Christmas Gun: Ruger .44 Carbine

[ACP230]

I picked up an autoloading Ruger .44 Magnum Carbine today. It's the old model called The Deerstalker.
I think I saw the first ads Sturm/Ruger ran for these back in the 1960s. I always liked the way they looked, and have made several attempts to buy one. This time I was not denied!

It was blustery and cold this morning with snow filling the air and melting on the highway. I gave some thought to waiting till next week, but had the cash in hand and decided to make the trip despite the wind and snow.

The carbine's stock has some damage to the finish and some dings. The bluing is in nice shape. The dealer said they'd had it gone over and it was in good shape internally. They told me a couple times that it needs to be loaded with jacketed bullets, something I knew already. "It likes hollowpoints." (I have some on the way.)

Someone somewhere described the .44 as "A 10/22 on steroids."
It lives up to that description to some degree, but is a very handy, gun despite the bigger caliber.

I may not shoot this gun for a while due to the winter, but I expect to have a lot of fun with it next year.

 

[NoHarmNoFAL]

How many rounds does that hold and how?

 

[ACP230]

It has a four-round tube mag forward of the trigger guard.
With one in the chamber the gun holds five.

I'm not much of a tube mag fan, but for this gun I make an exception.

 

[omega5]

I bought one in 1970 and have had it ever since. Great little gun. Mine has the appeture (or peep) sight. Very fast to get on target. Goes great with my 4" model 29 or my 696 Special.

 

[ACP230]

I got to mess around with the carbine a bit last night.
It handles very well.
It came to the shoulder with the sights aligned on whatever I was aiming at most of the time. The front sight has a white insert that is very easy to pick up. My eyes don't work well with open iron sights anymore, but they do OK with the ones on the carbine.
The carbine has enough weight so it settles down well, but it's still a light handy gun.

I need to get reloading so I have some ammo to shoot in it.

 

[Lobotomy Boy]

I'm thinking about picking up one of these before next deer season. I looked at some at a recent gun show. I preferred the later models with a release button for unloading the tube--it appeared you had to cycle the unshot shells to unload the tube in the older models.

Any idea how the new rotary magazine versions have been holding up?

 

[sturmruger]

I have a 96/44 that uses the new mags. It is one of my favorite new guns. The mags have worked flawlessly I have shot around 200 rounds through it so far.

 

[SunBear]

I'm still waiting for my stainless Deerfield. C'mon Ruger. :banghead: Please....That will be just right w/ a good red dot scope or a 1 - 4X compact. My other favorite is the Marlin 1894 44mag, 10 - shot. Probably end up with the Marlin as Ruger is apparently not interested.

 

[keano44]

This is my .44 Carbine "Scout". It has a custom Scout mount with a red dot scope in quick detachable return-to-zero rings. Back-up sights are AO ghost ring rear and post front. I've had the rifle for a long time, and have taken ten deer with it with a 2.5X shotgun scope on it, mounted on see-thru rings. Since I did the scout/ghost ring upgrade, I've taken a coyote with it. I like the red-dot very much, and the ghost ring sights work better than I expected they could or would.

 

[ACP230]

Keano44:
What peep sight have you got on your Scout carbine?
I plan on adding a peep to my Ruger but haven't decided which one yet.

 

[keano44]

Iron sights are AO ghost ring sights, not technically a peep sight. They model I used is made for the 10-22, and are not advertised for the .44 Carbine, since it is a discontinued model, but fit perfectly. I am using the tallest available front post, and it works great. I have tried it out to 100yds. on plastic gallon jugs filled with water (truly impressive when smacked by a Hornady 240 grain XTP).