Ruger 96 Instruction Manual

							12
To Operate Lever for Magazine Insertion or Removal: Note that the lever must be
opened at least 1/2” for either insertion or removal of the magazine. This can be
done either by manually operating the lever to an open position or by pushing up
firmly on the magazine latch (located on the underside of the stock), which will open
the lever slightly to the point where the magazine can be inserted or removed (see
“To Load and Fire With Magazine”, pp. 14 - 17). 
AMMUNITION
The RUGER®MODEL NINETY-SIXrifles are chambered for either the .44
Magnum, .22 WMR, .22 Long Rifle, or .17 HMR cartridges. The particular caliber for
each rifle is rollmarked on the barrel. Use cartridges only of the designated caliber
that is marked on the barrel.
Rifles chambered for the .44 Magnum cartridge should not be used with any other
.44 caliber ammunition. Most .44 Magnum ammunition factory loaded to U.S.
industry specifications is suitable for use. However, “Medium Velocity” non-jacketed
ammunition may not give optimum accuracy and is not recommended.
The .22 Magnum rifles are chambered for .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire cartridge
only, both jacketed and hollow point. Do not use any other .22 caliber ammunition
in this rifle as burst cases and the release of hot powder gases can result, possibly
causing injury.
The .22 Long Rifle version is chambered for, and designed to properly function with
only the .22 caliber Long Rifle rimfire cartridge, standard, high velocity, or hyper-
velocity, manufactured to U.S. industry standards.
The .17 HMR rifles are chambered for the .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire cartridge
only. Do not use any other rimfire ammunition in this rifle. Use only ammunition
that functions correctly in your rifle. See “Malfunction Warning”, p. 20.
WARNING:SOME TYPES OF LONG RIFLE CARTRIDGES HAVE 
BLUNT-NOSE OR SHARP-SHOULDER BULLETS WHICH CAN 
INTERFERE WITH SMOOTH AND RELIABLE FEEDING FROM
MAGAZINE TO CHAMBER. SUCH CARTRIDGES SHOULD NOTBE USED
BECAUSE THEY MAY DISCHARGE BEFORE BEING FULLY CHAMBERED
AND THEREBY POSSIBLY INJURE THE SHOOTER AND THOSE NEARBY.
THE SHOOTER MUST BE ALERT TO THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS
SITUATION AND SHOULD AT ONCE DISCONTINUE THE USE OF ANY
CARTRIDGE WHICH APPEARS TO BE THE CAUSE OF FEEDING PROBLEMS
OR JAMMING. 
! 
						

							13
!WARNING – AMMUNITION
Death, serious injury, and damage can
result from the use of wrong
ammunition, bore obstructions,
powder overloads, or incorrect
cartridge components. .22 cases are
very thin and sometimes split when
fired. Always
wear shooting glasses
and hearing protectors.
IMPROPER AMMUNITION
DESTROYS GUNS
WARNING:DO NOT ATTEMPT TO LOAD .22 SHORT, .22 LONG, 
.22 SHOT OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF .22 CALIBER CARTRIDGE 
(OTHER THAN THE .22 LONG RIFLE) INTO THE MAGAZINE 
OF THE 96/22RIFLE. THE USE OF OTHER CARTRIDGES IN THE MAGAZINE
CAN CAUSE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS JAMS AND MALFUNCTIONS
RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE FIREARM AND INJURY TO THE SHOOTER
AND OTHER PERSONS. TAKE CARE TO USE THE CORRECT CARTRIDGES. DO
NOT FIRE .17 HMR CARTRIDGES IN .22 MAGNUM RIFLES!
!
!WARNING – LEAD EXPOSURE
Discharging firearms in poorly
ventilated areas, cleaning firearms, or
handling ammunition may result in
exposure to lead and other substances
known to the state of California to
cause birth defects, reproductive harm,
and other serious physical injury. Have
adequate ventilation at all times. Wash
hands thoroughly after exposure.
SHOOTING OR CLEANING GUNS
MAY EXPOSE YOU TO LEAD  
						

