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Posted: 5/23/2025 11:38:27 AM EDT
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So, Anyone have one of these rifles and could offer feedback? Looking for reliability and realistic accuracy expectations with 55 grain ball and if one has shot or loaded some heavier loads, considering the 1n9 twist? Just interested in a stock gun, no tinkering, running it slick or maybe a 1-4 scope. Mark https://www.ruger.com/products/mini14RanchRifle/specSheets/5817.html |
| I had one. It was not really accurate. If the price was less it would be ok. However with ARs being cheaper than ever along with easy to replace parts and mags no point in getting a Ranch Rifle unless you just want to spend money. After market parts for the RR are limited. Finding spare parts are rare. Even if you could find one an extra firing pin needs to be hand fitted. Reliable mags are now cheaper than years ago but still only from Ruger. |
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I've owned 5 different pencil barrel models, none shot better than 1.5" average, but they all shot 1.5- 2" all the time. Every AR I've had has been more accurate. I have heard the 580 series are marginally more accurate, but there still appears to be a cottage industry of accurizing services being sold to attempt to bring them up to AR level accuracy. Every one was very reliable with good quality magazines. I preferred Ruger 20 round magazines for both function and balance. A benefit to their more traditional form factor is that they are not as "tall" as an AR, so they work better in a standard scabbard if that is a consideration. It's not an inherently accurate design with the gas block doubling as a stock bedding point, and they aren't a quiet rifle to walk with, the operating rod has generous clearances to the bolt that will rattle, unlike my surplus M1 which is much tighter. Would I buy one again to round out a collection? Yes Would I buy one of I couldn't own an AR variant? Yes Should Ruger find a way to make them more competitive in the market? Yes This is ARFCOM, I can recommend both. |
If your "conservative principles" are just to do whatever it takes to not anger leftists and tyrants, your neither principled, nor conservative-M70_Rifleman
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A few thoughts and observations: Ruger retooled their mini 14 production line with the 580 series and a year or so later in mid 580 production they switched to a heavier tapered barrel. Those mid 580 series and later 58X series are all solid 2 MOA five shot group rifles out of the box. They'll do a little better with quality ammo. The original 180 series Mini 14 (1974-1977) was much slimmer and lighter with a smaller gas port and a lighter weight slide and bolt than the subsequent 181 and later series. They have superb handling very similar to the M1 Carbine.    Ruger made the change because after they developed the semi auto Mini 14 they developed the select fire AC 556. They apparently decided it needed a heavier slide over gassed by a .080" gas port rather than the earlier .052" gas port and lighter slide. The larger slide also meant a larger gas block and a deeper, heavier stock. Worse, it meant a lot more energy and vibration as the increased mass of the heavier slide and bolt cycled while being overdriven by all that excess gas. Accuracy was the major casualty with the light weight pencil barrel. Consequently, while the 180 was a reliably accurate 2 MOA rifle, the 181 was a 3-4 MOA rifle. In 1986 Ruger also switched from a 1:10 twist to a 1:7 twist when mil-spec twist rates became all the range among people who just didn't know any better. Ruger eventually got a clue in 1997 and switched to a 1:9 twist like most of the rest of the .223 makers. Those 1:7 twist Mini 14s do particularly badly with bulk or surplus 55 gr FMJ ammo with very unimpressive 5 MOA accuracy. Less bad with 62 gr FMJs. And of course as the tooling wore, accuracy declined so they didn't gain much by the time they switched to 1:9 twist. Those earlier 1:10 twist Mini 14s can give very good accuracy (for the type, including the non match AR-15) but they need some work. The 184 series Mini 14 at the bottom got a SOCOM length Accu Strut, a Choate flash hider and front sight, an .045" gas port bushing, a shock buffer, and a Tech sights rear sight. With those changes, it shoots consistent 5 shot 1.5 MOA groups with Hornady 55gr BTFMJs. The 187 series ranch rifle above it got the same modifications and gives identical accuracy.  