RUGER RANCH GUN .223

[BUBSDAD]

I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR A SEMIAUTO .223. I CANT AFFORD ANYTHING A/R STYLE AND HAVE FOUND A RUGER RANCH GUN IN .223 AT A LOCAL GUN SHOP. I CAN PICK IT UP FOR $525.00 USED. DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A FAIR PRICE TO YOU GUYS? ALSO DO ANY OF YOU HAVE EXPERIENC WITH THIS MODEL? I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW WELL IT SHOOTS ( RELIABILITY, ACCURACY, ETC..)
THANKS FOR ANY INPUT
BUBSDAD

[fancyfowl]

I have owned several mini 14s & mini 30s in different variations and ccalibers. I liked them all and a few were quite accurate. I wouldnt hesitate to buy another if I were so inclined. I actually just recently discovered i still have one which was stuck away in a closet and forgotten about when I sold off my collection, a stainless ranch model in .223

[snake]

My Ruger isn't the Ranch Rifle. It's a standard Mini, in stainless. Shoots very well for it's intended range. It's not an M-14, but operates like it. My supplier is showing $685.00 for a new S/S. Do watch what after market magazines you may come upon....best to stick with Ruger initially. If your rifle is the blue version, in decent shape, then it would seem to be a good get!

snake

[WRTN]

The Ruger Ranch Rifle in stock factory configuration is OK on accuracy for maybe a 100 yards. VERY reliable feeder and firer but rather sloppy on accuracy. Unless considerable modification is done to the rifle, consider accuracy appromimately 1 min. of barn door past 200 yards. I have made to 300 and 400 yard shots on some coyotes but the rifle is all over the target paper anything much past 100 yards.

For in general SHTF duty, the Ruger Ranch Rifle will do just fine with a good quality 30 round magazine. Pay special attention to barrel twist rate on these rifles as some of them in the past have 1 in 7 twist barrels. These are great for long heavy bullets but not for lighter varmint bullets.

According to the book, "Ruger and his Guns", the twist rate of the Mini-14 started out at 1-in-10" in 1975. It then changed to 1-in-7" in 1989 and then finally to the current 1-in-9" starting in mid-1994. I'm wondering if this might result in the reports of poor accuracy we get often on this board. If you're shooting Military Ball ammo of the 55gr fodder out of the 1-in-7" barrel, you're not likely to get good results even in an AR.

The serial numbers are approximately:
1989: 185-56000 or for the Ranch Rifle: 187-84000
1994: 186-35000 or for the Ranch Rifle: 188-75000

These are rough numbers and I don't know if any better numbers exist. Any guns made before these is likely to be 1-in-10" and after these is likely to be 1-in-9" Twist. Inbetween you'll have 1-in-7" twist. Understand that for accuracy, none of these twist rates does an admiral job on the most common type of ammo available, the 55gr FMJBT.

1 in 9 seems to be the most happy medium for most typical bullets.


If you want a very reliable and accurate varmint rifle out of the box and reasonable in price, take a look at the Savage Model 12 FV.

I just finished building my Savage Model 12 Low Profile Varminter 22-250 with a 1 in 9 inch twist barrel and am very impressed and satisfied with its build quality and accuracy.

[Tuckahoe]

The mini 14 is a great rifle for the homesteader. We have one but it is in 6.8 SPC.

[cinok]

I was a t wally world last week and they had .223 mini in stock. The salesman was cleaning it and it cuaght my eye I was shocked when he told me it was a stock item.If i recall it was $585 new

[rice paddy daddy]

I paid $400 for mine, in good shape. It's a Ranch Rifle, and I picked it up as a cheap centerfire plinker. It won't shoot small groups at hundreds of yards, but if I had to bet my life on it, it is good enough. It will fire both commercial 223 and surplus 556 NATO. I only buy Ruger factory magazines and they can run as high as $50 each. I wouldn't waste my money on an AR, having carried one on my all expense paid trip to The Land Of Enchantment in 1969-70.
The main drawback to the 223 (in my opinion) is the loudness factor. My ears have been ringing since 1970, don't know if it was the M16 or some of the other stuff. I wouldn't mind hearing the birds sing once in a while.:sad:
If you are looking for a good all around homestead rifle think about a lever action 30-30. It will do anything a 223 will and much, much more.

