New Ruger Mini-14 Tactical

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Hugger-4641 said:

Agreed, but my assessment still stands, for me anyway.
If it's under 2moa, I might give $1200 for it, but I'd have to see more than one example to convince me.

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Probably is at 50 yds

Show Me said:

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Probably is at 50 yds

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Sad, but true.

Stay safe.

DustyRusty said:

Someone with this tactical rifle, please posts some groups at 100 yards please.

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I don't have the SKU Ruger is selling, but I bought a Ruger Tactical and then installed the Samson stock. The differences are my Ruger's barrel is 16.5" instead of 18" and I do not have the bayonet lug. Otherwise, it is the stainless gun with the birdcage flash-hider and the Samson stock. You can see some results I got with it in this thread:

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/reloading-for-a-mini-14.919969/page-3

Those results are with the Samson folding stock. I linked the last page that has some groups at 50 yards. I didn't want to shoot it at 100 yards because I felt that the result would reflect my inability to see the target clearly rather than what the rifle is capable of.

I bought the Mini-14 Tactical last year and paid $1230 including tax, shipping, and FFL transfer fee (I bought it from a big dealer on Gunbroker). Then I paid $299 plus $20 shipping for the Samson folding stock. So I think my total was $1530 (including tax and fees). Again, I didn't get the bayonet lug. Also, my barrel is 16.5" and threaded. I think the factory Ruger is the only way to get an 18" barrel that is threaded. FWIW, I prefer the shorter barrel. I might even like the AC-556 style SBR, but it's not worth the legal hassle and extra cost given the loss in velocity.

One considerable drawback of the Samson stock is the extra weight. This thing is not light. Looking at the folding Mini in pictures or a TV show, one might think it's lighter than it really is. The Mini-14 Tactical with the black polymer stock is 7 pounds. With the Samson folding stock, it's 8.2 pounds. Both my weights are with a Hannibal rail and Tech Sight, because I wasn't willing to take them off just to weigh. But you get an idea of how much heavier the folder is and that it's not an ultralight configuration despite the looks.

I appreciate that Ruger has brought back nickle-plated magazines. I bought nickle-plated Pro-Mags. Midway sells them for $22/20 round and $30/30 round. I bought a bunch with my birthday discount and they've all functioned flawlessly so far -- no issues with metal Pro Mags.

Birthday discount is good. Just got .223 and 7.62x39 wilson case guages to figure how oversized the mini chamber's are. They are

Spats McGee said:

You beat me to it.

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I mentioned in the thread on AR-15 vs. Mini-14 that the AR-15 has an image problem.
The Mini in general doesn't have a single stereotype, but once you put that folding stock on there, it can only mean one thing.

westernrover said:

I don't have the SKU Ruger is selling, but I bought a Ruger Tactical and then installed the Samson stock. The differences are my Ruger's barrel is 16.5" instead of 18" and I do not have the bayonet lug. Otherwise, it is the stainless gun with the birdcage flash-hider and the Samson stock. You can see some results I got with it in this thread:

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/reloading-for-a-mini-14.919969/page-3

Those results are with the Samson folding stock. I linked the last page that has some groups at 50 yards. I didn't want to shoot it at 100 yards because I felt that the result would reflect my inability to see the target clearly rather than what the rifle is capable of.

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I didn't notice but did you check how oversized the chamber is or how much the brass grows when fired compared to standard full length resize. My thirty is way over sized. Length and width. Blow out the brass and bring it back .005. Makes way more difference than powder. Talk about eye sight. Here is tonight's targets. 50yds open then I put the scope on. Sun was getting lower and that always affects my shooting. Same as I do for the Garands

I used fired brass and bumped it 0.001" in a full-length Type S bushing die. So, I know it fits well lengthwise, but I haven't paid a lot of attention to how much the brass is growing in diameter. I'm not going to neck-only size for a Mini, so I just didn't give it much thought. I suppose I could have the die honed out or something but I've got lower-hanging fruit to pick first.

I can see a clear difference in the accuracy of factory M193 and my handloads. I think that is primarily due to the bullet first (FMJBT vs SP) and the case fit second. The SP's I'm shooting are still BT with a cannelure (Hornady) and cheap - 11 cents a piece. Maybe if I shot Berger or Lapua flat-based OTM I could eliminate some fliers.

I suspect there are some powders and charge masses that can fail to meet my goals, but I don't think the powder aspect of my practice is going to give me more accuracy. If I'm way off, it can ruin my results, but if I find something that works, it's going to work within the other constraints that I have and not be the limiting factor. Someone else in a different situation could say they find a velocity node between 26.3 and 26.7 grains of such and such powder and that might reduce vertical stringing at 800 yards, but that doesn't really apply to me here. I would need to clear some larger obstacles to accuracy before those things would be relevant. Like how about the 6-pound trigger. I've already polished the sear, but I need to reduce the spring and bring it down to about 4.5 pounds because I doubt that I can shoot really tiny groups with a heavy trigger -- I think I'm reasonable to suspect that's a shortcoming of my own ability.

I dunno, the A-team never seemed to hit anything with them either! But seriously though, cool gun that scratches my inner childhood but not sure if the price tag is THAT cool