The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: dalea on October 29, 2012, 09:48:47 AM
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I have a 25th aniv (1985) ruger. 44 carbine in excellent shape.hasn't been fired much at all. How reliable long term are these guns? I might use it as a brush gun although its still in excellent condition. I don't really want to carry it in the woods as its no longer in production and parts are no longer available. I even have the box and manual for it. Since I want a 44 for the brush, should I just get a .44 marlin lever gun to replace it? I've fired a couple boxes of hornady leverevolution through it (seems to love this round), but I'm nervous about long tern reliability and might be happier with a newer lever gun.
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If money is not a consideration I would put the Ruger away as a future "collectible"., otherwise I would shoot the crap out of it.
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I don't have one, but a friend does. He uses it every year for deer hunting. It has proved to be reliable and hunting accurate and is a great brush gun. He broke the stock on it through the wrist and I have seen that on a couple others. Factory replacement stocks are hard to find and I'm not sure any one is making any after market stocks. Do you still have the owners manual? I think the recommended cartridge is a 240 grain jacketed or semi-jacketed round. I think straight lead bullets in these caused problems with the gas systems and using lead bullets is what caused problems with these.
A .44 lever gun would be a great brush gun.
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http://www.midwayusa.com/product/369245/ruger-rifle-stock-assembly-complete-ruger-96-44-magnum
http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/stock-forend-parts/rifle-stocks/index.htm?avs|Make~~Model_1=Ruger__M-96
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You do good work, Tom.
GoogleFu is a gift to share.
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http://www.midwayusa.com/product/369245/ruger-rifle-stock-assembly-complete-ruger-96-44-magnum
http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/stock-forend-parts/rifle-stocks/index.htm?avs|Make~~Model_1=Ruger__M-96
The stock in the first link is for a lever action Ruger. I think the OP is about the semi-auto carbine.
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Ruger 96/44 is a favourite here of hog hunters, their only limiting factor was Bill Rugers lack of a 10 round mag for them.
They are scarce and damn near impossible to get these days as no ones wants to part with them. They sell here anywhere from 1200 to 1800 depending on condition.
IMHO the best lever action 44 ever made.
Re the Marlin in 44 - only if its one of the older ones, too many horror stories regarding the modern marlin lever actions.
I have a marlin 39a made in 64 damn thing is still near mint apart from a couple safe rub marks to sell it here now it would not be unreasonable to expect at least 800-900.
Personally Dalea - shoot the damn thing it what they was meant for, you wont where it out! ;)
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The stock in the first link is for a lever action Ruger. I think the OP is about the semi-auto carbine.
Is the Model 96 the lever action ?
Crap, got the wrong gun. :-X
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I guess I forgot to say this rifle is the semi auto with the tubular 4 shpt magazine
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The only thing I can find is for the model 99/44 "Deerfield" but that uses a rotary mag.
This might help.
http://www.boydsgunstocks.com/RUG-44-MAG-STK-W-SI-p/300-289.htm
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They are the little engine that couldn't. :'( I absolutely love the idea of these things, a semi auto .44 mag carbine is sweet by definition. But there were reliability isssues, and by the time I got to shopping for one they were out of production and mags were scarce and pricy, so it was nyet.
But I swear to God, if Ruger were to make a mini-14 in .44 mag, make it accurate to within 2-3" at 100 yards and offer both a four and a thirty round mag, I would buy one tommorow if I had to hock the dog. ;D I would also reccomend one to every urban PD in the country as the .44 won't fly as far as a 5.56 and you'll only need to shoot someone once with a 240 grain round. I don't know why more companies haven't tried this as it seems like a money tree, as lots of folks interested in deer or hog hunting as well as SD would love a two gun Combo that included a mag fed SA carbine.
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FQ, these are the tube magazine model, the other one had magazine issues, I've never heard a bad word about the tube mags also, Ruger makes a sweet little lever gun in 44 mag as well as the Model 77.
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FQ, these are the tube magazine model, the other one had magazine issues, I've never heard a bad word about the tube mags also, Ruger makes a sweet little lever gun in 44 mag as well as the Model 77.
Oops on that :-[. I thought it was the mag model the OP was referring to. I have no interest in the tube fed ones. Its the Mag model, new and improved, as I specified that I'd lay out a grand for, as down here, it would solve pretty much all my hunting and SD needs. 4-5"at 200 yards and a thirty round mag, and goes bang every time? Its the ultimate So. Fl. hog hunting and "Get Off My Lawn" gun. As Far as the M77, I own and love one in .270, the thing is a work of art. I may have gotten lucky with mine, but the action is smooth as polished glass and I can hit a coke can at 200 yards seated. Plus, I like the looks of the thing. But for a .44 mag? I wouldn't drop the cash on it. I'd go lever action as you get more shots and faster follow ups which is what you want from a 100 yard cartridge. Its a brush gun, not a range gun, and its silly to spend more than you need to, if the rifle is better than the ammo. A lever is just fine and so would a semi auto modeled on the M-1 carbine, just like the mini-14/30 . But why drop the dough on a rifle that will let you hit out to 400 yards with a cartridge that's designed for use at under 200?
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FQ, Just get a M1 carbine converted to .45 Winchester mag.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=67146
A 30 round .44 mag for a M1 carbine based .44 would be a long magazine, a 10 or 15 round would be far more practical convenience wise. Remember that a lot of states limit semiautomatic mag size for hunting if you are going to use it as a hog gun.
The Ruger Deerfield 99-44 was the more modern semi auto 44 that Ruger produced and the 96-44 was the lever gun.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/ruger_deerfield.htm
The first Ruger 44 semi auto .44 used the tube mag and loading system much like a shotgun.
A Marlin or Winchester .44 lever gun is trimmer than the Ruger .44s, holds more rounds, and the can be topped off on the run.
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I used to work with the guy who did the M-1 carbine conversions. We went out shooting once and I didn't think it kicked too bad but my shoulder was bruised the next day after maybe one mag full. The gun is very light for a .45 WM and it has to have a plastic stock because a wooden stock only lasts for a few shots before the wrist breaks. Ater he invented the .450 Bushmaster I think he quit doing the Mag-1 carbines, but this contact information may still be right if anyone is interested.
LEMAG FIREARMS LLC
3309 GRANGE HALL RD
HOLLY, MI 48442-2010
(248) 634-1312