I want to get some input on the Ruger Mini 14. I have found one almost unfired. I had a Blued one many years ago. Pretty poor shooter. This one is all stainless steel with wooden stock. Comes with a 5 round and 20 round mag and a Silver 3-9 scope(Simmons, Burris. not sure). I like the idea of a 223 in a minimally better look than an AR. Anyone have one of the Mini's? Can buy it for 700 bucks with 50 rounds of ammo. Are they worthwhile?? I would probably sell the AR I have. Not a real fan anyway
Ruger Mini 14
- Thread starter Skeet 028
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I like them. Many do not. I have the shorter barrel "tactical" and lighten the trigger. It shoots as well as better than my AR
Depends on what you want to do with it?. Your version is not gonna be a precision target rifle.
Depends on what you want to do with it?. Your version is not gonna be a precision target rifle.
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If You want it, buy it. Around here it's about $500 underpriced.
robertrwalsh
SWCA Member
I have owned one for years. I bought it because my agency (Ca dept. of Corrections) used it as a primary tower gun for ages. It is easy to shoot, easy to train with, and reliable. It is NOT a precision rifle, you will do well to get 3 MOA out of it. The newer ones have somewhat heavier barrels than the older ones and will shoot better. The serial number prefix will tell you how old or how new a one you are looking at.
CAJUNLAWYER
Member
What are the first three digits of the serial number? The newer Mini-14s are called 580 series rifles. The easiest way to distinguish them is to look at the barrel where it meets the stock. If the barrel tapers — bigger where it meets the stock — it's a 580 series. The older models have straight barrels. Important since the new ones are more accurate. The older straight barrel guns are the ones with accuracy issues. An accustrut helped mine a great deal. Also mine was a ranch rifle with rings . I took off the factory peeo sight and installed a Williams Peep. I also went "A Team" and have an old Factory folding stock on it. Today's prices for the Mini 14 are crazy. $700 sounds like a good deal to me. I'd jump on it in a heartbeat if it was a 580 series.
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HOUSTON RICK
Member
Not looking for a precision rifle. I have a 16 inch A-4? Version but also a 22 or 24 inch Varminter. It shoots almost as well as the last 700 Rem. Good on yotes to about 300 yds.I'll sell or trade the 16 inch one. I only use the Varminter here on the ranch anyway. That old blued one was a terrible shooter. Just hoping the Mini would be at least equal to a 16 inch AR. That old mini shot great patterns... Like a shotgun. I consider the 16 inch ARs avg 3 to 4 inch...maybe better.but not that much
Bruce51
Member
Just saw one at the gun range brand new with similar scope set up.
Price was about $900 for the rifle alone and north of $1100 with scope .
At $700 it is a buy now price.
Bruce
Price was about $900 for the rifle alone and north of $1100 with scope .
At $700 it is a buy now price.
Bruce
Ivan the Butcher
Member
I had 2 Stainless and 3 Blue in the 80's. VERY MUCH POOR SHOOTERS! Scoped the SS were 5-6" 100 and the blue were 2-4". I 1996 I got a full-size AR. 1/4" at 100 with the same batch of ammo!
Depends on what you need. Mini's don't have the EVIL black gun look! The newer series are suppose to be more accurate than the ones I owned.
For years the Ohio Highway Patrol had a stainless, short barreled, folding stocked an FULL AUTO in most cruisers. I'm pretty sure they went to M-16/M-4 platform for accuracy. But the folding Mini's sure are nice to look at.
Ivan
Depends on what you need. Mini's don't have the EVIL black gun look! The newer series are suppose to be more accurate than the ones I owned.
For years the Ohio Highway Patrol had a stainless, short barreled, folding stocked an FULL AUTO in most cruisers. I'm pretty sure they went to M-16/M-4 platform for accuracy. But the folding Mini's sure are nice to look at.
Ivan
You could google search yourself into exhaustion on this topic - maybe that's why you posted this age-old question here?
Anyway, I love mine, stainless steel and wood. I have an AR and some other stuff, but the mini-14 is the one I keep loaded and ready to go. There are no 1000 yard shots here in paradise, maybe your part of Wyoming is different.
Anyway, I love mine, stainless steel and wood. I have an AR and some other stuff, but the mini-14 is the one I keep loaded and ready to go. There are no 1000 yard shots here in paradise, maybe your part of Wyoming is different.
They come in three basic flavors.
1) The original Mini 14 was the 180 series. It was almost an entirely different animal, with a lighter slide, a slimmer gas block and stock, and a different, external bolt hold open. It was light, handy, and 2 MOA accurate. Jeff Cooper liked it and Ruger should have left it alone. Instead Ruger developed the AC-556 and then revised the Mini 14 based on parts commonality.
2) The 181 and later pre 580 series were based on the AC-556 with a heavier slide, which drove the requirement for a deeper gas block and stock. They also over gassed the, with an .080” gas port bushing (compared to .052” on the 180 series).
The extra reciprocating mass and over gassed condition inherited from the AC-556 combined with the slim barrel didn’t do good things for the accuracy. 3-5 MOA accuracy was the norm and if anything it got worse over the years as the tooling aged.
