I bought a new Ranch .556 2 1/2 years ago. It came with two twenty round mags, scope rings and a rail. I've since bought a couple of thirty round mags. I opened it up and cleaned and lubed it and still I haven't found the time to get it out and shoot it.

What do you think something like that would fetch these days?

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Dum vivo cano

I have owned Mini-14s since I was 18 years old. I retired as a Armorer for the Federal Government after 28 years. My buddy once asked me, why do you have the MINI-14s, you have worked on ARs for years, you know how to do that. My answer, "never had to work on a Mini."

Years later I just picked up a Mini blued with wood stocks! Haven't shot it yet 5, 20 & 30rnd factory mags and PMC 55gr fmjbt.

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Take it easy. Chris

I have two, a stainless Ranch from about 1985, and an older blued standard from the late 70's. They are superbly reliable rifles, only way they won't function is with a total dud round of ammo. But target rifle accuracy? No, not really. Typical groups with most ammo is 3 inches or so at 100 yards, some better, some worse, but they're still "minute of coyote". And yes, they can be made to shoot much better, but usually at considerable expense. I read somewhere that the best way to make a Mini-14 more accurate is to sell it, and buy an AR-15. Not far wrong, but I'll keep my Mini's, I just like them.

How can you not like an M14 even if it is a little one?

They are one of the most fun guns I have ever shot.

The Mini 14 is a fine rifle designed along the lines of the Garand action with a reverse gas system in that the piston is fixed and the cylinder moves with the operating slide.
The big issue with Mini 14s is that Ruger thought it would be cute to use a pencil thin barrel that whips around forward of the gas port, resulting in "patterns" rather than "groups."

Recent models have sought to fix this by having a thicker barrel extending past the gas port and it seems to work well enough based on reports.

The REAL problem with the Mini 14 versus AR pattern rifle is that anyone can assemble an AR rifle in their garage or shop, but not so with the classically built Mini 14! Was a time the Mini 14 was "cheap" to acquire and the Colt ARs were outrageously expensive, but today it's the opposite.

About 30 years ago I "corrected" the accuracy problem on my Mini 14 by adding RTV silicone sealant inside the cam track of the operating slide so as to cause the closed slide to place pressure on the operating lug of the bolt. This simple "fix" eliminated the pressure normally placed against the gas take-off block up front which cause the pencil thin barrel to be torqued "up", then suddenly snap down as the gun fired and the bullet passed the gas port, creating an exaggerated whipping motion. Before the sealant, 100 yard groups were around 8-10 inches...they made AK groups look high tech! After the fix, groups shrunk remarkably down to 3-4"!

Also, since that time, barrel braces have come onto the market where a brace is bolted to the barrel to create a cantilever that prevents the barrel whipping unpredictably. That, plus my DIY RTV solution has made my Mini 14 as accurate as any garden variety AR pattern rifle.

The Mini 14 has not benefitted from all the consumer-driven aftermarket adaptations as has the AR pattern rifle, but it does have it's pluses, such as being compact, simple and reliable.

I see this thread is a year old, but I will add a reply to share my experience for anybody who is doing a search on Mini 14's. I first shot one belonging to a friend maybe 30 years ago. Liked it, but didn't buy one even though back then, if memory is correct, you could get them on sale for $399. Shot one belonging to another friend maybe 20 years ago. Still liked it, but still didn't buy one. Couldn't see any use for it.

Last summer, during all the civil unrest, I started thinking about getting one. Friend #1 had long since sold his, and advised me to get an AR. Told him I didn't want an AR. Friend #2 still his has, said he never shoots it, but wouldn't sell, for the same reason I was looking to buy.

So I bit the bullet and bought a new stainless Ranch rifle, model 5802, at my LGS for $930. I bought two 30 round Ruger mags from them. They had no 20 round mags, but I found two Ruger mags at a farm store an hour away, and immediately drove over and bought both.

Tested all four mags. No problem hitting the middle of a torso target at 100 years, which is all I required. I haven't shot it since, but it's here if I need it.

For those of you with accuracy problems with a MINI...and who doesn't, try an Ultimak Scout Scope Mount...

Bought a stainless/synthetic Mini-30 and it would run 3+ moa and also walk right off a paperplate size targt at 100 yards...always to the b0:00 o'clock position. And didn't return to zero when it cooled down. Was about to sell it when I read about the Ultimak scope mount and tried one...could not be happier.

