Off the bucket list!

[deadeye]

This model was called the deer slayer, I believe.

You can also look on Rugers site and do a serial # look up.
This style had two runs 1961-74 and 75-85:
https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/44MagCarbine.pdf

This was the deer field which used the rotary mag:
https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/deerfield.pdf

 

[Medic!]

I still have a Dear field.
Same length barrel I think.

Hornady 240gr 44 magnums crono at 1840fps.

 

[1990Turbo]

I still have a Dear field.
Same length barrel I think.

Hornady 240gr 44 magnums crono at 1840fps.

That should do the trick!

 

[orygun]

Trying to convert this gun to detachable mag would be an engineering nightmare, I believe.
Then, you would have ruined the value of a gun worth far more than $300.

Yeah, this is the old version, the Ruger 44 Carbine made from 1961-1985. The earliest versions were marked Deerstalker but a lawsuit from Ithaca ended that.
The Deerfield was a different gun made from 2000-06. It had the same shape, but had an operating rod kind of like a Mini 14.

 

[Medic!]

Trying to convert this gun to detachable mag would be an engineering nightmare, I believe.
Then, you would have ruined the value of a gun worth far more than $300.

Yeah, this is the old version, the Ruger 44 Carbine made from 1961-1985. The earliest versions were marked Deerstalker but a lawsuit from Ithaca ended that.
The Deerfield was a different gun made from 2000-06. It had the same shape, but had an operating rod kind of like a Mini 14.
View attachment 381479

Well put.

I do however think of my Deerfield as a 30 carbine on steroids.

 

[CountryGent]

Nice! Those Ruger .44s have always been intriguing. And at that price point, you did very well. 'gratz.