3) Ruger re-tooled before restarting production with the 580 series. Mid way through the 580 series they changed to a heavier tapered barrel. Between retooling, the towered barrel and a smaller gas port bushing they once again produced 2 MOA accuracy.
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The 181 and other pre-580 series can be made to shoot well with a few additions:
- an AccuStrut to improve the barrel stiffness;
- a Choate flash hider (either Browning or M16 style);
- an .045” gas port bushing; and
- a Tech Sights rear sight.
I have a 180 series (middle) as well as a 184 (top) and 187 (bottom) series. Both the 184 and 187 series shoot 1.5 MOA 5 shot groups with those changes.
1) The original Mini 14 was the 180 series. It was almost an entirely different animal, with a lighter slide, a slimmer gas block and stock, and a different, external bolt hold open. It was light, handy, and 2 MOA accurate. Jeff Cooper liked it and Ruger should have left it alone. Instead Ruger developed the AC-556 and then revised the Mini 14 based on parts commonality.
2) The 181 and later pre 580 series were based on the AC-556 with a heavier slide, which drove the requirement for a deeper gas block and stock. They also over gassed the, with an .080” gas port bushing (compared to .052” on the 180 series).
The extra reciprocating mass and over gassed condition inherited from the AC-556 combined with the slim barrel didn’t do good things for the accuracy. 3-5 MOA accuracy was the norm and if anything it got worse over the years as the tooling aged.
3) Ruger re-tooled before restarting production with the 580 series. Mid way through the 580 series they changed to a heavier tapered barrel. Between retooling, the towered barrel and a smaller gas port bushing they once again produced 2 MOA accuracy.
—-
The 181 and other pre-580 series can be made to shoot well with a few additions:
- an AccuStrut to improve the barrel stiffness;
- a Choate flash hider (either Browning or M16 style);
- an .045” gas port bushing; and
- a Tech Sights rear sight.
I have a 180 series (middle) as well as a 184 (top) and 187 (bottom) series. Both the 184 and 187 series shoot 1.5 MOA 5 shot groups with those changes.
kev74
Member
Mine is stainless vintage 1986.
Accuracy is very good considering the reputation. With handloads, accuracy is excellent.
For $700, you'll be lucky if it's still available. Buy it if you can.
Accuracy is very good considering the reputation. With handloads, accuracy is excellent.
For $700, you'll be lucky if it's still available. Buy it if you can.
Wow BB57...Didn't know I needed to get all that info.Hey if it shoots as well as an A4 clone I'll be happy. Going to get it tomorrow.... Just shy of $650. The darn thing has a flash nicer and looks pretty good to me. I think I can get my money back if I don't like it. Next thing I want to get is another M 1 carbine.I haven't had one in years.but plenty ammo
Abbynormal
Member
Now you know why none of the bad guys on "The A Team" never died!
SnidelyWhiplash
Member
Minis were originally half the price of an AR…now it’s more or less the reverse. The early Minis also had accuracy issues due to poor barrel harmonics. It took some time for them to even care about finding the cause and fixing it. Sometimes Bill Ruger was the company’s biggest impediment.
About thirty years ago a close friend and co-worker went to rifle instructor school. He said all the students either had a Mini or AR-15. He said after a week of heavy shooting everyone with an AR was still going strong and all with Minis were ready to trash them as they didn’t hold up to the constant shooting.
On the plus side…the Mini is a very good and reliable rifle now for most uses. It has the advantage of being more “politically correct” with its more traditional appearance if it has a wood stock.
Today…the biggest drawback to a Mini is that it still uses a proprietary magazine. If it used an AR magazine it might have greater market share rather than having to purchase and stock an additional type of magazine.
About thirty years ago a close friend and co-worker went to rifle instructor school. He said all the students either had a Mini or AR-15. He said after a week of heavy shooting everyone with an AR was still going strong and all with Minis were ready to trash them as they didn’t hold up to the constant shooting.
On the plus side…the Mini is a very good and reliable rifle now for most uses. It has the advantage of being more “politically correct” with its more traditional appearance if it has a wood stock.
Today…the biggest drawback to a Mini is that it still uses a proprietary magazine. If it used an AR magazine it might have greater market share rather than having to purchase and stock an additional type of magazine.
Yep figured that out with that old blue one I had
Oscar Zulu
Member
I have a 182 series. I'm intrigued by the idea of having a smaller gas block installed. I have put on an accustrut and a better rear sight on it already, which helped a lot. It has always been a "harsh" shooting rifle. I like the idea of toning it down a bit.
OZ
OZ
I have a 580 series Ranch Rifle model bought new in 2012. It has the blued finish and wood (birch probably) stock. I’m not much of a sharpshooter and so have never had any interest in trying to shoot the proverbial wings off a mosquito at 400 yards. So I just bang a 9 inch steel plate with the rifle’s iron sights at 100-120 yards and that’s plenty fun for me. So much so, I’ve cranked over 9,000 trouble free rounds through the rifle so far. I don’t do much rapid fire and no “mag dumps,” and so the bore still looks good, at least to my uneducated eyes.
Update as of July 10: Crossed 10k rounds today. My “ring the gong” accuracy at 100 yards seems stable to this point.
Update as of July 10: Crossed 10k rounds today. My “ring the gong” accuracy at 100 yards seems stable to this point.
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