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Ruger Mini-14
- Thread starter DaveyG
- Start date
The new ranch rifle looks pretty cool. I saw in on Guns & Ammo TV. They seemed to like it.
http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/FAProdView?model=5805&return=Y
I have never shot one, though.
http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/FAProdView?model=5805&return=Y
I have never shot one, though.
Another "wish I hadn't sold it".... Bought one in 1989 and really loved it. I put a side scope mount on it and one of first Aimpoints. I also scored 10 Ruger 30rd mags for it. I loved the thing. Not the most accurate rifle I've owned, but it ran like a top and hit pretty close to where I was aiming. I sold it to help finance my journey to Africa, (along with may others). I wouldn't trade the memories of that trip for anything, but I do miss that Mini-14....Go for it!
The Mini-14 is a gas-operated, M1-look alike carbine chambered for 5.56 NATO (even though marked as ".223 Rem.").
Pro's:
Light.
Reasonably rugged.
Uses a unique gas design where the "cylinder" is in the operating rod and the "piston" is a nipple in the gas block. System self-vents to the atmosphere once the operating rod begins to move, which affords some measure of metering (and, therefore, some flexibility of ammo use). Far easier to clean than M1/M14/M1 Carbine. The forward end of the operating rod is not splined to the barrel, but rather is captured by steel inserts in the stock: on the one hand, disassembly is a bit easier; on the other hand, after-market stocks can be problematic.
Cons:
Not very accurate (supposedly Ruger has altered the barrel profile a bit to improve machine accuracy).
Bolt hold-open device is not very secure (bolt will close if you bump the butt plate; very dangerous is there is a loaded magazine in place).
Good magazines are hard to come by. Factory Rugers are expensive and rare in large capacity; after-markets are unreliable.
The M14-type magazine catch system means that most mags will not drop free, which slows down a combat reload.
Factory iron sights are mediocre, and scope mounting is complicated.
Bottom line:
A stainless Mini-14 makes a good short-range plinker, anti-pest gun, or defensive carbine. An M4 clone, however, is more accurate, more customizable, and a better appeal to a rifleman.
Pro's:
Light.
Reasonably rugged.
Uses a unique gas design where the "cylinder" is in the operating rod and the "piston" is a nipple in the gas block. System self-vents to the atmosphere once the operating rod begins to move, which affords some measure of metering (and, therefore, some flexibility of ammo use). Far easier to clean than M1/M14/M1 Carbine. The forward end of the operating rod is not splined to the barrel, but rather is captured by steel inserts in the stock: on the one hand, disassembly is a bit easier; on the other hand, after-market stocks can be problematic.
Cons:
Not very accurate (supposedly Ruger has altered the barrel profile a bit to improve machine accuracy).
Bolt hold-open device is not very secure (bolt will close if you bump the butt plate; very dangerous is there is a loaded magazine in place).
Good magazines are hard to come by. Factory Rugers are expensive and rare in large capacity; after-markets are unreliable.
The M14-type magazine catch system means that most mags will not drop free, which slows down a combat reload.
Factory iron sights are mediocre, and scope mounting is complicated.
Bottom line:
A stainless Mini-14 makes a good short-range plinker, anti-pest gun, or defensive carbine. An M4 clone, however, is more accurate, more customizable, and a better appeal to a rifleman.
Last edited:
Have one and like it 
Only modification I really want to make to it is to tone down the force of the extractor pin... it's sends spend casings FLYING, and they're harder to scrounge back up to reload when they're flying that far away. (hard to *find*)
Only modification I really want to make to it is to tone down the force of the extractor pin... it's sends spend casings FLYING, and they're harder to scrounge back up to reload when they're flying that far away. (hard to *find*)![[grin]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/041.gif "Grin [grin]")
it shoots very similarly to the M1 carbine imo
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2005
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I got a AR15 and a Mini-14 soon after I got my LTC. I sold the Mini-14, because I liked the ergonomics of the AR15 a lot better. The A2 sights are more accurate for me, and it's easier to mount and unmount a scope, plus there are so many other options for the AR15.
