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Ruger Mini-14 question....

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  • ScottDLS

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    Better buy another one because parts for them are about @ that point. With no supply of parts coming from Ruger or anyone else. Even M-2 Carbines fetch more then a Mini 14!
    The parts are interchangeable with the Mini-14 except for the full auto mechanism and in my case the 11 1/2“ bbl. Are you saying Reger is no going to sell the Mini-14 either?
     

    baboon

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    The parts are interchangeable with the Mini-14 except for the full auto mechanism and in my case the 11 1/2“ bbl. Are you saying Reger is no going to sell the Mini-14 either?
    What series have Mini-14 gotten to? I had a Liberty that was a 180 series. Ruger themselves said they would no longer support the ACC 5.56. As they figured out ways to cut cost with the newer parts not all the newer parts are going to be compatible.

    For even Mac’s being worth more then your ACC because of more adaptability with the Lage uppers, it something you might consider.
     

    LinuxAssailant

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    I stayed away from the mini-14 as I understand the mags have get be rocked in correctly or they don't seat, like the AK, not to mention the price of new mags is greatly higher than GI surplus AR mags. Just seemed a bit more concerning-fiddly, for emergency situations...
     
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    KJQ6945

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    The parts are interchangeable with the Mini-14 except for the full auto mechanism and in my case the 11 1/2“ bbl. Are you saying Reger is no going to sell the Mini-14 either?
    Like Baboon is saying, very few parts on an AC will interchange with a current production mini 14. Your AC is probably a series 190 or 191. Current production guns are like series 580. Ruger basically started to quit servicing them in 2009, because they no longer have the parts. Because they are fairly complicated guns, that weren’t mass produced, they can be a little finicky. I believe that’s why they have historically been fairly affordable.
     

    ScottDLS

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    What series have Mini-14 gotten to? I had a Liberty that was a 180 series. Ruger themselves said they would no longer support the ACC 5.56. As they figured out ways to cut cost with the newer parts not all the newer parts are going to be compatible.

    For even Mac’s being worth more then your ACC because of more adaptability with the Lage uppers, it something you might consider.

    I have a MAC10/9 too ;-)

    But your point is well taken. I have a part catalog for Mini-14 that I got from Ruger after they dropped support for the AC-556 (I'm kicking myself for not sending it to them for refurb, before then. I also have a Mini-14 that I bought in '85 used and I think by serial was manufactured in '83. I have a letter (I'll have to dig up) from Ruger with the details of my AC including date of manufacture...I think '82.

    Anyway, the parts that are interchangeable between Mini-14's and AC556 should be around for a long time given the millions of Mini's sold. It's not like a pre-68 MP44 or something.
     

    ScottDLS

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    Like Baboon is saying, very few parts on an AC will interchange with a current production mini 14. Your AC is probably a series 190 or 191. Current production guns are like series 580. Ruger basically started to quit servicing them in 2009, because they no longer have the parts. Because they are fairly complicated guns, that weren’t mass produced, they can be a little finicky. I believe that’s why they have historically been fairly affordable.

    I wasn't aware that the MIni-14's had changed that much. I also have a Mini-14 that I bought in 1985, and I have a parts catalog from Ruger for it (though they sent it to me a few years ago...maybe 7-8 years ago...it was after 2009 when AC support stopped. I have replaced some minor parts like screws on both and an op-rod spring on the mini. Honestly the guns are not that complicated perhaps with the exception of the trigger group, sear, and burst cam in the AC. With the prices that full-auto's fetch these days it is at the point where you could pay a machinist to fabricate one off parts. There's supposedly a "07/02" FFL Dealer/Manufacturer in Pennsylvania that buys sells and works on AC-556's as specialty. Mines in pretty good shape, but one piece that scares me is the little sheet metal link between the selector switch and the sear/burst mechanism. It's really flimsy and I feel like I could bend it when I'm putting the trigger group back into the stock when I'm done cleaning it. The friggin gun is so loud (I have a 11 1/2 bbl folder) that I rarely shoot it any more (also price of ammo). I did get a Ciener .22 conversion, but it is finicky in burst and full auto, though fun as hell.
     

    Tnhawk

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    I have a mini-14 6.8 that I bought years ago but haven't shot very often. Ruger only sold 5 round mags to the public and after market mags haven't worked well.
     

    ScottDLS

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    I have a mini-14 6.8 that I bought years ago but haven't shot very often. Ruger only sold 5 round mags to the public and after market mags haven't worked well.
    I'm not sure for the 6.8, but for .223 they've been selling factory mags for a while in 20rd and 30 rd. The way that mags insert in the Mini-14 is kind of weird, but with the factory mags and high quality after market ones I never had any problems with mine since I bought it in '85. I did get a couple of cheap steel ones supposedly pre-94 ban and not post 2004, and they sucked.
     

    ScottDLS

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    The "A" Team loved the mini 14. They had at least two or three in just about every episode.

    I always kind of wondered if it was an AC-556. I bought my first gun in 1985 and it was a used Mini-14 stainless with an aftermarket flash hider like the one on A-Team. I walked in looking to buy an M1 carbine, but the gun store owner talked me into the Mini. 20 years later I bought a full auto AC-556 folder to go with it.
     

    CyberWolf

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    The "A" Team loved the mini 14. They had at least two or three in just about every episode.
    Damn dude more Hollyweirds interpretation of hundreds of rounds without reloading and a bunch of explosions with no one getting hurt! Not even in the 3-4 rollovers!
    Enjoyed watching that show as a kid, but they sure didn't do Ruger any favors with impressions of accuracy!
     

    baboon

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    I always kind of wondered if it was an AC-556. I bought my first gun in 1985 and it was a used Mini-14 stainless with an aftermarket flash hider like the one on A-Team. I walked in looking to buy an M1 carbine, but the gun store owner talked me into the Mini. 20 years later I bought a full auto AC-556 folder to go with it.
    We buy what we like! Hopefully it works to our advantage!
     
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