Why does Ruger not go ahead and make a M-14
- Thread starter yesit'sloaded
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Ruger won't make an M-14 because people that buy one expect to buy an accurate rifle, not a mini-14. 
Very funny, very true. I was looking at a pretty S&W 1911 the other day, right up to the part where the dustcover said "WARNING Capable of firing with magazine removed" Hmmm, all these years I considered it a feature not a hazard. Are there really that many cops used to playing with their mag disconnect guns that shoot themselves with 1911's then say "It just went off?"
Very funny, very true. I was looking at a pretty S&W 1911 the other day, right up to the part where the dustcover said "WARNING Capable of firing with magazine removed" Hmmm, all these years I considered it a feature not a hazard. Are there really that many cops used to playing with their mag disconnect guns that shoot themselves with 1911's then say "It just went off?"
why dont they make an m-1a? ... because it would suck, it would have a skiny litle straw of a barrel that would heat up and shoot all over the place after 5 rounds. because it would only take 5 round magazines, because they look down at people that want to protect themselves.
RevolvingCylinder
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If Ruger made an M-14, I'd probably buy it.
Baron357
Member
Navy joe, Being from Assachusetts I can tell you that MA politics is why that is on the gun. The Liberals think we can't handle ourselves.
Gator
Member
The Mini-14 is NOT a "smaller version" of the M-14. They both have rotating bolts, but otherwise are completely different rifles. The Mini is styled after the M-14, but the similarities are only cosmetic.
Ruger tried to up-size the Mini to .308, but the Mini's shortcomings were magnified along with the size. The XGI was horribly inaccurate.
jpwilly
Member
Ruger should smarten up and build one! The SA is $1400+ I'd by a Ruger M14 for $600-$700 in 308 as long as the magority of the rifle was a faithful reproduction kinda like the Norinco! I don't care about the politics...bring on the rifles and pass the ammo please! By the way Taurus entered the 1911 market that was already flooded with Colt, SA, Kimber, Para, Rock Island etc and has done very well!
Detritus
Member
Never happen... the costs involved in making a "faithful repro" of the M-14 make sure that we'll never see an american made one for less than what the SA M1A is going for.
Keep in mind that a major part of why Polytech and Norinco clones were as cheap as they were was b/c they were/are being produced by VERY cheap labor. not possible in the states.
Any company attempting to enter the M14/M1A market would have to set up an entirely new production line for such a product. and we the consumers would have to eat the additional costs involved in that.
For these reasons we'll never see a NIB american made M-14 clone for under $1K again.
jpwilly
Member
Okay! Forget Ruger then - let's beg Taurus to build them in Brazil with Forged and MIM parts like their 1911! Should be able to do since SA is also in Brazil.
cracked butt
Member
If Ruger made one for cheaper than SA, I still wouldn't buy one unless they made one that would take standard-cap GI mags which you could bet is something Ruger would never allow for.
Mannlicher
Member
biggest problem now with M1A ownership (or any rifle that uses the same cartridge) is the lack of 7.62 NATO milsurp ammo at a price that anyone can afford.
cbsbyte, ****EDITED**** (I respectfully disagree with your opinion
)He has come up with several GREAT designs. Such as the red label shotguns, super blackhawk (what other revolver at the time could you shoot nuclear reloads through and not have steel and fire in your face?)
And the Mark I .22 is not a Nambu. That's like saying that a TT-33 is a copy of a 1911, which it is NOT. And the mini-14's similarity with the m14 ends with the way it looks. Just like a hi-power looks 'similar' to a 1911 yet are completely different.
and before you go saying Ruger is crap, last I heard, Ruger also makes the castings for Caspian 1911s
No, he's no John Browning, but he did make AFFORDABLE firearms that "ordinary citizens' could buy. Back in the day you just try to buy a 1911 or hi-power from Colt with some extra cash back then
They wern't exactly 'affordable'
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Gator
Member
Ooh, I missed that the first time around. Other than they both have a rear cocking piece, they have nothing in common mechanically.
