Ruger .44 Deerslayer Carbine

[Cessnapilot89]

Hi Guys,

Currently I considering selling some of my milsurp collections to buy a Ruger .44 Deerslayer carbine, and I was wondering what the general consensus on the Ruger was?

[TMB 1]

If you're talking about the tube feed model, I have a couple friends that have them and love them. When I shot one I didn't think it recoiled as much as my Browning 92.

[G-Man WC]

If I were to buy another one I would shoot it first before I bought it.
I had a used one that I could not get to shoot straight. After fooling
around with it for a year, I resold it.
-g

[billybob_jcv]

I'm curious - why do you want a Ruger semiauto rifle in .44 Mag? Do you already handload for the .44? If not, then why not get a rifle that shoots 5.56 or 7.62x39? I'm not an AR guy, but isn't a new S&W M&P15 about the same price as a used Ruger 44 Carbine?

[Cessnapilot89]

Not a fan of AR's and 7.62x39's currently. The Ruger 44 tube fed I just always thought was a cool little rifle.

[big103]

I have only hear that they are kinda picky. But I have never messed with one.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

I am definitely a fan of Ruger guns, but a semi-automatic .44 magnum sounds like something that would unpleasant to shoot, expensive and would beat the hell out of the gun if shot much. I dunno.

[TKM]

Ruger also made a rotary mag fed version.

Some mad scientist managed to make Desert Eagle 44 mags run in them. Have fun.


5.56, 7.62 Russian, 44 Mag and 30/30 all have about the same energy.

[jeffrice6]

I'm curious - why do you want a Ruger semiauto rifle in .44 Mag?

Because that is one bad azz platform to launch a .44 pill from! Love my 1894, but still have wet dreams of a semi .44 carbine. Could one have a better bush/HD rifle?

[Jimmybacon43]

I'm curious - why do you want a Ruger semiauto rifle in .44 Mag? Do you already handload for the .44? If not, then why not get a rifle that shoots 5.56 or 7.62x39? I'm not an AR guy, but isn't a new S&W M&P15 about the same price as a used Ruger 44 Carbine?

Lol a run of the mill AR15 is nothing like the Ruger .44 carbine. Second kind of cool bro.

[tpuig]

I have an early Ruger .44 carbine and love it. Don't see too many for sale anymore.

You can download the Ruger manuals on the website. They made them from 1961-74, 1975-85, both with tubular magazines. And then reintroduced them with a removable magazine in 2000-06 as the Deerfield. Not sure what the differences are in the first two runs. IIRC, you could use the removable magazine in the lever action 96/44 and the Deerfield, but not the bolt action 77/44. Not sure about that though.

You can shoot the full power Buffalo Bore .44 loads in it, same as the Blackhawk. (Stuff that isn't recommended in my 629) The lighter loads or .44 Special won't cycle the action. And you of course need to use flat nose bullets or now the Hornady flexible soft tip.

Put a small red dot on it and you're good to go at 100 yards. (haven't tried any longer distances) Decent groups, and the holes are easy to see.

You're welcome to shoot mine if you want to meet at Sunnyvale. That will give you an idea of what it's like before you buy. It's got a bit of oomph, but really not bad at all.

[Wrangler John]

I bought one back in the early 1960's. I think it cost around $125.00 new. It was the rifle that got me started in reloading. Used those old clunky Speer 240 grain jacketed soft points that looked like a Keith cast bullet stuck in a jacket, over H-110 or Hercules 2400 (now Alliant), Speer's Manual of the day mentioned that the velocity had to be at or over 1,600 fps to reliably cycle the action. I didn't use my favorite Keith 240 grain cast bullet for fear of leading up the gas system. Little carbine shot okay, about 2" at 100 yards with the factory sights. I don't recall if I ever scoped it. Recoil was mild compared to the Ruger Super Blackhawk, or the Remington 788 in .44 Mag, which was down right painful to shoot. It's one of those rifles I wish I had never sold off.

[Rosereader]

Lol a run of the mill AR15 is nothing like the Ruger .44 carbine. Second kind of cool bro.

I agree with this.

The Ruger .44's are really cool. I like them a lot.

But would I sell other guns to get one? I don't sell guns, especially C&R's.

[billybob_jcv]

I guess it's just one of those guns that doesn't seem to "pull my trigger" -

I suppose if I already shot a lot of 44 Mag I might feel differently. I can see where it might be fun to surprise all the smug twits at the range who think you're just shooting a Ruger 22.

[Rosereader]

I guess it's just one of those guns that doesn't seem to "pull my trigger" -

I suppose if I already shot a lot of 44 Mag I might feel differently. I can see where it might be fun to surprise all the smug twits at the range who think you're just shooting a Ruger 22.

There is that. There is also the appeal of just having something different- I know I like a variety in my firearms.