[BUBSDAD]

THANKS FOR THE INPUT RICE PADDY, I THANK YOU FOR LETTING US BORROW YOU FOR A FEW YEARS.
I'VE GOT A MARLIN 336 IN 30-30, WITH WILLIAMS PEEP SIGHTS THAT IS MONEY AT 75 YARDS. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SEMI-AUTO WITH MORE PUNCH THAN A .22LR, THAT WOULD'NT COST AN ARM AND A LEG TO SHOOT.
ANY OTHER RECOMENDATIONS? THE MINI THAT I'M LOOKING AT IS A STAINLESS TACTICAL MODEL, POLICE DEPARTMENT USED FOR 8 YEARS(SO SAYS THE SHOP OWNER).
BUBSDAD

[WRTN]

An issue I neglected to mention is reloading. If you plan to reload ammo fired from a mini-14, you will need a very good brass catcher as this rifle throws brass in multiple directions for long distances. Mine will throw shells upto 75 ft. or more. This make finding the spent brass a BIG pain in the butt.

[jim]

Not meant to offend, but:

In general, overstabilization of a bullet from a tighter than normal twist does not effect accuracy all that much in most barrels. There are, of course, some exceptions, but that is the general rule. A tight twist will make an expanding slug expand much faster than it was designed for.

I have loaded a lot of 110-130 gr spire points in a .30-06, and got some very accurate loads at high speeds. The 1-10 twist was designed for 22o gr. slugs. If over stabilization was much of a problem my reloads would have not been as accurate as standard load, much less more accurate than some as the case was.

The Mini is unaccurate because it was for the most part built that way. Cutting the barrel to just over 16" will make it more accurate than it previously was.

jim

[rice paddy daddy]

THANKS FOR THE INPUT RICE PADDY, I THANK YOU FOR LETTING US BORROW YOU FOR A FEW YEARS.
I'VE GOT A MARLIN 336 IN 30-30, WITH WILLIAMS PEEP SIGHTS THAT IS MONEY AT 75 YARDS. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SEMI-AUTO WITH MORE PUNCH THAN A .22LR, THAT WOULD'NT COST AN ARM AND A LEG TO SHOOT.
ANY OTHER RECOMENDATIONS? THE MINI THAT I'M LOOKING AT IS A STAINLESS TACTICAL MODEL, POLICE DEPARTMENT USED FOR 8 YEARS(SO SAYS THE SHOP OWNER).
BUBSDAD
Well, in that case, go for it. That's the reason I bought mine, too, something with more punch than my 22LR or 22mag and not as expensive as my 22 Hornet (price a box of those sometime!). I raise chickens, and they draw some hungry 4 legged creatures.
I hear the Promag brand magazines are ok, but most of the others are a crap shoot. Like I said, I buy factory 20 round mags, and only have three of those due to cost.
I mostly use mine to bounce Pepsi botles around at the range, (the short one, not the hundred yarder).:D
I picked up an old Marlin 336 Texan for $100 from a guy at work who needed some quick cash. That's what he asked for it!!!! Not exactly "New In Box", but it works.

[hanabal89]

I've had a mini-14 in stainless for a bout 15 yrs now. Never had a misfire or jam, and alway hit what i was aiming at. I paid $250 for it still in the box with a few spare magazine and 500 rounds of ammo from a friend at the time. I wouldnt trade mine, its never failed me.

[MissouriFree]

If you are interested here is a place that got used ones. A bit pricing but you get a 20 round LEO Mag with it.

https://policeguns.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=6494&osCsid=3trtmhbtltjiolglec39ojrfk5

[willgate]

WalMart this morning here in east Texas has a mini for $605. To my great surprise they also had an 11-87 chambered to 3" for $550 with a $50 mail in rebate to Remington. Go WallyWorld!

