Opinions on Ruger 77/44 for whitetail

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greengt88

Well-known member
Looking for some opinions on the Ruger 77/44 wood stock version....considering it as a close range 50yd or under rifle...may have a stretch to 100yds occaisionally...how would it preform beyond that range? Reliability/Accuracy issues? Aspects that would need upgraded i.e. Trigger, scope mounts, stock bedding etc.
Also wondering what you 44mag guys are usin for deer ammo....thanks in advance.
 
Fine. 240 grain Speer Gold dot. 21.5 grain 2400 powder with CCI 350 magnum primer. 1750 pounds of muzzle thump an will kill bambi out past 200 yards no sweat. Straight 4x Leupold be just fine. Inch high at 100 yards put you point blank on a deer from 50 to 200 yards. Shoot them cut them up, take them home and eat them. Life is good.
 
Yes it would work, not my 1st choice though. The 44 mag will have a fair amount more velocity out of a rifle barrel. My neighbor has one, yeah he's lost a few deer over the years, I think one just last year. He's a disabled Hunter, so other limitations factor in too.


If you want to hang meat on the buck pole I'd look to the 308,7mm-08, or the 243.

Just edited realizing it is the bolt model 77, not the Ruger semi-auto 44. I still would look to a more versatile rifle round. One day that expected 50 yard shot will become 150.
 
I went down this 77/44 road myself looking for a lighter rifle.....I have hunted and killed many deer with a 44 mag pistol and can tell ya 240gr jhp will do work.
I ended up converting a 30-30 TC Contender into a rifle and putting an Eotech 552 sight on it,very short light hard hitting single. I love it!in fact it has obsoleted many of my hunting rifles.
As far as the 77/44 after extensive homework I decided against it but Im not you. Its definately a LIGHT killin weatherproof rig, if your ranges are limited in your hunting woods it will serve you well to 150yds.
 
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Whitetail rifle for close range... really hard to beat a 30-30. Everyone carries ammo for it, its cheap, it works. I just got myself a 243 because it will work on all things and all ranges I could possibly be working with. My next rifle will most likely be a 30-30 just because I rarely see a deer more than 100 yards away.

Now if you just like something about the 77/44 then go for it. A 22LR will kill a whitetail at under 100 yards with good(great) shot placement.
 
I have a .243 now also. Was just wanting something alittle different. I like the 30-30, but i sont care for lever actions at all. And not too many bolt action 30-30's available, atleast nothing id want to own.
 
A bolt action .44 magnum has no appeal to me personally. Now, a little lever gun is something else entirely!
 
Originally Posted By: greengt88I have a .243 now also. Was just wanting something alittle different. I like the 30-30, but i sont care for lever actions at all.

Well, all you asked about was the .44 Mag so that was all that I responded with. Back when I lived in Tennessee I had a friend that took all of his deer with a Marlin lever gun in .357 mag and he always got his deer.

45 years ago you could buy a Remington bolt action 788 in .44 Mag for around $100. I understand they are worth quite a bit more than that now!
 
I wouldn't worry about the killing power of the 44mag in a rifle. If you loose a deer with one, more than likely the same shot placement with 30/30 or the like would have yield the same results.

The 240gr gold dots or the XTP version will be all you could ever want for deer. Should be pretty solid to 100 yards & further if you can dope. If your planning on much farther shots, FAR better choicesare out there.

I can see the appeal for a short range "brush" gun or tree stand gun in woods; just cause... Coupled with a decent low powered optic, should be a joy.
 
Sight it in at 100 yards and it will be point blank on deer out to 125 yards. I don't shoot a 44 mag but I would steer towards 240+ grain solid points for more penetration.
 
Yep its just to be a treeatand, brush, short range/stalking gun. I think it would make a dandy light rifle for that purpose.
 
Originally Posted By: greengt88Looking for some opinions on the Ruger 77/44 wood stock version....considering it as a close range 50yd or under rifle...may have a stretch to 100yds occaisionally...how would it preform beyond that range? Reliability/Accuracy issues? Aspects that would need upgraded i.e. Trigger, scope mounts, stock bedding etc.
Also wondering what you 44mag guys are usin for deer ammo....thanks in advance.


Look at the 357 MAX
http://www.predatormastersforums.com/for...083#Post2890083
 
Originally Posted By: coleridgeI wouldn't worry about the killing power of the 44mag in a rifle. If you loose a deer with one, more than likely the same shot placement with 30/30 or the like would have yield the same results.


This.

I've killed a ton of deer with a semi Ruger 44Mag. Excellent performance. I use 240gr XTPs pushed hard but below book max with 2400 or H110. I've taken deer to 140 yards with peep sights.

I love the rifle. It is light and handy. If all I expect is 100 yard or closer shots, I carry this over a longer range rifle. It's so light that often if I MAY get longer shots, I carry a longer range rifle AND the 44, just so I have the chance to shoot it.
smile.gif
 
I used a ruger 96/44 for many years in pa. Hunting whitetail. I used 240jhp blazer ammo it put lots of meat in the freezer. I had a 2x7 scope on it. I do have a 77/44 in a corner of a safe, if I were to dig it out I would feed it a 240 sp , and top it with a 1.25 to 5 power scope or something along them lines.
 


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