Working The Venerable Ruger .44 Carbine

It seems just about every big game hunter in the Northeast has either a Winchester Model 94 or Ruger .44 Carbine in their arsenal. I had to go no further than a cousin and a brother-in-law to secure the two Rugers I’m using for this article. One is an older model made in 1963 and the other a newer model made in 1975. First, a little history on the Ruger .44 Carbine. This was the company’s first venture into making along gun, being the brainchild of Bill Ruger, Harry Sefried, and their team.

A lot of time and money was put into development, in ferreting out the bugs, and getting it to look and function just the way Bill wanted. The initial model was dubbed "Deerstalker" but was changed to simply ".44 Carbine" so as not infringe on the Ithaca Company’s Deerslayer shotgun. The older model was made from 1961 to 1974. Some improvements were included in a newer model made from 1975 to 1985.

Approximately 250,000 total units were made during this production time, comprised 44 Carbine action out of the stock. 44 Carbine action. of the Standard and Sporter Models, Standard Model with peep sight, and a 25th Anniversary Model with medallion inlaid into the stock released in 1985. The gun started out with an 18 1/4" barrel which was changed to 18 1/2" at serial number 102-64701 in 1979. Overall length was 36 3/4" with an empty weight of five pounds, twelve ounces.

A lightweight, short, handy carbine for carrying in brush country, Ruger advertised it as being equal to the venerable .30-30 at 100 yards and out to 150 yards with expert shot placement. The receiver was machined from a solid billet of hotrolled chrome-molybdenum steel. The internal tubular magazine, accessed by an aperture on the bottom of the receiver, holds four cartridges with another in the chamber.

It has a two-stage trigger pull of approximately six to seven pounds average and across-button safety in the trigger bow that locks the sear and hammer. It’s gas operated, using a short stroke piston tapping gas from a small orifice in the bottom of the barrel. The breech remains locked until the bullet has left the barrel and the bolt remains open after the last shot. Note that pointed or semipointed bullets should never be loaded into the Carbine magazine tube, especially the semi-flat full metal jacket variety.

There is great danger in setting off primers in the magazine tube during recoil. This is a very well engineered carbine and little goes wrong with it. The biggest problem I have encountered over the years is dirt and debris in the action. The bore gets cleaned by the owners but very little else. To clean, field strip by pulling back the operating handle to lock the bolt open and make sure the chamber and magazine are empty. Remove the cross-screw in the barrel band and take the band off to the front.

The slide and bolt assembly must always be cocked before

the next step. Lift the barreled action up at the front and disengage it from the recoil block at the rear. The back of the action has a V-type hook that locks into the recoil block. Lift the barreled action away from the stock. It’s not usually necessary to remove the recoil block from the stock unless refinishing the stock. I had intended to refinish the stock on my cousin’s gun as it was pretty well beat up after 52 years of hunting use. Remove the buttplate and two screws.

Use a large, long-blade screwdriver to remove the recoil block bolt. I found this bolt to have considerable surface rust on it as the gun had been hunted in the rain on numerous occasions and water had apparently got into the action and stock bolt hole. The bolt did clean up nicely on a wire wheel grinder brush, however, had it not been looked at it would eventually have failed, leaving a loose barreled action in the stock, a potentially dangerous situation. Take the few minutes to check this bolt out!

Push the lifter latch up and ease the bolt forward to its rest position. Drift out the cross pin at the rear of the receiver. Move the trigger housing to the rear and downward off the receiver. The carbine is now sufficiently field stripped for cleaning purposes. For those who are not experienced gunsmiths, this is as far as you should go. Full Take Down My advice for this and any other firearm is to study the parts breakdown schematic thoroughly before disassembly so that you are famil- The old model is on top.

iar with all of the parts and their names. It will pay dividends in the long run! Use caution as the powerful recoil spring can get away from you easily. Invert the gun and grip the rear of the recoil spring firmly. Lift the action slide away from the receiver. As soon as the rear end of the spring clears the edge of the receiver, slowly remove the spring to the rear. You do not need to remove the bolt handle from its slot in the action slide.

