44 Carbine at the range the other day

[ArmedinAZ]

Couple of guys came in the range with a 44 Carbine they just picked up. It wouldn't cycle one of the ammos they tried but a different one worked fine. One of them said the former owner said he had to shoot magnum loads only. Neat gun, supersized 10/22 ! :D I got my '76 10/22 out of the case to show them it's little brother.

Anyone have one of these?

 

[Kanook]

High powered jacketed only is correct. Had mine for 3 or 4 years before I found that out.

 

[Arky]

I think I remember that one of the ammo manufacturers loaded a separate ammo for the Ruger rifle. I think it was the early 80's.

 

[Eaglestroker]

I found one last weekend and can't get it off my mind. Its a very clean 200th anniverary rifle. Wonder if it would feed a hot 44 Special?

 

[wwb]

........ Wonder if it would feed a hot 44 Special?

Very unlikely. A cursory look at the way the action functions would make one suspect that it would be very sensitive to OAL. Also, unless that .44 Spl is loaded right up to .44 Mag pressures, the action won't cycle reliably, if at all.

Why not just use it as intended, and feed it 240 grain .44 Mag ammunition?

 

[TDF]

Have had two of them. One with the factory receiver sight. A handier woods rifle has never been made. Both functioned flawlessly with full power ammunition. Both worked flawlessly with 300gr XTP handloads as well. Which was my preferred deer load. Took a buck with each of them.

TDF

 

[Eaglestroker]

........ Wonder if it would feed a hot 44 Special?

Very unlikely. A cursory look at the way the action functions would make one suspect that it would be very sensitive to OAL. Also, unless that .44 Spl is loaded right up to .44 Mag pressures, the action won't cycle reliably, if at all.

Why not just use it as intended, and feed it 240 grain .44 Mag ammunition?

I only own 44 specials, reload for them, and have ammo for them. I guess a lever would be better suited to my wants.

 

[wwb]

I only own 44 specials, reload for them, and have ammo for them. I guess a lever would be better suited to my wants.

If you load for .44 Spl, all you need is the brass and a suitable powder (I personally like 2400) for .44 Mag..... same dies, unless you have a set that's shorter and only good for .44 Spl.

 

[dano03]

I have had a Ruger Deerfield for a few years. I have had no issues with it. Really like the handy size ! I also have an older 10/22; a '68 model.

 

[cruzerlou]

My Cria 1965 shoots Winchester white box 240gr S.JH.P./S.J S.P., just fine and it's very accurate with my pet .44 mag hand load , a 240 gr X.P.T. H.P. over 23.5 grs of H-110 .This load shoots very well out of my 7 1/2 " SBH and my 6"S&W M29-2 also .Got lucky on this load I guess all three guns like it .
That little carbine is my go to tight woods deer rifle .It'll knock the snot out of a 200+ pound deer out to 150 yards .I've never had one go more than about 30 yards, and only two haven't drooped right in their tracks .
That thing hits like a mack truck with that handload .With that bullet/powder combo it turns every thing in the chest cavity into jello.
One time it blew a whole lung out of the exit hole at around 70 yards.
All you gotta do id cut them open and let the chest drain out .
Makes field dressing easy and quick .
Lou

 

[don44]

My Cria 1965 shoots Winchester white box 240gr S.JH.P./S.J S.P., just fine and it's very accurate with my pet .44 mag hand load , a 240 gr X.P.T. H.P. over 23.5 grs of H-110 .This load shoots very well out of my 7 1/2 " SBH and my 6"S&W M29-2 also .Got lucky on this load I guess all three guns like it .
That little carbine is my go to tight woods deer rifle .It'll knock the snot out of a 200+ pound deer out to 150 yards .I've never had one go more than about 30 yards, and only two haven't drooped right in their tracks .
That thing hits like a mack truck with that handload .With that bullet/powder combo it turns every thing in the chest cavity into jello.
One time it blew a whole lung out of the exit hole at around 70 yards.
All you gotta do id cut them open and let the chest drain out .
Makes field dressing easy and quick .
Lou

That's good.... I have had pretty much the same results. :)

 

[VA Shooter]

What would one of these cost in fair condition? I saw one at a LGS for $500

 

[wwb]

What would one of these cost in fair condition? I saw one at a LGS for $500

Need a better description of the model (Deerstalker, Carbine, Deluxe Carbine, or International) and the condition before I can decide if $500 is a steal, an honest price, or a ripoff.

