Author Topic: My new (to me) Mini-14  (Read 9485 times)

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Offline SubCaliber

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My new (to me) Mini-14
« on: March 07, 2017, 04:59:54 PM »
Well it's been a few weeks of fun but I finally got my new to me Mini-14 back from Ruger today and got her put into her new outfit.



With her Grandmother..


There is a little story behind this.  I traded for this rifle a few weeks ago.  I took it to the range the first weekend and shot a mag through it.  On the second mag I noted the rear site had shaken loose so OK it works but no more shooting today.  I've heard of this happening to others on the new generation of Ranch Rifles so I wasn't particularly concerned.  I would just take it home and Loctite it. 

Also being used I didn't get the rail or rings that it came with originally from the factory.  This is the "Tactical" model and did in fact come drilled and tapped to accept a special rail only Ruger makes.  It's a bit more solid than the aftermarket ones that go on the scope mounts.  Problem is you can't buy them anywhere so I planned to call Ruger the next Monday and see if they'd sell me a rail.  The rings are easy to find.

So then Sunday night I decide I want to check the trigger pull weight on my gauge.  Three trigger pulls went fine but when I went to cycle it and do the 4th the bolt wouldn't open it was jammed and I could hear something rattling inside.  After some fiddling I got the offending loose piece to shake out of the way enough to get the bolt to cylce and be able to open the action.  When I pulled out the trigger pack out fell about 3/4 of the firing pin. 

Now THAT isn't supposed to happen!  So I called Ruger and they told me I had to send it in to them.  They even paid the shipping.  They sent it back fixed with, according to their repair report, a new firing pin, recoil spring, adjusted slide and new barrel.  Now I didn't see anything wrong with the old barrel and trust me I looked before accepting the trade so I don't know if they do that as a matter of course or if it was needed but I am glad to have a new barrel.

They also sent me the rail, a set of 1" rings, and a spare fitted firing pin I asked if they could send in case this happens again.  Go RUGER!  Color me impressed.  I won't have time to shoot it before the weekend but I am psyched.

This is what it looked like in it's original tacti-kewl adjusting fold-able stock if you're interested;



I think the new one is much more fitting of a Garand action rifle.  It's also a little lighter.
« Last Edit: March 07, 2017, 05:10:09 PM by SubCaliber »

Offline sss

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Re: My new (to me) Mini-14
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2017, 06:07:08 PM »
Nice!  And appears Ruger customer service really went all out.  Nice to hear.  :)

Offline running-man

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Re: My new (to me) Mini-14
« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2017, 07:19:31 PM »
It is nice to hear when a company takes care of an issue.  Glad you got it resolved!  thumb1
      

Offline SubCaliber

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Re: My new (to me) Mini-14
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2017, 09:19:44 PM »
I have to say I am pretty happy with the customer service.  I offered to pay for the rail and rings but they just sent them along.  Can you imagine if car makers stood behind their products like this? 

I hope she shoots as good as she looks.

Offline armedhippie

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Re: My new (to me) Mini-14
« Reply #4 on: March 07, 2017, 09:22:51 PM »
 Ruger did you right man, glad to hear it. Looks sweet in that stock. Have a blast and keep us posted  thumb1
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Offline Direct Connection

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Re: My new (to me) Mini-14
« Reply #5 on: March 07, 2017, 10:45:22 PM »
That looks really cool. I think I like that tacticool look best .. I have a Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 that I had some problems with and share pretty much the same story of customer service as you. I also like watching Ruger's videos on cleaning disassemble reassemble on the Ruger website : )

Offline sksmcrossvilletn

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Re: My new (to me) Mini-14
« Reply #6 on: March 03, 2018, 03:55:48 AM »
Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooo


You should have gotten a mini 30.

