Anyone have a Ruger 99/44?

G

Grapeshot

New member
Just wondering about accuracy (at 100 yds) and reliability. I've been hoping that making this .44 like a Mini-14 would not cause the crappy accuracy of the latter.

Also, is anybody going to make a 10-round clip for this gun?
 
Please respond, somebody! I am about to buy one of these next week and would really like to hear your gripes or concerns, if any, with this carbine.

I have dreams of this gun satisfying my newfound M1 Carbine lust, except it'll be better since it has more power and I already have the stuff to reload for .44 mag.

I will be using the gun for deer hunting, self-defense, and just plain carrying around when other guns are too heavy.

I already have a shorty 30/30 Winchester for this purpose, which I love - but I think there's still room for a cute 'lil semi carbine.

Comments?
 
Three inch groups at 100 yards with the load I tried. Traded it after a few months. I HATED the way the magazine went in and out of the gun without any positive feel to it. Also, I wanted it for 300 grain bullets but these had to be seated so far that you lost much of the advantage in case capacity. I couldn't use my SBH loads in it. For the same money, you might want to invest in a Marlin 1894 Carbine. I think this handles much better, has a higher capacity, etc. I also don't like the prospect of fumbling for a magazine, needing one in the gun to operate it, and having a hard time putting it in the gun if I needed it.
 
Sorry, I was speaking of the 96/44 as far as accuracy goes. The magazine comments apply to both guns as it is the same magazine and same retention system.
 
Thanks Badger

Hmmm....
Well I think I'll skip the lever .44's for now, since I've had them before and despite being ok they just never grew on me. Maybe if they came in stainless ...

I was really attracted to this rifle because it's a semi-auto, but if the clips are as big a pain as you say, then that would kind of negate the reasons for having it in the first place. I mean, I thought my Mini-14 clips were irritatingly clumsy about going into the rifle (spoiled on ar15's I guess), so chances are I wouldn't like anything worse.

Lousy politically correct guns.

Makes you want to start a firearms company to produce what you want, doesn't it?
 
Don't sell it short that quickly, though. I just might be a mutant. I like the gun otherwise. As for the Mini-14, I find these clips to be easy to use. Hmmm. Have you tried the clips in the 99/44 yet?
 
While the same concept, it seems a bit different in execution. I'd initially considered using the 99/44 as a replacement for my 44 Carbine of 1970's vintage. I decided against this once I got a feel for the new gun. Handles exactly the same as the Mini-14, 10/22, etc.
 
Grapeshot,

Someone on the scout list (YahooGroups) reported seeing eight and ten round magazines for the 99/44 at a recent gun show. Unfortunately, he didn't know the manufacturer. I'm prowling around looking myself, as a ten-rounder would be just the ticket for this carbine. Brings it pretty close to Cooper's "Thumper" concept (see The Art of the Rifle).
 
yep, the "thumper" is where it's at ... but I'm not sure if I'm gonna buy the gun until some 10 rounders appear, having thought about it a little.
 
It would be interesting to see which factory mag fits in the 99/44. My reason for saying this, is that I've got a 77/44 SS bolt gun and a friend has the 96/44 lever gun and both rifles use different mags. There is no way that either mag will fit in the other gun. It seems silly not to have the same mag for all of the guns, but who knows the reason for it. 8 and 10 round mags do sound interesting though. SamC
 
Rossi did make a run of stainless leveractions in .44 Mag. They were Winchester '92 clones. They're still a fairly common sight at gunshows, price something under $400. By most acounts the Rossi is a pretty decent rifle. -- Kernel
 
Ignore that last post. A man can shoot a lever action as fast as he can a 99-44 if he practices. The lever action sure has more class.
 
yeah Ricco you're probably right, and the lever actions are 9 or 10 shooters and are a lot cheaper now that I've compared prices (like $125+), so I'm not sure if I'm even going to fool with the PC 99/44.

It just keeps hitting me - $430 bucks, and all I get is a lousy stinkin' 4-shot mag? Oh THANKS BILL RUGER. Also, it has occurred to me just what other delights I could have with that amount of money, or at least, nearly have. For $100 more I could have the Super Redhawk .454. Or a Springfield stainless Ultra-Compact. Or a new M1 Carbine. Or, dare I say it, a VEPRII?

Thanks for all the input, guys, but I just don't think this gun is worth the trouble of tracking one down.
 
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