Rossi Rifleman

How do you fellas who own one of these mares leg shoot it? Do you hold like a pistol or like Steve McQueen did in 'Wanted Dead or Alive" and how accurate is the gun shooting it this way?

The best way I've found to shoot it is like it was a regular rifle, bringing it up so I get a regular cheek weld. The obvious difference of course is the buttplate is sort of floating in the air, but it's surprisingly steady with the three points of contact- (cheek and both hands). It may not work that way for everyone, but standing and shooting this way gives me groups at least as well as shooting pistol style but sitting with my elbows rested.

I tuck the stub (truncated butt stock) which has a really thick cushion nylon pile booty on it under my chin for a rock solid hold and use the long eye relief pistol scope to sight the target.
The scope is mounted with Warne QD mounts and can be dismounted in seconds and remounted with uncanny return to zero consistency.
The gun is a Chiappa Takedown model Mare's Leg in 44 Mag which breaks down into 3 pieces and can be stored in a business sized briefcase.
Quite accurate with the Hornady 225 grain FTX LeveRevolution ammo.

Barry in IN wrote:The best way I've found to shoot it is like it was a regular rifle, bringing it up so I get a regular cheek weld. The obvious difference of course is the buttplate is sort of floating in the air, but it's surprisingly steady with the three points of contact- (cheek and both hands). It may not work that way for everyone, but standing and shooting this way gives me groups at least as well as shooting pistol style but sitting with my elbows rested.

I shoot mine the same way. Wouldn't want to do it with magnum loads though as your thumb will hit your nose with the increased recoil. With my .44 special +p loads it works fine.

double post!

I guess I was remiss in not mentioning the thumb to the nose thing, especially since I had that little epiphany upon the first magnum round fired that way.

I do need to adjust a thing or two when shooting heavier loads that way. I don't curl my trigger hand's thumb over the stock- it gets laid alongside the grip pointing toward the muzzle. This may seem unusual to some, but it's a standard teaching point in the fensive shotgun classes I've had, for the same reason- to keep from picking yourself in the nose due to a short stock. I've never shot Cowboy Action, but it wouldn't surprise me if they did the same thing, but for speed.
The other change is gripping the forend really hard to keep it from coming back, or at least slow it down. I wouldn't do it, but a swell on the forward end of the forend might help here too, acting as a hand stop.

I put a nylon pile boot over the stub when shooting heavy 44 Mag loads.
Otherwise that thing hits harder than Mike Tyson.
With the nylon boot I don't feel a thing.