hello all from Belgium

my last buying , a ruger mini14 ,i like this mytic carbine , for his charism and for his fonction same as M-14 .

20086.jpg

what do you think of this rifle is it a good buy?

Wow! Nice rifle Fuch! With the stainless metal parts, you won't have to worry about corrosion. So, in Belgium, you are obviously allowed to own such a rifle? Just asking because I am trying to get an idea, of how it is for other gun owners, in other countries.

Again, beautiful rifle!

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USMC 83'-87', NRA Member.

I have one. Several things here. There are really two versions of this rifle. The original started with SN 180. Those were discontinued awhile back because of accuracy issues. The newer models begin with SN 580. Those have different barrels with improved accuracy. It looks like you have a 180 series rifle there. When I purchased mine a few years ago I made sure it was a 580xxxx series rifle. Nothing wrong with a 180 rifle but the newer ones shoot a little better.

My observation is the newer ones shoot about 3 MOA. AR-15 will generally do a little better but I don't know what you can have in that country.

The design is similar to an M1 carbine which I also have. Op rod vs direct impingement (AR-15) is a plus IMO. You can also change the gas block to eject cases where you want it to go. Also, in this country, many gunsmiths can easily improve the trigger. I sent my trigger group to a guy in Colorado and have a very nice trigger now.

It's a nice rifle and much better than an M1 in many ways.

I like mine a lot as I'm not an fan of the AR-15.

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That's just somebody talkin.

Tip:
The ONLY hi capacity magazines you can rely on are the factory 20 rounds. Even factory 30 is hit or miss


And ALL aftermarket magazines are dubious.

Excellent weapon! Congrats.

Bought my first one earlier this week.
Looks just like yours.

I have an early one - 1978, the year I finished graduate school - in the 180 series. Always have a great time shooting it. I didn't know about the 580 vs 180 issue. Now I can blame the gun rather than my mediocre skills, iron sights and my old man eyes.

That's a great shooting little rifle.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

we can only tell you if its a good buy if we know what you paid for it.. not to be nosey. I purchased a used one a few years back and after the first owner put a new barrel on it and some other work it drives tacks. out of the box not so much. Have fun they are a blast.

Very Nice! I have one almost like it, A stainless Ranch model with the same butt pad, same flash hider, a Silver scope, and I had a bipod on it but removed it when I installed an Accu-Strut. Most complaints about accuracy are from stuff people heard or read and have never experienced on e themselves. Take them with a grain of salt. Like all firearms, some are inherently better than others. Enjoy it. I also have a Mini 30...

Nice looking rifle!

I’ve always liked the look of the mini 14/30. Back in the 80s I had two 14s and a 30. All of them would shoot minute of school bus. I didn’t need more shotguns so all were sold or traded.

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213th FBINA

Nice boom stick! You’ll have to start watching reruns of the original ‘A’Team. Happy blasting. 😎

Very nice Mini 14 Sir. I'm down to three Mini 14s and two Mini 30s right now, Yeah I like 'um.

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Living a dream - S&WCA #2364

I have one, not a bad little rifle, but the Ranch Rifle version is better for mounting optics, you can use scope rings with that version.

You don't need the side mount plate, which I find raises the scope too high above the bore.

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Tony

I have no plans to get rid of it anytime soon.

I just bought also. Serial is 184- so I am going to assume accuracy issues. Went to buy ammo. Not going to pay $2.00 a piece so I got small base dies and brass. Have lots of .22 bullets. I am expecting more fun than accuracy. 3 inches at 100 yards is good enough for large targets.

hello thank you for the compliments, to answer your question, here in Belgium we can hold many types of weapons except auto fulls (collectors can hold them), but it is mandatory to be a licensed sports shooter or registered shooter in an official club, the number of weapons that can be owned is unlimited !! under sufficient security conditions.

I bought it for 650 * (+ - 685 $) options included ,there was an option in addition to the folding stainless steel stock but here in belgium it is now forbidden, it must be blocked permanently so an unnecessary accessory !!

thank you all for your good comments, and my best regards from Belgium.

Overview of gun laws by nation - Wikipedia

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FFL08

The saying goes:
"You didn't overpay, you just bought it a little early."
-I'm a firm believer.

Seriously, good rifle, good price.

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I'm with her

Unless that is specifically marked as a .223
"target" model, it is capable of chambering and firing 5.56 Nato (5.56x45). This is per Ruger. The only models that are incapable of chambering and firing 5.56 x 45 are target only models. All others are safe. Nice rifle.