A good friend has a mini and raves about it. I have never seen his jam even with some pretty questionable ammo. He has killed a lot of deer with that little gun. Good luck!

[Pitdog]

For 525 dollars I would buy AR parts and assemble a perfectly functional model for that price. What you save in initial purpose you will spend on the differencei n magazine price and availability and it probably will never shoot as well. Minis of any kind were always subject to 'maybe it will or maybe it won't' accuracy. Replacement part availability and cost are subject to consideration as well. I bought another mini a couple of years ago and sold it in months. I parkerized it, put it in a choate stock and made it out to be the greatest thing and got rid of it.
Luck with whichever wya you go.

[Stinger]

I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR A SEMIAUTO .223. I CANT AFFORD ANYTHING A/R STYLE AND HAVE FOUND A RUGER RANCH GUN IN .223 AT A LOCAL GUN SHOP. I CAN PICK IT UP FOR $525.00 USED. DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A FAIR PRICE TO YOU GUYS? ALSO DO ANY OF YOU HAVE EXPERIENC WITH THIS MODEL? I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW WELL IT SHOOTS ( RELIABILITY, ACCURACY, ETC..)
THANKS FOR ANY INPUT
BUBSDAD

Ranch Rifle accuracy is only, 'acceptable'. Others have already posted their results. RRR magazines are, both, hard-to-find and inordinately expensive. You might want to take a look at the Kel-Tec SU-2000.

HERE (http://www.kel-tec-cnc.com/su16a.htm)

It will produce similar accuracy to Ruger's Ranch Rifle; and it takes more readily available and more affordable standard M-16 magazines. (Conceals better, too, and is easier to wield in tight spaces. (Like inside automobiles!)

As FerFAL has often said; 'During periods of civil unrest, the man who's seen carrying an AK or M-16 will always be everyone else's favorite target!' Being able to tuck one of these things under your coat or even under your arm is a desirable feature. So is being able to swing it from side-to-side while riding in a vehicle.





(Are you sure you can't afford an Olympic (http://www.olyarms.com/), or Stag (http://www.stagarms.com/index.php?cPath=13_22) 5.56mm rifle? Continental Machine & Tool (http://www.continentalmachinetool.com/firearms.html), also, has, 'bargin closeouts' from time-to-time. You might want to give them a call. Check with THESE PEOPLE (http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/) too before making up your mind.)

[Wyobuckaroo]

Anybody know what the twist rate on a Mini 14 GB carbine is ?

[Teg]

I believe 1/9 is the most common, but Ruger has changed the twist a couple times over the years, so it's hard to say with absolute accuracy unless you call Ruger and give them a SN to check.

[rice paddy daddy]

www.rugerforum.com
lots of good info here

[cornhusker]

Another option is a Saiga .223.
Good rifle, half the price of a Mini 14.
I've got a Saiga, a Mini-14 (non ranch) and an AR-15, and they are all great guns.
The Ruger is probably the least accurate at longer distances, but at varmint in the chicken house range, they all work great.

[CountryGuy]

I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR A SEMIAUTO .223. I CANT AFFORD ANYTHING A/R STYLE AND HAVE FOUND A RUGER RANCH GUN IN .223 AT A LOCAL GUN SHOP. I CAN PICK IT UP FOR $525.00 USED. DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A FAIR PRICE TO YOU GUYS? ALSO DO ANY OF YOU HAVE EXPERIENC WITH THIS MODEL? I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW WELL IT SHOOTS ( RELIABILITY, ACCURACY, ETC..)
THANKS FOR ANY INPUT
BUBSDAD

I know there are a lot of folks who are negative on the AR platform. For one, many of those against it were due to their experiences more than 40 yrs ago when the entire platform was new and there were no doubt terrible issues that cost many good men their lives. However many years of development have resolved those early issues.

As for price you might want to take a second look, it may not be as far out as you think. When you take that Ranch and buy an extra 4 or 6 mags(when you can find them) there is another $200-$300 to spend. So now your into it for about $725-825.

