Henry Mare's Leg .357 Magnum Lever Action

About this product

The Henry Mare's Leg is a lever-action pistol — a shortened version of Henry's Big Boy rifle action, built with a 12.9-inch barrel and a stub buttstock instead of a full-length stock, chambered in .357 Magnum and .38 Special. It's the style popularized on television as a saddle-carried, quick-handling lever gun, and because it leaves the factory built and configured as a handgun, it isn't classified or regulated as a short-barreled rifle — it transfers through your FFL dealer as a pistol.

What is it used for?

It's a range and collector piece more than a practical defensive handgun — the lever action and long sight radius relative to a typical pistol make it a fun, distinctive shooter for .357 Magnum and .38 Special, and its television-famous silhouette draws collectors who want a Henry lever gun in a compact, handgun-legal format. The brass receiver, walnut furniture, and octagonal barrel are shared with Henry's full-size Big Boy Classic rifle, so it carries the same build quality and finish in a shortened package.

How does it compare to the full-size Big Boy?

Mechanically it's the same lever-action system, same brass receiver, same walnut and octagonal barrel styling as the Big Boy Classic — what's different is the 12.9-inch barrel and stub buttstock in place of a rifle-length barrel and full stock. That shorter format is what makes it a pistol rather than a rifle in the eyes of the law, and it's also what gives up the longer sight radius and stock support you'd get from the full-size gun.

What's it chambered in?

.357 Magnum and .38 Special, interchangeably, with a 5-round capacity on .357 Magnum and 6 rounds on .38 Special in the tubular magazine. That dual-caliber flexibility is standard for Henry's .357 lever guns — you can practice with cheaper .38 Special and carry or hunt with full-power .357 Magnum through the same gun.

Who is this not for?

If you're looking for a practical concealed-carry handgun, this isn't it — it's long, distinctive, and built for range use and collecting rather than discreet carry. It's also not the right pick if you want a rifle-length sight radius and shoulder stock, since the whole point of this configuration is the shortened, pistol-legal format. And if recoil management matters to you more than novelty, a standard-frame revolver in the same chambering will generally be easier to shoot fast and accurately than a lever gun held at arm's length.

Does it work in California?

It transfers as a handgun through your FFL dealer, which means California's handgun roster rules apply — confirm roster status with your dealer before ordering, since not every handgun model and configuration clears the state's approved list. Standard California handgun purchase rules also apply: the 10-day wait, DROS, and Firearm Safety Certificate. See California gun laws for what to expect, and pair this with something like the CZ 83 if you're comparing other FFL-transfer handguns while you sort out roster questions.

Is it worth $772.49?

For Henry's build quality — brass receiver, walnut furniture, the same fit and finish as the Big Boy Classic — in a distinctive, dual-caliber handgun format, this is priced in line with what Henry lever guns generally run. It's a want, not a need, purchase — buy it because you want the Mare's Leg specifically, not as a general-purpose defensive handgun.