							14
TO LOAD AND FIRE (WITH MAGAZINE)
Practice this important aspect of gun handling (with an unloaded rifle) until you
can perform each of the steps described below with skill and confidence. But
before you do anything with the rifle, please first read completely through this
manual.
1.Keep the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction. (See Rule 2, p. 39).
2.Put the safety “on” (fully protruding from the right side of the lever housing
assembly).(See Figure 1, p. 9).
3. Open the lever. Check the chamber to be certain it is empty.
4. Note that the lever must be at least 1/2” open in order to either remove or
insert a magazine. To remove the magazine, use thumb to depress magazine
latch and at the same time grasp the magazine between thumb and forefinger
of the same hand to draw it out of the magazine well. (See Figure 3).
Figure 3.The lever should be open
and the safety should be “on” when
the magazine is being removed or
inserted. When the forward section
of the magazine latch is pushed in
(pivoted upward), the magazine is
released. Depress the latch with
the thumb and at the same time
grasp the magazine between the
thumb and forefinger and draw it
out of the rifle.
Removing Magazine
(Safety “On”)
5. Load the magazine by sliding cartridges (up to 10 in the .22 LR magazine, 9
in the .22 WMR or .17 HMR magazine, or 4 in the .44 magnum magazine)
into the magazine throat-opening. (See Figure 4, p. 15). The Ruger Model 96
is designed to function properly only with standard Ruger rotary magazines
loaded with cartridges of the correct type and caliber. 
						

							15
6. With lever open, insert magazine into the firearm, with bullet end of the
cartridges toward the muzzle. (Magazine cannot be seated if reversed, or if
lever is not at least 1/2” open). Do not strike magazine if it does not insert
readily. Just be sure the lever is open, or firmly push the magazine latch,
which will open the lever sufficiently to allow full insertion of the magazine.
7. Load a cartridge into the chamber by fully closing the lever. It is not necessary
to “slam” the lever shut. Do not apply excessive force to the lever to chamber
a cartridge. If a cartridge does not readily chamber, open the lever, eject it
from the rifle, and reload with ammunition that chambers readily. If it still
fails to chamber smoothly, open the bolt, remove the magazine and see
“Malfunctions Warning”, p. 20. If a “jam” occurs (usually due to damaged or
improper ammunition), see “To Clear A Malfunction”, p. 19.
8. The rifle is now fully loaded. If the rifle is not to be fired immediately, the
safety should remain “ON” (See Figure 1, p. 9). When the safety is moved to
the “off” position, the rifle will fire when the trigger is pulled. The lever is
then fully opened, ejecting the fired cartridge case, and closed to reload
another cartridge from the magazine into the chamber. The rifle is again
ready to fire by pulling the trigger and this cycle can be repeated until all the
cartridges in the magazine, and the one in the chamber, have been fired.
Operating the lever will automatically reload and recock the rifle.Keep your
finger away from the trigger while operating the lever! Note that every time
the trigger is pulled, if a cartridge is in the chamber and the bolt is closed, the
rifle will fire -- be careful!
Figure 4.To load the magazine, press the
rim of the cartridge against the magazine
rotor at the widest section of the
magazine throat until the cartridge enters
far enough to be pushed to the rear end of
the magazine. With the first cartridge in
place, each succeeding cartridge is pressed
against the body of the top cartridge and
slid to the rear of the magazine until a
maximum of ten .22 LR cartridges (or
nine .22 WMR or .17 HMR cartridges, or
four .44 Magnum cartridges, depending
upon the magazine being loaded) are in
the magazine.
The magazine must  at all times be in
good condition or malfunctions can occur.
Please carefully read the sections in this
manual on “Magazine Inspection and
Care” and the  section and warning on
“Malfunctions”.Loading the
Magazine
.22 Long Rifle Magazine Shown
NOTE: The 9 shot Ruger .22 Magnum and .17 HMR magazines are notinterchangeable
with any other magazine. The .44 magnum magazines for the Ruger 96/44 lever action
rifle and the Deerfield Carbine rifle will notfit into the Ruger 77/44 bolt action rifle due
to dimensional differences. Do not attempt to use either of them in the Ruger 77/44. 
						

							Be sure that bystanders are well clear of
the shooter and standing a safe distance
to the rear. Empty cartridge cases are
hot and are normally ejected from the
rifle to the right. They could cause
injury to any person who is standing too
closely alongside the shooter. Shooters
who fire right-hand rifles from the left
shoulder should be particularly cautious
concerning ejected cartridge cases.
Always wear shooting glasses and
hearing protectors.
EJECTED BRASS IS HOT
16
!WARNING – HANDLING
9.Immediately following the firing of a shot and operating the lever to eject the
empty cartridge case, 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. 
!WARNING – FIRING
If dropped or
struck with the
safety “off”, any
rifle may fire.
Keep chamber
empty unless
actually firing!
Keep safety “on”
unless actually
firing!
ANY GUN
MAY FIRE IF
DROPPED  
						

