Ruger Carbine .44 mag... opinions

bill c68

bill c68

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I juyst picked up an older Ruger .44 mag Carbine at a gun show on the weekend. Just wondering if there are any opinions out there.

This is the older tube fed Semi Auto version, 5 digit serial number. I have shot one before and the owner of that one swears by it and will never sell. His go to deer rifle.

I was thinking of using it for deer in the 100yd range and bear up to 75 yds.
I am also considering scoping it with either a low powered scope or a reddot.

Some say (after I bought it) that these are not the most reliable gun in the world.

Any ammo suggestions? factory or handloads?
 
As long as they are full power loads it should be fine, I accidentally bought a box of lower power pistol rounds and they would not cycle the action.
 
They are great little deer rifles. There is even a camp in our area that call themselves "The .44 gang" :)

Light reliable dogging gun:) , I'd slip a peep on it & be good to go.
Pain to get shells out of it thou! Is yours new enough to have the shell release button?
 
Light and handy. Knocks deer flat. 100 yards is a reasonable limit for the rifle. There have been some moose shot with those little rifles in my area. Again within 100 yards it will kill moose too. The newer ones with the shell latch button do make it nicer to unload. I think the Williams sight that mounts on the scope base holes would be a nice set up. May need a higher front sight though. Remington 240 gr soft points seem to be the most reliable in functioning the gun's gas system. They are a good game performer also. Do not shoot cast bullets in it. They clog the gas port quickly and badly.

cheers Darryl
 
I have one of the very first one's marked "Deerstalker" on the side of it's receiver. It has been 100% reliable for me so far using factory ammunition or my jacketed bullet handloads. It seems very accurate as well at the relatively short ranges I've tried it at so far. I initially tried a red dot sight on mine which worked great, but have recently returned to "the iron's" for slimness & trimness.

I love mine! :) I hope to have the opportunity to kill a deer with it this fall.

Jeff/1911.
 
Had one, sold it and still kick myself for selling it.:( Took my first deer(s) with it, minutes apart.:D Shot 4 deer total with it, the last one on the run at 200 yards. Light, reliable never had a problem with it. I wish I could say that about the Remington semi I replaced it with.:mad:
 
Good ones are getting harder to find. Most asking prices are over 500.00. I would advise any gunnut that if you ever wanted one get it soon. You won't regret it. Great black bear gun also. Nicest gun I have ever carried in the woods. One hand carry all day and no snagging on brush due to the barrel length.
cheers Darryl
 
My dad owns the same on as you describe but it has a peep sight on it. We have both been using it for deer for years without ANY problems. It's extremely reliable and lightweight. It got 2 deer this past november and normally takes a deer every year on 100yd shots.
 
Have one too, never shot anything else than paper so far but reliable and fun to shoot. I've only had trouble with factory 180gr loads that wouldn't always cyle the action far enough.
 
... When they first "came out" some of my School Peers used them to track down wild pigs amongst the lignum trees/swamps in Northern Australia and along some of the more southern river banks, or more correctly, flood plains. 'Always had a great reputation for performance and reliability ! And take my word for, feral pigs of the size these guys were riding down, then sticking them with home made Lances, then following, wounded or not, into the bushes, has LOTS of risk involved ! ..... David K.
 
Yep, it's the older version of the deerfield carbine. It looks like a big 10/22 with a tubular mag in the wood stock.
 
Great little gun. Use the .44 Mag rifle loads - I found the Remington 240gr. Soft Points (R44MG2) to be entirely adequate on a couple of bruins and 1/2 dozen or so Whiteys. At shorter ranges, a lung shot bullwinkel generally won't go too far. Not to forget, for the last quarter of the 19th century and first of the 20th, probably more deer (and other game) killed with the .44-40 than anything else.
 
bill c68 said:
I took it apart the other day for the first time, not too complicated BUT thank god for Ruger's free downloadable user's manuals!!!

I am going to scope it with a B&L 1.5-4
Click to expand...

Bill,

I haven't taken mine down yet...I'm frightened to do so.:redface: - Jeff.
 
Download the manual from Ruger, it is pretty simple but you must follow the intructions.
Suprisingly the bbl band is all that holds the gun to the stock, then 1 pin to take the rest apart.

Funny thing, the manual suggests a cleaning about once per season or 500 rounds!!!
You do not have to do a total tear down for regular cleaning though.
 
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