"Fair condition" isn't very descriptive.

 

[rangerbob]

The Ruger carbine appeared about 1961 when the only ammo was the W-W Lubaloy 240 grain copper coated lead bullet load and the 240 grain lead SWC from R-P, both revolver ammo. I think that R-P came out with their 240 grain semi-jacketed HP to meet the demand for the Ruger 44 carbine. W-W followed shortly with their 240 JHP. All of the reloading manuals of the period recommend only jacked bullet loads for the Ruger, due to cast or swaged lead bullets fouling the gas system. Today, one of the Ruger's loaded current jacketed ammo or equivelent handloads should work quite well for it's intended purpose. Bob! 8)

 

[cruzerlou]

VA Shooter,
There gettin kind of hard to find around here in Va .I would think that $500.00 would be a fair price for a standard carbine in 90% or better .The International are the rarest of them all and bring a preinium and the deluxe's and in the middle .A International should go for quite a bit more than a standard in the same condition,some where around 800-1000 for 90% or better .Then there weather or not it has factory peep sights on it those bring the price up a bit .
Lou

 

[MYBABYISA44MAG]

My Lil girl is a snot knocker for sure...lots of rounds thru her, deadly accurate, and lots of dead deer...all with big holes lol....she be a bad little girl with a big bite ha ha.

 

[VA Shooter]

Thanks LOU

 

[cruzerlou]

You bet Va .If your interested in one I'll have the bosses wife see if she can find you a nice one .She's a wiz at finding guns ,just let me know and I'll get her right on it.She'll find you a nice one too not a beater and at a fair price .
Your Friend,
lou

 

[sigp220.45]

Lately all I've been able to find is 180 grain factory ammo, and that's been working just fine in mine.

 

[cruzerlou]

The'll shoot the factory 180 too,but the twist rate is for the 240 gr bullets and between the 180,240 and 300 gr bullets the 240 seem to be the most accurate again just because that is what it was designed to shoot .Nothing says you can't shoot 180 or 300's out of them .As long as your happy with the groups your getting make you happy then go for it .Stay Away from non jacketed loads though the lead fouling will clough up the gas ports in the bbl of your gun .
Lou
lou

 

[mohavesam]

Remember the 44 Rifle (as the Deerstalker) was the FIRST rifle Ruger ever produced! The manual specifies ONLY 240gr Jacketed (factory-pressure) ammo.
That is quickly understood by anyone who has tried to outsmart the engineers with lead or low-pressure rounds. They get a fast trip to the "What a major pain it is to clean this gas system" classroom. ;) Operated per factory instructions, it was and remains a great woods gun and capable venison machine.

We had a 44 rifle "carbine" as an outhouse gun for years in bear camp in the dark Adirondacks of northern NYS. Headed to the two-holer day or night, the Ruger was very comforting. Did I mention 50# porkys in the black of night? I've owned international and finger-groove stocked 44's and wish I'd kept every one!

The 10/22 was modeled after the 44 Rifle some 3 years later, as a cheap-to-shoot understudy.

 

[ElToro]

mine only runs on 240 JSP. i dont reload yet so havnt tried that angle. but i do know it wont cycle the 180 grn remington green box stuff available at wally.

of the 240 stuff it likes its dead accurate with the little leupold m8 fixed 3 power. put the cross hairs on your target within range and its done.