Tell me about the older Ruger 44 Mag Carbines

[Bigfoot]

I'm not interested in the newest one with the Mini-14 op system.

Did all of the older style have the tubular magazine or did some get a rotory mag?

I found an old article that says it weighs 5 lb 12 oz, sound about right?

 

[steveno]

tubular magazine

 

[RustyHammer]

Tubular - 10 rounds if I recall correctly.

 

[Matt-man]

No, it's more like 4 rounds. The tube is fairly short and doesn't extend out past the forend.

5lb 12oz sounds right for this rifle. It's very handy, handles a lot like a slightly larger 10/22.

 

[greyling22]

I was playing with my uncles yesterday, tube mag hakes the stock forend a little pot bellied, handles like a 10/22 + 1 pound. he had trouble getting handloads to cycle right though. his rifle required really hot full power magnums. I wanted one will I found out the still cost over $500. I don't care for the new ones much either. stupid mini-14 gas port ergonomics.

 

[steveno]

I was thinking 4 or 5 rounds. I had one a long time ago and after a couple of trips back to Ruger it was finally fixed. I tend to lose interest in guns that have to be sent back to the factory that many times so I got rid of it

 

[Bigfoot]

OK thanks, I thought there was a removable mag version.

I'm looking at this as a possible hog gun. I like the weight and small size but I have two concerns. Accuracy and range.

What kind of accuracy does one get? I keep reading that it's a 100 yard gun. Is 100 yards the limit because of accuracy or trajectory?

A 225 gr Barnes bullet should do 1900 fps which gives it almost a 200 yard trajectory before it starts dropping off the planet. I have no experience with hardcast bullets so I chose the Barnes because of rifle cartridge experience. Is this range/bullet combo realistic for hogs? If not whats the extreme range on hogs?

 

[loadedround]

The new model 44 mag Carbine(also disc. now) uses a 4 round rotary magazine similar to the 10/22 Carbine or 77/22 Rifle. The Old Model 44 Carbine had a fixed tubular magazine and was loaded thru a port under the receiver. The OM Carbine held four rounds in the magazine and one round in the chamber.

 

[dmazur]

4 rounds in magazine. It is possible to chamber one and "top up" the magazine.

I have two of these. They both do around 2" groups at 100 yds.

I believe the 100 yd effective limit is due to the limitations of the .44 Mag, not the rifle's accuracy.

Because of the tubular magazine feed mechanism, you have to watch case overall length. 1.610" is about it, I think, which may limit you to 240 gr bullets. Loads exist for revolvers with 300 gr bullets, and these probably won't feed properly.

The Ruger has a reliable gas mechanism, but it requires a certain pressure to operate. I use 24 gr of H-110 with Hornady 240 gr XTP's and both rifles work well.

I had trouble with scope mounts. You should use steel mounts and blue loctite. The 44 Mag generates quite a bit of recoil.

If you're looking for one of these, the early ones didn't have a magazine unloading button near the loading ramp. The later ones did. This makes it possible to unload the tubular magazine without cycling the rounds through the action.

 

[W.E.G.]

Perhaps an owner will correct me, but I've "heard" that both versions did not cycle as reliably as the market expected. I have owned the Mini-14 and the Mini-30 -- but never one of the .44's. I assume the scope mount situation with the .44 is equally bad.

I've also "heard" the .44 model is discontinued again. It isn't currently listed on the Ruger web site.

 

[W.E.G.]

Here is the owners manual for the old tubular-mag model.

http://ruger.com/Firearms/PDF/InstructionManuals/41.pdf

 

[greyling22]

the 99/44 is no longer on the ruger site, took a 4 round rotary mag, not 10. and, personal experience, the deerstalker makes a tremendous hog/stray dog gun.

off topic, but an sks or a marlin 30/30 do the trick too. cheaper if that matters. and depending on where you are, there might not be over 100yds of open space anyway. or how about one of those saiga .308's if you really want those suckers to stop tearing up your place at long range.

 

[Big Daddy K]

Mine shoots and cycles Grizzly 300gr. great.
I also like Winchester 250gr. PTHP.

Both are accurate enough out to 100 yds easy.

Of all the deer I have killed with my rifle only 2 have ran a short distance. One was at about 75 yds and shot with a 180 gn federal I believe. The other was a little closer and was shot with a 225 gr. silver tip.

You absolutley have to have hot rounds. MagTech etc will not cycle.
Seems like anything that comes 50 per box wont cycle.
Anything that come 20 per box works fine.

Everything hit with 240 plus has been dead right there.

 

[Slamfire]

By the time I could afford a 44 Carbine the Ruger had been out of production and was essentially a collectors item. You paid more for it than a new Marlin/Winchester 30-30. And when I looked at it and found out is only carried four rounds in the magazine, I was not interested.

So I purchased a M1894 in 44 Mag. 10 rounds capacity.

I assume high initial cost and limited magazine capacity were the reasons it when out of production.

So what do the owners of it like about it. Outside of it being a rarity?

 

[DogBonz]

You are corect

off topic, but an sks or a marlin 30/30 do the trick too. cheaper if that matters. and depending on where you are, there might not be over 100yds of open space anyway. or how about one of those saiga .308's if you really want those suckers to stop tearing up your place at long range.

You are correct. But, I have handled and shot one of these before, and let me tell you, they make awesome brush guns. For close range hunting in thick woods these small, light, and handy rifles pack a lot thump in an easy to carry all day package.

 

[Essex County]

I bought a number of used ones back around 1980. Quite common in a fift mile radius of the Newport plant. Never heard a negative word about them and I regret not keeping one for myself. Essex

 

[gezzer]

The high power ammo need may be due to the wood swelling and slowing the action. Ruger did not finish the inlet to seal it. I have repaired over 100 of them with none coming back.

Remember if you are also re-bluing them the bullet feed is ALLUM on the early ones and will disappear in your bluing tank. Ruger will laugh at you when you are looking for a replacement part. They are however easily made from ½” alum conduit. BTDT