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Ruger Mini's

Posted: 28 May 2022 20:16
by golfish
I've wanted a mini 14 for 40 years. I really don't know why I waited so long. I traded my new Rossi 92 44mag, plus some reloading stuff for the mini 30 (189 series)

A month ago I sold my Rossi R92 24" SS .357 and bought a brand new mini 14. I really like the minis, they're not so evil looking. I still have my ARs ..

Swapped out the plastic hand guard for an OG birch one.

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Re: Ruger Mini's

Posted: 29 May 2022 02:57
by GasGuzzler
I have a friend that bought a 14 new and sold it a few years later unfired.

I have always kinda wanted a 30 but it would be redundant to my O-PAP so with their prices, I'll probably never get one.

Re: Ruger Mini's

Posted: 29 May 2022 05:13
by Ranch Dog
I've got some Mini-30 love! I have had the Tactical for a while now. Great rifle. It had become my favorite varmint rifle while on the ranch for bobcats and coyote calling; plus, it has taken its fair share of hogs like everything I own.

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Re: Ruger Mini's

Posted: 29 May 2022 13:30
by Arroyoshark
golfish wrote:I've wanted a mini 14 for 40 years. I really don't know why I waited so long. I traded my new Rossi 92 44mag, plus some reloading stuff for the mini 30 (189 series)
A month ago I sold my Rossi R92 24" SS .357 and bought a brand new mini 14. I really like the minis, they're not so evil looking. I still have my ARs ..

Swapped out the plastic hand guard for an OG birch one.




I recall that back in Clinton Days and the so called "assault weapons ban" that Bill Ruger kept his mini-14's off the dreaded ban list by restricting sales of his higher cap magazines to law enforcement sales only. With only a 5-round mag available to civilian market, this was his ploy to keep this mini-14 more a sporting arm and less "evil". That all changed with his passing.

The mini-30 makes some sense compared to .223 for practical uses. I've had a non-ranch rifle mini-14 come and go in past 20 yesrs.

Re: Ruger Mini's

Posted: 29 May 2022 15:52
by Archer
I liked the mini's.

I have one I bought new at less than wholesale.

I'd like one in 6.5 Grendel and maybe a Mini 30 but I don't think I want to pay $1200+ for them.

Re: Ruger Mini's

Posted: 08 Jun 2022 07:34
by Ranch Dog
[mod="Ranch Dog"]I split all the AR replies out into a stand-alone topic
AR Builds[/mod]

Re: Ruger Mini's

Posted: 29 Jun 2022 00:48
by Archer
One observation on the Mini 14 mag releases.
The 5 round flush mags are annoying but the mag release clears the mag and it's pretty easy to get the mag out.

The 10 round mags however are just long enough that they act as a stop to the mag release travel but not long enough that you can get a grip on the mag and give it an extra tug to get it out.

No real issues with the 20s or 30s as the mags are long enough to grab and pull on it a little if need be.

I take those ten round mags to be just another case of the darned politicos messing up a good thing.

Re: Ruger Mini's

Posted: 25 Aug 2022 09:49
by Model 52
I own three of them, a 180 series Mini 14 (middle),184 Series Mini 14 (top) and a 187 Series Mini 14 Ranch Rifle (bottom):

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They are all different horses for different courses and they all evolved their way to what they are now.

The 184 series had been cut down to 16” by a prior owner, probably in an attempt to improve its 5 MOA accuracy. It apparently didn’t work, which may have been why he sold it. A SOCOM sized AccuStrut and Choate Browning style flash hider tamed the barrel harmonics, and a .045” gas port bushing solved the over gas and excessive slide velocity issues, while a Shok buffer also helped reduce the vibration issues. Along with a Tech sights RR200 rear sight those changes improved the accuracy to 1.5 MOA 5 shot groups at 100 yards, using Hornady 55 gr FMJBT bullets at M193 velocities.

It originally had a wood stock and the original fiberglass handguard.

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I put it in a new stock, with a wood hand guard and while I liked the looks barrel cooling was an issue.

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I switched to a Choate hand guard to get the slim line feel of wood, but with better cooling.

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When Samson started making a copy of the Ruger folding stock it was a natural fit for a 16” Mini 14. I initially went back to the wood hand guard because it just looked really good. However I installed the Accuracy Systems aluminum handguard that is on it now in the first picture in the post, again due to barrel cooling issues.

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The 187 Series Ranch rifle was surplus from the NC Dept of corrections and came with an enormous combination flash hider, front sight and bayonet light. It weighed almost 8 oz. The scope and rings didn’t come with it, but they obviously had it scoped as the giant muzzle device caused it to shoot 8” low at 50 yards even with the rear sight fully bottomed out But it shot a 3/4” group at 50 yards with that big hunk of metal.

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I gave it the same accuracy treatment as my 184 series Mini 14, along with a Choate ventilated hand guard and got the same 1.5 MOA 5 shot group accuracy at 100 yards.

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I bought a set of Ruger rings, scoped it and gave it the walnut stock as the longer length of pull was better suited to a scoped rifle. Since high rates of were not an issue in its intended role, I also gave it a wood hand guard. It’s a wonderful handling rifle with suitable deer and predator rifle accuracy in a nice, non scary wood and walnut package.

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I bought the 180 Series Mini 14 as I always wanted one. It was a surprise on the range as it shot well in box stock condition at 3 MOA. I put a slip on flash hider on it for a bit of muzzle weight to see if it helped the harmonics and it shot 2 MOA.

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So I installed a Choate Browning style flash hider, partly for the improved front sight, got the same 2 MOA accuracy and left it alone otherwise. I noted the gas port size was .052” compared to .080 on the 181 and later series mini 14s so it wasn’t over gassed like the later Mini 14s.

After shooting a 180 series, I could see why Jeff Copper gave it his endorsement after testing a 180 series Mini 14. It has the same delightful handling as the M1 Carbine but with 18” barrel 5.56x45mm NATO performance and acceptable accuracy.

After taking it apart and comparing the 180 series to the 184 series it was obvious that Ruger had substantially beefed up the bolt and slide when it developed the select fire AC-556, along with a modified stock and has block to accommodate the deeper slide and gas block. Unfortunately they redesigned the 181 series Mini 14 to use the same heavier parts.

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Between the increased reciprocating weight and over gassing the rifle, the accuracy on the 181 and subsequent series suffered significantly.

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With the 580 series Ruger retooled to tighten up the tolerances and in the middle of the 580 series introduced the heavier tapered barrel. Between those two changes the 58x series rifles shoot 2 MOA out of the box, finally getting the accuracy back in the same ballpark as the 180 series.

Re: Ruger Mini's

Posted: 26 Aug 2022 06:48
by Ranch Dog
Very nice rifles and thanks for all the pictures!

Re: Ruger Mini's

Posted: 26 Aug 2022 14:47
by ethang
I have been playing a bit with several 350 Legends rifles now that they are legal for deer where I live. A 350 Legend Mini, would be interesting...