Ruger 44 mag Carbine vs Deerfield vs 77/44

[Birdblastingbrad]

Ok, so after a rather frustrating start to deer gun season, I've decided that my aging eyes need something a little easier to focus on than my old Remington 870 rifle sights. I have taken a liking to the whole 44 mag idea, and like the idea of a light weight deer rifle. Anyone have any experiences with the ones listed above in terms of accuracy? I like the idea of a semi auto, but don't want to throw accuracy out the window. The gun I end up with will have a scope.

 

[ryan3030]

I'm a big proponent of the .44 mag levergun. Particularly the Marlin 1894.

Nowadays these come with optics rails, or drilled & tapped receivers so you can mount one. After having owned an M77 I won't buy another Ruger bolt action.

 

[22rssix]

I have seen the 77/44 at the range and the folks who have them like them. One customer has a scope on his and said he got a deer last year at 100 yards.

I grew up with family members who took a lot of deer with the 44 carbine. I just actually got a like new 44 carbine from 1967 that groups well. I need to replace the front site post because it has a peep sight and I cannot adjust it any further. (shoots low)

My 44 carbine is a little ammo picky. I need the full house stuff to cycle the action.

The other downside to finding a 44 carbine is the price. The sell for as much or more than a lever gun or 77/44.

 

[hammer24]

No experience with either of the semi-autos, but I have a blue/walnut 77/44, and it's a great little rifle.

 

[Birdblastingbrad]

So what kind of accuracy can I expect? I have a Ruger 10/22 that shoots quarter size groups at 50 yards all day with anything I feed it. Is this a realistic expectation? 2" groups at 100 yards?

 

[Birdblastingbrad]

I'm a big proponent of the .44 mag levergun. Particularly the Marlin 1894.

Nowadays these come with optics rails, or drilled & tapped receivers so you can mount one. After having owned an M77 I won't buy another Ruger bolt action.

Care to elaborate on why?

 

[bikeman]

I have a 44 carbine and I have no complaints. I shot 240 g Magtech or 240 g Hornady hp. The Hornady shoot about an inch and half higher at 50 yards. They are a bit of a pain to unload.

 

[AceDerringer]

I too run the Marlin 94 in 44 mag... great set up

 

[x10]

I've deer hunted for over 30 years (not that I've ever done it right) but I've carried a lot of guns in the woods, for the first 20 years (or whenever they changed the law to allow pistols) I used a 20 ga 870 and then a 12 ga 870 and with the 870 I used the saddle mount and a red dot and done well but they are somewhat heavy, after I got a few with the super redhawk I went to the lever actions first was a pre safety 1894 marlin, I never got the accuracy I wanted then I got one of the short lived Puma scouts in 44, it was about the same accuracy as the Marlin but just not the ticket. But the main thing that killed the Lever's for me was I'm just not comfortable with them they seem to thin and tall for me, I used red dots and a 2x in both the conventional and the scout (forward) position.

I had an uncle with one of the OLD ruger 1044 carbines but it's accuracy was below the level of the levers. Then I saw the 77/44 at a NRA convention, I vowed at that time to buy the first one I could. And I did, I had to be one of the first people in Indiana hunting with one.

I am sold, I had some of the Hornady leverevolution ammo 225's left over from the levers and tried them and they shot very well, I put a burris Fastfire2 on the rifle and absolutly have found my rifle, Its very light, easy to carry easy to sight in the woods

the 44 ammo has all the power you need, I've had 100% of my bullets go all the way through. I am comfortable with a bolt gun and can run the bolt as fast as needed I have put 2 rounds in a running deer more than once (good shots not blasters)

I don't know what info you need to help make your decision

The one knock i have on the 77/44 is its action is so short that if you wanted to shoot 300gr I think you would have to seat them pretty deep.

 

[Hookeye]

I had a Marlin 1894, it shot pretty good.
The stock was still setup for iron sight usage and a scope up top, as low as I could get it, was still a bit too high.
Lever guns with scopes...........I think look better with peep sights. Esp Winchesters.

Pops has an old Ruger .44 carbine, fingergroove sporter (no barrel band) and a buddy of mine has a standard one (also old model). Triggers are not the best but my dad's shoots about a 3" group at 85 yards (farthest I could get at my bud's house- repeatable from sandbag). That's with a peep and a HUGE front sight bead. My buddy has his scoped and he says it does that at 100.

