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Ruger Mini 14
- Thread starter Skeet 028
- Start date
If the flash hider is factory it may also have a bayonet lug. That would be a Government model. More desirable for some. And more pricey!
Sounds like a deal either way.
Farmer17
Member
The "Darkest Day of Oklahoma Highway Patrol" was around 1977 when 2 escaped convicts stole a 30/30 Winchester and a shotgun and killed 3 troopers that were pursuing them. After that they became the first Highway Patrol, I believe to issued rifles and training for all new troopers. They chose the Mini 14 with 20 round magazines and around 1984 I was in a car wreck and I remember the State trooper opening his door and there was a folding stock Mini-14, hanging upside down on two U brackets that were screwed to the door. Car doors were a lot bigger then
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Picked it up today. Not a Ranch rifle but has a scope on it. A silver 3-9 Bushnell. Pretty clear scope I shot it when I got home. Just some old LC ammo I had on strippers. Only got to shoot 8 rounds before the thunder boomer made things wet. Over the hood on an old blanket about an inch and a half at 90+ yds. Sight was removed but he gave it to me too. Didn't pay much attention to the series other than a 180 something...no bayonet lug either. Flings the MTs a bit. I bought a few other things from him too...an unused Hornady AP progressive press a couple sets of dies and a Lyman die with a whole bunch of powder funnels. The price was as they say...right Another 150
I’m not sure, and I’m away from my rifle, but I think mine starts with 188. Is that possible?
Larry
Larry
LostintheOzone
US Veteran
Next thing I want to get is another M 1 carbine.
Oh boy, get ready for some sticker shock.
I just bought this Ranch Rifle a few days ago at my favorite LGS:
A friend gave me this B&L 3x9 scope at our last local gun show, at the time I knew this was going to cost me some $$$, lol
I haven't shot it yet. I've heard good things about the Accu-Strut fixture but we'll see how it shoots first before spending another $160.00.
A friend gave me this B&L 3x9 scope at our last local gun show, at the time I knew this was going to cost me some $$$, lol
I haven't shot it yet. I've heard good things about the Accu-Strut fixture but we'll see how it shoots first before spending another $160.00.
Inusuit
Member
I had a 180 series years ago. Accuracy was mediocre. Sold it. Recently bought a Talo version 580. Acceptable accuracy and doesn't scare the horses.
Old Corp
Member
Have owned a total of three (3) Mini-14's, all early models, the last being a very early SS Ranch Rifle.
At the time, they were far below what AR's (mostly Colts) cost.
First thing I found was they would feed almost anything 5.56/.223, even 'cull' reloads.
I was never able to get much beyond "minute of paintbucket" accuracy from them. They were adequate plinkers, but I soon tired of trying to make them shoot better and like many, moved on to the AR's.
Still maintain a small yearning for a Mini-30. It'd be a good thick-woods deer piece for where I live, but in reality I have that pretty well covered.
Years ago, I 'Bubba-altered' a cheap SKS (remember those?) by replacing the too-short mystery junglewood stock with a synthetic adult sized stock, mounted a fixed 4x scope on it, cut barrel back about 4-5 inches and re-crowned, installed sling. It's my 'loaner' deer gun and evidently has a horseshoe hidden in the stock, as it has taken a bunch of Whitetails. And it out-shoots every Mini-14 I ever owned.
At the time, they were far below what AR's (mostly Colts) cost.
First thing I found was they would feed almost anything 5.56/.223, even 'cull' reloads.
I was never able to get much beyond "minute of paintbucket" accuracy from them. They were adequate plinkers, but I soon tired of trying to make them shoot better and like many, moved on to the AR's.
Still maintain a small yearning for a Mini-30. It'd be a good thick-woods deer piece for where I live, but in reality I have that pretty well covered.
Years ago, I 'Bubba-altered' a cheap SKS (remember those?) by replacing the too-short mystery junglewood stock with a synthetic adult sized stock, mounted a fixed 4x scope on it, cut barrel back about 4-5 inches and re-crowned, installed sling. It's my 'loaner' deer gun and evidently has a horseshoe hidden in the stock, as it has taken a bunch of Whitetails. And it out-shoots every Mini-14 I ever owned.
I would not buy a mini-14 . maybe I was broke in 5.56/ 223 wrong but when you own a savage stevens 200 capable of 1/2moa , From what I seen on you tube the new mini-14 well scopped is a 2.5 +++ moa shooter and that not something I'm willing to spend good money on .
I've always assemble my own AR15 and investments are about equal the price of a mini-14 but with a far better trigger, barrel and with sub moa accuracy .
My son in law has a PSA PA-15 lower shipped to his ffl and 18"upper to his home . darned it is a good shooter well except for the trigger group !! Cost today for a complete lower can be 130 dollars and a 18" 223 wylde upper can be yours for 389 dollars , pin the two together they will out perform a new ruger mini-14 . OR if you want an optic they have the same upper , less flip up sights but add a vortex 1-6x24 gen 2 strike eagle and mount for 500 dollars so together you have 630 dollars in it plus an ffl fee of what , 25 bucks or less .
I've always assemble my own AR15 and investments are about equal the price of a mini-14 but with a far better trigger, barrel and with sub moa accuracy .
My son in law has a PSA PA-15 lower shipped to his ffl and 18"upper to his home . darned it is a good shooter well except for the trigger group !! Cost today for a complete lower can be 130 dollars and a 18" 223 wylde upper can be yours for 389 dollars , pin the two together they will out perform a new ruger mini-14 . OR if you want an optic they have the same upper , less flip up sights but add a vortex 1-6x24 gen 2 strike eagle and mount for 500 dollars so together you have 630 dollars in it plus an ffl fee of what , 25 bucks or less .
I have a 16""NRA" 580; don't shoot it a lot but it will do at 100yds.
