44 Mag Carbines

[cjrug]

I have no experience with Ruger rifles or with any 44 mag rifle, but for some reason I have an urge to get a Ruger 44 mag semi-auto carbine. Several are presently available on various on-line auction sites for about $500 and up. Is the Ruger semi-auto carbine in this caliber reliable and durable? Does the mechanism need need frequent cleaning? Etc? Anything else a novice should know before buying one?

 

[hittman]

Yes, they are reliable and dependable.

Replacement parts are not available from Ruger.

Do NOT shoot lead bullets. FMJ only or you do risk damage and lots of cleaning.

A few have sold here recently I think. You might search Classifieds for more info or even put a "Want to Buy" ad there.

Here are some other threads discussing these classic Rugers.

http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=137660

http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=136978

http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=134685

 

[WASATCH CHARLIE]

AN ACCURATE EASY TO CARRY FIREARM. AS HITTMAN SAID,NO LEAD BULLETS,AS THEY WILL PLUG UP THE GAS PORT. BESIDES FMJ, YOU CAN SHOOT 1/2 JACKET BULLETS,SOME MAY GIVE YOU A LITTLE TROUBLE FEEDING. FLAT NOSE SOFT POINTS AND HOLLOW POINTS WORK GREAT.MY CARBINE IS A BRAND NEW 1962 TUBE FEED, THEREFORE I NEED FLATNOSE ROUNDS. IF YOU HAVE A NEWER ROTO-CLIP, THAT FLATNOSE IS NOT A CONCERN. GETTING HARDER TO FIND AND PRICES ARE RISING. THEY ARE WORTH WHATEVER YOU WILL PAY.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Besides the Ruger 44 Carbines there is the Ruger Deerfield. It is the more modern design for 44 the carbine that has only been out of production for a few years. Parts for the Deerfield are more available. The mechanism is roughly based on the Mini-14 design. I own a Deerfield and they are fun rifles to load for and to shoot. They are great companions for any 44 magnum revolver. They are a little picky about ammo as it takes a certain load to cycle the gun reliably. No lead bullets.

44 Carbine:

44 Deerfield:

 

[hittman]

Oh, and don't forget there is the 96/44 that looks very much like the Carbine and Deerstalker but is lever action.

 

[mike28w]

I really like mine ! Accurate and reliable. Much less recoil than a Marlin lever in 44

Finding parts can be a bugger, depending on the part.... I've had good luck with Numrich arms.....

Ruger acted like they didn't want to talk to me ( no help at all)

 

[WASATCH CHARLIE]

color=green][/color] I WONDER WHY ITHACA NEVER WENT AFTER LYMAN FOR THEIR SERIES OF BLACKPOWDER RIFLES THE DEERSTALKERS. GUESS ITHACA MUST BE OUT OF BUSINESS AGAIN. :lol:

 

[mattsbox99]

I also have a Deerfield and it is a fine rifle. Plenty accurate at about 1.5" or so at 100 yards. I may have to drag it out of the safe and take it to the range one of these days.

 

[mike28w]

If I were going to buy another 44 carbine, I'd probably try to avoid some of the earlier versions ( I'm not a collector)....

The earlier versions had a slightly different design on the front lip of the trigger assembly that seems ( IMO) a little more vulenerable to breaking. I'm not sure when they changed that, but they did improve the design, IMO.....

Mine has a peep sight that I'm very fond of and I can easily recommend that option if you're so inclined......mike

 

[don44]

My 44 Ruger Carbine is very accurate and reliable. A really great little carbine to carry in the "woods" ! At 20 yds shoots into one hole.

 

[mike28w]

My 44 Ruger Carbine is very accurate and reliable. A really great little carbine to carry in the "woods" ! At 20 yds shoots into one hole.

Hey Don44 !! What part of Idaho are you from ?? I live south of Lewiston.....

 

[don44]

Howdy, I live in Meridan.... Here is a target I shot with the carbine at 20 yds.

This is 5 shots.

 

[federali]

I have the tube feed carbine, a late 60s or early 70s model. Great to carry and hunt whitetails with at typical eastern ranges. As parts are no longer available, it's best to find one that does not show a lot of rounds through it. Fortunately, most guys who own them don't use them for plinking, just pre-season practice and sighting in.

At typical ranges, the .44 mag really puts whitetails on their butts. Rifling is optimized for a 240 grain bullet and some of the older scalloped Remington hollowpoints with an unusually broad meplat may cause failures to chamber. The more rounded Winchester hollowpoint worked every time.

 

[mattsbox99]

I like the Hornady Leverevolution in mine. Its a 225 grain FTX that I've managed 1.5" at 100 yards with.

 

[mike28w]

I like the Hornady Leverevolution in mine. Its a 225 grain FTX that I've managed 1.5" at 100 yards with.

Me too....my gun likes it...haven't shot anything with it yet..... I carry mine when I hike in the mountains. I think it would discourage a wolf from getting too close.....

 

[wwb]

.......The earlier versions had a slightly different design on the front lip of the trigger assembly that seems ( IMO) a little more vulenerable to breaking. I'm not sure when they changed that, but they did improve the design, IMO.....

Nope - the design was the same from the get-go. After the first couple years production, they added a magazine release button that would allow you to unload the tube mag through the loading port, rather than cycle them all through the action manually. That was the only change.

 

[mike28w]

Nope - the design was the same from the get-go. After the first couple years production, they added a magazine release button that would allow you to unload the tube mag through the loading port, rather than cycle them all through the action manually. That was the only change.[/quote]

Hmm , that's interesting. When I first purchased my carbine, it was very unreliable. Essentially a single shot .... After ruling out all of the common causes. I realized that the front lip of the trigger assembly had broken off. It's cast aluminum and the front "lip" protrudes about 3/4" , forward towards the muzzle end.

I was told that it's difficult to weld cast aluminum. Ruger was no help at all....( about half rude). I eventually found a replacement at Numrich. New piece. Exact same design except that the protruding lip was now gone and the front edge of the trigger assembly was held in place by slipping underneath a shelf in the receiver ( after being modified slightly by my gunsmith)
I apologize for my vague description, but it's the best I can do with words. Easy to see visually. Anyway, the gun has worked just fine since then.....Both my gunsmith and I just assumed that the newer versions must have had a slightly different trigger assembly. If your statement is accurate, then I can't explain why I received this modified assembly...

I'm open to other explanations !! mike ( Not a Ruger expert or historian by any means)

 

[wwb]

It could well be that there was a subtle change there... I had one of the old ones without the mag release button, and my son had a later one with the release. Superficially, they appeared identical. Never tore them down side-by-side to inspect each piece, and could easily have overlooked that sort of change.

 

[Bakerman104]

My first exposure to the 44 carbine was in my teens. Alway's wanted one since then, finally got one over 30 years later. This is my first time with a gun that is no longer supported by the MFG. I am trying to find bases and rings to put a scope on. According to serial number, it appears that the year of manufacture was 1975. Any input on sourcing the bases and rings would be appreciated.

 

[sailorb]

Weaver makes bases that fit the gun. I can't remember the specific #s, they are different front and rear. Look at their website, it has a fitment table for just about everything. Midway USA also has the same info on their website. I use a Speer 270 gr Gold Dot, now Deep Curl, soft point and it shoots quite well and kills deer dead. I have had more drop in their tracks shots with this load than any other including some big calibers. I find that bullet with 17.0 gr of 2400 works quite well. The 240 gr Hornady XTP and Speer Gold dot soft points also shoot quite well, but I like the weight and penetration of the 270s.