Author Topic: Ruger 44 Carbine (Read 3955 times)

tanoose · « **on:** October 03, 2009, 07:36:35 AM »

What do you guys think of this rifle as a close range deer and black bear rifle? I just picked one up for only $50.00 it was made in 1971 and its in great shape and i am thinking this will be a great rifle for me on days that i need to carry light. I topped it with an old (1971) weaver V4.5 scope. I huint in NY's catskills and all my shots are from 20 to 50 yards.

charles p · « **Reply #1 on:** October 03, 2009, 08:26:30 AM »

I had a friend that killed lots of deer with one. We ran dogs back then and he was the dog man. Shots for him were fast and close. He kept shooting until the deer went down. Standers were will out of range and he was in woods thickets were deer like to bed.

Always wanted one myself.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #2 on:** October 03, 2009, 08:52:54 AM »

You just want to use full mag loads.
Mine will shoot the 180 JSP/ JHP from Remington
and all of the 240 grain bullets but will not eject the light mag loads like the Win Silver tip 210 grainers.

wreckhog · « **Reply #3 on:** October 03, 2009, 11:17:31 AM »

Very good price. Very popular in your area. I hunt 3J and that is a great caliber.

Drilling Man · « **Reply #4 on:** October 03, 2009, 04:28:11 PM »

I'd use 240 grain loads, "especially" for bear, that's what i use in mine.

DM

nrb · « **Reply #5 on:** October 04, 2009, 02:57:54 AM »

I have used my 44mag Ruger carbine since the 70's on woods deer. My performance and accuracy tests show that heavy bullets (240 and up) are the most accurate and near max loads work the best. Never missed a deer and all one shot kills. It is scoped with a 1.5-4.5x which is great for the woods. You found a great rifle at a steal!!!!!

Blackhawk44 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 06, 2009, 07:03:41 PM »

I'm with NRB. Got mine in 1973, mounted a K3 and can support what he says.

tanoose · « **Reply #7 on:** October 10, 2009, 06:19:54 AM »

Thanks for all your input guys,hey wreckhog I hunt 3A , i have a place in Arkville

mannyrock · « **Reply #8 on:** October 10, 2009, 08:27:35 AM »

Be careful NOT to overtighten that front band screw. If you do, then the shots will string upward, as the barrel quickly heats up an stresses against the band. Even just 3 or 4 shots will do this, as the .44 mag is hot.

Just tighten the screw with light pressure until it stops. It there is a little bit of forward-backward play in the band, don't worry about it. Its just to hold your rifle strap.

Regards,

Mannyrock

Retsof · « **Reply #9 on:** October 10, 2009, 05:53:00 PM »

mannyrock,

Thanks for the tip. I have a Ruger 44 Mag Carbine (made in 1967 if I remember correctly), which was given to me 3 years ago. It's in great shape. However, the few times I've taken it to the range, I get alot of upward stringing. I just thought it was the nature of this rifle. I never thought about the front band screw. I've just really tightened it and forgot about it. I'll have to try your method and see what happens.

Mike103 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 12, 2009, 03:05:21 PM »

Quote from: tanoose on October 10, 2009, 06:19:54 AM

Thanks for all your input guys,hey wreckhog I hunt 3A , i have a place in Arkville

Back in the late 80's I hit the Arkville fire department front roll up door.

I was driving my rear wheel drive Ranger pick up on Rt 28 on Sunday night before opening day.

It was on my way to Grand Gorge, still hunt there, and it was snowing heavy.

Because of the snow and the rear wheel truck I was driving I could not chance RT 42, the notch.

I was headed to the Margretville bridge when I slid off the crown in the road and slid sideways until I came to rest against the front door.

Since I was going 20+ miles an hour I did not damage the door and the fireman that were having a few beers in the firehouse got a kick out of the whole thing.

I since bought a 4X4.

I also have a original Ruger 44 carbine but never warmed up to it.

MIKE.

rich56 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 18, 2009, 11:54:36 AM »

Great rifle for that place. I'd use a 240gn JSP. For Bear and boar I loaded Hornady 265JSP over H110. decent accuracy load. I shot a deer with that load at 65yd, the deer took about 4 steps and fell, no apparent blood or bullet hole till I got the hide back from the tanner. I'd use that rifle anywhere for shots 100yd and under. I like the older closed action over the new open top also.

Retsof · « **Reply #12 on:** October 19, 2009, 06:28:35 AM »

mannyrock,

I went to the range yesterday to get my hunting rifles ready for the upcoming deer season. One of the rifles I shot at the range was the old style Ruger 44 Mag carbine. I have yet to use it for deer hunting but I wanted to see how this rifle would shoot, using your advice (with a slight modification made) about not overtightening the front barrel band/screw.