In California we call that a URG...”under the radar gun” as it will do the exact same damage in the exact same time as an AR but since it isn’t all black and doesn’t have the evil pistol grip and retractable stock, the gun grabbers haven’t gone after banning it. I’m sure once it is used in some high profile crime, it will be the next to go, most likely with all semi auto rifles.

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

Finally broke down and bought a Mini 14 Tactical in stainless a few months ago. I absolutely love this little rifle... so much fun! Installed a Burris FF3 red dot, perfect addition.

I've got an early Mini. It's reasonably accurate; no target rifle nor even a small varmint rifle, but for what it is, it's fine.

Nice! I regret not buying one of the many cheapish mini-14s that were available pre-panic.

Nice. I was buying these up on the cheap for awhile due to nostalgia. I remember buying my first one in 1990. Back when Colt AR's were big money & the mini was the affordable option. I'm down to 1 Mini-30, a 181 series Mini-14, and a newer Tactical Mini-14. Nice light, handy rifle.

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Watch & Pray

If accuracy seems skimpy, look at touching up the crown. I got
a 180 series back in 87, and a smithy touched up the muzzle with
brass ball. She tightened up a lot!

I just checked my serial number and it starts 188- so it's one of the less accurate. I haven't shot it for a long time but I can say for sure it shoots: minute of chronograph!!! Killed it dead and sent it flying downrange. I sent it to Chrony for repairs and they sent me a new one.

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Bob.
SWCA 1821

I gave this 182-series to my son after he fell in love with it.

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FFL08

That’s funny!
Larry

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Miss Buddies crsides & fat tom

I had a total of 5 Mini-14's in the 1980's in the 180 & 181 series 2 Stainless and 3 blue. The 181 was a factory stainless, With the factory folding stock.

Accuracy: Stainless was 5 MOA @ 100 meters/yards. with Military 55 grain ammo. Blue was 3 MOA @ 100, same distance and ammo.

When my brother bought the Stainless Folding stock model new it was the most expensive model semi auto Mini-14 at $369 (1986), I bought the regular stainless for $319. A Bushmaster AR-15 A4 in 1996 was $900 on sale! 1985 ammo price for 5.56 NATO was $8.90/100 retail, I could reload for $4.50/100, if I bought components in large quantities. (first batch of ammo loaded on my Dillon 450 in 1984 was 20,000 223's next 3 batches were 5000 each of 9mm. (reloading cost was $3.50/100; factory Winchester White box was $3.69/50 by the 1000)

By percentage of income, shooting was more expensive back in the 80's & 90's.

Ivan

it seems that the stainless steel barrel is less accurate than the blue barrel, a weird question of heating perhaps?

I think Ruger chose their alloy for the machining abilities not the shooting abilities. The barrels on all Ruger rifles (not heavy barrels) that are stainless, don't shoot as well as their blued barrels! Other companies such as Savage overcame this, but have different issues, often price is the biggest issue!

Ivan

We used blued Mini-14s in industrial quantities back in the 1980's. While not varmint rifles, I never saw the accuracy issues some have claimed. However, due to the design of the gas system, putting a bipod on the fore end seems to do weird things to point of impact, possibly due to vibration changes.

I tested a used Mini with 42 rounds through it and found out the original owner didn't know what the knobs on the rear sight were for. However, after moving from 25 to 100 yards, couldn't find the impact. Put a LARGE target up and tried again from the bipod and found the hits ~2 feet low, but a good group. Fired from prone, no bipod, right on target.

cool guns,,, i have a couple ...from '70's-'2020

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Cool setup on my 581 series. Had some extra rail doing nothing so I added a CT rail laser on it.

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9tenz

I had mounted a scope on it and that was the problem. I did hold higher....but not enough!! I haven't wrecked a Chrony since so I don't know if Chrony is still as generous.

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Bob.
SWCA 1821

I've only owned 1 Mini14, a GB model I got from a La. State Trooper with all the bells and whistles (folding stock, flash hider, 2-20rnd Ruger mags etc.), just before, or just after the AWB kicked in in 1994. Never fired it, or bought any 5.56 ammo. I had my 1990 M1A as a 'real' rifle and 5.56 just didn't impress me in the least. Still doesn't TBH. Kept it NIB. Paid $550/$600 if memory serves.

Kept it about a year and saw a small print Ad in the SGN for a NIB Bulgi SLR95 for $995 (not cheap, even back then), but open for trades also. I called him up (this was pretty much pre-internet), and we worked out a straight up swap.

Worked out great! I got a top of the line AK and he got a frilled up Mini14 that I thought mediocre at best.

