Ruger 44 semi-auto rifle

[Country Boy]

Anyone have one in 44 mag. ? What is your take on the rifle. How well does it shoot ? any real problems. Thought I might try and get a used one.

[Mike103]

I have had one for many years. Unlike others experiences mine shoots very well. The trigger sucks! But it is my hard luck gun, never killed a deer with it.

Mine has a old style Redfield wide view 1.5X5. I bought it lightly used from a woman who killed several deer with it.

MIKE.

[257Robt]

Like Mike, mine has been good to me. I have a Weaver V3 on it. I missed the biggest buck of my life with that rifle.

Dale

[mcwoodduck]

There are two ruger autos.
One is the original that had a tube magizine and the other is the Deerfield that they reciently stopped making with a detachable mag.
I have one of the deer fields.  Good little rifle.  Really sucks up the recoil.  If you ever wanted an M1 Carbine in 44 mag.  This is it.  When I first got mine I took it and the carbine out to the range.  Looked through the peep sights and had to look down when the gun went click after 4 rounds.  I thought i was shooting the carbine that I know I had loaded 15 into it's box mag.
I have had mine scoped for a while but the scope was too big and looked wrong.  Maybe this is the right place to stick a Trijicon 1.25-4X28 scope for pigs and javilina.
Mine was purchased as a brush/ scouting rifle.  Mine would shoot the 180 grain JSP's up through the 250's  and it would shoot them well.
The book says to start with 215 grain bullets.  I sighted mine in at 75 yards and would get about 1" groups.
The gun does not like the 210 grain Win Silver tips.  Would shoot them fine but they would not eject, or would eject but not feed another round.  I forget but the silvertips are reduced power loads.  OH yea No lead.  Fouls the gas system.
Mine has a great trigger it's smooth crisp and light.  The only down side to the gun is that it rattles too much for me and I have not gone through it to stick a piece of moleskin here or there to quiet the thing.  It's on my list and slowly rising to the top.

[Ranger J]

I have a Deerfield and I really like it, but it really should have been made with a recoil pad on it as it takes full power loads to cycle it.  I have had great luck using 240 SP over a full load of H110.  It is very accurate and is great on deer  out to 100 yards or so.

RJ

[targshooter]

Country Boy,
In the late 1960s and early 1970s I owned two Ruger 44 Carbines. I did not keep them. One had functional issues and the other shot patterns.
I have owned and shot a Deerfield (the 99/44) since 2000. I used it for three hunting seasons here in MN, and the rifle is a pleasure to carry and shoot afield. Originally I had a scope on it, but in deference to its purpose and the limited abilities of the cartridge, I removed the scope. It was scoped when I shot two deer with it in the 2000 and 2001 seasons here in MN. I quit using the cartridge in the heavy brush prevalent where I still hunt as the stubby little .44 bullets have poor sectional densities and do not get through brush well, as was illustrated for me in the 2002 deer season. I have since used the rifle as a camp gun and plinker. A lot. With the scope removed it is as close to the little US M1 Carbine as one can get. If I could locate an aftermarket handguard like those available for the Mini series, the handling qualities would be the same as the carbine, as the protruding and hand filling guard over the op rod would be gone.
With a scope mine is capable of 2 inch groups at 100 yards with Remington 240 grain and Speer 270 grain Gold Dot loads, both factory and my own duplicate handloads. With the peep it becomes a 3-4 MOA rifle. As far as I'm concerned, this is fine for such a rifle. In the 8 years I've owned and shot it there have been no functional issues and the accuracy has remained as it was when I first sighted the rifle in.
The only caveat regarding this rifle; the barrel band and action screws do shoot loose, so one must periodically check them for tightness to insure the rifle will perform correctly.

[nrb]

I've owned a Ruger 44mag carbine for decades and find it to be handy, accurate, and reliable. It has never missed a deer and only needs just one shot.  Since I reload, I found that bullets less than 240 gr did not group well with the Ruger. With 240 gr or heavier, the Ruger groups at 1 inch or less at 100 yds. It is scoped with an old 1.5-5 Bushnell.

best,        nrb

[rich56]

I had one of the originals. Great woods/treestand rifle. Accurate enough and reliable, I used 240 and handloaded 265 grain ammo. Only problem for me is that ammo had to be run through the action to unload and parts could be a problem. I blieve this rifle is lighter than the new version  and has a closed top receiver to keep rain/dirt out. The new version is heavier and that open top receiver.

