Let me say up front that I am not a fan of pistol bullets in deer rifles, whether they be in the or the .44 mag., .357 or .444.

That said, I have an opportunity to buy a circa 1970s Ruger .44 Mag Carbine at a really good price. Now, as much as I hate the caliber, I love the rifle! It's about as close as you can get to an M-1 Carbine in a legal deer caliber.

If I do buy it, I will use it to hunt deer, so I'm looking for the best load to anchor that buck-of-a-lifetime, should he step out while I am carrying the little gun.

BTW, I know nothing about the chamber or magazine diminsions, or how they will limit my bullet choices.

i usually load the 240 XTP hornady with 19.5 grs of AA#9... or 23 grs of H110 OR W-296

GAHUNTER, a friend of mine is having real good luck with Speer 270 grain Deepcurls in a Ruger .44 carbine. He is using that new MP 300 powder. Maybe he will chime in.

The Remington 240 grain hollow point with a good load of 2400 is perfect in the Ruger. I've shot many thousands of rounds through several Rugers. Killed lots of deer with the 44 mag also. Less than 100 yards it is a hammer. Killed bear also with it. I still shoot a B-92 quite a bit.

quote:

i usually load the 240 XTP hornady with 19.5 grs of AA#9...

The hogs and deer on my Texas lease don't like this load but my 629 does.

I also just purchased a ruger sporter version of the carbine made between 1970 and 71.

I started shooting 240 grain hollows I believe sierras with 23.3 gr of 296. they shot ok 1 to 1.5 half groups. In my opininon nothing special, Not a fan of those hollow points and how they hold together went to the 270 gr speer deepcurl with 21 gr of alliant 300mp with a cci lg pistol primer. My groups shrinked to one ragged hole at 50 yards.

This was my load of choice for this years hunting season. Oh also I got less bullet drop at 100 yards with 300mp than 296. Sigted in at an 1to 1.5 high at 50 was .5 high at a 100
Hope this helps,

Matt

Thanks for the help guys. If I buy it, I'll try that Deep Curl load.

Also, do you roll crimp, or taper crimp the bullet for use in a rifle. Just wondering.

quote:

Originally posted by GAHUNTER:
Thanks for the help guys. If I buy it, I'll try that Deep Curl load.

Also, do you roll crimp, or taper crimp the bullet for use in a rifle. Just wondering.

I roll crimp all of my .44 mag loads with a Lee factory crimp die. Rifle or pistol, they all get the same crimp. For deer, I use Speer 240 grain softpoints in my Marlin 1894. I have been pleased with the results so far (1/2" entry, golf ball sized exit).

quote:

That said, I have an opportunity to buy a circa 1970s Ruger .44 Mag Carbine at a really good price. Now, as much as I hate the caliber, I love the rifle! It's about as close as you can get to an M-1 Carbine in a legal deer caliber.

My old Lyman 45th Edition Reloading Manual has a lot of loads specifically for the Ruger Deerslayer...as I think it was THE ONLY "carbine" available in 44 Magnum at that time.

Certainly before Winchester's official release of their Model 94 in 44 Magnum in 1968. Although no doubt various re-barreled Model 92 conversions existed.

I'll bring it home with me tomorrow. Certainly it CAUTIONS against all-lead bullets as being likely to foul or block the gas hole in the barrel.

I put thousands of lead bullets through the Ruger and never fouled the gas hole. My favorite bullet was a 240 RN plain base. Fed smoothly and never had jams.

My Lyman 45th Manual lists these loads that were tested in a 20" barrel Marlin 336 apparently:

240 GRAIN JACKETED
IMR 4227 START 22.0=1536fps MAX 25.0=1742

H 110 START 22.0=1630fps MAX 24.0=1779

HERCO START 11.0=1344fps MAX 13.5=1530fps

2400 START 20.0=1547fps MAX 22.00=1726

The MAX loads with IMR4227, H110, 2400 were all compressed loads. ACCURACY LOAD 25.0 of IMR 4227 for 1742fps WHICH IS ALSO A MAXIMUM LOAD.

Lyman advised to begin with the starting load and work up slowly and also NEVER TO DECREASE THE STARTING LOAD.

GA Hunter

Rhe "little" Ruger 44 Mag is a great deer and pig rifle for shots under 125 yards of so.

Back when I had mine 240gr bullets were the only jacketed bullets around. As I stated in another post I used several different ones in factory and han dloads and never had anything but dead deer. Always complete penetration.

I used 22 gr of 2400 [old 2400] for most of my handloads, but toward the end I might have used 24gr of H 110.

All the 44 mag rifles I have owned have had the microgroove rifling with the 1 in 38 twist.

They shoot like a sniper rifle to 75 yards but groups do seem to open up at 100 some.

My current Winchester likes the Speer 270 SP factory load at 100 yards quite a bit. You might try that load or bullet in handloads in your Ruger.

I never had a single malfunction with my Ruger.