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Ruger 44 Carbine Ammo
Manoa-Fisherman
Member Posts: 190 ✭✭✭
I have an older Ruger 44 Carbine made in the late 1970s. I was reading on various blogs and websites that this carbine was calibrated to only work properly with standard, full powered 44Mag loads with 240gr bullets.
Does that mean it will not cycle with lighter bullets like the Speer Gold Dot 210gr loads? I had problems with an off brand 240gr loads that did not cycle the action properly and had stove pipe problems. Other standard manufacturers gave me no problems, like Winchester and Remington.
Does that mean it will not cycle with lighter bullets like the Speer Gold Dot 210gr loads? I had problems with an off brand 240gr loads that did not cycle the action properly and had stove pipe problems. Other standard manufacturers gave me no problems, like Winchester and Remington.
Comments
I have an older Ruger 44 Carbine made in the late 1970s. I was reading on various blogs and websites that this carbine was calibrated to only work properly with standard, full powered 44Mag loads with 240gr bullets.
Does that mean it will not cycle with lighter bullets like the Speer Gold Dot 210gr loads? I had problems with an off brand 240gr loads that did not cycle the action properly and had stove pipe problems. Other standard manufacturers gave me no problems, like Winchester and Remington.
I think that's right.
Lower energy/momentum rounds won't reliably cycle your gun.
The Speer 210 grain gold dots you mention only put out 1450 fps. That's a nice round for personal defense, beating the tar out of a .45ACP but it a lower mass bullet than the standard 240 grainer, and I suspect it it may well not be enough to cycle the Ruger.
Of course there is only one way to know for sure and that's to try it.
The lower pressure loads for plinking in revolvers, and sometimes using cast lead bullets, should not be used, as it will indeed cause problems, with your gas system.
Best
EDIT 1
quote:Thank you all for the valuable information. I didn't realize the 210gr Gold Dots were clocking out at 1450fps. Great little carbine for those shots under 100 yds. I noticed that once the barrel heated up, the groups spread to the size of a pie plate past 50 yds.
That is out of a revolver. They should clock around 200FPS faster in your carbine.
Best
What you want is basically full power for bullet weight, and jacketed bullets.
I've had one for30+ years, found that out long ago.
W.D.
piston plug set screw to regulate the gas.
not target practicing.
The Ruger Carbine is made for hunting,
not target practicing.
But its sooo much fun to pull one out when everyone is using 10/22s [8D] [:D]
I like the "WTH kind of 10/22 makes that kind of noise!" looks I get after I light off the first round.
These are great little guns and though not terribly accurate, they are accurate enough for real-world hunting at the ranges it (and the cartridge) was designed for.
I'm not saying not to shoot it at targets.
It's a lot of fun
I do all the time out back.In fact the more you shoot a hunting
rifle, the more familiar and accurate you get with it.