chasgrips45
Member
I know that my nice Ruger carbine. Says 44 Magnum. What happens if i use 44 Special? Feed problems?
I just got to know
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Jackal
Member
It wont feed or cycle. You will also carbon up your chamber making 44 mags difficult to feed as well. Its made for .44mag only.
kBob
Member
If it is the older tube fed model then heavy slugs and heavy loads of .44 Special MIGHT work. A local commercial reloader used to offer such loads specifically for the tube fed Ruger with the idea that one could load an additional round.
I suspect these were the .44 Special equivalent of the old .38 SPecial .38-44 loads. that is they were loaded to near magnum pressures in the shorter cases, in the case of the .38-44 because the .357 had not been invented yet.
I unfortunately ended up with a box of this stuff which had no special marking and fired it in a .44Special N-frame S&W revolver. There was considerable spitting of lead and flame through the cylinder gap to the point that I immediately stopped and took the stuff back to the shop, where I was told about the heavy loading for the .44 carbine and the non owner clerk got a good talking too by the owner for selling it to me from behind the counter without explaining this in advance.
-kBob
I suspect these were the .44 Special equivalent of the old .38 SPecial .38-44 loads. that is they were loaded to near magnum pressures in the shorter cases, in the case of the .38-44 because the .357 had not been invented yet.
I unfortunately ended up with a box of this stuff which had no special marking and fired it in a .44Special N-frame S&W revolver. There was considerable spitting of lead and flame through the cylinder gap to the point that I immediately stopped and took the stuff back to the shop, where I was told about the heavy loading for the .44 carbine and the non owner clerk got a good talking too by the owner for selling it to me from behind the counter without explaining this in advance.
-kBob
Reloadron
Contributing Member
Then you should know what the Ruger 44 Magnum Carbine manual says on page 3.
I did try 44 special many years ago in one of mine. The problem was more a failure to feed than a lack of gas pressure. I figure they put what they put on page 3 of the manual for a reason.
Ron
OP
OP
chasgrips45
Member
Thanks Guys. If it says 44 mag,that`s what they mean!
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