Problem with the Mini, just like it's parent M14, there are too may pressure points on the barrel so when the gun warms up the barrel warps. This is no big deal if one is using open sights but with a receiver mounted scope, the receiver and scope keep locked on the target as the barrel heads elsewhere...

With the mount/scope clamped to the barrel, as the barrel heats up, the scope just rides along with it still looking at the target...

1) Mini 30 with Chief AJ muzzle break

2) 10 rounds sitting with a sling at 100 yards (no clue why the low round as it broke just like the others)

3) 5 rounds from the bench at 200 (moved the scope the wrong way while sighting in)

4) 3 rounds sitting with sling at 200

..worked for me...YMMV...

Bob

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I am so old that I tell youngsters I remember when Mini-14s were cheap and ARs were expensive!

I have the first series Mini-14 Ranch rifle, about 4 MOA, but that is good enough for what I use it for.

My late model Mini 14 Ranch rifle with it's Leupold VX-III 2.5X8X36 scope is not going anywhere anytime soon except maybe to the range. Just sayin.

Mini 14s have been issue for decades with my department. The early models just got shot to pieces by all the XM193 we were using. It was a bit of a hassle having to send them back to Ruger. They had lots of rounds through them. They do break down, but that typically won't be an issue for most people. I prefer to have a Department armorer be able to repair firearms...

We've been replacing them with recent models.

I like the sights better on the new ones. We had (on the older models) some GB barrels, but mostly blued and stainless models with just the front sight (no wings). No optics.
The new models with the full length sight radius and improved rear sight works much better for most of us. The newer rifles get grabbed up first when people are lining up for quals.

I will add my .02 that the Ruger factory mags are the way to go, but they are spendy compared to say a PMAG. Even when the Rugers are used.

When I chose my M4 type BCM rifle over a Mini, it was based on the criteria that the retooling at Ruger hadn't happened yet and Ruger mags were not released to the public yet. Lastly, I wanted something that I could easily mount a red dot (Aimpoint with magnifier-way before the current LVPOs of today), a good sling mounted properly and a flashlight again mounted properly. I also wanted something a little closer in handling compared to the MP5s and UMPs in .40 we issued. We did have the Mini's but it was not considered too heavily in the deployment idea, because upper management didn't want rifle rounds potentially unloosed in most situations. They were used almost entirely as an overwatch secondary rifle to the bolt guns.

Then lastly, while I love my M1 Garand, the safety in the trigger guard is a weak point in training mentality today. Not an absolute IMHO, but it does have merit in that mindset...

I've been curious about the Mini-14 since it came out in the '70s but have never owned one, mainly because of reports of mediocre accuracy. That was long before the Internet.

I intend to buy a new Mini-14 soon, but will first dispose of three out-of-the-box unmolested Colt ARs that I bought less than ten years ago. I did some extensive load development with the Colts. They're accurate and function perfectly, but I've yet to find the attraction to these guns. I no longer shoot them.

Other than a plain good quality scope with a plain reticle, and sometimes a sling, I don't accessorize guns. If they don't work as they should, I'll usually part with them. I might mount a scope on a Mini-14 long enough to develop some good loads, but these guns certainly look better without the adornment of a scope sight. For the practical range of the .223 cartridge, an aperture sight should be plenty.

The majority of My AR-15s are either retro or retro clones with a few more that are intended for very well defined purposes. I have

- a Colt SP1 carbine in 9mm,
- a Colt SP1 AR-15 M16 style upper (department surplus) on an NDS 601 lower;
- a Colt M16A1 upper (department surplus) on an NDS 601 lower;
- an XM177E2 clone;
- an M-16A2 style match rifle for National match shooting;
- a 24” bull barrel AR-15 Varmint rifle;
- a lightweight AR-15 carbine (16” pencil weight barrel);
- a 16” AR-15 carbine build in 9mm; and
- an 8.3” braced pistol -15 build in 9mm.

I like the M16 and M16A1 clones as they have superb handling and utility out to 350-400 yards, and I am particularly fond of the A1 as it’s what I was issued and carried.

I was an early adopter of the AR-15 Varmint rifles, back in the day when we milled off the carry handle and added a weaver rail for optics before the A4 uppers were a thing. They offered excellent accuracy and were well suited to varmints out to 350-400 yards.

I was also a fairly earlier adopter of the AR-15 for National match as it was a lot cheaper to feed once I lost team support, and the ability to use reloads was an advantage in an era where M118 special ball and M72 match ammo accuracy was poor due to the decline in the tooling used to make the 173 gr FMJ BT bullets used in those loads.