DPMS has their Panther Sportical for $700 that comes with 2-30rd mags, no forward assist (ever use it?) and total flat top with no sights or carry handle. So you would need to pick up a cheap scope, optic or some BUIS. Recently I read a favorable review on Del-ton's DTI-4 that comes with some nice Magpull grips and stock, 2-30 rd mags, and an A2 style carry handle and front A sight all for $750. For either of them you can pick up GI mags for about $10 ea or some nice PMAG's for $15-17 ea. With either of these you would have about the same money into it as the Ruger but have a rifle that is very flexible, easy to upgrade, and easy to find parts and mags for. Not to mention you would have a new rifle with a warranty.

just my thoughts

[dksac2]

Take any of the older skinny barreled mini's, buy 2 of the 2" square picitinny blocks that barrel mount for $10.00 each for Cheaper than Dirt, cut a 5" piece of steel or aluminum rod that is over .550 diameter". Mount the one block tight against the gas block, put the other block right in front of the step in the barrel and put the metal rod in place pressed tight against the gas block, add a flash supressor and you will have a fine shooting weapon. You can go further and steel bed the action like you would an M1A. Work up a good load and you will be surprised at the group improvement. The last time I took mine to the range, from the bench the smallest 3 shot group was .574", the smallest 5 shot group went into .85" at 80 yards. The 100 yard range was full, so 80 yards was the longest I could shoot at that day. I had just put a Mason brake/suppressor on the muzzle (I had to drill and tap a hole and put a small bolt in the supressor to keep it lined up with the bore, it tended to pivot on the roll pin) and re crowned the barrel. It was shooting a little over 1.5" at 100 yds prior to that. If I continue to shoot many rounds it will still slightly string the shots, but far less than without the homemade strut. I fired several warming shots and then fired the shots about 1 min apart. Cryo treating the barrel will cut down the stringing to almost 0 with the strut support.
I'll take my mini over an AR anyday because I know that it will always fire when I pull the trigger. I have not used any of the new AR's in combat but know several marines who just came back from Iraq who said they picked up the first AK that looked good. They were tired of the AR's jamming when they got dirty and didn't have the chance to strip and clean them.
Being a Gunsmith for over 10 years, I've never been all that impressed with the AR, even if they do hold great groups when worked on. The AR might be pretty darn good with the new piston conversion added, but your talking about $$$$.

Best Regards, John K

[dksac2]

An issue I neglected to mention is reloading. If you plan to reload ammo fired from a mini-14, you will need a very good brass catcher as this rifle throws brass in multiple directions for long distances. Mine will throw shells upto 75 ft. or more. This make finding the spent brass a BIG pain in the butt.

The Mini's do really throw the brass, especially the Ranch Models. There are smaller gas bushings made for the mini that really cut down on the distance the brass is thrown. They also make a lower gas block that is adjustable from not even extracting to throwing the brass into the next universe (about $100.00). The replacement gas bushings are about $20.00 and usually come in 3 sizes. The hole in the stock bushing is somewhere around .080 to .090". Going down to a bushing with a hole about .035" works pretty good. The bushings are easy to change. The 4 allen head screws on the block need to be removed. They may take a little force as most are staked in at the factory, so be careful not to break the screw. The bushings just set in a shallow hole in the lower gas block. When re assembling the gas block, the important thing is to adjust the gap on the block evenly and tighten down the screws in a cross pattern evenly. 32 to 35 INCH POUNDS (not foot pounds) is the correct torque. Put a drop of blue thread locker on the cleaned thread and holes in the block and they will not come loose. The accuracy of the mini is affected if the gas block is not even and the screws torqued correctly. Check your rifle, sometimes they are not all that even from the factory.
The gas bushings are not hard to make yourself from oil hardening drill rod. I don't remember the diameter, but it is a standard diameter rod. The stock bushing in my weapon was .0900" long. Yours may be slightly different. The hole in the middle is drilled with wire drills of the diameter that you want the hole to be. I ended up putting the stock bushing back in mine for maximum reliability. I made a cloth brass catcher with a wire frame that I put on the bench to catch the rounds. It keeps the rounds close by for easy pick up. Look at the other mini thread for how to build a stabilizing rod to get a major improvement for less than $30.00. A muzzle brake/flash suppressor helps accuracy also if they are legal in your state. The mason combo flash suppressor/brake worked the best on my rifle. I did have to squeeze it down a little for a tight fit on the barrel and tapped and threaded a hole on the bottom to put an allen head screw into because the mason brake pivoted on the roll pin that holds it on. I plan on sending my barrel and action out to have it cyro treated to relieve the stress in the barrel then thread the muzzle for a screw on brake. The cryo takes the stress out of the metal in the barrel so that when it heats up it does not string the shots like a non treated barrel. The Mason Brake is only about $20.00 and worth the money. If you do the barrel stablizing rod and brake, your groups will shrink and you will have far less stringing. The blocks do not work on the newer tapered barrel and I'm not aware of anyone making a muzzle brake for the new barrel either. Threading the barrel and screwing on a brake is the only option at this time if you want a brake/suppressor and doing so almost always improves the accuracy of the mini. Hope this helps.

