Ruger #3 44 Mag. Can it shoot Specials

[CoalTrain49]

I know nothing about these rifles so need some experience here. I'm looking at a #3 44 Mag to purchase. I have both 44 Mag and 44 Special brass and powder to load both. Just curious, but it won't be a deal breaker if it doesn't. Seems to me it should as the cartridge would head space on the rim for both. I know you can download 44 Mag to Special velocity but if I can shoot both I would.

 

[Jim Watson]

Yes. There is another thread running with a shooter using .44 Special brass in a .44 Magnum lever action.

Agree with Breechface below. There are many people shooting Light Magnums in revolvers to keep that .125" or .135" of chamber clean.

 

[BreechFace]

Should be no reason you can't. If you shoot a lot of 44 Special you'll develop a carbon ring that could cause issues chambering a 44mag, but that gets handled with a cleaning regimen.

 

[stringnut]

Specials work just fine . Your correct that both headspace on the rim. Carbon ring in the chamber with specials is a real thing. Factory 44 specials often lead horribly in a rifle. They gain a bit of velocity in a rifle barrel and the alloy often can’t handle the extra speed. My wife’s 357 Marlin looks like it has no rifling after 50 or so 38 specials! A stiff brush and a bit of solvent and everything is good again.

 

[Seedy Character]

Specials work just fine . Your correct that both headspace on the rim. Carbon ring in the chamber with specials is a real thing. Factory 44 specials often lead horribly in a rifle. They gain a bit of velocity in a rifle barrel and the alloy often can’t handle the extra speed. My wife’s 357 Marlin looks like it has no rifling after 50 or so 38 specials! A stiff brush and a bit of solvent and everything is good again.

Powder Coated bullets are your friend

 

[Crosshair]

Powder Coated bullets are your friend

A bullet of a proper hardness for the pressure/velocity is your friend.

@CoalTrain49 Is this the #3 that's for sale in TN mde in 1982? (Don't want to give away too much information and have someone else buy it out from under them.)

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

FWIW, I just posted this video on another thread showing a range session where I put 40 rounds of .44 Special through the .44 Magnum chamber of my Martini carbine.



I was shooting some cast lead bullets that were a little too heavy for my Charter Bulldog, over a full case of Trail Boss. There was hardly any fouling when I cleaned up later, and 40 rounds seemed like a lot to me. Plated or powder coated bullets with another powder would have been even cleaner.

 

[Seedy Character]

A bullet of a proper hardness for the pressure/velocity is your friend.

@CoalTrain49 Is this the #3 that's for sale in TN mde in 1982? (Don't want to give away too much information and have someone else buy it out from under them.)

Hardness nor velocity make much difference if the bullet is under sized.

Powder coating encapsulates the lead, eliminates lube and cleans the barrel.

Lead particulates and smoke from lube is at problem, especially pa indoor ranges.

 

[Crosshair]

Hardness nor velocity make much difference if the bullet is under sized.

Powder coating encapsulates the lead, eliminates lube and cleans the barrel.

Lead particulates and smoke from lube is at problem, especially pa indoor ranges.

Oh I didn't think of being undersized. Still, if the bullet is undersized, going through the extra work of powder coating vs tumble lubing isn't going to help.

 

[Y-T71]

Not necessarily, depends on how much undersized we're talking about.

Powder coating adds material to the projectile and many times it's enough to "bump it up" to the diameter you're looking for.

 

[entropy]

FWIW, I just posted this video on another thread showing a range session where I put 40 rounds of .44 Special through the .44 Magnum chamber of my Martini carbine.



I was shooting some cast lead bullets that were a little too heavy for my Charter Bulldog, over a full case of Trail Boss. There was hardly any fouling when I cleaned up later, and 40 rounds seemed like a lot to me. Plated or powder coated bullets with another powder would have been even cleaner.

That's a neat little carbine, Dave!

 

[Archibald Stanton]

I have eight 44’s and shoot specials in all of them, never had an issue after thousands of rounds of special and magnum, factory loads, reloads, experimental stuff that I make, etc for rifles and revolvers. I’ve built magnum loads in special cases and special loads in magnum cases. The bullets act funky or just plain suck sometimes but I’ve never had it negatively affect a gun. Just clean your guns often or at least run a bore snake through it after each time you shoot. I feel bad that I have to put this warning but I will: never shoot magnum in guns designed for special loads.

I will add that is a super rare gun in that caliber. Good find.