Ruger 44 Deerfield Carbine Instruction Manual

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5. Insert magazine into the firearm, with bullet end of the cartridges toward the
muzzle. (Magazine cannot be seated if reversed).
6. Load a cartridge into the chamber by fully retracting the slide handle (which
will automatically release the bolt lock) and then releasing the handle. Don’t
touch the trigger.Do not ‘ride’ the slide handle as it moves forward. Do not
apply force to the slide handle to chamber a cartridge. If a cartridge does not
readily chamber, eject it from the rifle, lock the bolt open, remove the
magazine and see MALFUNCTION WARNING, p. 17.
7. The rifle is now fully loaded. If the rifle is not to be fired immediately, the
safety should remain “ON”(See Figure 1, p. 6). Only when you are ready to
fire at a selected target, move the safety to the “off” position. The rifle will fire
a single cartridge each time the trigger is pulled and released until all the
cartridges in the magazine, and the one in the chamber, have been fired.
Firing will automatically reload and recock the rifle.NOTE THAT EVERY
TIME THE TRIGGER IS PULLED, IF A CARTRIDGE IS IN THE CHAMBER,
THE RIFLE WILL FIRE – BE CAREFUL!
8.Immediately following the firing of a shot, and if a subsequent shot is not to
be fired at once, put the safety “ON” while the rifle is still pointing in a safe
direction down range.The safety should be moved to the “on” position as soon
as firing is completed, and it should be “on” at all times except when the rifle
is on target and being fired. 
9. The bolt does not remain open after the last shot has been fired, nor does the
bolt automatically lock open when the magazine is empty. When firing is
completed, put the safety “ON” and manually retract the bolt, lock it open,
and visually check the chamber to be sure it is empty. If the bolt is shut, the
shooter should always assume that there is a cartridge in the chamber. Don’t
rely on your memory to know if a gun or magazine is loaded. Visually inspect
the magazine and the chamber.
WARNING – FIRING
The bolt automatically opens
and shuts quickly while firing.
Keep face and hands away
from it. Hot brass and powder
gas are ejected quickly and
can burn you. The rifle should
be fired from the right
shoulder. Always wear
shooting glasses and hearing
protectors.
BOLT OPENS FAST–
HOT BRASS EJECTED  
						

							So that the rifle can be used as a single loader, it
will fire whether or not a magazine is in the gun
if a cartridge is chambered. Removing magazine
does not unload rifle! To unload, first remove
magazine, then pull slide to rear, eject chambered
cartridge, and visually inspect chamber. The safety
should always be in the “on” (safe) position when
loading or unloading the rifle.Keep safety “on”.
GUN WILL FIRE WITH
“MAGAZINE” OUT
13
If dropped or
struck with the
safety “off”, the
rifle may fire.
Keep chamber
empty unless
actually firing!
Keep safety “on”
unless actually
firing!
ANY GUN
MAY FIRE IF
DROPPED
WARNING – HANDLING
TO LOAD AND FIRE (WITHOUT MAGAZINE)
The rifle can be used as a single shot rifle in the absence of a magazine or for
safety or training purposes. To do so, follow steps 1 and 2, p. 11. Then load a
cartridge into the chamber, and follow steps 6 through 9, p. 12, disregarding the
magazine. Engage the safety between shots, and disengage it only when actually
firing at a selected target.
WARNING – UNLOADING 
						

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TO UNLOAD
NOTE:This sequence must be followed exactly as spelled out. Failure to do so
can result in the rifle’s chamber becoming unintentionally loaded with a
cartridge!
1. Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction at all times and keep fingers
outside the trigger guard. Move the safety to the “on” (“safe”) position.
2. Remove the magazine. Rememberthat even though the magazine has been
removed, a cartridge remaining in the chamber can still be fired!
3. Retract the bolt to its open position and lock it there. This should eject any
cartridge in the chamber, but...
4.Always visually double check the chamber 
to be certain it is empty. The only
“safe” rifle is one in which the bolt is open and the chamber and magazine are
empty.
5. Cartridges can be removed from the magazine by simply pushing them lightly
downward and forward with the thumb, forefinger, or the rubber eraser end of
a pencil against the rim of the top cartridge. Do not use a loaded cartridge as a
‘tool’ to strip cartridges from the magazine.
6. If desired, the slide can be left in the open position, being held there by the
slide lock. If it is desired to close the slide, again look to be certain the
chamber is empty. Put the safety “on”, retract the slide to its rearmost position
to release the slide lock and let the slide snap forward. Keep your fingers out of
the receiver!
CORRECT UNLOADING SEQUENCE 
						