There are a lot of folks who like to bash the Mini-14 in comparison to the AR-15, but there are a lot of variables involved. There are for example a lot of low budget AR-15s and in particular M4geries out there that wont do better than 4-5 MOA with surplus or bulk 55 gr FMJ ammo. As an apples to apples comparison, the 187 ranch rifle as described above shoots the same 1.5 MOA 5 shot groups as my Colt SP1 20" AR-15 from the same era, and my Colt made M16A1 upper gives the same accuracy.  In my experience, the Mini14s are much more reliable than the AR-15 when it comes to real world dirt and sand. I never carried and M16A1 or A2 where I did not pull the rear pin and remove the bolt carrier to wipe it off and wipe out the upper receiver at every possible opportunity. I don't have that same compulsion / lack of confidence in the Mini 14. ----- The main disadvantage of the Mini 14 is cost, as Ruger is the sole source, while everyone and their dog makes an AR-15 copy with widely varying quality and results. But I would happily pick up another 1:10 twist Mini 14 or Ranch rifle, or buy a new one (post mid 580) series as you can expect 1.5-2.0 5 shot group accuracy with them, assuming you ammunition is decent quality. The other issue some folks have with the Mini 14 is the limited after market tacti-cool crap made for it. There are a couple railed upper handguards out there for them, as well as some clunky looking quad rail stocks but it isn't the adult Lego range toy that the AR-15 is. It was an still is intended to be a working rifle. Samson has brought back the old folding stock and it is a nice addition if you want a folding stock.  But for the most part it suffers from the same issue that largely killed the AR-180 in its resurrected AR-180B form. Its an excellent rifle, better than the original, but tis timing was bad as it was competing with cheap AR-15s when it was introduced, and again didn't appeal to the tacticool "gotta hang as much stuff as possible on it" crowd.  |
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Little to add to DakotaFAL's excellent post above. There certainly is a "cottage industry" concerning making accuracy-enhancing tweaks to the older "Pencil-Barrel" Minis. Mostly this means either shortening the barrel, or re-crowning or counterboring a barrel whose muzzle rifling was damaged by improper cleaning tools/technique. Not all Minis have damaged rifling at the muzzle, but a number of them do. Ensuring the muzzle rifling is GTG is a necessary first step in improving accuracy. A simple DIY project is to glue-in thin shims which remove any "slop" between receiver and stock. A lot of folks replace much too-wide .080" I.D. gas port with a much smaller (.040"-.045") I.D. gas port from Accuracy Systems Inc. Barrel Struts can work wonders on a "Pencil-Barrel" Mini, but the "Dual Clamp" units are far more effective than the single clamp units, as per the manufacturer, Accu-Strut Another DIY mod, especially if installing a Scout Rail (Samson, Ultimak) is to torque the gas block screws to 20-25 IN-LBS instead of the far-too-tight torque used on OEM gas block screws. The reduced torque on the gas block screws has been reliably reported to enhance accuracy slightly. Re-using gas block screws tightened to OEM specs invites their snapping, so suggest replacing the gas block screws. MUCH more info on Mini-14/Mini-30 forums on perfectunion.com and rugerforum.net |
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Originally Posted By mark5pt56: Excellent information! I appreciate it and have to decide if I want to spend the money or not, haha. Then I consider the 16" just to have threads for a FH, the 18" does give better ballistics and would have less concussion. Alternately, you could buy a slip-on short Choate "Recoil Compensator", either blued or Stainless steel, and skip buying a new front sight and also threading the barrel. The Front sight on the Choate is just as good as OEM Ruger FS, and the Flash Suppressor is actually A2 style unit. Will need careful installation, though, but likely cheaper than threading the barrel. This unit also has some advantages at putting a little more mass at the very end of the barrel, thus slightly reducing the amount of barrel whip. Much-favored amongst "Pencil-Barrel" users and others. |
