Was hoping Ruger might have had a change of heart...

[Str8Shooter]

but no such luck.

After noticing that the Ruger NRA Mini-14's are being sold with two 20-round magazines, here's a comment I sent to Ruger Customer Service in hopes that they might have changed their mind about only selling 5-round magazines with the standard models and as accessories:

Now that Ruger has begun selling some firearms such as the SR9 and NRA Mini-14 with normal capacity magazines, is there any hope that we Mini-14 owners will ever be able to purchase factory 20-round magazines without the law enforcement stamp? The assault weapons ban has been history for some time, so how about making a lot of Mini-14 owners happy? A 5-round magazine in a semi-auto rifle used for target shooting or plinking is really annoying.

This was the response I got:

The Ruger Mini-14 rifle has been sold commercially since 1986 and was designed to be used in the hunting fields of America, where a few quick shots are sometimes vital. Well over 95% have left the factory with 5 round magazines in recognition of their intended use. We understand your desire for a greater capacity magazine, but at this point in time we have no plans to change our long-standing policy.

I don't know if it would do any good if a lot of people bugged them about this, but they sound pretty hard-headed about their policy.

Pretty sad.

 

[George C Morrison]

I don't know if it would do any good if a lot of people bugged them about this, but they sound pretty hard-headed about their policy.

You are correct.
This is a company thats seems to put politics before the 2nd Amendment.

 

[csmkersh]

Why are you surprised? It was Ol' Man Ruger himself who sold the hi-cap mag ban to Congress. Just because they make guns doesn't mean they're gunnies.
​

 

[slustan83]

That's very disheartening. I thought maybe we were going to see a shift in their policies, especially since the NRA mini came out. I'm especially disappointed because it seems like they have introduced some pretty decent products recently. Looks like I'm going to have to forgo buying that mini i was looking at.

 

[ARTiger]

That response sounds canned. I think attitudes are changing at Ruger. The LCP breaks the mold as their first truly carryable pistol. Now that the NRA Mini-14 is out, I would suspect they'll be watching it's success and soon following the dollars versus their dead founder's silly philosophy.

 

[siglite]

And people give me crap for holding a grudge against Ruger. There's a 10/22 in my safe. It's not even mine. My wife bought it before we were married. I will never buy a Ruger. Ruger should just rename itself to Fudd, Inc.

Solution to this problem? http://www.dpmsinc.com.

They'll sell you normal capacity mags.

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

So Ruger is a bunch of goobers. You can still get Hi-cap mags for the Mini-14 pretty easily though.. even Ruger factory ones.

 

[ozarkhillbilly]

Back a few months ago I heard one of Rugers new bosses on Guntalk and he all but said they were walking away from Bill Rugers anti gun practices. He then went on to say that the problem was that they were wanting to make so many changes that they did not have enough production ability for them all right away and basically were going for the most profitable ones first. This was right after a caller ask about high cap mags for the mini 14.

I imagine they know they missed the boat on the tactical stuff and are trying to play catch up with out saying they went down the wrong path fifteen years ago.

 

[Sans Authoritas]

I love the core Mini-14 platform. It's ultra-reliable with factory mags, and I've fired thousands of rounds through them, but in all honesty, "a few quick shots" is all the Mini-14 is good for before the pencil-thin barrel gets too hot to maintain its minute-of-berm accuracy. (Yes, hyperbole. You can pull a marginally decent group at 200 yards.)

I don't think they have any intention of ever creating a heavier barrel for the ranch model, even though the demand has been there for over 20 years. After all, if Ruger started equipping them with heavier barrels, criminals might be able to use them for more than a "few quick shots."

-Sans Authoritas

 

[matt33]

And that's why I don't buy Ruger products. I refuse to support a company that had a key role in the draconian decade long 10 round magazine limit. The fact that the Mini 14 is inferior in every way to a quality AR is a secondary reason for me. I'd gladly pay twice as much to buy from a pro-2ndA competing firm.

 

[Str8Shooter]

Solution to this problem? http://www.dpmsinc.com.

I don't see any Mini-14 mags on this website. Only AR-types.

You can still get Hi-cap mags for the Mini-14 pretty easily though.. even Ruger factory ones.

Yeah, you can, but finding RELIABLE ones is not so easy. The factory mags cost an arm and a leg and are stamped "law enforcement only".

 

[ARTiger]

Hmmm . . . an 18" heavy barrelled Mini 30 with factory 20+ round mags . . . How many of those would you all think they could sell. . . . Oh well, dream over. Guess I'll buy another AK.

 

[PTK]

Str8Shooter

Three 20rd ProMag brand steel magazines - all three work in my 188 series Ranch Rifle.

 

[Sans Authoritas]

The Pro-Mag 20's are definitely rock-solid. Some are pushing the outer spec limits of the average mag well, but when they fit, they fit.

-Sans Authoritas

 

[PTK]

And for half the cost of a factory 20 rd mag....

 

[Sans Authoritas]

Aye. Midway, if anyone else is interested.

-Sans Authoritas

 

[Marrty]

If you think not being able to buy standard magazines from Ruger is bad, try getting a Mini-14 GB serviced. They absolutely will not touch one in private hands.

It's either "stolen" or "diverted" from LE in their eyes.

Oh well, guess who's products are getting ditched at the next gunshow?

 

[PTK]

That doesn't make sense.... they service ACC556 machine guns, which are Mini-14 based.

Why wouldn't they service a regular Mini-14?

 

[luft97]

Hmmm . . . an 18" heavy barrelled Mini 30 with factory 20+ round mags . . . How many of those would you all think they could sell. . . . Oh well, dream over. Guess I'll buy another AK.

Yes, At least you can get the factory Mini-14 20 round mags. Who cares if it is stamped LE only?

I wish I could get some factory 20 round mags for my Mini-30..

 

[plexreticle]

This is why the AR is way more popular than the Mini-14

 

[ARTiger]

Quote:
Hmmm . . . an 18" heavy barrelled Mini 30 with factory 20+ round mags . . . How many of those would you all think they could sell. . . . Oh well, dream over. Guess I'll buy another AK.

Yes, At least you can get the factory Mini-14 20 round mags. Who cares if it is stamped LE only?

I wish I could get some factory 20 round mags for my Mini-30

Yes Sir, I understand your pain. I have a Mini 30 and a collection of about 25 aftermarket mags that have been filed, dremelled, bent, polished, etc. - 4 work reliably and I wouldn't trade 'em for the gun itself.

Both a testament to the usefulness of Ruger's semi-auto carbines that folks are willing to improvise for higher capacity magazines and also an exasperation that the factory will not accede to public demand and do it themselves.

 

[siglite]

I don't see any Mini-14 mags on this website. Only AR-types.

That was the point.

 

[TexasRifleman]

I don't see any Mini-14 mags on this website. Only AR-types.

Exactly

 

[Rugerlvr]

I posted this exact thread a few days ago in Rifle Country and it was eventually locked because of all the Ruger & Mini-14 haters that piled on.

I received that same canned answer. Let's hope it's just that. A canned answer, and that the article in American Rifleman is more accurate.

 

[ilbob]

This is why the AR is way more popular than the Mini-14

I think there are a number of reasons for that. One of the big ones is that the AR receiver can be made by anyone. No patents to worry about.

I have often wondered why Ruger never made a heavier barreled version. Its a neat rifle until you let off half a dozen rounds and the barrel heats upenough that the point of aim shifts by 3 or 4 inches at 100 yards.