can .44 special work in a .44 mag carbine?

[klover]

Followed home by an old Ruger with the tubular magazine. I was thinking I could load one at a time directly into the breach, and let the ejector slam over the rim when I drop the bolt on it. Other than being hard the the ejector, this should allow single useage of the abundant .44 special I found on a deal shouldn't it?

 

[Gator]

Why don't you want to load the specials in the magazine?

 

[klover]

Manual says use 44 magnum. Tubular magazine with rounds .100 inches shorter work in this rifle?

 

[Janos Dracwlya]

I don't know what kind of Ruger you have, but I have a Rossi Model 92 (copy of the Winchester 1892 lever action) in .357 magnum. I use it for Cowboy Action Shooting, so I use .38 special in it. In fact, that's mostly what I use and I have no problems other than it doesn't like semi-wadcutters with really squared-off shoulders. I don't know if that is because they are .38 and shorter than the cartridge for which the rifle was designed or just because it doesn't like that bullet shape. As I said, that's the only problem I have.

Your mileage may vary, as always.

 

[JCF]

I doubt the specials would cycle the action due to the lower pressures. It would probably require that you cycle each round through the action individually much like a bolt action. Any money you are going to save will likely be eaten up by broken and damaged extractors if you drop the bolt over the chambered cartridges.

Just FYI - depending on what carbine you have, parts might be very difficult to find. Ruger apparently doesn't manufacture replacement parts for the older 44 carbines. If it's a Ruger carbine I would suggest you take care of it. They are neat little guns.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Other than being hard the the ejector, this should allow single useage of the abundant .44 special

Abundunt??? Over the past few years .44 special loadings have become much harder to find and more expensive than 44 magnum ammo.

 

[klover]

CFrisen: It is the semi auto with 102 as a prefix for the serial number. Are parts hard to find? I will take care of the rifle, just curious about what ammo to be used for hunting in a pinch.

 

[JCF]

klover: if it is a 102-xxx serial number, your carbine was manufactured approximately between 1975 and 1981. Ruger no longer stocks or manufactures parts for this rifle. If you break something you will have to scrounge for replacements.

I would personally stick to jacketed 44 mags through the magazine if I were you. It's my understanding that lead bullets are h*ll on these guns. I just picked one up a used one myself by the way.

 

[Ranger 40]

I hand load for the little auto-carb. If you want to use the .44 Spec. case, just seat the slug out and crimp it. You can get the same over all length of the .44 Mag. these work well in a six gun also. "Skeeter" Skelton wrote about and tested these loads, he liked the Long .44 Spec.

 

[Ranger J]

It sounds like you have one of the 1st model Ruger .44 carbines. I don’t know much about them as mine is the 2nd model called the Deerfield. The .44 specials would not cycle in the Deerfield as it takes a stout .44 mag to function reliably. My guess would be to stick with .44 mags.
RJ

 

[klover]

Ranger 40, could you post the loadings you were using or point to Skeeter's articles? How much bullet length was left in the case? Do any jacketed bullets have a second crimp ring for doing this?

 

[Mannlicher]

klover, you can buy one of those little tools from Midway that put a extra cannelure on the bullet.
Personally, I think its more bs trouble than its worth. No reason at all not to just use .44 mag in a rifle that was designed to shoot that cartridge.

 

[trstafford]

buy a nice pistol to go with the carbine (in 44 mag)

 

[klover]

The reason for it all is I am shooting both a .44 special snub revolver AND a .44 Mag. full size revolver.

Stocked on .44 special ammo as primary carry/practice foder.

Would like the option of using .44 special in a rifle.

Very cool about adding a new groove. I learn something new everyday on THR