I have a soft spot for Colt 9mm carbines and braced pistols. The MP5 is a much better choice for short range work. However, a9mm AR with 115 gr HAPs or 115 gr XTPs and a ballistic advantage barrel will give 2 MOA accuracy out to 200 yards and has the edge for longer ranges near the 9mm cartridges limits.

—-

All that said, I really prefer any of my three mini 14s to my ARs when the ranges are 300 yards or less. They are better balanced and easier to carry, are extremely reliable, not prone to stoppages with dirt and frankly just have more eye appeal and class than an AR-15.

Took the Mini outback today ran 136rounds of PMC 55gr fmjbt through it all factory magazines 5,20 & 30 rounders. 37-38 rounds in a fte with a 20 round mag spend case on top of live round open bolt. Cleared spent casing no issues otherwise.

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Take it easy. Chris

But they never hit anybody !

I've got one, an entry-level gun that was formerly a patrol-rifle. For what it is, it's fine. Don't compare to an average AR and certainly not a varmint round, but a good cheaper patrol-rifle. Most LE shots that require a rifle are at 75 yards or closer, and for longer ranges, it's time to call SWAT. When we qualified just about every shooter, and some had never shot a rifle before could keep all rounds in the chest at 75. A scope on one (mine can't mount a scope) is not going to make the rifle any more accurate and will slow down operation of the rifle.

The first time we qualified with the Minis was on 9-11. Won't forget that day.

I’ve had my current one for 10 years now - a rez rescue:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/firearm...#post135815421

It is utterly reliable and sufficiently accurate for my needs.

I love the old Mini.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Should I be concerned by the one fte out of 136? Ruger said most likely ammo related, Thank you! Sweet setup on you’re mini.

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Take it easy. Chris

I would agree it was ammo related and not worry about it.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Skip it and get an AR. FAR better rifle for the same money.

The only mags that work are the factory 20 round. 2x the price of an AR mag.

No parts availability. Something breaks, you must send it to the factory.

I had a stainless one for years, for a truck gun. Sold it and got a 6920.

Minor point, but year after year the average engagement range for a police sniper is around 75 yards.

So the SWAT snipers are not generally shooting any farther.

What they are however doing is getting immediate neurological incapacitation by hitting a 2 square inch target on command, often through plate glass.

——-

As a patrol rifle I agree with you. The average officer won’t shoot an AR-15 any better than a Mini 14, and on torso sized target at 75 yards it doesn’t matter.

Thank you I appreciate it!

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Take it easy. Chris

I don't recall the A-Team ever hitting anyone they ever shot at. LOL

I had a wood/stainless Ranch Rifle for a short while. Never missed a beat as far as dependability went. Heat the barrel up with a few rounds and POI definitely started wandering.
Sold it and put another AR together. I wished it had been more accurate because I definitely enjoyed shooting it.

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Dance like no one is watching.

After a lengthy search, I went to Cabela's in Webster, TX to order one a few months ago. Somehow, I got there when they were unloading exactly what I was looking for from the truck and it went from the truck to my greedy hands. A great all purpose rifle, the centerfire equivalent of the also excellent Ruger 10/22.

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Very nice, that Cabela’s is right in my neighborhood, just about.

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Life NRA, Life TSRA, C&R FFL

Is there any chance you could post a couple of pics? I'm having a hard time grasping your mod/s. Thanks!

Yep. A Colt SP-1 went for approximately $425 at Sugerman's in the early 80's. They would go on sale once in a while for $399.

A Mini-14 would sell for about $329 IIRC and go on sale for $299(?).

I really don't remember the exact price of the Ruger since I was much more interested in the Colt.

But yes, the Mini-14 was cheaper than the AR-15.

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BTDT, Got The T-Shirt

Took Mini outback for round two after work ran 24 rounds of same PMC ammo through 6 factory magazines two in each mag twice had a failure to feed out of a 30 round magazine. Called Ruger said send it in so away it goes.

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Take it easy. Chris

The factory gas bushings on the 181 and later series are all.080” and provide an excessive amount of gas.

The earlier 180 series used a bushing around .050”. The 180 series slide was lighter, and Ruger apparently beefed up the slide in the later series and over gassed the later series to improve reliability in the full auto version. More gas meant it needed a heavier slide for durability. However the greater slide weight and velocity negatively impacted accuracy.