It’s heavily staked into the slide and I have found that the slide can usually be maneuvered away from the receiver without removing it. Remove the action slide and magazine tube together from the bottom of the receiver. Separate the magazine tube from the action slide. Drifting out the roll pin at the front of the magazine tube will allow the end piece, magazine spring, and follower to be removed. This is a powerful spring, so restrain it as you remove it from the tube.

Unless it is required for maintenance, leave the tube assembly intact. Remove the ejector screw at the left rear of the action and the ejector. Reach up into the receiver and turn the bolt to release its locking lugs and remove it to the rear and down out of the receiver. Remove the gas piston out of the gas cylinder. It will usually fall out on its own, so make to catch it. If it’s in tight, tap the gas cylinder with a non-marring hammer to dislodge it.

On guns that were not fired for many years, I have had to use a little lacquer thinner to loosen the piston. The piston block plug is retained by dual roll pins (one inside the other) and is best left in place unless maintenance is required. When I was a young gunsmith, I often took assemblies apart just to see how they were put together. It was good practice on some guns but an absolute nightmare on others. If I make a notation that something is best left intact, take my word for it and move on.

Some assemblies in guns were meant to be disassembled only when they are the cause of the trouble. In case you encounter such trouble, I’ll cover disassembly further. The firing pin and its return spring are secured in the bolt by a pin at the rear and taken out to the rear by removing this pin. The extractor and its spring are retained by a vertical pin at the front and must be driven out and upward for removal.

On a carbine that has been used a lot and never taken fully apart, I recommend you disassemble the bolt for a complete internal cleaning. These guns acquire a lot of grime over along period of use. Restrain the hammer, pull the trigger, and ease the hammer down to the fired position. Unhook the outer arms of the hammer spring on both sides of the housing from the grooves in the pivot pin. This will relieve some of the tension on the springs. Use long nose pliers to do this.

Be cautious as these are heavily tensioned springs! Push out the hammer spring pin but not the springs just yet. Push out the hammer pivot pin and remove the hammer upward. Drive out the pin that retains the lifter latch. All of the pins in this carbine can be drifted out either way unless specifically noted. Raise the lifter at the front and remove the lifter latch downward. Be careful not to lose the plunger and spring at the rear of the latch. They are easily removed from their slot.

Move the front of the lifter to its lowered position, relieving the tension on the cam spring, and push out the lifter cam pin to the left. Lever the lifter cam slightly to the left with a non-marring tool. Raise the front of the lifter and remove the cam and its spring upward and forward for removal. This is a strong spring so utilize caution.

Insert a small screwdriver on the left side rear tip of the carrier and push the lifter dog pin out toward the right until you can grasp the tip with long nose pliers to remove it. Take out the lifter dog upward. Squeeze the rear arms of the lifter (carrier) together with protected jaw long nose pliers to remove the studs from their holes in the housing and remove it upward and rearward out of the housing. Drift out the trigger pin and move the twin hammer springs outward to clear the trigger and sear assemblies.

Remove the trigger, sear and disconnector assembly upward and out. Remove the disconnector plunger and spring from their slot at the rear of the trigger guard. Note that on some of these carbines I have taken apart, the disconnector plunger spring "screw", was loose, rattling around in the stock. It is adjustable for tension on the spring and plunger. You can use a drop of blue #242 Loctite on this screw, but make sure the tension is right for proper operation of the disconnector and trigger!

Move the hammer springs inward, and tip the outer arms (long arm) outward pushing the springs inward for removal, one at a time. Grip the safety with non-marring pliers and turn it one-quarter turn clockwise. Remove it toward the left. Caution, the safety plunger and spring will be released as the safety clears the housing, so be sure to restrain them so they don’t go into orbit. The cartridge stop spring on the left side of the housing is retained by a vertical pin in a blind hole.

Use a jeweler’s screwdriver to nudge the pin up from the bottom until it can be grasped with pliers. Remove it and the spring. After the spring is removed, take out the rearward (flapper) coil spring from its hole in the housing. The cartridge stop and flapper pivot pin is also a vertical pin in a blind hole and is removed the same as the previous blind hole pin. Control the cartridge stop spring as it will be released when the pin is removed. Remove the cartridge stop and its spring to the left.

