Mini-14 is incrementally getting better?

For the US market, I have seen Ruger Mini-14 and Mini-30 gradually product improved over the years. It implies to me Ruger has listened to consumers.

The French natiional police like Mini-14s (select fire version) but use a tres bien stock that looks like a cross between an M1 Carbine and M14 Rifle.
I'd be tempted to go for a current Ruger Mini-xx with the French stock.
 
Carl N. Brown said:
For the US market, I have seen Ruger Mini-14 and Mini-30 gradually product improved over the years. It implies to me Ruger has listened to consumers.

The French natiional police like Mini-14s (select fire version) but use a tres bien stock that looks like a cross between an M1 Carbine and M14 Rifle.
I'd be tempted to go for a current Ruger Mini-xx with the French stock.
Click to expand...
I’ve seen that sentiment on numerous sites, everyone seems to like the stock made for the French police.

Since Ruger obviously has the ability to produce them, you’d think they’d do it to improve sales.

They restarted sales of their metal folding stock, although made by an outside vendor using their blueprints. Same could be done for the French version.
 
The Mini-14 will never be as versatile as the AR platform. You can have various uppers to make your AR a target/varminter, long range rifle, CQ weapon or even a pistol caliber carbine.

The Mini-14 can serve as a home defense rifle but swapping out barrels isn't easy like an AR.
 
Carl N. Brown said:
The French natiional police like Mini-14s (select fire version) but use a tres bien stock that looks like a cross between an M1 Carbine and M14 Rifle.
I'd be tempted to go for a current Ruger Mini-xx with the French stock.
Click to expand...
I've actually examined one at the Ruger Factory. They could not mark it anywhere to suggest it was made in America. However, it did have a Ruger rubber buttplate with their screaming eagle.
 
Some time ago I posted here and compared my 580-series Mini to a rack grade AR15. In the end, they shot just about equal.

I have other AR'S that shoot circles around my Mini but they cost a lot more too.

I think Ruger has done a good job of upgrading the Mini and agree that it is substantially better than the older versions.
 
4v50 Gary said:
The Mini-14 will never be as versatile as the AR platform. You can have various uppers to make your AR a target/varminter, long range rifle, CQ weapon or even a pistol caliber carbine.

The Mini-14 can serve as a home defense rifle but swapping out barrels isn't easy like an AR.
Click to expand...
I would think only a small minority of AR owners actually swap uppers around. I think the main versatility improvement of the AR is the ability to easily mount accessories. But really the only accessories you need are an optic, which you can mount to a Mini 14 fairly easily, especially if u put a full rail on it, and maybe a light, but I don't put lights on all my other rifles anyway.
 
CoalCrackerAl said:
I got mine last year. It's a 556 ranch wood stock. I can hit clays set up at 200 yards. I have a Burris drop tine scope on it. 4.5 x 14 x 42. It keeps up with my AR'S. I love it.
Click to expand...

And the point you make about the scope is important.

The OEM front sight is 12+ MOA.

This was an early bench/sling group:

Picture-008-1024.jpg

​
Very difficult to hold center on a small (4") aiming dot.

Ended up re-zeroing for the left corner of the front sight.
 
Why is it that Zastava can put AR magazine on an AK, and IWI can put AR magazine on a Galil, but Ruger cannot put AR magazine on the Mini?
 
zaitcev said:
Why is it that Zastava can put AR magazine on an AK, and IWI can put AR magazine on a Galil, but Ruger cannot put AR magazine on the Mini?
Click to expand...
They probably could but it would require redesigning a number of components including the receiver, bottom metal, stock, and ejector/bolt latch.
I honestly dont think there would be a major increase in sales, as the "if only it took cheap AR mags" dosent really fit with buying a 1000 dollar utility rifle......i could also just be biased, as id loose all interest in the mini if i had to use AR mags lol.
 
Speedo66 said:
That didn’t take long for the inevitable AR-15 comparison which has nothing to do with the thread topic and the OP never asked for.
Click to expand...
The OP most definitely asked for a comparison against the AR-15.

In particular, the OP’s asked the first line, “Are there enough incremental improvements by Ruger in their Minis to keep them competitive with AR platforms, whether chambered in 5.56 or 7.62x39 or 300 Blackout ?”

