Never heard of it
Standard lever action style rifle?
The Ruger Model 96 lever action centerfire rifles offer practical performance and classic Old-West styling and include the following features:
** Enclosed action design that protects against dust, rain or snow for dependable open-range service.
** Chambered in the popular and powerful .44 Magnum cartridge.
** Short-throw lever (only 54 degrees), in classic color-case finish, provides fast repeat shots when needed.
** Scope mounts, integral with the steel receiver, that accept medium-height Ruger scope rings (included at no extra cost).
** Unique, removable four-round rotary magazine that offers superior reliability, no exposed magazine to dent and no uncomfortable protrusions at the rifle's balance point.
** Carbine-style barrel band and curved Western-style Carbine butt plate.
nope! Oh cool..it has an intergral magazine similar to the Ruger 10/22, the action is lever action but it doesn't have the tubular magazine similar to a Winchester 94 or Marlin 336
I do know this...any "Magnum" pistol cartridge fired out of a longer barrel the extra length gives the round much added velocity and much better ballistic performance downrange. In other words a long barrel and a Magnum pistol really bring the potential of the round out..it makes it come alive!
http://www.outdoorlife.com/outdoor/gear ... 61,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
When considering the ballistics of the .44 Magnum cartridge, keep in mind that when it is fired from an 18½-inch rifle barrel with a closed chamber, velocity is considerably higher than when it is shot from a shorter-barreled revolver. For example, the Winchester ammo catalogue lists a muzzle velocity of 1,230 fps for its Supreme loading of the 250-grain Partition Gold bullet when fired in a vented test barrel. But with that same load fired in a rifle, the velocity jumps to 1,810 fps, a considerable increase of 580 fps, and more than doubles the muzzle energy, from 840 ft-lb to 1,818 ft-lb, which gets it almost into .30/30 territory
Apparently they have a 9 round extended magazine (in lieu of the factory 4 round rotary), and from this video looks like its a smooth shooter!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC8efWFi5b8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I say you get it, shoot it and tell us how well it does...its a beautiful rifle and you really cant ever go wrong with a Ruger