What I did was cut a small piece of garage door rubber edging (sold I believe at Home Depot & Lowe's in 16' or so rolls). I then tried to install this in the elevated bottom portion of the forearm where the gas block sits. However, I coud not get the barrel band on, so I cut the rubber edging thickness in half and tried again. This time it worked, though the barrel band had to be moderately forced onto the stock & barrel. I figured the rubber material would give some, allowing for a slightly looser fit (which it did). I then just tightened the barrel band screw until it was just screwed in couple of turne into the open end of the barrel band. As you might imagine, the swivel stud moved freely, so I put some black electrician's tape on it to silence any noise it made.

Since the carbine was already sighted in from last year, I shot a 3-shot group at 100 yards with the ammo that had been the most accurate (ie, Winchester Partition Gold w/250 gr bullet). In the past, I had shot 3-shot groups at 100 yards with the the average group consistently between 3"-4", either with vertical stringing (when rapid firing) to a triangle shaped group (when letting the barrel cool between shots). The weather yesterday was mild with the temperature in the mid-60's. I shot a 3-shot group with the barrel cooling for 10 minutes between each shot. The barrel was cool to the touch for each of the subsequent shots. I only shot 1 each 3-shot group, as I had 3 other rifles to sight-in and I wanted to get back home in time to catch most of the New Orleans Saint's game. The group was just a tad over 2" with the 2nd & 3rd shots within 1/2" of each other near the bull's eye. The 1st shot was the farthest and highest of the 3 shots, which I can't explain why the 1st shot would be the highest, though it's possible it can be attributed to operator error. Though this is only 1 each 3-shot group and means nothing statistically, I have never achieved such a good group from this carbine (or from the newer Ruger 99/44 Deerfield carbine when I owned it), even when taking my good old time to sight-in. So, I'm encouraged by the first group, using your advice. I know that, if I ever do deer hunt with it, the difference between a 2" group vs a 3"-4" group is meaningless at the distances I will be shooting. However, it's always good to attempt to better the accuracy of a rifle.

Thanks again for the tip.

mannyrock · « **Reply #13 on:** October 20, 2009, 02:58:13 PM »

Retsof,

Wow. Thanks for the great range report. I'm glad that the info I passed on helped tighten your groups. In all honesty, a 2 to 2.5 inch group at 100 yards is all that can be realistically expected of the Ruger Carbine. And indeed, that is an excellent group.

You mentioned that your first shot was somewhat high. Is it possible that you had just freshly cleaned the barrel? Or that you had a little bit of oil in the barrel from running an oiled patch through it after a previous outing? Either one of these, in my experience, will result in the first shot going high.

If you are going to take it out again, for another test, then I would suggest that you not clean the barrel, and that when you get to the range, you run a dry patch down the barrel, to make sure it is totally free of oil and debris, before you shoot again. Hope this helps.

Regards,

Mannyrock

Retsof · « **Reply #14 on:** October 20, 2009, 04:44:40 PM »

mannyrock,

The first shot was through a clean barrel, though it had been months since I last cleaned it. I don't use it much except to shoot now and then. That may change this coming deer season. So, your explanation is the most logical. If I get to the range again before deer season starts, I'll shoot it after running a only dry patch through the bore to see what she does.

federali · « **Reply #15 on:** October 25, 2009, 01:37:31 AM »

I acquired my .44 carbine in the early 70s. It's a great woods gun and I've taken close to a dozen deer with it, all one-shot kills. Mine wears a 1-4X Leupold variable which I leave at 1X for max field of view. Ruger designed his carbine around the 240 grain jacketed bullet and you'll find that these are usually the most accurate. Remington made a nasty looking 240 grain JHP with a larger than standard meplat. These were deadly on game but occasionally didn't chamber. I solved the problem by using the Remington round up the tube and following it with Winchester 240 Grain JHPs which fed flawlessly. Never did get to find out how the Winchesters performed on game as nothing remained standing after taking that first Remington.

the .44 came out at the height of the popularity curve of the M-1 carbine, then available from the DCM at $20.00 each. The M-1s were fun to shoot but marginal for deer. Brilliant move on Bill Ruger's part to offer a carbine quite similar to the M-1 carbine but firing a serious round.

Retsof · « **Reply #16 on:** November 06, 2009, 10:51:56 AM »

Well, I went out to the range again this afternoon to see if I could duplicate the results I posted above with the little modification I had done to my Ruger 44 Mag Carbine (as well as to shoot some other rifles). The brief shooting session with the carbine was again a success. I got the same grouping (ie, 2" at 100 yards for a 3-shot group, using the Winchester Partition Gold ammo). As happened last time, the 1st shot was higher than the others but the next 2 were about 1/2" from one another. The barrel was definitely dry, since I have not cleaned it since my last range outing. It's probably operator error but I'll still take that group size any day from this carbine. I think I will use it for deer hunting this coming season, for which the gun season starts in 15 days (but who's counting).

