Article on the Ruger 96 series leverguns

[AJMD429]

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A nice little article although the author was not sure whether magazines were interchangeable between the various models.

https://www.guns.com/news/reviews/ruger ... fle-review

They made few enough models that I actually have one in each of the chamberings.

Magazines ARE interchangeable between 10/22, 96/22, & 77/22; the bottom contours differ slightly with the different stock shapes though so aren't perfectly 'flush' if incorrect.

The 96/17 and 96/22M magazines are also interchangeable.

Barrel shanks are different on the 77/22 vs the other 22LR models but the 96/22 and 10/22 are the same except the 96 has dual extractors, so fitting an upgrade 10/22 barrel to a 96/22 requires about 5 minutes with a small jewelers file to cut the second notch but it is easy.

An integrally suppressed 10/22 barrel on a 96/22 is super quiet due to no action opening and slamming...

The 96/44 is great; 1:20 twist better for heavier bullets. Wish they'd made a 45 Colt or even a 480 Ruger though.

[1894cfan]

if I gotta click a box to show I'm over 18 to view a firearms article, NUTS WITH THEM!

[gamekeeper]

I always hoped that they would make a 96 in .22 Hornet.

[44shooter]

The Ruger lever actions are very smooth. Always thought the 96/44 with a 2.5 Leupold would make an awesome close range deer and bear carbine as would a 77/44. I prefer a tube with a proper King’s loading port for plinking or potential fighting but the detectable magazine is pretty convenient for loading and unloading.

[Noah Zark]

Owned them in 22LR, 22 Mag, and 44 Mag. Sold the 22 Mag when I got out of the cartridge just before C19. I "tuned" the R96 in 44 Magnum to accept 44 Special; the sharp corner of the chamber mouth needed broken a bit and polished, and that pretty much took care of it. The rotary magazine presents the nose of the 44 Special just right and it's not too short to make the jump and enter the chamber. Really slick. I don't own any 44 Magnum ammo, but I still clean the chamber religiously after any extended firing session.

Another one of them "nobody wants it until it's out of production" guns.

Noah

[BenT]

10/22 and 96/22 barrels are inter changable, I added a threaded barrel to mine. But the 96 has the hole for the barrel father down from the top of the receiver. So if you get a Williams peep sight set for a 10/22 the front sight is not tall enough for a 96.

I love the 96/44. I would like to see Ruger make these again and add a 357 to the family. They are not that complicated, so the machine cost cant be that high. They could do a 9mm version also.

[AJMD429]

The Ruger lever actions are very smooth. Always thought the 96/44 with a 2.5 Leupold would make an awesome close range deer and bear carbine as would a 77/44. I prefer a tube with a proper King’s loading port for plinking or potential fighting but the detectable magazine is pretty convenient for loading and unloading.

My three most-used deer rifles:

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The Marlin 1894 SS is my choice for good weather mid-day hunts, because the ergonomics are great, and the ghost-ringed Williams FP is fast and accurate and durable .

The Ruger 96/44 is my choice for dawn or dusk, due to scope being better in dim light, or if I'm likely to be walking while hunting and have to criss-cross roads (easier to keep legal and quickly unload). The stock is a bit short but the aftermarket 10/22 extended buttplate works great plus isn't slick if you lean the gun against a counter on a slab floor.

The Ruger 77/44 is my choice if it is raining, as it is fully waterproof (the 96/44 really is almost, since the stock comes off like a 10/22 and then I just put the action in the furnace room when I get inside). The separate wood forend on most leverguns pretty much ruins them for inclement weather in my opinion, (although the Ranger Point Precision forend on my 357 Mag Marlin 1894 CST is changing my mind; I just might save up for one for the 1894 SS).

Right now since 357 Mag is used more on our homestead for bump-in-the-night livestock protection and/or home protection, it is setup with a shake-awake holosight, laser sight, and a light.

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