The .44 Magnum is my favorite cartridge, and over the years I've collected several rifles and carbines in this caliber. In the 1980's I purchased a Ruger No. 3 in .44 Magnum at a Tulsa gun show.

Since then I've attended a lot of gun shows in several states but I don't remember seeing another No. 3 in this caliber offered for sale. Is this a rare caliber in this gun?

Mike,

I don't think they are particularly rare, but granted, you don't see them for sale often. I think that the folks who own them just like them and hold onto them.

Throughout the spectrum of the #3's; the .45-70 was 1st and the most common. Followed by the .22 Hornet. 3rdly, I believe the .375 Win and then the .223 Rem. Finally the .30-40 Krag, and lastly the .44 Magnum.

I, myself, have lusted after a .44 Mag for a long time, but I don't believe I have ever seen but one for sale.

GH

Boy, for here in Indiana, I'd like to find one of them .44 mag no. 3s. I'd sell my Marlin 1894 44 mag, just to hunt with one....

maddog

Welcome to the 'Fire Mike.

If you ever happen to find a #3 .44 Mag, don't forget to post pics!

Thanks for the nice replies. Another .44 Magnum carbine I have that is fairly rare is a Universal Model 440 pump-action. It was based on the M1 Carbine and made and/or imported by Universal Firearms in the late 1960's.

Speaking of Ruger No. 3's, I was in an Oklahoma pawn shop a year or two ago and saw a nice No. 3 in .22 Hornet for sale.

The gun-buying devil on my left shoulder said, "Buy the gun, Mike. You deserve it." The frugal money-saving angel on my right shoulder said, "You have enough guns. Don't spend any more money." For some reason, the angel won that day. : )

Ruger Number 3 Carbines in any caliber are hard to find. I think people just won't turn them loose. I love my Number One Tropical .375 H&H, but would love to have a Number 3 in .44 Magnum or .45-70. If I ever get my hands on one, you'll never see it for sale.

The #3 .44 must be the most rare of the bunch. Someone told me there was such a thing and I called them an Obama liar. (That's the worst kind.) I found on the Ruger website that they did exist, but in all my years of gun dealing and going to shops and shows, I have never seen one.

It is! The .44 Magnum is the rarest cataloged caliber in a No.3.

Nice #3's in any caliber are getting very hard to find at a decent price.

I have not seen the #3 in .44 Mag.
Sure is a rare one.

If anyone wants to offload one, or any Ruger #3, PM me first!

Thanks,

Jim

I want a .375 because I like the caliber. Have a Marlin lever and a Winchester. May have to make me one. Really like the size and handling of the #3s. Any got a .375 to sell or trade? I got some good bait!

You can look, just don't touch! Ruger #3 44 mag LNIB

http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x472/davidmc116/Ruger344Mag2.jpg

http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x472/davidmc116/Ruger344Mag.jpg

I've got a #3 in 375 Win that I bought about 5-6 years ago at a gun show. I was surprised, and glad, to have found it.

It's easy and fun to shoot, and pretty accurate. Just put a new (2.5X) scope on it and will be sighting it in shortly.

Now I'm looking for a #3 in 30-40.

Steve

I've never seen a #3 in the flesh...

Teal,

If you get to Maryland, you are welcome to shoot mine.

Steve

I have seen/handled 3 #3's in my life.

2 were Hornet/K-Hornet

The other, a 44 at the Dallas Gun Show around 95. Don't recall sights or bbl band NOR markings on bbl and thought it was a custom re-bbl.

Price - 375.........

Thanks! Appreciate it but don't go leaving the porch light on - I don't get east all that much...

My brother has one that he bought a spare stock for and cut short for his son. Son learned to deer hunt with it and some mild loaded hard cast bullets. That gun has been loaned to at least 4 other young men to learn with and is now back waiting for some grand children.

I see #3s in Hornet every blue moon. I saw a custom job
in 25-20 many years ago, should have bought it.

Just bought a #3 in 30-40 Krag from Gunbroker.Finally found one I like.

Steve

I saw a No. 3 in .45-70 at an auction last year. I went for $575 if I'm not mistaken. Then the usual 10% Buyers premium plus 6% sales tax. Of course there was the customary $15 fee for background check too. So in the end some sorry sucker shelled out $682 dollars for that No.3 that wasn't exactly pristine. For that kind of money I would wuold just step it up to a NIB #1.

Jericho, I bet that .25-20 was one I had a Texas gunsmith reline from a .45-70 that had a ringed bore. Did it have a "schnabel" forend with no barrel band? I let it go to get an original Win Lowall .25-20....it was a very fun little gun!

Congrats on the 30-40 Steve! I think you'll love it. How do you plan to use it?

30-40 Krag and a .375 Winchester

[/email]

I've only seen 2 .44's. One last October for $699, pristine
condition. (Kick me hard for not buying it.) Seen lots of
.45-70's and .223's. I guess I'd even consider trading my
Ruger M77 Mannlicher .308 for one if it was in 98% condition.
I guess there's always another gun show to go to even tho I
am DEFINITELY done buying firearms. I even have a Redfield
Bearcat 2 3/4X on hold for the yet to be acquired Ruger No.3!

