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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Rifles

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szihn
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Reged: 24/06/07
Posts: 2113
Loc: Wind River Valley, Wyoming

Ruger "Deerfield" 44 carbine?
#236478 - 08/10/13 01:00 AM

Hello folks.
Some years ago, about 12 I think, Ruger came out with a 44 magnum carbine called the "Deerfield".
I remember seeing them on the walls at the gun stores. However in all the years since they were made and then discontinued, I have never known anyone that had one, and I have never heard a report (good or bad) on how they worked or how accurate they were.

Has anyone out there had any experience with one at all?

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DarylS
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Reged: 10/08/05
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Re: Ruger "Deerfield" 44 carbine? [Re: szihn]
#236480 - 08/10/13 01:05 AM

I read once, they worked just fine with jacketed bullets, but that cast bullets would foul the gas port. True, or not, I do not know - that was written up in Guns&Ammo or Shooting Times several (or more) decades ago.

I would personally have preferred a short, 3 round box magazine like used on the old Winchester Semi Autos- but - the Rugers did appear to be a VERY handy bush rifle - a little 'thick' for a saddle scabbard, though.

--------------------
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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Ripp
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Reged: 19/02/07
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Loc: Montana, USA

Re: Ruger "Deerfield" 44 carbine? [Re: DarylS]
#236489 - 08/10/13 03:20 AM

My good friend John has one...he has used it hunting whitetail in brush and we have also gone out plinking with it..its not a sub moa gun..but for what it is it works well..the times we have shot it there were no jams..and he was just shooting cheaper factory ammo mostly

Ripp

--------------------
ALL MEN DIE, BUT FEW MEN TRULY LIVE..

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Rell
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Reged: 03/12/04
Posts: 642
Loc: Oyster Bay, NY, USA

Re: Ruger "Deerfield" 44 carbine? [Re: Ripp]
#236490 - 08/10/13 04:12 AM

I have two and love one of them.

The first is the standard carbine model. Totally unreliable it's been at my gun smith for almost 3 years now and I've given up even asking about it's progress.

The other is a Jewel. It's the Mannlicher stocked model and I adore it. With jacketed 240 gr loads it had never given me any trouble. Cast bullets gum it up something fierce. It's mounted with a little Leupold fixed 2.5x20 scope and is a real joy to shoot and carry.

Great for Black bears in the corn in Quebec and probably the ticket for wacking hogs down south.

--------------------
450-400, 9.3x74r and 7x65r.

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szihn
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Reged: 24/06/07
Posts: 2113
Loc: Wind River Valley, Wyoming

Re: Ruger "Deerfield" 44 carbine? [Re: Rell]
#236491 - 08/10/13 04:22 AM

Rell, are you talking about the "Deerfield" introduced in 2000 or 2001, or are you talking about the older Ruger 44 introduced in the 60s? The old ones had a tubular magazine and the new ones have a 4 shot rotary magazine.
I suspect it's the early model because I don't think the Deerfield (a meni-14 on steroids) had been made with a Mannlicher stock.
Correct me if I am wrong please.

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hunter_angler
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Reged: 24/03/10
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Re: Ruger "Deerfield" 44 carbine? [Re: szihn]
#236494 - 08/10/13 05:40 AM

If it helps at all I don't have a 99/44 Deerfield but I own a Model 96/44 lever action which I believe shares the same barrel (1:20 twist I think) and magazine. It's a very handy little gun, and the removable rotary magazine makes it really easy to load and unload (for a lever gun) jumping in and out of the truck while hunting off old logging roads in upper Michigan. The magazine does limit COAL if you hand load or use custom ammo, and I have heard these guns can be a little finicky about what bullets you feed them where accuracy is concerned. Mine generally groups within 3 inches at 100 yards shooting Barnes 225 gr. XPB monometals, which have become my general purpose .44 Maggie bullet for both the rifle and my S&W 629 wheel gun.

--------------------
old school rimmy

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Rell
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Posts: 642
Loc: Oyster Bay, NY, USA

Re: Ruger "Deerfield" 44 carbine? [Re: hunter_angler]
#236496 - 08/10/13 07:51 AM

100% correct. I have the old guns from the mid 60s I think.

About 3 MOA.

--------------------
450-400, 9.3x74r and 7x65r.

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szihn
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Reged: 24/06/07
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Loc: Wind River Valley, Wyoming

Re: Ruger "Deerfield" 44 carbine? [Re: Rell]
#236498 - 08/10/13 08:05 AM

I called Ruger and they told me that the barrels are indeed rifled 1-20"
The old ones like what Rell has were rifles 1-38".
I wonder how well the new 1-20" twist guns would shoot Hornady 265 gr bullets.
Anyone ever try those?

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hunter_angler
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Re: Ruger "Deerfield" 44 carbine? [Re: szihn]
#236503 - 08/10/13 08:47 AM

I can't speak to accuracy as I haven't used the Hornady 265 gr bullets in my 96/44 but from what I understand they were designed for the .444 Marlin (at 2400 FPS MV) and don't expand much at .44 Magnum velocities, even from a carbine. A tough bullet that probably penetrates a lot like a hardcast at say 1800 FPS or slower. Just a thought.

I know most guys who use heavier than 240 gr bullets in .44 Magnum prefer the faster 1:20 rifling to stabilize them, so theoretically at least you should be accurate with the right loads. In my case I actually use lighter bullets but the monometals are long for caliber so I think the faster twist still helps.

