograms (5.75 to 6.59 lbs.) when empty, depending on the variant.
Additionally, all models come with a single-action trigger and a transfer bar that prevents the hammer from impacting on the firing pin unless the trigger is fully pulled, for additional peace of mind when carrying a chambered round or manually uncocking the hammer.
Shooters and outdoorsmen looking for an approachable, highly versatile setup will find that the Henry Bear's Leg pistols offer reduced recoil, faster follow-up shots, and broad all-around practicality for use on the property, in the truck, at camp, or on the range.
Manufacturer's suggested retail price on the US market is set at $1,129.00. For further information, visit the official Henry Repeating Arms website.