Glockfan.45
member
Ha......why no new M14 clones you ask
The reason nobody is building new M14 clones is simple. One only needs to buy a box of .308 to learn the answer. I cannot and nor can most people afford to plink with .308 nowdays. Hell I bought a 9mm upper just so I could afford to shoot my ARs more than once a month.
I share the sentiment of other posters here who proclaim that Ruger can rot in Hell for all I care (so can Smith & Wesson while were at it). Bill Ruger sold us out plain and simple. And to those of you who say "but they just did what they had to to survive" I have a bridge to sell you. If Ruger just did what they had to to survive the last AWB then why does a 20rnd mini14 mag still cost $40 or more today........nearly 4 years after the sunset? Ruger hates you just as much as Hk. Maybe they could get Jim Zumbo to be their new spokesman.
The reason nobody is building new M14 clones is simple. One only needs to buy a box of .308 to learn the answer. I cannot and nor can most people afford to plink with .308 nowdays. Hell I bought a 9mm upper just so I could afford to shoot my ARs more than once a month.
I share the sentiment of other posters here who proclaim that Ruger can rot in Hell for all I care (so can Smith & Wesson while were at it). Bill Ruger sold us out plain and simple. And to those of you who say "but they just did what they had to to survive" I have a bridge to sell you. If Ruger just did what they had to to survive the last AWB then why does a 20rnd mini14 mag still cost $40 or more today........nearly 4 years after the sunset? Ruger hates you just as much as Hk. Maybe they could get Jim Zumbo to be their new spokesman.
Grunt
Member
Bill Ruger was a great gun designer, and he knew how to deflect scurity and criticism from his product with a well timed BS political statement /business descision. his statements about 10rd mags and the famous "no man needs a pistol smaller than a canned ham" comment fall into this category.
Ruger didn't really "support the AWB" but he could read the 10 foot high writing on the wall and knew dang well one was coming. so he got out ahead of the thing and made statements to make it seem to the politicians that he was 'not as unreasonable about things as his competitors"
he knew realisticly that with a very little bit of forethought and planning production wise that the Mini-14/30 could transition into and survive during an AWB, with little to no interuption or loss of profit.
So why SHOULDN'T he milk that fact for all it's worth.
in other words Bill Ruger was a businessman, not a politican or lobbyist. and made the aforementioned statements b/c they made good buisness sense.
Welcome to capitalism.
During the 1930s and 40's, some Jews worked WITH the Nazis and their "final solution" by turning in other Jews and helping with assigning their own people to face extermination in the death camps. Their defense was that they were doing this in order to stay alive in Nazi Germany but does that really excuse their crimes either?
We are willing to criticize companies that prohibit firearms on company property, Wal-Mart for importing Chinese goods, K-Mart for hiring Rosie O'Donnel, Rosie O'Donnel for her views on gun control and so on and so forth especially when folks like these somehow threaten our rights but when it comes to what we like, and some folks like Rugers, we are willing to give them a pass on their actions. We make all kinds of excuses, "it was not meant seriously", "it was a wise business decision", "it was to ensure his company's survival", "Bill Ruger Sr. is dead now" (although I still don't see Ruger firearms selling high capacity magazines directly to the public) and so on and so forth. Excuses...
Ruger didn't really "support the AWB" but he could read the 10 foot high writing on the wall and knew dang well one was coming. so he got out ahead of the thing and made statements to make it seem to the politicians that he was 'not as unreasonable about things as his competitors"
he knew realisticly that with a very little bit of forethought and planning production wise that the Mini-14/30 could transition into and survive during an AWB, with little to no interuption or loss of profit.
So why SHOULDN'T he milk that fact for all it's worth.
in other words Bill Ruger was a businessman, not a politican or lobbyist. and made the aforementioned statements b/c they made good buisness sense.
Welcome to capitalism.
During the 1930s and 40's, some Jews worked WITH the Nazis and their "final solution" by turning in other Jews and helping with assigning their own people to face extermination in the death camps. Their defense was that they were doing this in order to stay alive in Nazi Germany but does that really excuse their crimes either?
