44 mag Ruger carbines - which one do you recommend?

[The Mighty Beagle]

Which would you buy based on your experiences with it?
- 96/44 lever
- 77/44 bolt
- 99/44 semi

I'm leaning toward the bolt or leaver, since the semi costs about $100 more.

FYI, I've already tried Marlin and Winchester, and am looking for something different, thus the Rugers.

I want the gun to be a handy carbine for short-range hunting and realize these guns may not handle 300 gr. loads. Of course I'd like as much accuracy as I can get.

Thanks!

 

[Fabrat]

Beagle- I bought a used 96/44 ( lever ) this spring. I've been to the range with it a few times since. I get minute-of-whitetail accurracy out of it. Its not a tack driver but its no slouch, either. I have a Bushnell Elite 3200 2-7 scope on it. I like the short lever throw, the cross hairs stay on target when I chamber a round. I also like the internal hammer and the cross trigger safety. It tends to string upwards when the barrel gets hot ( around 20 rounds ). I shoot 240 JHC's with a stout load of Win 296 under them. I have yet to try 300 grainers but will likely try some before fall. Hope this helps.

Fabrat

 

[Hkmp5sd]

I really like the lever .44 and it's on my list of future acquisitions. Unfortunately, so are a few dozen other guns.

What are they going for these days?

 

[Sir Galahad]

Someone needs to make a 10 round mag for the semi-auto Deerfield carbine.

 

[The Mighty Beagle]

5089623

Thanks Fabrat, the lever is the one I'm thinking about most since it is cheaper than the others, and lighter too.

Anybody else have any experience with these guns?

 

[Paniolo808]

Most of my hunting friends use the old style 44 carbine with the tubular mag. and they love them. Ive yet to see it not stop any pig at close range. Nice and light gun also. I am looking for one right now in fact. Anbody selling any of the old style ruger 44 carbines?




Aloha
Dustin

 

[Cthulhu]

Try to find an old .44 Deerslayer with the tubular magazine as described above. It looks like an enlarged 10/22, handles like a wand, and beats the new Deerfield hands down. Try to find one with a peep, as it improves practical accuracy over the standard irons. That said, I would order them from best to worst:

1. Vintage Deerslayer
2. 96/44 Lever
3. 77/44 Bolt
4. 99/44 Semi

There are 3 or more Deerslayers on Gunbroker as we speak, ranging 350 to 500, in case you wish to seek them out.

Second choice would be the 96/44. The short throw lever allows for a fast second shot with minimal disturbance, and the weapons short length makes it manuverable in heavy brush. The 77/44 is generally more accurate than the levergun, but can't match it for speed. The new semi is a butchered Mini-14, and I wasn't impressed with the 2 I've fired. Accuracy wasn't up to par with the deerslayer, and it was finicky with bullet profiles/OALs.

 

[The Mighty Beagle]

As a matter of fact my first deer gun was the .44 Deerslayer, so I'm quite familiar with it. As much as I appreciate the info about online availability, as a rule I don't buy guns over the 'Net. Since there are no older carbines around here, I was just going to order a new Ruger.

As much as I dislike Mini 14's, I don't think I'd want the 99/44. Why they Mini 14-ized the old carbine is beyond me, but it sounds like it's exactly what I suspected - a .44 carbine saddled with all the problems of the Mini.

The bolt action 77's seem very attractive. I wonder how much more accuracy that action gives you over the lever? If it's negligible, I'd rather have the lever because it's cheaper and has a unique look about it. OTOH, I can get the bolt gun in stainless for the same price as the blued 77 ....

So how much more accurate is it?

 

[Cthulhu]

