Ruger 44 carbine for home defense

[Tennessee Jed]

If that was my rifle, and I was using it for home defense, I would take a hard look at the Speer short barrel 44 magnum, 200 grain Gold Dot hollowpoint. Out of a revolver, I think it's traveling at around 1100 fps, and I have seen some gel test reports that through denim it expands to around 0.740" and penetrates to 16". If that round ran well in the rifle, it would be my choice for home defense ammo.

Now, as I recall, that was from a revolver, but I understand that the Speer short barrel ammo is intended to reach it's peak velocity in a shorter barrel, so it might (MIGHT) be that velocity won't increase a ton in a rifle barrel.

I'm not a believer that gel tests are everything, but I think they help help ID some better ammo performers.

 

[kgpcr]

It will work just fine. Any reasonable caliber will work just fine. after the first bang 99% will hit either the floor or head for the door in high gear

 

[Gordon]

All this supposition is all well and good, the FACTS are, from someone who owns and has hunted with those that use them for the last 40 years is: the OLD Ruger semi .44 carbine as mentioned by the poster is notoriously picky in what it feeds. Also my opinion after killing various 500 pound and less animals with various .44mags for 40+ years and seeing humans who were shot with it in my years of being around such grisly things is that you really don't need to worry so much what .44 mag load is used , within normal parameters , but rather which loads function in rifle feed formats. The velocity gain afforded by carbine barrels to the .44 mag is so much that most loadings that are iffy expanders in pistols work very well and the rapid pistol expanders can fragment. The Ruger Deerslayer likes 240 grain tapered loads as that is what is was designed for. Hard slippery jackets from 225-275 grain work well and 240 grain soft points feed and function best. The gun is hard to speed load tho, you should try it !

 

[TonyDedo]

.44 Magnum is a heavy recoiling cartridge, especially for non gun people. I'd recommend a reduced recoil cartridge, like these from Buffalo Bore:

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=221

If not, any lightweight JHP bullet will do, so long as it cycles.

Regardless of your choice, as has been said, it's all about reliability. No matter what you pick, buy a few boxes and run them through the gun to make sure it cycles consistently. You'll have to spend $100 in upfront ammo, but it will be worth it to know the rifle will go bang when it needs to.

***

People need to read the damn OP and stop telling him to go buy something different.

 

[Gordon]

BTW the Ruger .44 Mag Carbine has very little recoil sensation IMHO. In side by side tests with my Browning 1892 .44Mag which weighs about the same t 6 3/4 pounds, the recoil of the Browning lever gun is sharp and notable where the gas operated Ruger is a soft chuggle with a small push. Both of my guns have curved metal butt plates BTW. The Browning lever gun is much easier to load thru the side port and holds twice as many rounds BTW. Still for close range hunting the Ruger Carbine is very nice on hogsespecially with dogs as it can be used close in very easily. These loads feed well, I use the 240 grain load for hunting but have used the 250 grain Partition Gold which feeds and works very well. The 210 grain Silvertip can be fired one handed as it has very light recoil.I used the Silvertip load to slaughter goats and sheep I could not catch a few years back, but it rendered the Cabeza meat unedible
http://www.winchester.com/Products/...X-rifle/Pages/default.aspx?c=44+Remington+Mag.

 

[cja245]

If I had a 44 carbine and used it for home defense, I'd be feeding it these. link

 

[Gordon]

Not in a Ruger autoloader you wouldn't! Too blunt and IF it fed the gas port would soon clog as the manufacturer warned! Some people got away for a while with gas checks, hard hard boolits and trick lubes, but eventually....