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Originally Posted By raf: Yes, there are trade-offs with different length barrels. Cogburn Arsenal Makes some front sights that will "slip-on" a little further back down the barrel, and may allow threading the barrel. Suggest contacting them and supply desired I.D. of front sight. Alternately, you could buy a slip-on short Choate "Recoil Compensator", either blued or Stainless steel, and skip buying a new front sight and also threading the barrel. The Front sight on the Choate is just as good as OEM Ruger FS, and the Flash Suppressor is actually A2 style unit. Will need careful installation, though, but likely cheaper than threading the barrel. This unit also has some advantages at putting a little more mass at the very end of the barrel, thus slightly reducing the amount of barrel whip. Much-favored amongst "Pencil-Barrel" users and others. Makes me wonder if the 16" would exhibit better accuracy? Technically less vibration. So the stock port is .080 on the new ones? |
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Originally Posted By mark5pt56: Makes me wonder if the 16" would exhibit better accuracy? Technically less vibration. So the stock port is .080 on the new ones? Originally Posted By mark5pt56: Originally Posted By raf: Yes, there are trade-offs with different length barrels. Cogburn Arsenal Makes some front sights that will "slip-on" a little further back down the barrel, and may allow threading the barrel. Suggest contacting them and supply desired I.D. of front sight. Alternately, you could buy a slip-on short Choate "Recoil Compensator", either blued or Stainless steel, and skip buying a new front sight and also threading the barrel. The Front sight on the Choate is just as good as OEM Ruger FS, and the Flash Suppressor is actually A2 style unit. Will need careful installation, though, but likely cheaper than threading the barrel. This unit also has some advantages at putting a little more mass at the very end of the barrel, thus slightly reducing the amount of barrel whip. Much-favored amongst "Pencil-Barrel" users and others. Makes me wonder if the 16" would exhibit better accuracy? Technically less vibration. So the stock port is .080 on the new ones? If the longer barrel is "somehow" unsatisfactory in terms of accuracy, installing a dual clamp barrel strut will usually help fix things. Truth be told, most "heavy barrel" Mini-14 owners seldom find significant accuracy improvements after installing a dual-clamp barrel strut. OTOH, every rifle is different. AFAIK, Ruger still uses the .080" I.D. gas bushing/port on brand-new Mini-14s. Note that the Mini-30 always had a "heavy barrel" compared to earlier Mini-14s, and later Mini-30 barrels were slightly increased in barrel diameter. The gas bushing/port used on the Mini-14 is same Ruger Part Number as with the Mini-30. Most folks believe this to be a serious mistake on Ruger's part. Installing a smaller I.D. gas bushing/port onto the Mini will decrease battering of the action (and an optics attached) as well as diverting more gas behind the bullet, giving increased muzzle velocity and likely slightly increased effective range. Longer barrels will also increase bullet range/effectiveness. If all you want to do is install an effective flash suppressor (and the Mini greatly benefits from this), suggest the Short Choate device above and call it a day. Cheap and very effective alternative. If you want to install a sound-suppressor, then likely an adjustable gas block is in your future. This adjustability costs; see aforementioned ASI for examples. Threading the Muzzle, and possibly moving the front sight are both likely necessary in such case. Additional $$. Think ahead and plan ahead. FWIW, "cutting the barrel" on early "Pencil-Barreled" Mini-14s was a "thing" long ago. Cutting the barrel sometimes improved accuracy, but unknown if this was due solely to removing damaged muzzle. Nowadays, I never see any experienced Mini user suggesting cutting a decent condition "Heavy "Barrel" Mini to improve accuracy. We have more understanding now, and better tools/devices. |
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Really strange that Ruger does that with the gas port and bushing, seems like they would either conduct more in depth test along with user feedback, etc. One thing I did learn that James Sullivan had a part in the design, never knew! Now, slight switch, looks like the mini 30 and the .300 have better accuracy reports(supers on .300) I doubt I would play with a suppressor on any of these, like I said-slick, maybe an optic. |