[federali]

I have a .44 carbine acquired in the early 70's. It's accurate and reliable and I've taken a bunch of whitetails with it at ranges to about 80 yards. Only problem with mine is that it doesn't like those very broad nosed Remington hollowpoints as they tend to hang up at the top of the chamber when feeding. However, Winchesters always functioned flawlessly for me. While I do handload for the carbine, I generally limit myself to the Winchester factory loads for hunting. While I tend to acquire and sell off rifles a bit too frequently, the Ruger .44 will be with me until the end.

[Rex in OTZ]

I had came by a .44 carbine years ago it was accurate out to 100 yds easy but for me a fair weather gun, looked to be in great shape, problem was after a several detailed cleanings and having a gunsmith look it over (detail clean and function test at -20f) it worked great in warm weather, if there was snow on the ground it turned into a straight pull rifle (suspected tired return spring) couldent find a replacement in them days so traded it off for a S&W 629 8.3/8" and never looked back.
I live in In NW Alaska 30 miles above the arctic circle, we cleaned that gun and tried differnt lubes we had been around and knew a few tricks but they dident work on the cute Lil carbine "the stump with a thump"
I sometimes regret getting rid of somthing not as common as a Ruger .44 carbine but I dont have room for gun safe queens they have to work or down the road they go!

[OLDHandgunner]

I have 3 of them. All of them are from the 60's. My oldest one is a second year production.
Have never had a problem with any of them. They are very accurate and easy to handle. I've always used mostly 240 gr Hornady JHP handloads. One of them I picked really reasonable because the guy who owed it was having jamming problems. I gave him the $200 for it ( with scope ), took it home, cleaned it and started shooting my handloads in it. Haven't had a jam in the past 30+ years with it.
The main thing with these 44 carbines is to keep them clean and shooting the right bullets in them.

[gstewart44]

I have one of the early model carbines that was made in 1961.   It is one of my favorite  walk about guns.   Mine will only cycle full house loads, and accuracy is best with 240-265 gr bullets.   I stay away from any cast lead bullets - they dirty up the insides too much. 

Also - I hunt in the South.  In most weather this carbine functions like a charm, but when it drops below freezing I too experience the failure to cycle and it becomes the proverbial straight pull.   

Mine has accounted for two deer and numerous hogs  On one outing I even got a twofer - both pigs were lined up perfectly side by side.  In one ear and out three more....one bang/two flops.....love those heavy bullets.

[Dinny]

Hello,
  I too have a vintage 1970's Ruger 44 carbine.  It really likes the Hornady 240 gr XTPs.  I shot a small 7-pointer with it last year and it worked great.  I have had some problems with that were my fault.  Mine prefers,for obvious reasons, stout factory loads. I wouldn't try any light pistol loads.  Has anyone tried the Leapers recoil pad?  I saw one this weekend on a friend's rifle and would like to know if it soaks up any of the recoil. Anyone know where I can get one?  Leapers told me they were discontinued. 

Good luck with that fun rifle.

[S.S.]

just keep it clean and it will treat you right.
The first models didn't like anything over 240
grain bullets, but anything under that and you are good
to go. The rifling just didn't stabilize the longer slugs.
not bad accuracy, just not great accuracy.

[Cheesehead]

I have had a Deerfield for a few years. I bought it as a companion gun (same caliber) to my 29. It is a joy to carry on long slow walks in the deer woods. I took one deer with it. A 50 yard broad side shot with a Black Talon round, the blood trail was a foot wide and fairly short. An accurate light weight rifle.

Cheese

[bluecow]

i like the old mod.  never delt with the deerfield.  look for cracks at the wrist.  keep it clean and it will do all you ask. had one sold it, missed it, got another.  think that i would rather have a m94 trapper

[Redtail1949]

Had a ruger 44 carbine years ago  it killed several whitetails and a bunch of pineywood rooters..killed real well out to 100 yards or so. The hollowpoint pistol bullet just will not cut it on bigger game or longer distances. However it was fun to shoot mild recoil and reasonable accuracy. Kinda wish I still had it.