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7.With the muzzle pointed in a safe direction,push the safety to the “off”
position and pull the trigger to decock it. The rifle can be “dry fired” for
practice as long as it is empty and pointed in a safe direction.
8. Push empty (unloaded) magazine into the rifle until the catch locks it in place.
TO EXTRACT AND
EJECT A CHAMBERED CARTRIDGE
When the rifle is fired, the same gas pressure that drives the bullet forward acts
through the gas port to push the slide and bolt to the rear. This action causes
extraction and ejection of the fired cartridge case. If a cartridge fails to fire or if
the shooter wishes to eject the chambered cartridge manually, follow the
procedure “To Unload” step 3, p. 14. When the slide handle is operated there can
be a failure to extract the cartridge from the chamber, or a failure to eject the
cartridge clear of the rifle. These failures usually are the result of the slide handle
not being pulled rearward vigorously. From the foregoing, it is clear that the gun
user must:
1.Always visually check the chamber and the br
eech-face after opening the slide
to eject a chambered cartridge. If the slide is not vigorously retracted, the
extracted cartridge can be “ejected” into the magazine area or remain held to
the breech-face by the extractor.
2. Thor
oughly clean the chamber and the extractor as often as necessary.
If an empty magazine is in the rifle when the slide handle is being retracted to
extract a cartridge, the cartridge may drop on top of the magazine or remain
held to the breech-face by the extractor. Then, when the slide goes forward, the
cartridge will be chambered again! REMEMBER -- always remove the magazine
before clearing the chamber, and visually check
to ensure that no cartridges
remain in the gun. Keep the safety “on” at all times except when actually firing.
TO CLEAR A MALFUNCTION (“JAM”)
Any autoloading firearm may occasionally malfunction. If it does:
1.Be certain the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction and the safety is “on”.
2. If possible, first remove the magazine. It may be necessary to manually remove
a jammed cartridge which has only partially been stripped from the magazine. 
If so, use extreme care. Lock the slide open with the slide stop before
attempting to clear the jam. Drawing the slide fully to the rear may bring the
jammed cartridge along. Keep your face away from the ejection port during
this operation.When attempting to clear a jam, use only wood ‘tools’ so that a
cartridge will not be ignited if you strike a primer, and so that the chamber
and magazine will not be damaged. A 3/16” wood dowel rod with a point on
one end is useful. Use this tool to carefully remove the jammed cartridge and
any foreign materials that may have caused the jam.
3. Visually check to make sure all cartridges have been removed from the rifle.
Safely dispose of any cartridges involved in a malfunction incident. Do not use
damaged ammunition in any firearm. 
						

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TO MINIMIZE MALFUNCTIONS (“JAMS”)
Most malfunctions are caused by improper or damaged magazines, incorrect
ammunition, or poor maintenance. 
1. If it appears that the gun and magazine are not at fault and that the jam was
caused by the type of cartridge being used, then try another type.
2. If changing to another type or brand of cartridges does not at once eliminate
malfunctioning, then the following steps should be taken:
a. Make certain the gun and the magazine are unloaded and that the safety
is “on”. Remember, the magazine should be removed first, then check the
chamber and be certain it and the magazine-well are clear of cartridges.
b. Thoroughly clean the magazine (See “Magazine Inspection and Care”,
p. 22) and bolt mechanism, paying particular attention to removing
accumulated grease. Use a bristle brush and solvent to remove grease and
fouling from the bolt face, the extractor, the chamber, and the feed ramp.
(See the “Care and Cleaning” section of this manual for detailed cleaning
instructions).
c. Check to see that the magazine rotor spring tension is adequate.
d. Check the magazine throat and chamber area to be certain they are free
of nicks and burrs and are not deformed.
e. Remove excess oil and solvent from all cleaned components, load the
magazine, and try the firearm again. As always, proceed slowly. Be certain
bystanders are not close and that you are wearing eye and hearing
protection and that your face is a safe distance from the rifle so that any
discharge resulting from a jammed cartridge will not injure anyone.
If the above procedures do not result in a smooth and reliably functioning
firearm, don’t use the gun. The rifle can be returned directly to our Newport,
New Hampshire Product Service Department for repair. See the Service and Parts
Policy section, p. 28 of this manual for packing and shipping information.
Another precaution:When using any firearm, form the habit of examining fired
cartridge cases. If they have bulged heads or frequently show splits on any part of
the case, the rifle or pistol should be returned to the factory for inspection. 
						

