mini-14 as a battle rifle

[Ed Ames]

I wouldn't be at all surprised by an R15. I'd just be surprised the receiver wasn't cast by Ruger.

Ruger seems to be regretting the whole "10 rounds" thing. The SR9 (17+1 capacity pistol) seems to be part of a trend away from "politically correct"...at least that's what they are saying publicly. One of their spokesmen recently said something to the effect that the reason they aren't making/selling bigger mini-14 mags "yet" is that the tools that could make them are all running at capacity making parts for other guns and they've been dedicating their resources to newer guns like the SR9. Dunno how true that is but at some point you've got to get over old insults and move on.

 

[4v50 Gary]

A military gun has to be durable. The Mini-14 is not. It's too easy to not install the trigger guard properly and have the trigger group fall out when you need it (I've seen that happen at a police range). Even if its installed correctly, that thin trigger guard is too easy to bend out of shape in the field. The rear sight isn't the best either (and I'm not thinking the Ranch Rifle). Sling system has to be changed so the arm may be slung in front and ready to use. That's easy enough with the side sling mount made by Ruger (but sold only on a few guns).

 

[blackhawk2000]

If Ruger got Zumbo'd in 1994, they would be bankrupt right now, or Bill would have changed his tune to try and make ammends immediately.

By continuing to spend money with Ruger, you only show them that they can continue trampling our rights when it suits them. You are basically keeping them in business, so they can crap on us. Stop supporting them financially, and they stop their assault on our rights.

 

[jpwilly]

Personally I don't own a Mini 14 or 30. I have shot a Mini 14 and it seemed like a decent carbine very light weight too. The parts including the bbl are quite thin to keep it that way.

If the rifle was built well enough for battle you would be rightback to the M1A/M14 or very similar. They call it a Mini because they downsized it so it would be handy around the farm or in your truck.

 

[Neo-Luddite]

Rumor has it that Ruger has ordered a rather large number of AR15 raw forgings.

In 1990, owing to political preasure, the rumor was that the Mini-14 was being re-designed as a 'Mini-1' and would have a fixed mag to be top loaded via stipper.

Not saying your intel isn't correct--but I would be surprised. I would be happy in fact.

 

[Ed Ames]

A modern stripper-fed semi-auto in .223 would be cool.

I much prefer stripper clips to magazines. A $0.50 bit of folded sheet metal small enough to hold 50 in one hand -- and which has no influence on the function of the firearm so a damaged or cheap one won't cause jams/failures -- in conjunction with a well designed fixed magazine wins every day in my book. Add the easy ability to top off the mag as you go and you've got a real winner for the real world. I'd take that over a pile of $20+ box magazines that may or may not feed properly and can be dropped or damaged in storage and will result in jams and misfeeds if not running properly.

 

[IndianaBoy]

I gave my last remaining AR-15 to my Jarhead son because it's the only rifle he knows how to clean after a session at the range.

For my part, I was OVER having to scrape carbon grunge out of the bolt carrier.

If you are talking about the rear of the bolt.....

You know you don't need to scrape off that solid carbon... right?

 

[lathedog]

I had two mini-14's - a 180 series and a 183. Both in the mid to late 80s.

They were not truly reliable when used with some reloaded ammo. This is more the ammo's fault, but fair enough the ammo in question worked fine in an AR-15 SP1.

Also, I took one on a long hiking/hunting trip in the backwoods and got snowed on. The cold temps and ice and slush made the mini hang up a few times. This could have been due to the type of oil, etc, but my hunting buddy had no problems with his AR-15. we shared a cleaning kit.

My experience with the mini-14 is that their "utter reliability" is largely a factor of not being truly put to a hard test.

One place they hang up is in the gas system, where the op rod rides over the gas cylinder. I've seen Mini-30's get stuck even with good factory ammo in a fair climate. The first time I saw this happen I thought it must be an anomaly or statistical fluke or a serious broken part. The gunsmith that fixed it with a rubber mallet thought I was simple minded to believe that.

I can't comment on the intended use for SHTF, TEOWAWKI, or whatever acronym for bad times, but I have been bummed on hunting trips and the rabbits laughed at me. I started taking a manual action (bolt or lever) rifle. also mini-14 accuracy is minute of rabbit only out to 50 yds or so. Might as well take a .22lr if I have to get within 50yds.

The bottom line is to try out any product yourself in the environment you expect to use the product before placing trust in it's performance.

 

[benEzra]

The bottom line is to try out any product yourself in the environment you expect to use the product before placing trust in it's performance.

Very, very good advice (and not just for guns).

 

[armoredman]

But for us chairborne commandos, they're just fine. I don't expect to use it in the Artic, or the tropics, just at the range, and Good Lord forbid, here in the house/city.

 

[CAnnoneer]

By continuing to spend money with Ruger, you only show them that they can continue trampling our rights when it suits them. You are basically keeping them in business, so they can crap on us. Stop supporting them financially, and they stop their assault on our rights.

Sorry but the above makes no sense whatsoever.

First off, Ruger is not a legislative body nor a law-enforcement agency. There is no way for Ruger to trample our rights. It would be better to channel your anger where it ultimately belongs - at the doorstep of gungrabbing lawmakers and the socialist/elitist circles that finance them.

Second, Ruger Sturm & Co. is a great American company that offers American-made quality products at affordable prices as well as remarkable warranty and customer support. For that alone, it deserves our support as well.

Third, Ruger is a business, and as a business, its primary responsibility is to its shareholders. If in a difficult political climate, the company has to play ball with scumbags, then that's the price for remaining in business. Things are not always ideal in the real world.

Fourth, let's assume for the moment that Ruger were Zumboed and went out of business. What would be the net effect on RKBA? The other companies will "learn their lesson"? Not bloody likely. Other companies will just move in to fill the opened void. A bunch of foreign companies won't shed any tears.

Fifth and final, if such criteria of boycotting would be applied, then nobody should be buying guns from German, Austrian, Belgian, or Czech companies either, because most of the respective factories or firms used to supply the Nazis as well. You should not support the NRA either, taking into account it helped (if naively so) in the initial bans, AFAIK.

 

[RSVP2RIP]

I think the Bermuda army has the mini 14GB as standard issue with Choate stocks. So this makes it a military weapon, although a small military. I have a Mini 30 580 series and it is reliable with 5, 10 and some seriously worked on Promag poly 30's. Lack of good mags are a serious drawback. Other than that it is a reliable design that can eat a load of dirt and I have shot steel cased corosive ammo and havent broke a firing pin yet, or blown the barrel up. You should see how much freebore is in it, swaging down .310 to .308 is no big deal IMO.

 

[armoredman]

Bermuda has an army?

 

[HorseSoldier]

It has a "defense force" composed of a single battalion of Territorial infantry (reservists to us Americans). For some reason, the UK military is pretty flexible on what colonial defense forces use for small arms -- besides the Bermuda Regiment using the Mini-14, if I'm not mistaken the Falklands Territorials have been using the AUG for a while.

 

[armoredman]

interesting, learn something new everyday.