Move the flapper inward and take it out upward from the housing. Do not disassemble the cartridge stop/ flapper assembly unless it is malfunctioning. It can be thoroughly cleaned without removal.

Ruger .44 Carbine—Old Model (1961-1974) (Speci ications subject to change without notice) C105 Barrel Band Assembly C10 Bolt (only) C10A Bolt (Assembly) C63 Butt Plate, Carbine C64 Bull Plate Screw (pair) C6 Cartridge Guide Plate C7Cartridge Guide Plate Screw C40 Cartridge Stop C41 Cartridge Stop Flat Spring C42 Cartridge Stop Spring Retaining Pin C43 Cartridge Stop Coil Spring C44 Cartridge Stop Pivot Pin C25 Disconnector C26 Disconnector Plunger C27 Disconnector Plunger Spring C81 Disconnector Plunger Spring Screw C8 Ejector C9 Ejector Screw C14 Extractor C15 Extractor Spring C16 Extractor Pivot Pin C45 Flapper C46 Flapper Spring Reassembly Reassembly for the carbine is in the reverse unless noted.

If replacing the cartridge stop system, the short coil C11 Firing Pin C12 Firing Pin Retaining Spring C13 Firing Pin Retaining Pin C75 Front Sight C17 Hammer, including Roller Cl8 Hammer Springs (Right and Left) C37D Hammer Spring Retaining Pin C19 Hammer Pivot Pin C34 Lifter Assembly C30 Lifter Dog C31 Lifter Dog Pivot Pin C35 Lifter Latch C37 Lifter Latch Pivot Pin C38 Lifter Latch Spring C39 Lifter Latch Plunger C55 Lifter Cam C56 Lifter Cam Spring C57 Lifter Cam Pin C103 Magazine Assembly, Complete C71 Magazine Follower C58 Piston C60 Piston Block Plug C61 Piston Block Plug Retaining Pin C5 Receiver Cross Pin C76 Rear Sight C76R Rear Sight, Receiver (Williams) C65 Recoil Block C66 Recoil Block Bolt C67 Recoil Block Bolt Washer C52 Safety C53 Safety Detent Plunger C54 Safety Detent Plunger Spring C83 Scope Base Hole Filler Screw C23 Sear C24 Sear Spring C47 Slide Assembly C48B Slide Handle C50 Slide Spring C77 Sling Swivel, Front, Carbine C78 Sling Swivel, Rear (for all stocks) C102R Stock Assembly NC101 Trigger Guard Assembly NC2 Trigger Guard Only C20 Trigger (includes cross pin C22) C21 Trigger Pivot Pin spring goes to the front under the tail of the cartridge stop.

Be sure to press inward on the depression of the flat cartridge stop spring while installing its pin. When installing the trigger, sear, and disconnector assembly, a slave pin to hold these parts together makes it much easier. Make sure the lower end of the sear spring enters its hole in the trigger housing. Make sure the rear tail of the disconnector goes in front of the trigger spring plunger at the rear. Throughout reassembly, check the parts schematic for proper orientation of parts.

The two schematics for these carbines are very well illustrated. Replace the hammer springs from within the housing, maneuvering the long arm of the springs through their holes, levering the coil with a propersized drift punch. It may seem a little tricky at first, however, they go in place fairly easy. Installing the hammer is the most difficult on reassembly of the trigger housing. Make sure the short inner arms of the springs engage the "underside" of the small roller at the rear of the hammer.

Push the hammer straight downward and insert a drift punch (slave pin) through the hammer pivot hole to hold it in place for insertion of the grooved hammer pin. Make sure the spring ends do not slip out from under the roller while inserting the hammer pin. Replace the spring cross pin and hook the long spring arms into the top of the hammer pin grooves. Place the bolt into the receiver and press it forward so the locking lugs lock into the receiver.

Make sure when replacing the magazine tube that its slot on the end fits into the flange at the rear of the gas piston housing. The larger part of the tube end goes to the bottom. This next maneuver is also a little tricky for the first time re-assembler. Place the recoil spring on the magazine tube and into the slide assembly. Place the slide assembly partially up into the receiver with a handle in the ejection port.