Factory 10 rd mags are available and almost flush fit for a "non-tacticoool" look ..... but still 10 rounds in the gun and a couple of 20rd mags as backup. Mine also has a 1-4 Lupold scope.
IMHO a nice SHTF setup.
Factory 10 rd mags are available and almost flush fit for a "non-tacticoool" look ..... but still 10 rounds in the gun and a couple of 20rd mags as backup. Mine also has a 1-4 Lupold scope.
IMHO a nice SHTF setup.
Bought one of the first ones in the late 70s. It was a lot of fun, but it was not a target rifle.
All that being said and some is actually correct..I already have a Bushmaster varminter as said. it is almost as accurate as my used to be 700 Rem...But the Bushmaster is a rifle...a bit heavy a bit ugly but acceptable. I have had 4 or 5 A4 style carbines..my wife's shoots ok and was essentially a free"purchse". I also have another A4 style carbine new upper and lower I have about 350-375 in. It shoots ok also. I have never seen an A4 style that shoots a whole lot better than the Rugers(except some of the original Rugers). yep you can make 'em shoot better but not match rifles. Neither are the Rugers. I guess the reason I wanted a Ruger is kinda the same reason I always liked the M-1 Carbine. It's mostly steel and wood. And they don't have the "hate" attached to them by many non shooters. BTW the Carbine isn't all that accurate either...but people love 'em too. I'm really not anti anything either.
I can't comment on the Mini-14, other than to say they do not appeal to me, AR's either.
I guess my question is, why would someone lay out the money for the gun and scope when there are known accuracy issues? But then it is not my rifle or my money, but one would never have a place in my safe.
I guess my question is, why would someone lay out the money for the gun and scope when there are known accuracy issues? But then it is not my rifle or my money, but one would never have a place in my safe.
I don’t own one but for that price nowadays I might.
Engine49guy
Member
Congrats on your new rifle,
I have a ss gun from around 1981 ish,
My shooting buddy had same gun in early 80's and he loved it right up until he shot my 1979 Colt Sp1, he sold the 180 series got a ranch rifle, After shooting against my Sp1 he sold it a finally got an Ar15.
Imo when they were cheaper than the Ar15 they made sense, today not so much, as u start putting parts on them and they cross the $1000 line if u hate the Ar15 platform my alternate take is the M1A.
Just read this article which pretty much sums up the Mini14 and pretty much agrees with the comments above.
The Ruger Mini-14: Let's Get Real -The Firearm Blog
Btw have seen one other 187 series like BB57's bottom gun in post 12 above,
Great looking gun but my bet is the upgrades push its cost past a factory M1a or a nice old Ruger 44 carbine.
On a side note Samson makes Ruger accessories and replicas of the factory side folding stock, they also make one for the 10-22 for around $350.
Samson Manufacturing
I have a ss gun from around 1981 ish,
My shooting buddy had same gun in early 80's and he loved it right up until he shot my 1979 Colt Sp1, he sold the 180 series got a ranch rifle, After shooting against my Sp1 he sold it a finally got an Ar15.
Imo when they were cheaper than the Ar15 they made sense, today not so much, as u start putting parts on them and they cross the $1000 line if u hate the Ar15 platform my alternate take is the M1A.
Just read this article which pretty much sums up the Mini14 and pretty much agrees with the comments above.
The Ruger Mini-14: Let's Get Real -The Firearm Blog
Btw have seen one other 187 series like BB57's bottom gun in post 12 above,
Great looking gun but my bet is the upgrades push its cost past a factory M1a or a nice old Ruger 44 carbine.
On a side note Samson makes Ruger accessories and replicas of the factory side folding stock, they also make one for the 10-22 for around $350.
Samson Manufacturing
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My early model Mini Ranch Rifle was an impulse buy at a gun show many years ago. It's not a target rifle, but its accuracy is certainly acceptable for any real-world scenario...and it's been 100% reliable.
I'm also amused that people who get a case of the vapors over the AR don't bat an eye when they see a Mini-14...I'll never get rid of it.
I'm also amused that people who get a case of the vapors over the AR don't bat an eye when they see a Mini-14...I'll never get rid of it.
As someone said, the 180 series was sort of the beta test of the design. Back in the 80's we used industrial quantities of the 181/182 Mini. I/we never saw one that grouped as badly as many claimed. UNLESS you had some hard surface under the fore end. Or the unplated bore had eroded from use. Supposedly, at the time, we used the Mini harder than anyone else in the country and Ruger was re-barreling ours gratis for the use data.
I bought one myself in the early 80s, it had about 40 rounds through it (got the unused ammo too) and the original owner had put a bipod on it. When I test fired it before purchase, I discovered 2 things: the guy didn't know what the rear sight was for, and the bipod did really weird things to the groups. When fired from prone, it held tight groups. When later bedded like the M-21, it was a <1 1/4 MOA gun all day/night. We can still do 2 MOA today, maybe a tad better.
ETA: Over the years we whipped a lot of AR butt at 3 gun matches.
I checked some years back and at the time Ruger would re-barrel an older Mini with the current barrel design (and other required changes) for $300. Not bad.
I bought one myself in the early 80s, it had about 40 rounds through it (got the unused ammo too) and the original owner had put a bipod on it. When I test fired it before purchase, I discovered 2 things: the guy didn't know what the rear sight was for, and the bipod did really weird things to the groups. When fired from prone, it held tight groups. When later bedded like the M-21, it was a <1 1/4 MOA gun all day/night. We can still do 2 MOA today, maybe a tad better.
ETA: Over the years we whipped a lot of AR butt at 3 gun matches.
I checked some years back and at the time Ruger would re-barrel an older Mini with the current barrel design (and other required changes) for $300. Not bad.
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