Wanted: Dead or Alive was a half-hour Western television show which ran from 1958-1961. It starred Steve McQueen as the bounty hunter Josh Randall. The character was noted for wielding a modified Winchester 1892 .44-40 lever-action rifle called the "Mare's leg". With a reduced stock and a barrel cut down to less than a foot long, Randall could carry it holstered on his hip. It was his signature piece, and now gunmaker Rossi is selling it in .44 magnum, .45 Colt, and .38 special/.357 mangum.
Of this design, Tamara Keel writes:
When I was younger, I used to think cut-down lever guns, a la Steve McQueen's "Mare's Leg" were just the coolest thing ever.
Now that I am older and actually know a little bit about firearms, I think they make about as much sense as a kickstand on a tank.
They still look cool though, and, y'know... Firefly.
It probably wouldn't hurt their sales for Rossi to come out with a Firefly special edition.
Link via View from the Porch | Image: CBS
UPDATE 5/26/11: In the comments, LeeMajors points out that there's another Mare's Leg made by Henry Repeating Arms.
http://www.legacysports.com/products/puma_BH-M87.html
given that it's designed to fire offhand and not from the shoulder, i don't know that the .44Mag version would be very pleasant to shoot!
given Rossi's occasionally spotty quality over the years, i'd much rather go with the Puma...but that Henry .22 looks like it would probably be the most fun!
It's being made by an American company in 22lr, which makes more sense from a cost and recoil perspective.
But...
He's posing like some kind of high fashion runway model not a bounty hunter! LOL!