I just happened into a Number 3 in .30-40 also. (See post in Ask the Gunwriters) I haven't shot it yet and .30-40 cases are hard to come by. Will probably end up forming some from 303 British.

DMc

I plan to use it for deer and hogs. Will be spending some time at both the reloading and shooting bench to work up a decent load.

I don't plan to hot-rod it. 180gr round nose bullets at 2450 or less will be fine with me.

Steve

Found one (#3) that was a frame and parts in a round Oatmeal box at a local gun shop. It had a sawed off forearm and some hacked up aftermarket wood. Bought it for a few bucks and it now is a nice 6.5X55. Looks much like a #1A. Fits me and shoots fine. Keeper!

I'm looking for another box of parts. If they are assembled it would constitute an OK situation for me. Would like to make another #3 build.

Jim

Contender, that Redfield is the perfect scope for the #3; I have one on a .30-40. Clear, light, short, simple and tough, and only cost me $50 very slightly used. What's not to love?

Hey Steve, whose 180 grain bullets are you using? Cast or Jacketed?

I would be interested in what type off accuracy folks have been getting with their Number 3's. A friend had one years ago in .22 Hornet and it was abut an inch to an inch and a quarter rifle as I recall. Also, have they shot better with the barrel band or without? His hornet did its best without the band. Just wondering as I begin getting stuff together for my new to me .30-40.

DMc,

I use all jacketed bullets. Hornady, or Sierra or Speer.

Steve

http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x472/davidmc116/DSCN0112.jpg

Saw a before after poster at a gunsmith: Rusted 30-40 made into a pristine 30-30.

BMT

I wonder how the gunsmith made that conversion since the case diameter of the 30-40 is larger than the 30-30??? .452 vs .422 Must have been a re-barrel?

I often thought of buying an older # 3 and convert it over to say 30-30. It be a great little brush caliber for upstate NY where most shots are under 75 yards anyways. I currently own 5 # 1s' ( 270, 45-70, 7 mag, 300 winmag , 338 winmag ) In vary calibers and love them.I even own a beautiful Browning 1885 in 243 winchester that is beautiful.Too pretty really to hunt with.....Im still waiting for that first scratch. The only thing I dont care for are the triggers on them. You can pull them apart if your confident enough and work the action down and sear so it breaks cleanly at 2 lbs......but I wouldnt go any lighter than that. Especially if you wear gloves while hunting.Ive been hunting with singleshots for years and I dont feel that im in any disadvantage for not having a fast followup shot.I have never........NEVER needed a second shot. !!!! Its all in the first shot..MAKE IT COUNT !!!

Mike,

Don't listen to the sounds coming into your right ear.

I have had internal struggles with guns that screamed "buy me", and ignored their advice.

I have regretted every single one.

hardly rare:

http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/cid=0/k=30-40/t=P/ksubmit=y/Products/All/search=30-40

They only made about 200 .44 Magnum #3s and many were converted to .444. They are pretty rare.

The response was to the guy looking for 30-40 cases.

Why anyone would want a #3 in 44 Magnum when they could have a 45-70 is beyond me (except a collector).

It weighs no less, is ballistically inferior and a 45-70 can easily be loaded down to produce revolver cartridge performance if that is your goal.

Own one in 30-40, nice gun and had a 45-70 that was shot with everything from 500 gr cast and 70 gr of 2F to popgun loads with round balls and TrailBoss.

Let's just say the 45-70 is a bit more flexible.

I don't see it as an either or thing. You can have both. IMO the .44 with a 320 grain cast bullet is awesome.

Yup that what I load in my S&W 329 w/22 gr of H110 and magnum primers but it's still a handgun cartridge @1250 fps.

+- 1400 fps from a short RIFLE barrel.

45-70 w/300 gr bullet in a short rifle will do 2500 fps.

Guess that one is settled when it comes to running into big bad animals.

Bought a pristine 45-70 2wks ago, shot a feral Angus steer on an island NW PA last wk. A poor boy eastern buffalo hunt. What a hoot, a lot of work = alot of meat.

I've heard that cattle have a lot of good cuts of meat.

Sirloin, Tenderloins, Ribeyes, NewYork Strips, T-Bones,

I'm salivating.

I'd never even consider shooting a bullet that fast out of the .45-70, but I'm glad people do. It puts a lot of nice once fired .45-70 rifles on the used gun rack for next to nothing prices.

That's a chuckle. A Ruger #1 stoked with 300 gr TSXs at 2500+ is a killing machine for anything in the 50 states. Anyone who can't handle that load should be sticking to "pistol cartridge rifles".
You run across any of those bargain 45-70s, PM me as I'll be buying them. (No Trapdoors, Handi-Rifles or ancient lever guns.)

There is a 6 gun set including a 44 mag on Gun Broker now, auction ends 12/16. Item # 264285277 starting bid $3900.
Just in case someone "really" wants a 44.

Just bought a Sharps and a #3 for next to nothing. Idiots tried loads that were too hot like the ones your shooting and couldn't handle them. Lots of fools like yourself doing stuff like that. It works out well for me though.