Another bud had a 77/44 and it shot OK, nothing spectacular (at 100 yards). The bolt comes dang close to most scopes, esp if the rear eyepiece is large (like a Bushnell Banner). You'll need to run a Leupold or Nikon type of dimensioned scope, or go to higher rings, which then IMHO necessitates a higher comb.

Me? I'll run the old .44 peep sighted, maybe scope it down the line. Will change the front bead to one more fine.

But then................................. I have a .35 rem TC Contender Carbine that is my primary rig (scoped).

 

[snapping turtle]

The 44 mag rifle is a weird setup but one that is a good option given the current state of the DNR regulations.

The deerfield/1044 autos give a quick follow up shot. Cycle well with full power loads. Have stocks setup well for scoping. They do have the one little issue that is accuracy as the ones I have shot at 100 seemed to group in a softball size group. Still plenty good for a broadside shot at deer but not a benchrest gun.

The t/c contender carbine in 44 mag with a factory t/c barrel has a forcing cone like a revolver not allowing you to place the bullet without a jump to the lands and grooves. With aftermarket barrels or re chamber ing to 44 super mag eleminates this problem. The second issues is the single shot but with practice it is only somewhat slower than a bolt action if you learn a few contender tricks. These with aftermarket barrels and a good scope (nice stock setup for scoping them) are among the most accurate. Bench worthy if you want to shoot at the range with a 44 mag which is a less then perfect bench round.

i personally eleminated the 77/44 not being a big bolt action guy. The plastic stock turned me off as I like wood or laminate myself. The one I shot did ok at 100 but still was only slightly smaller than a softball at 100 and the huge scope he had on it hit my fingers when working the bolt. That said he has had great luck using it in season.

I have had lever actions rifles since my first rifle purchase. I always enjoyed the look and performance and was very used to using them in the field. I looked at the Rossi in 44 and 454 In The tried and 1892 action. Much rougher in action than the browning and Winchester setups I had shot in the past but with a little stoning and use the action has the ability to be every bit as smoothe as the old ones. Then I took the old marlin 39a to the tree rat woods and I knew that I was going to purchase a marlin 1894. I ended up getting a standard 1894 the first year the PCR were allowed. I will admit the safety almost cost me a deer. This was my first lever action with a cross bolt safety and when I pulled the trigger it just went tick not boom. That rifle I have to my father who uses it to this day. I purchased a limited edition 1894 in stainless with 16 inch barrel and scout scoped it. I get baseball or less groups at 100 and have shot better groups with a regular scope but I will admit never the MOA stuff everyone on the internet seems to shoot.

All would be be worthy deer guns. I just think the looks of the lever was what did it for me. I remember seeing the front page of fur fish and game with the hunter holding a marlin 30-30 and the deer looking at him. Also the pictures of hunts past where the rifle was a lever. I do wish the DNR would allow 30-30 and 35 rem standard length rifles but my 1894 will do.

 

[Hookeye]

My 1894 bought new in '08 shot under 2" with Hornady Custom 240gr. I thought that plenty good enough. The trigger when new was pretty rough but watching TV and just working the action for a couple of nights helped smooth it out.

I've only taken one deer with a .44 rifle, the previously mentioned Ruger fingergroove. Yeah their might be more accurate rifles out there.............but are they cooler?
Doubt it For me it's a 100 yard and in gun, and with the huge bead front sight more like a 50 yard rig. Pops won't let me change it to finer so I said screw it and got the 1894 for me.

Scoped lever gun..........never fit me right. My Contender carbine is a short, too short IMHO, and with the Choate/AR style buttstock allows fitting of others, or adjustment when wearing layers............but it's tacticool and the rest of the gun classic.............not a good mix IMHO (it does however fit me well since I added a .50" riser to the CTR Magpul).

So.............I'd like a Ruger #3 in .44 mag with #1 wood on it, or if I can find a donor #1 at a decent price, have Penrod rebarrel it in .35 Rem. Leaning more that route as doe hunting with rifles doesn't set well with me. I'd rather shoot 'em with a bow or maybe handgun.

Buck hunting? I want a neat rifle............a pretty rifle. A Ruger #1

 

[Birdblastingbrad]

Thanks to everyone who posted! I am still a bit up in the air, and with deer season drawing down, I'm probably gonna wait until around Christmas, when guys are unloading stuff to buy gifts for the kiddies! Leaning toward the 99/77 (Deerfield) mainly for the cool factor, but probably won't pass up a good deal on a 77/44.