Swampman · « **Reply #17 on:** November 06, 2009, 10:59:15 AM »

These guns are expensive if you can find one. My buddy's wife paid about $700.00 for one recently.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #18 on:** November 06, 2009, 11:02:01 AM »

WOW,
I paid $500 for mine.
For once a gun I bought new went up in price.

Retsof · « **Reply #19 on:** November 06, 2009, 11:57:00 AM »

Yes, they are expensive, when you can find one. BTW be careful buying an old model, since Ruger does not support those anymore and it might be hard (not to mention expensive) finding a gunsmith to fix it. So, try to give it a good once over before laying down your cash. In truth, that is why I don't shoot mine that often, though when I do, it's a blast (pun intended).

My Ruger 44 Carbine is a mix of good news and bads news. The good news: The carbine was given to me free of charge by a friend. The bad news (which really isn't so bad): I had to promise never to sell that carbine. So, it's value can go thru the roof but it won't help me in that regard.

epanzella · « **Reply #20 on:** November 06, 2009, 12:09:03 PM »

A friend had a Ruger carbine in the 70's. Awesome gun, killed lottsa deer. Only prob he ever had was with lead bullets plugging the gas port. Switched back to jacketed bullets and got 100% reliability.

Dave in WV · « **Reply #21 on:** November 07, 2009, 03:42:08 AM »

tanoose , great rifle but don't shoot lead bullets in it as it's gas operated. Lead bullets will clog the gas port in the barrel.

Dinny · « **Reply #22 on:** November 07, 2009, 12:09:05 PM »

I, too, have one of these fine rifles. I killed my first deer with it last year, although, my grandfather killed several with it in his day. One 240gr XTP anchored him nicely, he balled-up 20yds from where he was shot. It worked great for me, he ran uphill to a old log trail.

Has anyone found a gunsmith that will tune the trigger? That's my only complaint with the gun. Still wouldn't trade for 100 new ones.

Thanks, Dinny

mannyrock · « **Reply #23 on:** November 07, 2009, 12:33:41 PM »

Retsof,

I don't think you had any operator's error when you fired that last group. The only difference between the first shot, on the one hand, and the subsequent two shots, on the other, is that the first shot was fired through a cold barrel, and the subsequent shots through a warm or hot barrel. This is normal, and there is nothing really to adjust here. A 2 inch group is excellent.

Regards,

Mannyrock

Retsof · « **Reply #24 on:** November 08, 2009, 02:00:18 PM »

mannyrock,

You are probably correct. The only thing that puzzles me is that for all of my other rifles (if memory serves me correctly and at my age memory is an ever decreasing faculty), when the barrel warms up, the shots go higher not lower. Obviously, that's not an absolute but it is my recollection.

macinmo · « **Reply #25 on:** November 17, 2009, 05:53:32 PM »

I have one of the old carbines. have killed at least a dozen deer with it. I load 240 Hdy xtp's and get good performance from these. Tried the 200 grain xtp's on a few deer, but was not getting pass throughs, too much velocity. Mine was left to me by a friend and will never leave me. It is my favorite, most used rifle for the Missouri Ozarks deer hunting that I do. It is not a tack driver, but I don't expect it to be.

tigercat · « **Reply #26 on:** November 29, 2009, 08:45:18 AM »

do these guns kick would it be a good gun for my 12 year old daughter

Dinny · « **Reply #27 on:** November 29, 2009, 04:52:56 PM »

Quote from: tigercat on November 29, 2009, 08:45:18 AM

do these guns kick would it be a good gun for my 12 year old daughter

They do have some noticeable recoil especially since most of them have a steel buttplate. I replaced mine with a rubbery plastic spacer I got from Ebay, I'll find out tomorrow if it helps any with the recoil. I would rather see her shooting something in like a .357 Mag Handi or leveraction rifle. Much less recoil and just as deadly within it's intended range with the right loads. But, of course, this is just my own 2 cents worth.

Dinny

saltydog · « **Reply #28 on:** December 08, 2009, 06:39:36 AM »

Great little carbine - mine is one of the orginal run and except for a few parts Ruger still has you are on your own for support. They don't want to hear about them much less try to fix them - I don't know why they have such a dislike for the rifle. I find the recoil would be a bit much for a 12 year old as it is a quick sharp hit. I mounted a 6x scope and shoot 2 moa ish at 100 on a good day.

Swampman · « **Reply #29 on:** December 08, 2009, 07:17:27 AM »

http://www.galatiinternational.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=GIO&Product_Code=BW07

It will increase the pull some.