Offline SubCaliber

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Re: My new (to me) Mini-14
« Reply #7 on: March 03, 2018, 08:20:59 AM »
This is where I have to admit my sort of Love - Hate view of Ruger.   I love a lot of their guns and I love their customer service.  However they seriously have their heads up their asses in a lot of way when it comes to the Mini series of rifles over the years.  First we had Bill Ruger refusing to sell anything larger than 5 round mags to the public.  Then we have the whole pencil barrel issue.  That should have been fixed in about 1975, not 2005.  And then we come to this.  The reason I do not have a Mini-30 is because I have an SKS.  Well a few SKS's.  SKS's eat anythign you feed them and ask for more.  Mini 30's however tend to not be particularly reliable with cheap steel cased ammo unless you fiddle with them.  Furthermore Ruger's stance is not only to shoot expensive brass cased 7.62x39 but that shooting steel voids the warranty.  WTH Ruger?!?   Who buys a 7.62x39 that doesn't want to be able to primarily shoot the cheap steel cased stuff?  If I want to buy expensive ammo with those ballistics I would get the 300 Blackout version and at least I could share mags between them.  So I don't buy a 30 mostly out of protest to Ruger's head-up-assedness basically...


A better pic of the Mini-14 ;)



Offline Greasemonkey

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Re: My new (to me) Mini-14
« Reply #8 on: March 03, 2018, 01:55:59 PM »
I have a strange love-hate relationship with Ruger... I love to hate'em.. I own a few.. they make great door stops, paper weights and space taker uppers. rofl2

I have had a Ruger Mini-14 for many years.. I mean Hannibal on the A-Team used one and that cigar chewing fool looked cool with it..  after many things of trying to get it to shoot good, I threw that thing in the safe and never looked at it again. Expensive magazines, fairly expensive scope set up, didn't like cheap ammo and chokes on steel, accuracy on par my Ak or worse. So it sits, I have even tried to trade it, no one wants it, like a fella said to me, why would I want it? Look at the number of cheaper priced Ars that can do so much more, swap calibers, cheap accessory's and mags, accurate and they eat what ever.

I soon discovered.. Mini-14 or M-14, almost the same action think1 so I bought a M-14, cheaper magazines, almost the same basic scope set up, has eaten everything I've shoved in it, and it's fairly accurate.......Mini nothing, I will stick with full sized rifles. chuckles1
I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse......

Leave the gun, take the cannoli.

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Offline carls sks

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Re: My new (to me) Mini-14
« Reply #9 on: March 03, 2018, 02:27:47 PM »
that was great CS you got. might have to look into other Ruger products.  think1
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Offline newchi

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Re: My new (to me) Mini-14
« Reply #10 on: March 03, 2018, 06:58:15 PM »
So, youre saying its a heavy refurb in a non original stock?
 :P

Offline Dino412

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Re: My new (to me) Mini-14
« Reply #11 on: March 03, 2018, 07:11:47 PM »
Does it matter? I think of it as an ugraded and improved Mini.
 I am thinking of some reason to call them about my early, stainless Ranch Rifle. Maybe I can get an upgrade. dntknw1

Offline SubCaliber

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Re: My new (to me) Mini-14
« Reply #12 on: March 03, 2018, 07:50:28 PM »
So, youre saying its a heavy refurb in a non original stock?
 :P


Who said it was a heavy refurb... ever?  Ruger replaced a lot of parts on top of what I knew about then yes I replaced the stock and the flash hider...  I also added the scope and have since removed it...

Offline SubCaliber

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Re: My new (to me) Mini-14
« Reply #13 on: March 03, 2018, 07:53:00 PM »
I soon discovered.. Mini-14 or M-14, almost the same action think1 so I bought a M-14, cheaper magazines, almost the same basic scope set up, has eaten everything I've shoved in it, and it's fairly accurate.......Mini nothing, I will stick with full sized rifles. chuckles1


The new Mini's are much more accurate than the old but they are definitely NOT an M-14/M1A.  The big ones just have that little something that the light cartridge ones don't.  I have one of Springfields Loaded M-1A's with a NM barrel and trigger.  She's a fine lady. :-)

Offline SubCaliber

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Re: My new (to me) Mini-14
« Reply #14 on: March 03, 2018, 07:54:18 PM »
Does it matter? I think of it as an ugraded and improved Mini.
 I am thinking of some reason to call them about my early, stainless Ranch Rifle. Maybe I can get an upgrade. dntknw1


They will fix what you have but I don't think they'll put a new generation barrel on an older rifle I am sad to say. 

Offline Greasemonkey

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Re: My new (to me) Mini-14
« Reply #15 on: March 04, 2018, 02:01:17 PM »
The new Mini's are much more accurate than the old but they are definitely NOT an M-14/M1A.  The big ones just have that little something that the light cartridge ones don't.  I have one of Springfields Loaded M-1A's with a NM barrel and trigger.  She's a fine lady. :-)

Mine is an older one... it is the 186 series... from 1993, I bought it new just out of college. It doesn't like anything but Ruger magazines, and has the classic bullet stringing pencil barrel.
I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse......

