The Mini-14's origins may surprises you

[imarangemaster]

My first 20 round for my 180 were the straight Ruger ones. I was able to get them as I was an LEO.

[jyo]

I remember reading Col. Coopers review and wanting a Mini 14! After shooting my buddies early Mini, I really wanted one and bought one immediately! Have owned several over the decades and now find I have three---two 183 series GB Models---one blue, one stainless (now fitted with a original stainless factory folding stock)... I noticed the blued one was super accurate for a Mini and the stainless one also shot rather well---never thought about the front sight and flash hider as helping the accuracy... My other Mini is marked as a "Ranch Rifle", 580 series with the heavier barrel---traded for it before the China Virus and put it in the back of the safe and only shot it recently---shoots so well, I've got a Leupold 1.5-5X scope laying around that's gonna slide into the included rings for a real test!
None of my three Minis has ever jammed on me using only Ruger factory magazines...
When I bought my Minis, they were far less expensive then any AR-15 and I'll probably keep em till the end of my days...

[cz74]

Break down by serial no..

https://www.rugerforum.net/threads/r...update.134773/

Thanks! Found it.

[Garand Hunter]

I loveth as much as the op my 186 series Mini 30 Ranch rifle. Bought it in 1987 from Bud Seigle in Oakland for $ 249 the last one he had at a parking lot sale. Can you imagine doing that in Oakland now ?

Psalm 1

[crufflers]

i remember an ad in a magazine for the xg1 where they were going to make a big mini 14 in 308 but it seemed to go nowhere

Reportedly, the XGI accuracy sucked so they scrapped it.



Sounds like their new small frame AR10 is fine though. I bet Ruger loves the AR platform.

[smle-man]

Reportedly, the XGI accuracy sucked so they scrapped it.



Sounds like their new small frame AR10 is fine though. I bet Ruger loves the AR platform.

Amazing, never saw one being fired!

[Garand Hunter]

I heard that Ruger had semi fire problems, with the XGI .308, I wanted one very mucho, and the word was only one rifle was ever made.

Psalm 1

[imarangemaster]

I heard that Ruger had semi fire problems, with the XGI .308, I wanted one very mucho, and the word was only one rifle was ever made.

Psalm 1

There was one small run made, later found in. a warehouse of a wholesaler. Cracking of the cast receiver was a big problem. While Ruger (Pine Tree Castings) is one of the manufacturers of cast receiver in the word, the 308 's higher pressure needed the strength of a forged receiver.

[Socal_Jack]

i remember an ad in a magazine for the xg1 where they were going to make a big mini 14 in 308 but it seemed to go nowhere

Why not get one of the many civilian M14s? Or just make an M14?

[imarangemaster]

Why not get one of the many civilian M14s? Or just make an M14?

Their price point was advertised to be less than half of an M1A. At the time, M1As were comparatively expensive in 1980/90s dollars, and hard to get.

[bohoki]

Their price point was advertised to be less than half of an M1A. At the time, M1As were comparatively expensive in 1980/90s dollars, and hard to get.

my mini 14 cost $350 the xgi woudl have been like $500 i did eventually buy an m1a for $1500

[Sailormilan2]

I heard that Ruger had semi fire problems, with the XGI .308, I wanted one very mucho, and the word was only one rifle was ever made.

Psalm 1

There were issues with the accuracy, among other things. Whether that was due to the barrels, or gun design, I don't have any idea. When Ruger first started, they were outsourcing their barrels to subcontractors, and there were Quality Control issues, which lead to accuracy issues. That would be about the time Ruger was trying to develop their Mini 308(or whatever it was called). Ruger eventually started doing their own barrels to stop the problems.

[Garand Hunter]

It was called the XGI.

Psalm 1

[cmart357]

That is interesting about the bolt/op rod size difference in the old 180 series rifles, I had never heard that before. I had a 180 series pre ban as it were many years back that I bought on Gunbroker so I could add a folding stock and register it as a assault weapon at the time but never did. My uncle had a wood/stainless factory folding mini 14 and man that thing was a blast to shoot. I only remember mine being a 180 series because none of the accessories would work with that old rifle as it was the pre ranch model. Curious if the buddy I sold it too still has it, who knows it could end up back in the safe one day. A guy can NEVER have enough mini 14's!

[imarangemaster]

There were issues with the accuracy, among other things. Whether that was due to the barrels, or gun design, I don't have any idea. When Ruger first started, they were outsourcing their barrels to subcontractors, and there were Quality Control issues, which lead to accuracy issues. That would be about the time Ruger was trying to develop their Mini 308(or whatever it was called). Ruger eventually started doing their own barrels to stop the problems.

They used castings for the receivers and had cracking issues. While the Mini-30s have cast receivers, the .308 need forged, which made it too expensive. Ruger's Pine Tree Casting makes the best castings, not just for Ruger, but many other firearm manufacturers.