We are willing to criticize companies that prohibit firearms on company property, Wal-Mart for importing Chinese goods, K-Mart for hiring Rosie O'Donnel, Rosie O'Donnel for her views on gun control and so on and so forth especially when folks like these somehow threaten our rights but when it comes to what we like, and some folks like Rugers, we are willing to give them a pass on their actions. We make all kinds of excuses, "it was not meant seriously", "it was a wise business decision", "it was to ensure his company's survival", "Bill Ruger Sr. is dead now" (although I still don't see Ruger firearms selling high capacity magazines directly to the public) and so on and so forth. Excuses...
Neo-Luddite
Member
Investment cast .308---I'll pass.
They finally seem to have un-&^%$ed the mini-14 after 35 years of production.
Maybe if they got off their high horse and sold a 'fixed' k-mini w/ a factory folder to us poor plebians they would have innovated enough for this decade.
Warning: This Post is spiteful and snarky--but Sturm, Ruger started it.
They finally seem to have un-&^%$ed the mini-14 after 35 years of production.
Maybe if they got off their high horse and sold a 'fixed' k-mini w/ a factory folder to us poor plebians they would have innovated enough for this decade.
Warning: This Post is spiteful and snarky--but Sturm, Ruger started it.
Car Knocker
Member
Yeah, those "Colt" High Powers were really, really expensive, and are really, really rare today!
blackhawk2000
member
If Bill Ruger is such a great designer, then why couldn't he make the M14 clone work? All the design work was already done for him. Doesn't sound so great to me.
Bill can rot in hell. Business decision or not. You don't sleep with the devil today, and not expect to get burned tomorrow.
Bill can rot in hell. Business decision or not. You don't sleep with the devil today, and not expect to get burned tomorrow.
Gator
Member
Simple. Ruger never designed, or built, an M-14 clone, never. If you are referring to the XGI, that was an upsized Mini-14, and not an M-14, they are two completely different rifles.
rhubarb
Member
Yeah, Bill Ruger was motivated by his business savvy. That's why Ruger's in on the AR-15 market, which wildly outsells the Mini 14. He might have pulled his little "10 round" stunt to give the inferior Mini 14 a chance against a superior platform. I for one wouldn't say that encouraging the government to regulate your competition is good business.
I have two pre-ban factory Ruger 15 round magazines for my Ruger P95.
I would like to see more affordable modular semi-auto rifles in .308. Hmm, like AR-15s. I'm not so enamored of the M14. Maybe in all their business wisdom, Ruger understands that.
I have two pre-ban factory Ruger 15 round magazines for my Ruger P95.
I would like to see more affordable modular semi-auto rifles in .308. Hmm, like AR-15s. I'm not so enamored of the M14. Maybe in all their business wisdom, Ruger understands that.
Hunter0924
Member
Well I can see yall really dislike Ruger but there is no arguing Ruger makes fine firearms. Redhawk, Blackhawk, GP 100, SP 101, Vaquero, 10/22 and the Mini 14. All quality firearms as well as others. The Mini 14 is a great rifle for what is was designed for. Is it a Colt HBar? No but it also is much less expensive. I have had some nice groups at 100 yards using Hornady 55gr FMJ loaded with IMR 4895. I have several shooting buddys with the Ruger Semi auto pistols and though they do not have the romance of a Government Model they do work.
I am a Ruger fan.
I am a Ruger fan.
SSSOOOOOOO , in all his wisdom he sold the Law Abiding gun owning public down the river . Shows he had no back bone to stand and fight . A voice as loud as his MIGHT have helped rather than hurt .
If I did not like the 10/22 so much I would dump it for a TC ............
Detritus
Member
Never said i LIKED or in anyway agreed with his actions/decisions.
I grew up on Ruger products, and wind up hard pressed at times to see the point of paying 2x as much for the same amount of gun over the issues raised here. That said the only ruger i'm likely to ever buy new (as opposed to inheriting) would be if i decide to get another O/U shotgun i'll get a red label.
Oh and of the rest of the Ruger guns that i stand to inherit, only three were made after 1976.
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