The Mini-14, a historical perspective.

[USMCM16A2]

[loademup]

In the late 1960s, James Sullivan, in conjunction with Bill Ruger decided to put together a small carbine in the then new 5.56/.223 caliber. After about 5-6 years of development the Ruger Mini-14 was born. It’s debut was with wood hand guards and sold for about $189.

As a side note, many people don’t know that James Sullivan also played a major role in the developement of the AR15. And that he and Eugene Stoner brought about the M16.

See this video "Jim Sullivan On Bill Ruger And The Mini-14" at the "InRangeTV" YouTube channel if you have not already viewed it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgzTjX1alpM

[SAD338]

Seems to me that the resurgence of interest in the mini 14 has a lot to do with new Cali laws.

[n8vrmind]

Seems to me that the resurgence of interest in the mini 14 has a lot to do with new Cali laws.

This was the reason I initially bought a mini14. However, my 583- series was poorly assembled and a jam-o-matic with factory mags. So I sold it and put $ towards featureless AR platform. Much happier now.

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[saudadeii]

Seems to me that the resurgence of interest in the mini 14 has a lot to do with new Cali laws.

I think there's always been plenty of interest in Mini 14/30s but the volume of AR/AK threads drowned them out. Now it seems most of the AR/AK threads are about featureless products along with PCC threads.

I bought my 5801 model back in 2013. More "classic" in style and configuration, it offered me nice change from an MSR.

[imarangemaster]

1973 review of the "New" Mini-14 by Col. Jeff Cooper (founder of Gunsite Ranch). He coined the term "Ranch Rifle" in this article. In the 80s and 90s, much of the time I carried a Mini-14 (or later Mini-30) as my LEO trunk weapon. I did not know they were "inaccurate" as I always managed to qualify with them putting 7 or 8 shots out of 10 in the head of a B27 silhouette at 100 yards. That was with the awful "mile high" ramp front sight. My 186 Series Mini (1/7 twist) gets 1.5 MOA with MK262 MOD1. It has a 583 series post and wing front sight now. I have never had a malfunction with a Ruger factory magazine. My Mini-30 ran flawless with my USA Magazine 30 rounders (which I still have and use). initially I used PMI and USA mags with my Mini-14s, before I got my Ruger LE high caps. My first Mini was a Bicentennial Model 180 series made in 1976. I got in it 1982.

[Ora Serrata]

I have a mini-14, several AR's, an AK and a PTR. I love shooting the mini and it's extremely reliable. It may not be the most accurate thing, but as a plinker it's a blast.

Funny thing is back when I bought my mini-14 AR's were much more expensive (one of the reasons I bought the mini in the first place, because for the cost savings I also bought a revolver). 30+ years later there are a lot more players in the AR marketplace that didn't exist in the mid-80's. Competition, modularity, and economy of scale brought the AR price down considerably. In the meantime the mini's have risen in price. With today's prices if I could only buy one, yeah - I'd choose an AR. But glad I don't have to make such decisions. After all the CG credo is "buy both."

[imarangemaster]

Yep, I agree. I love my Mini-14 and Mini-30, but I also have a couple featureless AR15s. Never claimed the Mini is better than an AR, just a different tool in the tool box.

I have a 20" AR with a 1/7 HBAR and a 4x10 scope for "accurate" work. For a hame/ranch defensive carbine, I choose the Mini.

MY first Mini was a used 180 series I bought in 1982 for $150, with half a dozen magazines. AR15s were scarce, I didn't get my first AR15 until about 1987 (though I had an AR180 I got in 1986, that I traded with cash for the Ar15). The AR cost more than 3X the Mini-14 I bought did.

[crufflers]

I wanted to love the Mini-14... never really did. I don't think I love AR's either, but I liked my Bushmaster more than the Mini-14 when I got it. They were both iron sights. The AR seemed more accurate and refined. Also mounted a 4x on top of the carry handle and it worked great. I would not say either one was ideal for optics, but the AR was easier and it was a tack driver past distances where the Mini became inconsistent at least with me shooting it. Bigger than that even was probably the old magazine issue - finding decent mags. Best mags in the world for the AR were $10-$12 IIRC... I had a box full of them. Mini-14 I had three or four mags and was very careful with them. Since then the mag issue is not a big deal with factory mags and Tapco's, etc... For whatever reason back then there were lots of crappy mags (USA, etc...) and very few that worked (Ramline, Factory 5's).

The AR had great iron sights that could be used as far as you wanted to shoot. I've never shot a Mini-14 with a scope IIRC, but it worked good with a Holosight.

I found out for me it was best to leave it stock as light as possible and not ask it to do too much. A reliable little carbine. Now it is a lot better, but should cost $500 IMHO.

[imarangemaster]

I had an SP1 carbine I got in 1987, that I registered in 1989/90 with the original AW bill after Purdy shot up the school yard in Stockton. Even though I had it, I usually carried my Mini or my M1 carbine as truck guns in the 90s. I did carry a seized XM177 for awhile, but a SWAT Sgt. grabbed it from me, soI went back to the Mini and M1 carbine. Unfortunately I had to sell the SP1 in 2002 after I got forced out on Disability from the SO.

I love retro ARs, like the SP1s, either carbine or like the 601/602 Model without forward assists. I'd have a retro now, but they are so stinking expensive, and they are lame with grip fins.

[russ69]

Bill Ruger called it "The worlds most expensive plinker". I think he knew his product.

[SamIAm]

Man, how much did the .30 cal carbine cartridge suck if Jeff Cooper refers to the 1975 era FMJ .223 as a "considerably better cartridge."

[imarangemaster]

Man, how much did the .30 cal carbine cartridge suck if Jeff Cooper refers to the 1975 era FMJ .223 as a "considerably better cartridge."

Well, there are a lot of dead enemy combatants from the 30 Carbine in three wars: WW2, Korea, and Vietnam. In the pacific theater and Vietnam, where it was used a lot under 100 yards it was great. On the open hillsides of Korea where they tried to use it as a 300 yard rifler, it sucked. 110 grain bullet at 1970 fps generates 900 ft lbs at the muzzle, and around 650 ft lbs at 100 yards.

My dad fought with one on Iwo Jima, and he said it never let him down, not even the night of the big Banzai charge. His brothers also fought with carbines in the pacific and they came home too. I dropped a 200 pound Black Tail Deer at 100 yards with a single heart lung shot with a carbine. If you use it within its limits, its great. An FN P90 5.7 would suck at 300 but it too is not designed for that.

[crufflers]

I love retro ARs, like the SP1s, either carbine or like the 601/602 Model without forward assists. I'd have a retro now, but they are so stinking expensive, and they are lame with grip fins.

I know... the complete uppers are $700. If there's a great sale someday, I might get one and put it on my old Bushmaster... swapping a PRS back to an A2. I'm not that picky, I just want a 20" with a non-removable carry handle... might just get the stripped receiver for $150.

https://www.stagarms.com/stag-15-retro-upper/

Stag has one for $400... do not know much about Stag.

NOPE, just read the copy better... it is a removable A3 handle. Probably end up getting a Brownell's stripped upper.

OLY and DELTON have carry handle uppers - probably my last two choices for manufacturers. Any others?

[oak18]

I would love to own a Mini. I always thought they were cool rifles. However, I can’t justify paying the price. They’re just not worth the price tag in my opinion.

Ruger really needs to drop the price on these or they’re going to continue to fade into obscurity. You can build a reliable AR-15 for literally half the price and get a rifle that’s better in practically every single way. It leads me to think that Californians are keeping the Mini-14 line afloat.