I find that a bushing in the .045” to .050” range works well with nearly all .223 or 5.56x45 ammo and you’ll see improved accuracy as well as reasonable brass ejection distances.

I turn them and drill them on my lathe but Accuracy Systems Inc sells them individually in various sizes, and in a variety pack with .035, .040, .045 and .050” bushings.

You may need to fit them for length depending on what gas block and gas pipe you have.

I consider mine a PHTF gun. This setup isn't exactly for accuracy out to 500 yds. I had some rail (GG&G) left over and decided to stick a Crimson Trace rail laser on. It sits low enough that it doesn't show up in the view.

During our brief CA Freedom Week a while back I got some factory 15, 20 and couple of 30 mags for it.

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9tenz

The folder? Thats a nice truck gun

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Just hanging with my dogs

I love mine!

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"lets be careful out there"

Only reason the Mini 14 "lost" the "AR wars" is because it's not modular like the AR! It is absolutely a FINE rifle fully capable, and in some ways, the BETTER choice over the AR pattern rifle!

The all-steel construction is certainly durable yet not overly heavy. The Garand style action is easy to understand and simple, as is the reverse gas piston design. I personally LIKE the slender profile of the Mini 14, and since it can accept 40 round mags, it's still on par with the AR for "that day."

The big knock on the Mini 14 is accuracy. Everyone THINKS this is due to the slender barrel...but of course, when "everyone" thinks a thing is true, they're wrong.

The issue contributing to inaccuracy is the way the slide is tensioned against the gas block by the recoil spring. When fully closed, the slide bears against the gas block directly. Thus the barrel is "tensioned up" when the gun is in battery. When the gun fires, the bullet passes the gas port and suddenly, the slide's mass+spring force is relieved as the reciprocating assembly moves backward. This causes the relatively slender barrel to "whip" downward in a non-predictable manner, causing the rifle to throw shots all over the place...the proverbial "pattern" of a Mini 14!

Over the years many solutions have been tried. The use of a cantilever brace bolted to the barrel is a good one, as is Ruger making the barrel thicker out beyond the gas port to increase static stiffness. Aftermarket solutions have been things as nifty as screw-adjustable barrel dampeners to find the right harmonic for the barrel.

Now I will tell you the $3 solution I invented 20 years ago: You layer RTV high-temp silicone sealant into the cam slot on the slide to create a cushioned thickness that causes the slide to apply recoil spring force to the BOLT's cam lug! What this does is OFF-LOAD the barrel since all recoil spring force is now on the BOLT which is a GOOD thing since it ensures the action is locked up tight!

Now the barrel is neutral...zero pre-tension "up". Thus, when fired and the bullet passes the gas port, there is no sudden downward "whip" of the barrel and suddenly what was "patterns" becomes "groups" of amazingly small proportions!

WhatEVER model Mini 14 you buy, start out by squirting RTV sealant into the slide groove at the rear, to build up enough thickness so when fully forward with the bolt locked, the slide is ever so slightly held back, thus placing ALL recoil spring force into the bolt - a GOOD THING, and none on the barrel.

Should have gotten a Smith Sport II. Same money, much better rifle. Mil spec enough to use all AR accessories. Better trigger than my 6920 and smooths out even more with use. You could get these for $499 before the Panic; best value out there in an AR.

Note that the factory mini 14 30s are hit or miss; I bought 4 after the AWB expired and all four had feeding issues. If I recall correctly they failed when only a couple of rounds remained. Ruger took them back and traded me five 20s which worked perfectly.

Mini came back in twelve days door to door. Ruger replaced the ejector and adjusted the bolt and charging handle. Safety and function tested as well as cleaned also fired 40 rounds of American Eagle 55gr 223 and 20 rounds of ICC 45gr green tip elite. Hopefully this does the trick.

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Take it easy. Chris

Mine is a fairly early rifle, I think. The trigger is heavy but fairly clean. I just took it out from under my bed. For the money I have in it, it's excellent. Black plastic stock and all.

I didn't know until I read this thread that Ruger apparently made 30 round mags and even 40(?). I'll stick with 20. Can't get in a rifleman's position with all that steel hanging down.

Before we got them, I had a much lower opinion of the Mini 14s because they were dismissed as inaccurate in the gun press. While they aren't varmint-accurate, they're accurate enough.

I read here about 3 MOA from Minis. I'd call that exceptional accuracy, even with a scope.