Leave the gun, take the cannoli.

I said I was an addict........I didn't say I had a problem

Offline Justin Hell

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Re: My new (to me) Mini-14
« Reply #16 on: March 04, 2018, 08:35:17 PM »
This thread has spared me the money that could have gone to two nice SKSs that might have been spent getting my inner Dirk Benedict on....getting my A-Team ya ya's out n stuff.  I had no idea these were such a hassle.

I will stick with my 10/22 and P95DC....both give me zero grief.

It seems to me if you are going to chamber in a military caliber, you might research the varieties of surplus/cheap ammo before writing the warranty clauses.  I am not a fan of a rifle that has more stipulations than the State of California.

What happens if you get them wet after midnight?  dance2

Offline SubCaliber

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Re: My new (to me) Mini-14
« Reply #17 on: March 04, 2018, 09:14:28 PM »
Mine is an older one... it is the 186 series... from 1993, I bought it new just out of college. It doesn't like anything but Ruger magazines, and has the classic bullet stringing pencil barrel.


I knew that from your comment about how the scope mounts.  All modern ones have cuts for the Ruger Rings and in even more recent years they are drilled and tapped for a piece of included Picatinny rail.  I really liked the sights on those compared to the first ranch rifles that had the simple flip down one and even the new ones that need an allen wrench. Unfortunately the barrels were the let down of the system.  The fact that they didn't fix that early on irks me.  The original M-16's had spaghetti barrels as well with the same issue.  Many people forget that though because they actually fixed it pretty quick.


This is what the receiver of the old one I used to have looked like, I bet yours is/was the same...







« Last Edit: March 04, 2018, 09:21:57 PM by SubCaliber »

Offline SubCaliber

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Re: My new (to me) Mini-14
« Reply #18 on: March 04, 2018, 09:21:32 PM »
This thread has spared me the money that could have gone to two nice SKSs that might have been spent getting my inner Dirk Benedict on....getting my A-Team ya ya's out n stuff.  I had no idea these were such a hassle.

I will stick with my 10/22 and P95DC....both give me zero grief.

It seems to me if you are going to chamber in a military caliber, you might research the varieties of surplus/cheap ammo before writing the warranty clauses.  I am not a fan of a rifle that has more stipulations than the State of California.

What happens if you get them wet after midnight?  dance2


I assume you're referring to the Mini-30 because there really is no such issue with the Mini-14.  To add to the Mini-30 hate I will also add that the very early Mini-30's had barrels made for 7.62x39 that was made with .308 bullets which were (are any still?) loaded by some US manufacturers at the time.  Modern Mini-30's carry a proper bore diameter.  I'd buy another modern Mini-14 any day but I will buy an SKS over a Mini-30 any day of the week until they make them reliable and supported with steel ammo.  To me it is just unacceptable to chamber that caliber and exclude using the primary type of ammo made in that caliber.  Even if it can't change mags the SKS rocks!.  If I want a reliable 7.62x39 than can change mags I'll get an AK.  Oh wait, I did:



Offline Greasemonkey

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Re: My new (to me) Mini-14
« Reply #19 on: March 04, 2018, 09:42:00 PM »

It seems to me if you are going to chamber in a military caliber, you might research the varieties of surplus/cheap ammo before writing the warranty clauses.  I am not a fan of a rifle that has more stipulations than the State of California.

What happens if you get them wet after midnight?  dance2
My hate/love continues with a 10/22, Single Six w/conversion cyl and a MkIII.. I keep hoping to find one I will actually shoot more than a box or 2 from.

As for making a rifle in a military caliber, alot more thought should have been put into it. And maybe less proprietary parts..there wasn't much selection in goodies back then.. the thin barrel was a joke, I have a pellet rifle with a thicker barrel. If your going to try to ride the assault weapon gravy train and make money, don't be such a liberal with it.. and don't wait 25-30 years to try and rectify it, when you should have done it off the bat.

If it functioned like my Aks or Vz-58s... I might consider another one..   nea1

I might....dig a picture up of it and show my shame..  chuckles1
I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse......

Leave the gun, take the cannoli.

I said I was an addict........I didn't say I had a problem