Members commenting on the merits of the AR as they relate to improvements of the Ruger Mini-14 are literally addressing the core of the OP’s question.
 
zaitcev said:
Why is it that Zastava can put AR magazine on an AK, and IWI can put AR magazine on a Galil, but Ruger cannot put AR magazine on the Mini?
Click to expand...
Their engineers could, if they wanted to.

But selling proprietary, and expensive, magazines no doubt does good things for their bottom line.
 
giggitygiggity said:
The OP most definitely asked for a comparison against the AR-15.

In particular, the OP’s asked the first line, “Are there enough incremental improvements by Ruger in their Minis to keep them competitive with AR platforms, whether chambered in 5.56 or 7.62x39 or 300 Blackout ?”

Members commenting on the merits of the AR as they relate to improvements of the Ruger Mini-14 are literally addressing the core of the OP’s question.
Click to expand...
The posts I’ve seen here re: AR’s address the superiority of AR’s based on cost, accuracy, and the ability to change components, not the mentioning of improvements, or their lack, in the Mini, which was the question raised by the OP.
 
While I still rock the mags in, out of habit, believe that the 580 Series were redesigned to accept the mag straight in, with the catch spring-loaded off the RSA.
 
Gun-Reck said:
The current aperture sighted 580 Series carbines will shoot inside of 3 MOA from field positions.

A solid 200 yard performer - which is about all expected of the round.
Click to expand...
One can keep shots in a B-27 at 300 yards with the newer Mini-14, we had to do that to pass a week long patrol rifle course I took a few years ago. ( I shot both 200 and 300 yds prone.)

Most of the students used AR’s with dot or ACOG sights, but my office issued Mini-14’s at the time so I took the course with an open sight mini. I certainly didn’t come anywhere close to the top shot for the class, but I scored high enough to pass so I’m good with that.

I could not have shot as well with the 190-series Ranch Rifle I have. The front sight post is too thick and the flat-tab like rear does not seem as crisp as the new ghost ring sight.

Stay safe.
 
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Gun-Reck said:
While I still rock the mags in, out of habit, believe that the 580 Series were redesigned to accept the mag straight in, with the catch spring-loaded off the RSA.
Click to expand...
My 583-series doesn’t let me push the magazine straight in, the stud at the front of the magwell doesn’t move as if it was spring loaded. I still have to push up/ rock back to click it in place and push the mag release tab/rock forward to extract. If they designed something else to improve magazine insertion that would be a good idea, it is easy to miss the stud and drop the mag under stress.

IMG_2608.jpeg IMG_2609.jpeg

They did do some sort of redesign to take a bit of metal out of the magwell, as compared to my 190- series (Top, in an old school Ram-Line camo stock). The magazine retention stud is the same in both guns.

IMG_2607.jpeg

Stay safe.
 
My 581 was rock n lock also. The only bad mag I got I think was a tapco that I paid a dollar for or something.
I bought some Midway store. Branded ...cant remember what it was called John Mason or something...... 10s and 20's around just fine. I had at least one other off brand that ran fine.

I rarely used the longer magazines though, 5 and 10s didn't poke me when the gun was slung. The longer ones did.
 
Riomouse911 said:
My 583-series doesn’t let me push the magazine straight in, the stud at the front of the magwell doesn’t move as if it was spring loaded. I still have to push up/ rock back to click it in place and push the mag release tab/rock forward to extract. If they designed something else to improve magazine insertion that would be a good idea, it is easy to miss the stud and drop the mag under stress.

View attachment 1167179View attachment 1167180

They did do some sort of redesign to take a bit of metal out of the magwell, as compared to my 190- series (Top, in an old school Ram-Line camo stock). The magazine retention stud is the same in both guns.

View attachment 1167181

Stay safe.
Click to expand...

Agree, as that is how I do it as well.

But the front pin is no longer part of the mag-well, and is now the rear of the RSA guide, and beveled.

So was under the impression that a "slam home" capacity was added, maybe even for an emergency action drill.

Will investigate that the next time it's out, one way or the other.


And 200 yards is just where I accept that the round drops off, as a personal preference.

Feel pretty good about anything inside of that, moving or still, but would shoot past that on a bigger target, if needed.
 
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