Best regards, John K

[whtdragn]

Check out the DPMS sportical. I have a friend that picked one up on gunbroker for around 700. I doubt you will find a min 14 for less then 550 or so.

[gunsmoke]

To me the drawback to the Ruger MINI platform is availability of RELIABILE magazines.

I think they are great guns, but Ruger does not make their own mags they just put their name on mags that other companies make. OVER THE YEARS since the MINI was introduced in the 1970s there have beeen many more worthless junk magazines produced for the MINI platform than there have been good reliable ones.

Then there is a related issue which is the spare parts supply chain GOOD LUCK if anything goes wrong.

It all depends on your intended use, if this is going to be a truck gun with occasional plinking, hunting and training the MINI will serve you well.

If it is going to be a primary rifle, you might do better by saving your change up until you can afford something more robust with better parts and magazine availability.

[dksac2]

To me the drawback to the Ruger MINI platform is availability of RELIABILE magazines.

I think they are great guns, but Ruger does not make their own mags they just put their name on mags that other companies make. OVER THE YEARS since the MINI was introduced in the 1970s there have beeen many more worthless junk magazines produced for the MINI platform than there have been good reliable ones.

Then there is a related issue which is the spare parts supply chain GOOD LUCK if anything goes wrong.

It all depends on your intended use, if this is going to be a truck gun with occasional plinking, hunting and training the MINI will serve you well.

If it is going to be a primary rifle, you might do better by saving your change up until you can afford something more robust with better parts and magazine availability.

I've had no problems getting parts for my mini and have a set of replacement parts for almost anything that could break, be lost or fly. I can't see ever needing a new bolt or OP rod, just about everything else is readily available from several sources, www.brownells.com (http://www.brownells.com) being the best.
Magazines, true there were some junk mags made. Buy ruger or better know brands. I've had to do a little work on a couple of my mags, but would bet my life on any of the mags that I have. The mini may or may not be the best choice for a semi auto .223 or 6.8, but if you have one or can get one at a good price, there is no reason to shy away from the mini. I bought mine years ago, only had one box of ammo through it for $225.00. Being a skinny barreled version, it sat in the gun safe for years due to lousy groups (the new models group pretty good). After a few low cost mods, it now shoots MOA and has been 100% reliable. It's just my opinion, but I'd take the mini over any AR platform unless it had the gas piston conversion. The AR's are great when they are clean but drop it in the snow or dirt, use in a sand or dust storm and all bets are off. Not so with the mini. I've watched too many people who don't know enough about the maint required to keep an AR shooting bring their weapons into my shop. I've yet to have had a mini in the shop for any repair due to breakage or failure to shoot except for cheap mags. A problem which is easily fixed. Just my two cents.

Best regards, John K

[TackKS]

As was said above, watch out for the mags if you get a Mini-14. I recomend you ONLY buy Ruger Factory magazines.

With that said, they do cost a bit more than other mags. In fact, it may be cost advantageous to save a few more bucks and pick up an AR.