96/44 Question
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Jimbo357mag
Hawkeye
I really like shooting mine. It is small, light and the 30 degree action is slick. A real fun pistol caliber rifle. Accuracy is ok for what it is out to 100 yds. A 240 or 300 grain bullet would be bad medicine for deer. If you like to shoot cast or shoot lighter loads it is perfect as long as they aren't too long for the magazine. To sum up - A fun off-hand shooter. 
dfletcher
Blackhawk
I like mine, lots of fun and that its handle mimics my Savage 99 is kind of nice. It shoots OK, nothing spectacular. Mine wears a little 4X Timberland.
I have one with a Weaver 1-3X scope.
Shooting Speer 240 grain jacketed soft nose bullets with a max charge of 2400, it gives me 2" groups at 100 yards. Sighted one inch high at 100 yards, it's "point and shoot" out to 150 yards.
I only use it in heavy cover, though. It has taken several deer, the longest shot being about 40 yards. Most of them were dropped on the spot, one of them took 4 bounds and piled up.
Shooting Speer 240 grain jacketed soft nose bullets with a max charge of 2400, it gives me 2" groups at 100 yards. Sighted one inch high at 100 yards, it's "point and shoot" out to 150 yards.
I only use it in heavy cover, though. It has taken several deer, the longest shot being about 40 yards. Most of them were dropped on the spot, one of them took 4 bounds and piled up.
ruger driver
Bearcat
I have one,fun little gun.mine has open sights for hog hunting.and its plum pretty.
Black Frog
Single-Sixer
The 96/44 is my favorite lever of all levers!
And I mean I like it more than my Savage 99's, Win 88's, etc...
Carries like a bb gun.
When I heard they were discontinuing the 96/44 I bought several to keep NIB.
I've probably shot more deer with my 96/44s than any other of my rifles. I love the extremely short and effortless lever throw, and NO hammer.
I don't like hammers on levers, that's just me.
Solid top receiver allows for nice low scope mounting. I dislike levers with tube loading, the rotary magazine makes for easy loading and unloading.
I have the newer 99/44 Deerfield, and also had the older version of the 44 auto at one time.
I disliked the tube feed of the older 44 auto, and with big hands that little button underneath to unload was a pain.
The new 99/44 is nice, but the Garand action ejects the case "up and out" which doesn't allow nice low scope mounting.
Ruger included a leather scope protector wrap with the gun as a band-aid fix for empty casings banging into your scope.
I was not a fan of that....
I'll easily grab my 96/44's before the auto 44's I own. I've done timing tests putting 4 shots at paper plates at 40yds with the 96/44, and some bigger centerfire pumps and autos.
I was surprised that I could work that 96/44 faster with accuracy than a 243 pump or a 308 auto. LOVE this gun.
Some are more accurate than others, luck of the draw on that it seems.
One 96/44 I had would be lucky to keep 6-7" groups at 100yds, no matter what ammo. Others I have shoot much better.
For a 100yd deer or pig gun or in tight cover, I think you'd be hard pressed to find better rig.
Easily one of my favorite rifles, and I have quite a few different rifles....
And I mean I like it more than my Savage 99's, Win 88's, etc...
Carries like a bb gun.
When I heard they were discontinuing the 96/44 I bought several to keep NIB.
I've probably shot more deer with my 96/44s than any other of my rifles. I love the extremely short and effortless lever throw, and NO hammer.
I don't like hammers on levers, that's just me.
Solid top receiver allows for nice low scope mounting. I dislike levers with tube loading, the rotary magazine makes for easy loading and unloading.
I have the newer 99/44 Deerfield, and also had the older version of the 44 auto at one time.
I disliked the tube feed of the older 44 auto, and with big hands that little button underneath to unload was a pain.
The new 99/44 is nice, but the Garand action ejects the case "up and out" which doesn't allow nice low scope mounting.
Ruger included a leather scope protector wrap with the gun as a band-aid fix for empty casings banging into your scope.
I was not a fan of that....
I'll easily grab my 96/44's before the auto 44's I own. I've done timing tests putting 4 shots at paper plates at 40yds with the 96/44, and some bigger centerfire pumps and autos.
I was surprised that I could work that 96/44 faster with accuracy than a 243 pump or a 308 auto. LOVE this gun.
Some are more accurate than others, luck of the draw on that it seems.
One 96/44 I had would be lucky to keep 6-7" groups at 100yds, no matter what ammo. Others I have shoot much better.
For a 100yd deer or pig gun or in tight cover, I think you'd be hard pressed to find better rig.
Easily one of my favorite rifles, and I have quite a few different rifles....
Black Frog
Single-Sixer
I'm a scope guy vs. using open sights.
I know some guys can shoot open sights amazingly well, but I prefer a scope.
Preferably one that matches the gun it is intended for.
All my 96/44's wear Leup's straight-tubed VX3 1.5-5x heavy duplex, and one wears the Leup straight-tubed VX1 1-4x shotgun scope heavy duplex.
Match made in heaven....
I know some guys can shoot open sights amazingly well, but I prefer a scope.
Preferably one that matches the gun it is intended for.
All my 96/44's wear Leup's straight-tubed VX3 1.5-5x heavy duplex, and one wears the Leup straight-tubed VX1 1-4x shotgun scope heavy duplex.
Match made in heaven....
Had one for several years, I hunt pigs with it and it's great - though for pigs a bigger mag would be great.
240gr XTP @ 1800fps or the Lyman Devastator 275gr cast HP @ 1650fps or 315gr Lee flat nose @ 1500fps all do great.
Scope is a 1.75-4X Bushnell Trophy with the Circle-X reticle.
240gr XTP @ 1800fps or the Lyman Devastator 275gr cast HP @ 1650fps or 315gr Lee flat nose @ 1500fps all do great.
Scope is a 1.75-4X Bushnell Trophy with the Circle-X reticle.