							A cartridge can be “discharged” before it is
chambered if its primer receives a sharp blow. If a
cartridge hangs up, jams, or binds when being
chambered or when being fed from the magazine
into the chamber, do not attempt to force it into
the chamber by pushing or striking the bolt.Any
jam or feeding problem is a signal to immediately
stop  using the gun until it can be determined
what is wrong. Most failures of a cartridge to feed
or to chamber are caused by a damaged magazine,
improper gun handling, or defective ammunition.
Whatever the cause, cartridge jams can result in
the potentially dangerous situation of a cartridge
discharging before it is chambered. If this occurs,
the cartridge case will rupture and its fragments
will fly out of the gun with sufficient force to
cause injury. Always wear shooting glasses and
hearing protectors! Keep face away from chamber!
STRIKING PRIMER
CAN BURST CARTRIDGE
17
WARNING – MALFUNCTIONS
WARNING – DISASSEMBLY
Always unloada firearm
before cleaning, lubrication,
disassembly or assembly.
UNLOAD BEFORE
CLEANING
BASIC DISASSEMBLY AND REASSEMBLY
It is preferable to carry out these procedures on a workbench or table which has
a covered top. A piece of shallow nap rug or an old, coarse blanket is an ideal
covering. Such a covering not only reduces the chances of the rifle slipping and
being scratched, but it serves also to trap pins, plungers and springs that may
otherwise get lost. It is advisable to have a container - such as a shoebox - in
which each part can be placed as it is removed from the gun.  
						

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Before attempting to disassemble the rifle for the first time, study the parts
drawing and parts list so as to be familiar with the relative position, appearance
and name of each part. Carry out the disassembly slowly, and carefully note the
position of the part in the gun before starting to remove it. If a part is under
spring tension (such as, the Safety Selector, Bolt Stop, Trigger) remove it
cautiously and anticipate the direction the spring and plunger are most likely to
“jump.”
WARNING: If a spring or plunger become lost, do not use a substitute. Springs of
correct tension are vital to the safe and reliable performance of firearms.Before
starting disassembly, remove the sling, scope and rings and place the rear sight
blade in its down flat position.
DISASSEMBLY
Make Sure Rifle Is Unloaded and Safety is in the “ON” (Safe) Position!
Fold the rear sight down in order to avoid damage during disassembly
1.With the rifle pointing in a safe
direction, remove magazine,
open the slide and visually
make cer
tain there is not a
cartridge in the chamber.Then
allow the slide to close. The
rear sight leaf should be down,
and the hammer should be
cocked. (See Fig. 7). 
2. Loosen the Barrel Band Screw
(B-69) (See Fig. 8a) and
remove Barrel Band (CS06800)
and Handguard (CS16600).
(See Fig. 8b)
Figure 7
Figure 8a
Figure 8b 
						

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Figure 104. Loosen Front Mounting
Screw (CS04700).
(See Fig. 10)
Figure 11
5. Grasp barrel and the
fore end of the stock
and lift barrel and
receiver assembly from
stock. (See Fig. 11).
Figure 9a
3. Remove Trigger Housing
Screw (CS04800)
(See Fig. 9a) and pivot
Trigger Housing (CS01300)
forward and out from the
stock.  (See Fig. 9b).
Figure 9b 
						

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Figure 14
8. Move Slide (CS23701) to the rear to the disassembly notch in the Receiver
(CS00101). The slide is now rolled clockwise to disengage it from the Bolt’s
(CS01000) cam follower and the Receiver. (See Fig. 14).
Figure 126. Carefully remove Guide
Rod Retainer Screw
(CS03901) from Gas Block
(CS03500) using a small
screw driver. (See Fig. 12).
7. Slide the Recoil Spring Guide Rods (CS03900) forward (one at a time) enough
to remove the Recoil Springs (CS00601) and Buffer (CS04000). (See Fig. 13). 
CAUTION: The springs are heavily compressed - use eye protection and care
when disassembling and reassembling to prevent the springs from escaping
forcibly and possibly causing injury.
Remove Recoil Spring Guide Rods.
Figure 13 
						

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Figure 15
9. Grasp bolt and lift up and forward and rotate in a counterclockwise direction
until the rear bolt guide on the back of the bolt enters the disassembly slot.
Now rotate the bolt in a clockwise direction and lift bolt from receiver.
(See Fig. 15). 
REASSEMBLY
Again, Make Sure Rifle is Unloaded
and Safety is in the “ON” (Safe) Position!
1. With the bolt facing forward, insert the rear of the bolt into the disassembly
slot of the receiver and align the Firing Pin (KCS01101) projection with the
slot in lower receiver bridge. Slowly rotate bolt counterclockwise while sliding
bolt into position.
2. With the Bolt in its rearward position, align the Slide handle with the
disassembly notch in the rear of the receiver disassembly slot and right-hand
Bolt locking lug projection. Rotate the slide counterclockwise to engage the
Bolt and Receiver, making sure that the piston end of the Slide is correctly
aligned under the barrel. Move Slide to the forward position engaging the Gas
Piston (KCS03600).
3. Slide one Recoil Spring Guide Rod through Gas Block and slip one Recoil
Spring over it. Compress the spring and then slide the Recoil Spring Guide
Rod and Spring Assembly to the rear and insert through the Buffer into the
Receiver. Repeat for remaining Recoil Spring Guide Rod. Replace Guide Rod
Retainer screw, making sure that it is centrally located on the Gas Block.
CAUTION: The springs are heavily compressed - use eye protection and care
when disassembling and reassembling to prevent the springs from escaping
forcibly and possibly resulting in injury.