You didn't mention your experience with the Deerslayer, otherwise I wouldn't have gone on and on about it. With ammo they favor and a decent scope, the 3 Ruger 77/44s I've fired would bench 1" to 1.5" at 100yds, with some occasional sub 1" groups. The 96/44s were 2-3" guns at the same yardage. I'd bet handloading and load selection might shrink this down somewhat for both models. The question is whether or not the difference in accuracy is significant at the ranges you intend to employ them at? If you take most of your shots at 50 to 75 yds offhand, I'd doubt you or your target would notice the difference in accuracy. If, for some reason, you are trying to stretch the legs of the .44mag and use it scoped at 125-200yds, the increased accuracy would, of course, be more noticible. For the short range hunting you mentioned, I'd take the speed of the lever over the possible accuracy gains of the bolt action. While the bolt is short throw, the lever is faster yet and only marginally less accurate before load development.
The 99/44s were pretty awful, giving 3"-5" groups at 75yds using Win 240 JSP and PMC 240grn loads, getting progressively worse as the barrels heated up. That kind of accuracy really killed any appeal offered by quick followup shots or moderated recoil, so I never considered them as a contender. Also, for some reason, mag insertion and removal are far more fumble prone than the 96/44 or 77/44.

BTW, I've purchased enough guns over the net to fill 2 gunsafes and never been burned or even disappointed. Actually, I've had worse luck buying things from people face to face. Have a bad experience purchasing online?

 

[The Mighty Beagle]

Nope, haven't purchased anything online, don't really know how to do it in a way to protect myself Also, I've had some identity fraud issues lately involving the Internet and have been less than impressed with the lackadaisacal law enforcement reaction. It really has absolutely nothing to do with buying guns on the Net, but it taught me to never, ever depend on someone else to track down someone who's ripped me off. It's just much simpler to deal face to face with a real person.

Thank you so very much for the accuracy data, it's priceless in forming a decision.

 

[sturmruger]

I know this is old but had to comment

I live in NW Wisconsin and use my Ruger 96/44 for Deer hunting. All of the deer I have ever shot have been from 20-75 yards so a .44 mag is a perfect round. The first deer I ever shot was with a .44 and after 14 years of using a .223 I decided to go back to a heavier slower bullet.

I found my 96/44 at a local gun show for only $360. For the yardage that I will be using it, it is plenty accurate. While I do miss some of the traditional features of a Marlin or Winchester it has been a very good little gun. I really like the short throw of the Ruger. I can shoot 5 rounds on target in about 6 second. It is currently at the gunsmith getting the barrel ported to help with the recoil.

I have been considering the 99/44 as a nice gun to add to my collection. It is really about the same as the lever guns in weight and lenth. While they are not the most accurate guns in the world I have always been a big fan of Ruger autoloaders. I do wish that I could come up with a 20 rounds mag.

 

[Shooter973]

44 Mag Rugers!!!

I have 2 of the Old Ruger 44 mag carbines. I really like them but they throw the brass so far away that I lose about 50% of it .... For this very reason I have a M7/44 , blue and Walnut. It is a great little rifle, and it is as accurate as I could wish for in such a handy little rifle. I've not put a scope on it, just used the open sights and its doing OK for me. I also like it because I can use cast bullets in it and they all seem to feed fine. The auto loaders need Jacketed bullets or you can foul the gas port. I also have 3 of the Win Trapper 44mags and they are good little guns also. As you can tell I really like the 44 Mag round.

 

[MrMurphy]

I've shot the 96/44 and handled the 99/44..... can't stand either of them. The sights alone tick me off.


The 77/44 isn't bad, and I know several have been used as the basis for larger-caliber suppressed game control rifles, or guard-dog removal rifles for meth lab and crack house raids. Apparently, the 77/44 is quite accurate!


Any good bolt gun man can keep up with a levergun in speed.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

A friend of mine is a USDA agent Wildlife Control. He has a 77/44 with a fully suppressed barrel, a 10/22 with a 18.5" fully supressed barrel and a 77 long action in .308 with a suppressor. He likes the 77/44 best of all, I have seen him shoot a few does with it, always at less than 75 yards. It is about as loud as clapping your hands and going "whooo" a the same time. Amazing.

I had an older .44 carbine, tube mag. Bought it from my cousin, he bought it back. I don't miss it, I have a 10.5" SuperBlackHawk now, it'll do anything the .44 carbine would.

 

[mountaindrew]

I hadled all three of those when I was looking for a carbine, and by far the bolt action had a better stock design. The ergonomics of the lever action were terrible, at least to me with my smalll hands. the sto corved up at the back of the action where it should have curved down ect...

The bolt action felt about perfect, and extremely light and handy

I went with a Marlin 1894 though. Lighter, handier, and it has theat cool clasic look. Still plan on getting the 77/44 some day.