Still have that AK, but with nice wood furniture and USA made parts to make it legal. It has been my 'go to' house rifle for close to 30 years now.

I wonder if whomever ended up with that GB has kept it as long and been as happy as I've been with the Bulgi.

Rob

I have one and just love it. Great rifle and has this classic look that it is impossible not to like. Mine works fine with Aguila, Federal and Tula Ammo.

Congratulations

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"lets be careful out there"

Hope they never see the A-Team

Tadeus67,
Yours looks really nice. I am curious about something. Do the mags you show work well? I always heard that if you didn't use original Ruger mags, you would be out of luck!

I don't know, maybe we should hope they do watch the A-Team. If I remember correctly, they never, I mean never HIT anybody!! We could tell them that the Mini-14 is harmless.
Larry

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Miss Buddies crsides & fat tom

Thanks for the reply! That doesn't sound too restrictive.

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USMC 83'-87', NRA Member.

How available is ammo?
How much for fifty rounds?

I bought a Stainless Mini-14, in the 183- series, in 1983 and mounted a Weaver K4s on it. I shot the daylights out of the Mini-14 and did a bit of load development with it, but could never beat PMC 55gr SP, which consistently gave me about 1 1/2 MOA.
At one point during my load development, I got a bad batch of CCI SR primers that resulted in the primers piercing at the edges (it was a by the book mild load). As a result, my bolt face had a couple spots of severe erosion. I eventually got into AR's and put the Mini-14 in the back of the safe until around 2010. I finally sent the Mini-14 back to Ruger, along with my credit card information, and requested they replace the damaged bolt, (it is a "fitted" part so they will not sell the part to the customer). About 2 weeks passed and the Mini was returned with a complete new bolt and the invoice marked "No Charge". Great customer service.
Enjoy your Mini, they may not be the most accurate rifles but they are plenty of fun and extremely rugged.
I will give a little warning. Every Mini-14 I've fired or have seen fired throws the empty brass into the next county, "energetic ejection" might be the best term.

I have a few Mini 14 rifles. A Series 180 made in 1976, a later made 195 series that sits in a factory folder, an about 2008 made that was worked on by Accuracy Systems and a X39 version in a left hand set up french walnut stock. I think they work best when as much as possible they stick to their role as a more powerful version of an M1 Carbine rather than trying to reach up to AR ease of accessorizing or accuracy.

After market items such as brakes and scopes, bi-pods and such that readily attach to an AR aren't as well done on the Mini. I'm not sure what products can be had outside the US, but a good trigger job, adjustable gas block or a smaller gas bushing in the standard GB, and perhaps one of those barrel stabilizers with better rear sight assembly may provide better benefit while keeping the rifle mostly as is.

the 223 rem are readily available: S&B, Hornady, PPE, Geco
for the price: in S&B: 40 * / 100 pc

I have 4 TAPCO magazines, they work really well, no hick ups in any of them.

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"lets be careful out there"

I sold my Mini-14 back in 2013 and have 2 Mini-30s now.
Much easier to stock up on 1 caliber of ammo.

Older Mini-30s have always had the heavier .625' barrel and don't have the accuracy issues that the older .560" "pencil" barrel Mini-14's can have.
The pencil barrel Minis are greatly helped by adding a two clamp Accustrut.

Some guys have like their Tapco or other aftermarket mags, but they can be iffy.
Stick with Ruger factory mags, the 20 rounders are best in either caliber Mini.

For the Mini-14, one aftermarket mag that is good in the "O.E." brand.
They are only $14 or so when CDNN has them in stock. They are a straight mag like the M-14. Some guys switch out the followers with Ruger mags, some don't.

For the Mini-30, an excellent mag if you can find them is the 30 round KCI. They are built stout like AK mags.

As someone else mentioned, where some go wrong is adding huge, high mounted scopes, bipods and heavy Tacticool stocks to their Mini.
Keep them light, handy and simple.
Mine all have Burris FastFire III dots on an Ultimak railed handguard.

Not sure is if is frowned upon to suggest other forums, but the absolute best source for Mini discussion and improving your Mini is the Mini section at perfectunion.com.

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U. S. Army Veteran

very nice your mini-14 ,with this options, but i've sorrow : here in Belgium there's no a lot of accessories for this guns ,i would like found a heavy barrel or make a removable accessory to weigh down the original barrel which seems quite thin and light .

My mini 14 isn't real accurate, but I think they are really neat little rifles anyway. I need to tinker with it some more to see if I can get better accuracy.