Mini 14 Ranch Rifle

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I've had a SS Ranch model since ~'93 or '94. Put a 1-5X Simmons Whitetail scope & a folder on it. Beyond reliable & prefers 55gr to 62gr fodder. It will never be sold. Neither will the M-14 in 7.62mm. Nice to have both of them!

John.
 
The pro AR15 crowd generally slams the Mini-14....but I think it's a fine rifle. I do like AR15's a lot and have owned many.....but always wanted a mini as well.
 
Originally Posted By: andrewg
The pro AR15 crowd generally slams the Mini-14....but I think it's a fine rifle. I do like AR15's a lot and have owned many.....but always wanted a mini as well.


My only issues with them have been they are picky on mags more than other designs. For years that made it a less viable option. Only when old man Ruger kicked the bucket did the company shed their bias against high capacity mags and alleviated that issue by churning out more of them for the rifles and at more affordable prices.

As for accuracy, they were always good enough...but suffered a bit when hot. Not unlike first generation pencil barreled AR15's such as the old Colt SP1 I have.
 
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Originally Posted By: Robenstein
Originally Posted By: andrewg
The pro AR15 crowd generally slams the Mini-14....but I think it's a fine rifle. I do like AR15's a lot and have owned many.....but always wanted a mini as well.


My only issues with them have been they are picky on mags more than other designs. For years that made it a less viable option. Only when old man Ruger kicked the bucket did the company shed their bias against high capacity mags and alleviated that issue by churning out more of them for the rifles and at more affordable prices.

As for accuracy, they were always good enough...but suffered a bit when hot. Not unlike first generation pencil barreled AR15's such as the old Colt SP1 I have.


I see....didn't know all that. Thanks for the info.
 
Originally Posted By: andrewg
The pro AR15 crowd generally slams the Mini-14....but I think it's a fine rifle. I do like AR15's a lot and have owned many.....but always wanted a mini as well.
The AR generally beats the Mini in almost every verifiable category. That doesn't mean the Mini is bad, they just can't be compared on equal terms.
 
I am partial to the Mini14, but I don't yet own one. For the $1K purchase price, I would prefer its progenitor, the M1 Garand. $1K gets you a nice CMP Garand....maybe someday, I'll get a Mini14...or an M1A....
 
Yeah, but since the CMP sold out of carbines, I just can't find one for a reasonable price!

Sigh...too many guns...not enough money....
 
Originally Posted By: hatt
Originally Posted By: andrewg
The pro AR15 crowd generally slams the Mini-14....but I think it's a fine rifle. I do like AR15's a lot and have owned many.....but always wanted a mini as well.
The AR generally beats the Mini in almost every verifiable category. That doesn't mean the Mini is bad, they just can't be compared on equal terms.


Unless your name is Hannibal and in 1972, you were part of a crack commando unit that was sent to prison by a military court for a crime you didn't commit. You then promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government you survive as soldiers of fortune. If someone has a problem, if no one else can help, and if they can find you....maybe they can hire your A-Team.


A little inside Mini 14/AC556 humor there
 
I always wondered at the effectiveness of the Mini-14 due to it's ineffectiveness on the A-Team. Lots of bullets flyin, very few bodies droppin.
 
Originally Posted By: punisher
I always wondered at the effectiveness of the Mini-14 due to it's ineffectiveness on the A-Team. Lots of bullets flyin, very few bodies droppin.
B.A. did get shot once. In the leg with a .50. Needed to remove bullet.
shocked.gif
 
I have a Mini-30 and it is insanely fun to shoot.

I bought it just before the retooling so accuracy is not that good.

I always found the Ruger Minis really handsome and love the small size.

If I was to do it all over again I think the M1A is what I would buy.

I purchased the gun more for the love of the 7.62 x 39 round and to not use it in a really crude rifle, but the SKS could outshoot my Mini-30 any day of the week and twice on Sundays
frown.gif


But there is just something about the sound of the 7.62 x 39 sound and the action working on the Mini-30. It is a really fun gun to shoot.
 
Originally Posted By: Falken
I have a Mini-30 and it is insanely fun to shoot.

I bought it just before the retooling so accuracy is not that good.


When did Ruger re-tool the Mini-30? I have one I bought way back in 1998. I don't think it shoots too bad at 100~150 yards.
 
I purchased mine around 2002 IIRC.

It is the Stainless Synthetic version, the batch that came out that can't accept the Hi Capacity mags.

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-749898.html

I should really dig it out of the safe and check it out online and see where my Serial number falls in the junker list.

But, putting a scope on it is almost a joke. It is really hard on scopes too, the harmonics of mine are really metallic, and the scope slides in the mounts if you don't use GE Clear Silicone II on the rings.

It is just fun to use the peep sites on it.

Would probably be a great 50 yard deer rifle with the peeps... I should take it out to the range maybe it isn't that bad.

I could sell it in a day for a grand or more, but, I really like the gun for how good it feels to hold and shoot.
 
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