5.56 o.k. through a Mini-14?

[Stainless Chili]

I keep hearing about how this is a coyote rifle,
something to keepthe critters at bay on the ranch.

And it is listed as a .223

Everybody has said 5.56 NATO is loaded to a higher pressure than .223, and is 0.02" longer

Now, the question. If it written in stone anywhere that 5.56 NATO is fine in a Mini-14? I have a NIB rifle coming, due here in a week.

And I want to get an order into ammoman.com.

Thanks!

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Have to look at it again---but pretty sure it says 5.56 right on the rifle.


I wouldn't worry about it much----all my Mini has ever had through it is surplus stuff.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

5.56 has a longer leade than .223 and is loaded a little hotter. Combine the two and you may see some signs of overpressure (problems extracting, popped primers). By and large though, it should work OK except you might see the occasional functioning issue.

 

[Mannlicher]

My Ranch rifle is marked (223), as are all or most Ranch rifles. I believe the others are marked 5.56. The factory manual says that the Mini is chambered for EITHER the 223 Remington (5.56 military) cartridge OR the 222 Remington.
Ruger evidently feels that the 223 and 5.56 are interchangeable. I have shot commercial 223, as well as a lot of mil surp, and I have never been able to tell any difference.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

XM-193 runs fine in my 182-series Mini-14, which is marked .223. If your rifle is anything like mine I suspect it won't be finicky when it comes to ammo.

 

[mete]

The Ruger is throated so that it will be safely used with either 223 or 5.56.

 

[f4t9r]

+1

 

[Tady45]

I use them all the time... No problem...barrel does get a bit hot however..Ruger does need to make a "heavy barrel" for this rifle...

 

[chopinbloc]

i've put thousand of round of xm193 through mine with no issues.

 

[benEzra]

I've used plenty of SS109 and M855 through my 188-series Ranch Rifle, with no problems at all. It's designed to be used with either .223 or 5.56x45 spec ammunition, and works fine with both.

FWIW, the mini has a too-light barrel, but a very strong action. A friend once (accidentally) gave me a magazine full of his dad's uber-hot reloads--after the fact, the dad said they were "5 grains over" (!). I fired a few rounds successfully, and my rifle didn't blow up, but the third or fourth round locked the bolt up so tight I had to use both hands to open it. Gave those back ASAP and the rifle wasn't any worse for wear...and it has never malfunctioned with non-kamikaze loads...

 

[MrDig]

Quoting My Drill Instructor

"You see before you one M16-A1 Rifle It is a select fire weapon meaning it can fire in Semi and Fully automatic modes. It Fires a 5.56x45 mm NATO round (Thats 223 Remington for all you Hillbillys, Sod Busters, and Cousin Kissers.)"
I have yet to see a weapon in 223 or 308 for that matter that will not fire NATO ammo safely. Some of these rounds MAY have Corrosive powder or be Tracer rounds (Coated with Phosphorous) or some other additive for Military purposes, and will do damage if the weapon is not properly Cleaned and cared for. I don't have experience with Special rounds like Tracer and such in a rifle made for 223 but I know this I have fired a Mini-14 that ate Surplus 5.56x45 FMJ like it had an endless appetite.
The Only time I had a problem was with a specific ammunition made in So. America. It was Cavim, Venezualan, made 7.62x51. It Said 308 NATO but the neck and shoulder of the rounds were different from the 308 NATO I had that was made here in the States. I have not experienced any other manufacture of 7.62x51 NATO that has the same problem.
The lesson there is sometimes a penny a round is more trouble than spending a little more on better ammo.

 

[Stainless Chili]

I ordered 500 rounds of SS109 this morning

I'll pick up some plain-jane .223 [55gr?] down the road and check the difference in recoil and groups.

I'm pretty excited about the rifle. First new one I've bought.
Even has the evil factory threaded barrel and flash hider.

 

[Werewolf]

What about using 5.56 in a Bolt Action rifle chambered for .223?

 

[Nicky Santoro]

5.56 o.k. through a Mini-14?
Absolutely!

 

[jobu07]

Even has the evil factory threaded barrel and flash hider.

Woah. When did they start doing that? That's pretty slick! I'll have to pick up a new mini sooner than later then.

 

[Cortland]

Even has the evil factory threaded barrel and flash hider.

So is this a new rifle or a GB?

 

[MM]

Bartholomew,

What is a "longer leade"?
SatCong

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

What is a "longer leade"?

Leade is basically the same as "throat" which in turn is defined as:

Inside the chamber, the distance between the end of the case neck and the first point cut into the rifled portion of the barrel coinciding with the barrel's land (rifling) diameter

 

[Stainless Chili]

So is this a new rifle or a GB?

What's a "GB"? A Government Barrel?

It's a "Government" model. Bought for an LE contract that didn't happen.

It "fell through", a term I've never really understood.

It has a stock flash hider, affixed to a threaded barrel.
½ x 28 TPI, I recall the FFL telling me. The usual standard, I've been led to believe, in most smaller calibers.

So, all I need is to sell a couple handguns to buy the $650 suppressor and the $200 Stamp.

I'm not looking to surpress this, though. Maybe I would, but a root canal and a cap is the enemy of my firearm collecting.

I had a tough time finding the list price, since it is not on
Ruger's web site; at least, I did not find it. So I just went for it. Got a good deal, too, it turns out.

Imagine, 2:00 A.M., a huge old raccoon is squaring off on the front porch with your wife's cat, feed bowl between them.

The final solution, without waking the neighbors!