Here in Canada the Ranch Hands are classified as rifles. This makes them shortest legal bear protection outside of spray.

So I bought one. I find it's about as handy as a fence post to shoot but very compact to carry. The sight "regulation" is also about a foot high at 100 yards. I am going to get a 1/10th inch taller front sight and have ordered a full stock from Texas. I think as a 29" carbine this little fellow has some promise and will make a great caribou gun for my 10 year old son!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii9wfn8Q4sc&list=UUMrvqN2-Jr7OAnV0ceWlkmw&index=1

Part One = Pre-Stock Ranch Hand

I'd buy one IF I could legally replace the butt stock with a full length one.

This is NOT an option in the USA.

Virgil B.

I have read you can replace the stock for a 200.00 certification fee in the USA. Weird laws in both our countries I am afraid.

Yep, make it a short-barreled rifle.

Tell me more please about getting a stock " upgrade". Wife bought me a ranch hand in 44 mag and we both mentioned the same thing. A nice SBR.

You have to fill out a form and submit 200 dollars to the gubmint, wait forever, and when they send you a stamp, you can install the stock.

It's the same process as involved with silencers and full-autos. For a small fee, you are allowed to own weapons outlawed by the National Firearms act of 1934.

A couple of my friends have applied for and gotten permits for silencers.

Really? Right now it's considered a pistol and that's fine. I want to adda stock to make it more shoot able, also harder to hide and less concealable and I have to pay 200 and ask permission? Frick em

Yea, because if you add the stock, it becomes a short barreled rifle due to the barrel being under 16".

Oh, the paying 200 dollars and asking permission is just the start. You have to have the stamp with you anytime you take the weapon out, and if I'm correct, subjects you to less protection against search and stuff like that.

I kinda go along with your last sentence.

In Canada it is considered a carbine to start with so I can just add the stock. If I had to keep it as a mares-leg I think 357 would be a better choice as it would be easier to shoot with a cheek weld.

Set up a trust and include your family and anyone listed can be in possession of it. Make copies of the stamped paperwork and stick it in your wallet. You do not give up any rights.

Couldn't wait for my stock to get here so I spliced on a piece of spruce to check the concept. Outstanding. 29.25" overall, still wonderfully compact and much easier to use. I'll replace this monstrosity when the walnut carbine stock gets here.

This little carbine is the most fun I have had for a while. The 20" Twist stabalizes 300 grain Sierra's nicely. 1.630 is a nice OAL for feeding and I added a cannelure from my Corbin tool to get the Sierra's at that length. H4227 gives 3" groups at 75 yards which is as well as I can manage with the wonderfully crude sights. I replaced the rear sight with one I took off my 1895 Win in .405 and it sits about 1/10th of an inch lower. Now on the money with a home made elevator. The Big 300 grain bullets have low muzzle blast and the recoil is more of a push than a slap so quite fun to shoot. hey seem to hit hard though. Lots of fun!

Here it is to scale.



I'll replace the rear stock (and it's Spruce extension)with replacement walnut, when I inlet it to fit and get a recoil pad on it. So far the 2x4 extension works very well however.

I've often said if we could take the best Canada has to offer and the best the USA has to offer and make up our own country it would be quite a country.

Well we are not out of the woods here in Canada yet, and likely never will be. Still lots of social engineering & gun-control forces left up here. We won a battle with the Registry. We will see how the war goes.

Good luck to my American friends. Your system of checks and balances protect you from hasty Federal action but if you ever do go down a dark road the same checks might make it harder to change back. Interesting times.

You are right about that. Getting laws passed is easy getting them repealed is near impossible.

So since Canada considers it a carbine and the US considers it a pistol, could I drive through Canada with it? I know it's still a pistol cartridge but......

I see the utility in Canada, but cannot understand the attraction in the US. It is neither fish nor fowl.

Its a very small group in the us that would actually have "need" for one. One i can think of is bush pilots. A compact survival gun ( required by law to have) that gives the extra bbl length over a standard pistol but yet small.

Me, its just a fun gun and i cant wait to knock over a deer with it.

I have been thru BC many times, with firearms. I have never had any problems, as long as I abide by thier guidelines, and pay my fee per firearm, fill out the paper work. Crossing back into the U.S. is the problem!
Our azzes have to check to make sure you are not a felon, then they have to take at least a hour to run the serial #s on our guns. A real pain in the hinney!

Cool vid.

Here's what I took from it. It's a handy little carbine, IF you immediately replace and improve key features. And it functions well, IF you work the action in a VERY specific manner.

So in short, as shipped, it's a POS.

But seriously, I like the video. Thanks for doing that. I was considering one of these and have decided to pass.

I have friends in states where it is illegal to carry a loaded rifle in your vehicle and they have bought these. With concealed carry permits they can carry a loaded pistol and this qualifies. Great truck gun in those states!

Well maybe not a POS but not as well done as it could be. If you are reasonably assertive in cycling it never jams. If you cycle it at just the wrong speed it sometimes does. Good to know and I can work with that. If you like fooling around with guns buying perfection is a bit boring. Buying a C.D. on tuning actions and will get to play with the feeding next. FUN!

Part two of the video is here. Part three will be at the range.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgD6O6-euX4&list=UUMrvqN2-Jr7OAnV0ceWlkmw&index=1

Haven't had the chance to watch part two. But I will. Just out of curiosity really.

I get what you're saying, but when I purchase a firearm, I expect it to function as advertised.

Well, that would be nice. Just tested my 3 other levers, a 99 in 284, a Marlin in 450 and a Japanese 1895 in 405. All feed fast, or slow and even upside down. None weigh 4.5 pounds and come in at 29" long. Worth a bit of fiddle to me.