Place of origin United States Weight 6.25 lb (2.83 kg) | Produced 2000–2006 Length 37 in (94 cm) | |
Type Centerfire semi-automatic rifle Manufacturer Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. | ||
The Deerfield Carbine or Model 99/44 is a .44 Magnum semi-automatic rifle produced by Sturm, Ruger & Co., introduced in 2000.
Design
The Deerfield Carbine is based on the rotating-bolt short-stroke gas-piston Mini-14 action, as opposed to the earlier Ruger Model 44 rifle first produced in 1961, which had been dropped from the Ruger lineup in 1985 due to production cost. The 1961-1962 Model 44 was marked as the Deerstalker. The rifle was reclassified as a carbine and renamed Deerfield due to the notable lawsuit brought by the Ithaca Gun Company.
The Model 44 featured a solid-topped receiver, while the modern Deerfield has an open-top design more resembling the M1 Carbine, which is stronger and simpler. Unusual for a modern centerfire firearm, the Deerfield uses a rotary magazine similar to that used on Ruger's .22 LR 10/22 rifle.
The Deerfield was discontinued in 2006.