Pull back on spring until it clears the end of the magazine tube and place the end of the tube in its recess in the receiver. The end of the spring must not protrude into this recess but rest up against the receiver shelf. Secure slide assembly

NC100 Barrel Receiver Assembly C68 Barrel Band Assembly C69 Barrel Band Screw NC10 Bolt (Only) NC10A Bolt (Assembly) C63 Butt Plate, Carbine C64 Butt Plate Screw C40 Cartridge Stop C41 Cartridge Stop Flat Spring C42 Cartridge Stop Retaining Pin C43 Cartridge Stop Coil Spring C44 Cartridge Stop Pivot Pin C25 Disconnector C26 Disconnector Plunger C27 Disconnector Plunger Spring C81 Disconnector Plunger Spring Screw C8 Ejector C9 Ejector Screw C14 Extractor C15 Extractor Spring C16 Extractor Pivot Pin C45 Flapper C46 Flapper Spring C11 Firing Pin C12 Firing Pin Retaining Spring C13 Firing Pin Retaining Pin C75 Front Sight C17 Hammer, including Roller C18 Hammer Springs C37D Hammer Spring Retaining Pin C19 Hammer Pivot Pin C34 Lifter Assembly C30 Lifter Dog C31 Lifter Dog Pivot Pin C35 Lifter Latch C37 Lifter Latch Pivot Pin C38 Lifter Latch Spring C39 Lifter Latch Plunger C55 Lifter Cam C56 Lifter Cam Spring C57 Lifter Cam Pin C103 Magazine Assembly, Complete C107M Medallion, Pistol Grip C58 Piston C60 Piston Block Plug C61 Piston Block Plug Retaining Pin(2) C89 Piston Plug Set Screw Ruger .44 Carbine—New Model (1975-1985) C20 Trigger (includes cross pin C22) C21 Trigger Pivot Pin C5 Receiver Cross Pin C76 Rear Sight C76R Rear Sight, Receiver) C65 Recoil Block C66 Recoil Block Bolt C67 Recoil Block Bolt Washer C52 Safety C53 Safety Detent Plunger C54 Safety Detent Plunger Spring C83 Scope Base Hole Filler Screw C23 Sear C24 Sear Spring C47 Slide Assembly C48B Slide Handle C50 Slide Spring C77 Sling Swivel, Front, Carbine C78 Sling Swivel, Rear (for all stocks) B92 Sling Swivel Base (Sporter only) B93 Sling Swivel Base Screws (each) C102R Stock Assembly, Carbine NC101 Trigger Guard Assembly NC2 Trigger Guard Only completely up into receiver.

Allow the slide to come fully forward to its locked position. While holding down the slide assembly, install the trigger housing and its pin through the rear of the receiver and trigger housing. Retract the slide assembly and install the barrel and receiver into the stock, locking the receiver into the recoil block and securing the front barrel band and its screw. Do not over tighten this screw!

Other than a few odd springs, I have replaced a lot of broken barrel bands brought in by customers with a heavy hand of The Hulk, both on this carbine and the Ruger 10/22. The differences that I noted between parts in the two carbines were these. The greatest and best improvement was to the cartridge stop assembly. On the original carbine, it was necessary to cycle the action to remove the cartridges in the magazine.

A button was added to the cartridge stop to trip it so that the magazine could be emptied without cycling through the action, a potentially hazardous endeavor. This change took place sometime between 1964 and 1967. My cousin’s gun, made in 1963, did not have this modification, however, a Ruger advertisement in a 1967 issue of American Rifleman advertises this button modification.

There were also some minor differences made to the trigger guard assembly, slide assembly, and gas block assembly, probably to facilitate easier manufacture. These Ruger .44 Carbines were extremely well liked by the hunting public. Many lament the passing of this fine old carbine, including myself. Ruger did try to re-interest buyers with anew .44 semi-auto of simpler manufacture called the Deerfield Carbine from 2000 to 2006.

From serial number records, it appears less than 18,000 were made and it was ultimately dropped. Both of the carbines in this article are still in use by their owners each deer season here in Maine and many pounds of venison continues to fall to them. A great, ongoing tribute to their inventors! AG