I went with 6”. It’s a large caliber, large frame revolver, which is more important than the barrel length.

 

Interesting. I always though hogleg had more to do with barrel length than caliber or frame size.

 

I went with 7" as a minimum. Why? Because that extra inch or so takes longer to clear leather than a 6" barrel or shorter.

 

I went with 7" because the original Colt Army Revolver had a 7-1/2" barrel and was chamber for the .45 Colt cartridge.

WYT-P
Skyhunter

 

Since Hoglegs are usually SAs, their day was the Old West, and 6-7 inches was the norm, I'd say 8. Wild Bill's Colt Navys were 7.5 inch, and I never knew them referred to as Hoglegs.

 

There is actually a definition in Webster’s Dictionary.

hogleg
noun


chiefly West
: a large single-action revolver of the type carried in the West by cowboys and frontiersmen

 

Don't get technical.

 

That's an awfully broad definition. Covers most all SAs. Most "cowboys and frontiersmen" didn't even carry handguns, regardless of what Hollywood thinks....

 

To add another twist NAA has a long barreled 22 Magnum called the Hogleg.

 

It's only a 6" barrel but I sure think it qualifies.

There's no doubt that the 12" 1858 Remington is a Hogleg. I used to think of Hoglegs as extra-long barrelled revolvers but I guess any big ole heavy sixgun would qualify. Well, maybe not those 5-1/2" Sheriffs. Those are almost snubbies.

 

My TC sports a 15” barrel………….that may be considered a horse leg though.

 

I have an 8" S&W 586 that smells like bacon .... does that count? ...

 

Ok, I will take the bait, why does it smell like bacon?

 

If you don't mind, I much prefer "Smokewagon."
To my thinking a "hogleg" would be any oversized "Smokewagon" that is awkward and hard to bring into action.
Like a Colt Walker.

 

I’ll go with my Virginia Dragoon, 44 magnum, 7 1/2” barrel as my personal hog leg.

 

Are you sure it's the gun?......

 

Hmmm? It could be my old leather shooting gloves ... they are getting a little crispy ...

 

The definition ... from Webster states : A large Single Action revolver of the type carried in the West by Cowboy's and Frontiersmen .

No mention as to caliber or barrel length ... I have been told a loy of Cowboy's , Desperado's , Lawmen and Frontiersmen ... were not SA Army Colt revolvers .

So I have no idea what a "Hogleg" is !
Gary

 

The only thing that makes it a "hogleg " is the guy flappin his lips.
Same with a Gat ,Roscoe or for that matter Snubby.
None of it is precision scientific terminology, just slang nicknames.
They tis what they tis.

 

Roscoe? Like roscoe p coaltrain? i never heard that one yet

 

Yeah, "Roscoe" is heard in a lot of old gangster movies and TV detective shows. Usually refers to a small revolver that someone has stashed on them ... their own personal weapon... sort of the "EDC" of the day. Hog leg, smoke wagon, etc ...seem to come from old western movies.

 

Mare’s leg? Is it referring to the same thing?

 

Hmmm?... ...I've always thought of a "Mare's Leg" as one of those shortened lever action rifles. They cut and shortened both the barrel and the stock. I remember seeing them in movies .... they made cool "saddle guns".

 

I consider this a Hogleg, 8&3/8 smith N frame 44 mag, I do not consider shorter ones I own the famous title.

Street howitzer..

Attitude adjuster...

 

In more recent years, handguns have been called burners, heaters, gats, bangers, scorchers, and pipes. If you want to go farther back, here's a good article on handgun nicknames.

18th and 19th Century Nicknames or Slang for Pistols (militaryheritage.com)

 

In "Wanted Dead Or Alive"....Josh Randall's Model 92 Mare's Leg. Chambered in .44-40, but the cartridges in his belt were .45-70. The producer thought the bigger cartridges looked better.

 

I think I saw this discussion somewhere else. This forum or another?
There was a reply that seemed pretty knowledgeable that the hog leg, smoke wagon, and some other slang for old west guns was all just Hollywood and the golden age of TV and movie westerns. Not at all based in real old west history.

I'm pretty sure I've seen an old western reference a sawed-off shotgun as a hog leg...maybe El Dorado? Like the shotgun pistol James Caan carried. Dang, now I'm going to have to watch that one again.

 

I forgot to point out that Randall's Mares Leg is wrong being a Winchester 92. The show took place in the 1870s.

 

Websters be damned, the Bisley (colt or ruger) cannot be a hogleg in any caliber

There, glad that's settled! 🤠

#%@*ing spelcheck

 

Huh?