.44 Ruger semi-auto - any luck, anyone?

[slug]

I tried one of these little sweeties about thirty years back and couldn't get it to function with lead. Now, I know the gurus say it can't be done, but I'd like to hear from someone who has done it. I have an elderly Ruger coming in on tonight's bus. TIA

[leftiye]

A what?

[NickSS]

I had one of those some thirty five years ago and shot lead bullets in them just fine. I used a 240 gr flat nose slug from a lyman mold and shot mostly 2400 in it. I do not remember the load but got it from a Lyman reloading manual. The rifle functioned fine with it, I never shot a lot of ammo through it as I decided I did not like the spongy trigger it had a sold it after only a few boxes of ammo went through it.

[Bret4207]

We had a couple, (NEVER should have let them go!!!), and they functioned with everything we shot cast or jacketed. I'd love another!

[Trapaddict]

Sweet little rifle with the worst trigger I think I have ever had on any rifle I have ever owned.

Jeff

[Bret4207]

A what?

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.buckhuntersblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/ruger-44-carbine.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.buckhuntersblog.com/7-old-school-deer-rifles-that-can-still-bring-home-the-venison&h=967&w=718&sz=294&tbnid=GqZcmco_oZssmM:&tbnh=148&tbnw=110&prev=/images%3Fq%3DRuger%2B44%2Bcarbine&zoom=1&q=Ruger+44+carbine&usg=__2OW8e4pEKKzXd7pRvKdpu0xv9U0=&sa=X&ei=0DYwTZ7tDIScgQfq69nUCw&ved=0CB4Q9QEwAQ

[hicard]

Mine works with any normal load using cast boolits. I even got the 180 gr full wc's to work well in mine with, I think, around 18 grs of 2400, a light load for that bullet.

[leftiye]

Had my head locked in pistol mode. Anybody shot that new deerfield carbine (on mini 14 action)?

[Piedmont]

There was one of these my dad bought new back in the late '60s that had a full length wood stock. It was light and handy and as best I remember it didn't used a detachable magazine, but possibly used a tube loaded from underneath. Does anyone know exactly what this was?

[home in oz]

I would like one.

[looseprojectile]

He was frustrated that it would not function. I made some ammo for him that had Ranch Dogs .432" 270 grain boolits. He was tickeled. He was about ready to give me the rifle.
You will have to consider that loads will have to be fairly warm to function the action. Start at medium and increase if needed. I used H110 though 2400 will do nicely. 20 grains of H110 do not have enough push to do it. Overall length is critical also.
I have owned and shot several of those neat little carbines. Don't know why I don't still have one. If I remember right they feed SWC boolits well but you have to consider the OAL. Long nose boolits are a NO NO.

Life is good

[blackpowder man]

I really like mine. The one thing I really don't like is that it spits the brass every which way, except near where you are shooting. Never tried cast as others have stated it likes pretty hot loads to cycle. I run 23 grains of W296 under 240 grain jacketed. The 265 grain hornady will cause feeding nightmares. The problem with wrong COAL isn't that it won't feed, but will double feed jamming everything up and forcing you to dig around with a screwdriver while trying to hold the bolt back and push down on the feeding ramp all at the same time. There is also some technique involved with getting the gun to chamber the first round. Having said these horrible things about such a fine rifle, mine isn't for sale and fed the right ammo shoots nicely in a small light package. Did I mention she kicks a little? right in the cheekbone. You can call Ruger for a free owners manual if so choose.

[Franklin Zeman]

I ran into a fellow that shot light cast loads. He had shortened the spring in it so it would function properly. I never tried this as I didn't have a normal size apring to put back in it when I got done fulling with the light loads. He claimed no fouling problems.

[JIMinPHX]

There are two versions of the Ruger Carbine. The old one has a tube magazine & looks like a slightly fat 10-22. The new one has a detachable magazine & an action like a Mini-14. I have experience with the old tube fed type.

That gun ate everything that I loaded into it, including cast. I only tried cast a few times because after trying it, I noticed that the owner's manual said not to use cast for fear of clogging the gas port.

Those are great rifles to have, up until the time when they stop working. The historically classic problem has to do with the parts in the feed system going south. Once that happens, you have yourself a slow loading single shot. Those guns have not been made in many years & no spare parts are available.

I had wonderful accuracy from that little rifle. I could get 1" groups @ 50 yards with iron sights using 240 or 300 grain flat points at nearly 1800 & nearly 1500fps respectively. That rifle is a fast handling, easy shooting gun that you can carry all day in the woods without getting tired of it. I wish that they still made them.

When I do see them on the used market, they are usually carrying a price tag between $450-$600. That's a lot to plink down on a gun that may or may not be able to feed & has no spare parts available. The demand for them is so strong that the prices never seem to come down much.

[JIMinPHX]

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.buckhuntersblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/ruger-44-carbine.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.buckhuntersblog.com/7-old-school-deer-rifles-that-can-still-bring-home-the-venison&h=967&w=718&sz=294&tbnid=GqZcmco_oZssmM:&tbnh=148&tbnw=110&prev=/images%3Fq%3DRuger%2B44%2Bcarbine&zoom=1&q=Ruger+44+carbine&usg=__2OW8e4pEKKzXd7pRvKdpu0xv9U0=&sa=X&ei=0DYwTZ7tDIScgQfq69nUCw&ved=0CB4Q9QEwAQ

That picture is the old version with the tube magazine. The description that goes with it is the new version with the mini-14 style action.