--------------------
old school rimmy

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gwh
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Reged: 28/01/08
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Loc: Cairns Australia

Re: Ruger "Deerfield" 44 carbine? [Re: hunter_angler]
#236514 - 08/10/13 01:40 PM

I have one of the current model 77/44 carbines- shoots jacketed 240 gr projies really well , haven't tried other stuff in it yet. Its a slick little bolt gun!

--------------------
Hunt hard, shoot straight

"I speak of Africa and golden joys; the joy of wandering through lonely lands; the joy of hunting the mighty and terrible lords of the wilderness, the cunning, the wary and the grim"

Theodore Roosevelt, Khartoum, 1910

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szihn
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Loc: Wind River Valley, Wyoming

Re: Ruger "Deerfield" 44 carbine? [Re: gwh]
#236515 - 08/10/13 02:26 PM

I have shot the 265 grain Hornady in an old Browning M92 and killed deer and antelope with them. I can't say how much they expand because I have never recovered one, but the exit holes were about 1" in diameter, so I have to assume they expand some.

I also killed a small bear with one out of a 7 1/2" Ruger Redhawk years ago, and dropped the bear with one shot.
I didn't recover that bullet either, but I have to believe they are expanding at least a little

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Mike_Bailey
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Re: Ruger "Deerfield" 44 carbine? [Re: szihn]
#236519 - 08/10/13 05:56 PM

I have had one down here in Spain for 10 years, the "Deerfield" model with the rotary mag. For 90% of the monterias I have been on here it is the gun I use. I take a 30.06 in case I get a "peg" on a plain (rare) but nearly all shots are at 75 yards or less and it puts pigs, fallow and red deer down almost at once. If you do get one it is a good idea to loktite the screw holding the trigger group to the action (using blue NOT red loktite, you can then undo it) and the front barrel band with the swivel sling as these two have a habit of shooting loose otherwise. Ammo is interesting too, the Winchester 240 grain softs have a VERY small dimple hollow point and I haven´t recovered one of these, they just zip through at least in side on shots but Remingto Core Lokt explode, best, Mike

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hunter_angler
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Re: Ruger "Deerfield" 44 carbine? [Re: szihn]
#236527 - 08/10/13 09:51 PM

Quote:

I have shot the 265 grain Hornady in an old Browning M92 and killed deer and antelope with them. I can't say how much they expand because I have never recovered one, but the exit holes were about 1" in diameter, so I have to assume they expand some.

I also killed a small bear with one out of a 7 1/2" Ruger Redhawk years ago, and dropped the bear with one shot.
I didn't recover that bullet either, but I have to believe they are expanding at least a little

Sounds like great penetration, too. Good stuff.

--------------------
old school rimmy

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DarylS
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Re: Ruger "Deerfield" 44 carbine? [Re: hunter_angler]
#236529 - 09/10/13 01:00 AM

How about that - I wasn't aware they came out with a rotary mag in a semi - HA!- I was on some pretty heavy pain meds after 1999. Wonder what else I missed out on?

I always wanted one of the semi's, just like the one in my gun room & figured they were 38", just like the lever guns - the 20" twists SHOULD be more accurate, but doesn't sound like it. Both my Marlin did better than 3" - more like 1 3/4" to 2" usually, at 100meters with 265's (.44mag. & .444) and so did my Winchester .45 Colt Trapper (16" bl.) with bullets from 260gr. Speer HP to 300 & 340gr. cast - all of those with 38" twists. Gotta try them to know for sure.

I've heard the .44 mag. 38" twist will shoot 300's - at least my cousin's .44 Marlin wouldn't, but it did shoot the 265's OK when driven 1,600fps, same as mine.

Those are some guns I wish I had 'back'- especially the .45 Colt - 2 Elk with that one. I'd much prefer a new 22" to 24" lever gun in .45 Colt to the semi.

--------------------
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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hunter_angler
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Re: Ruger "Deerfield" 44 carbine? [Re: DarylS]
#236531 - 09/10/13 01:38 AM

Quote:

How about that - I wasn't aware they came out with a rotary mag in a semi - HA!- I was on some pretty heavy pain meds after 1999. Wonder what else I missed out on?

I always wanted one of the semi's, just like the one in my gun room & figured they were 38", just like the lever guns - the 20" twists SHOULD be more accurate, but doesn't sound like it. Both my Marlin did better than 3" - more like 1 3/4" to 2" usually, at 100meters with 265's (.44mag. & .444) and so did my Winchester .45 Colt Trapper (16" bl.) with bullets from 260gr. Speer HP to 300 & 340gr. cast - all of those with 38" twists. Gotta try them to know for sure.

I've heard the .44 mag. 38" twist will shoot 300's - at least my cousin's .44 Marlin wouldn't, but it did shoot the 265's OK when driven 1,600fps, same as mine.

Those are some guns I wish I had 'back'- especially the .45 Colt - 2 Elk with that one. I'd much prefer a new 22" to 24" lever gun in .45 Colt to the semi.

To be fair to the gun the 3 inch groups at 100 yards are with me shooting LOL, using open irons (a Marbles bullseye rear sight - fast on target but not as precise as a real aperture) and my patented rolled up and tied throw rug as a bench rest.

Nonetheless I don't think these Ruger carbines are exactly tack-drivers. My Marlin 1894 in .45 Colt shoots a bit tighter. It has the Ballard rather than Microgroove rifling and seems to shoot cast bullets really well. I just like the 96 as a good, light, truck and walking through the woods gun for when opportunity presents itself inside of 75 yards.

--------------------
old school rimmy

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