							17
!WARNING – UNLOADING
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 the fingers
outside the trigger guard. If the rifle is cocked, move the safety to the “on”
position.
2. Remove the magazine by firmly pressing the magazine latch. This is done
more easily if the lever is slightly open, but firmly pressing the latch itself will
slightly open the lever, allowing removal of 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 fully open position by completely opening the lever.
This should extract and eject any cartridge or fired case in the chamber. Leave
the lever and bolt open.
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.
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 the rifle! To unload, first remove
magazine, then fully open lever to pull bolt 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
10. The bolt  and lever do not automatically remain open after the last cartridge
or fired case has been extracted and ejected, or when the magazine is empty.
When firing is completed, retract the bolt by opening the lever fully, and
visually check the chamber to be sure it is empty. If the lever or 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.
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 & 2, p. 14. Then load a
cartridge into the chamber, and follow steps 6, 7 and 8 on p. 15, disregarding the
magazine. Engage the safety between shots. 
						

							18
5.Do notunload by cycling cartridges from the magazine into and out of the
chamber by repeatedly operating the lever. This is unnecessary and increases
the possibility of firing if you pull the trigger when the bolt is closed (and if
you have failed to put the safety “on” prior to unloading). First remove the
magazine, then operate the lever to unload the chamber.
6. 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.
7. If desired, the bolt can be left in the open position simply by leaving the lever
fully down. If it is desired to close the bolt, again look to be certain the
chamber is empty. Assuming that the safety is “on”, close the lever fully
against the stock, which will close the bolt as the lever is raised up. Keep your
fingers out of the receiver!
8.With the muzzle pointed in a safe direction,push the safety to the “off”
position and pull the trigger to decock the hammer. The rifle can be “dry fired”
for practice as long as it is empty and pointed in a safe direction.
9. Push empty (unloaded) magazine into the rifle until the catch locks it in place.
Again, this is more easily done if the lever is partially open. Striking or
slamming the magazine is not necessary for insertion and may damage it.
TO EXTRACT AND EJECT
A CHAMBERED CARTRIDGE
When the bolt is operated by opening the lever, 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 lever not being operated
correctly, use of improper or damaged ammunition, or an accumulation of bullet
lubricant or residue from firing in the chamber. From the foregoing, it is clear
that the gun user must:
3
2
4
1
CORRECT UNLOADING SEQUENCE 
						

							19
1.Always visually check the chamberafter opening the bolt to eject a chambered
cartridge.If the lever is not vigorously retracted when opening the bolt, the
extracted cartridge can be ‘ejected’ into the magazine area, instead of outside
the rifle.
2. Thor
oughly clean the chamber and the extractor as often as necessaryto
prevent the accumulation of grease and dirt.
3. If an empty magazine is in the rifle when the lever is being operated to extract
a cartridge, the cartridge may drop on top of the magazine. Then when the
bolt goes forward, the cartridge will be chambered again! Always remove the
magazine before clearing the chamber, and visually
ensure that no cartridges
remain in the gun.
TO CLEAR A MALFUNCTION (“JAM”)
Any 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. Open the bolt fully with the lever before attempting to
clear the jam. Drawing the bolt 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 discharged 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, and can be carefully used to dislodge a jammed cartridge
from the chamber or magazine. Remove the magazine and any unfired
cartridges from the firearm as soon as it is possible to do so.
3. V
isually checkto 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.
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
malfunctions, 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 and bolt mechanism, paying particular
attention to removing accumulated grease. Use a bristle brush and solvent  
						

							20
!WARNING – MALFUNCTIONS
The .22 Long Rifle rimfire cartridge fires when the
firing pin impacts the relatively soft cartridge case
rim, and also can be “discharged” before it is
chambered if its rim 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!
CRUSHING RIM OR PRIMER
CAN BURST AMMUNITION
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 spring tension is adequate. (See p. 24)
d. Check the magazine lips 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 of this manual for packing and shipping information.
Another precaution:When using any firearm chambered for rimfire cartridges,
form the habit of examining fired cartridge cases. If they have bulged heads or
frequently show splits on any part of the case, the firearm should be returned to
the factory for inspection.  
						

							21
TO DISASSEMBLE
1.With the rifle pointing in a safe
direction, remove the magazine.
Fully open the lever and bolt to
make certain there is not a
cartridge in the chamber.The
rear sight leaf should be down,
and the internal hammer should
be cocked. Keep the lever open
and the safety “on”.
2. Loosen the barrel band screw
(B-69) and remove the barrel
band (L06801).
3. Loosen the take-down screw
(L04701) completely, but note
that it will not
come out of the
stock. 
!WARNING – DISASSEMBLY
3
2
4
1
Always unload a firearm
before cleaning, lubrication,
disassembly or assembly.
UNLOAD BEFORE
CLEANING