| Nothing more than a simple defensive rifle, semi auto, reasonable accuracy and near flawless reliability. Any of the three calibers will do so if one or the other is the better fit, then I'm happy. I have plenty of AR based guns, just looking for something a bit different. Side note, maybe these configurations can stay in the pipeline longer in regards to "evil" features. I also want to define the accuracy, a standard AR can easily hold 2 Moa with 55 grain ball. Some can do better, some worse, if the Mini can do that without spending a bit of money, even the bushings, I would say it's a go. |
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Originally Posted By mark5pt56: Makes me wonder if the 16" would exhibit better accuracy? Technically less vibration. So the stock port is .080 on the new ones? My understanding is that Ruger went back to a smaller .052" gas port (like the original 180 series) on the 580 and later series. My 184 series Mini 14 had been shortened to 16" at some point before I acquired it but it still shot horrible 5" groups before I worked it over. Back in the day it was acknowledged that the Choate flash hiders added enough weight to the muzzle to reduce vibration and improve barrel harmonics and accuracy. Accu Strut does recommend the longer strut for more stability but it wasn't an option on a 16" barrel with the Choate Browning style flash hider. However, I took care to install the shorter SOCOM Accu Strut by milling divots for the set screws in the gas block and fitting it for zero play. If installed like that, you can install it on the gas block and get zero movement of the rod, even without the barrel clamps installed on it. |
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brought 2 5805s last month installed choate ar stocks 3x9x40 sig bdc promag 20 and 30mags. field report @50yds, 1-5"x2" groups with 55gr 193 and 62gr LAP had jams 1 per full 30 round mag (promag) no jams with ruger 5 rounders. cycling seems to be getting better after 300 rounds. am I pleased (owned 8 ARs)? so - so would I buy them again - no |
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Originally Posted By DakotaFAL: My understanding is that Ruger went back to a smaller .052" gas port (like the original 180 series) on the 580 and later series. My 184 series Mini 14 had been shortened to 16" at some point before I acquired it but it still shot horrible 5" groups before I worked it over. Back in the day it was acknowledged that the Choate flash hiders added enough weight to the muzzle to reduce vibration and improve barrel harmonics and accuracy. Accu Strut does recommend the longer strut for more stability but it wasn't an option on a 16" barrel with the Choate Browning style flash hider. However, I took care to install the shorter SOCOM Accu Strut by milling divots for the set screws in the gas block and fitting it for zero play. If installed like that, you can install it on the gas block and get zero movement of the rod, even without the barrel clamps installed on it. I'm not sure of this. Ruger is not forthcoming with I.D. measurements in their Owner's Manuals, nor specific parts numbers for the various gas bushings. OTOH, Accuracy Systems Inc (ASI) lists the same .085 I.D. gas bushing as OEM replacement for both Mini-14 and Mini-30. |
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Originally Posted By shasta69: brought 2 5805s last month installed choate ar stocks 3x9x40 sig bdc promag 20 and 30mags. field report @50yds, 1-5"x2" groups with 55gr 193 and 62gr LAP had jams 1 per full 30 round mag (promag) no jams with ruger 5 rounders. cycling seems to be getting better after 300 rounds. am I pleased (owned 8 ARs)? so - so would I buy them again - no @shasta69 Your particular Mini has a 1-9" Rate-of-Twist barrel: ROT Chart Suggest you experiment with different weight bullets and find out what it "likes". Original GI ROT for M-16 bbls, using 55-gn bullets, was 1-12" ROT. Later iterations used 1-7" ROT for 62-gn bullet. Consider using some very thin metal or hard plastic shims to reduce side-to-side play of the receiver within the stock. Detect side-to-side movement of receiver within the stock by unlatching and removing Trigger guard assy and trying to move receiver within the stock. Glue shims onto the inside of the stock; matching shims on each side. Trigger guard "should" offer some distinct resistance to fully closing about 1/4"-1/2" before being fully latched. If not present, stock may not be properly vertically clamped. Install some thin shims under the sides of the trigger group assy alongside mag well, and maybe between the rearmost point of the trigger group assy and the cut-out for it on the stock. Trial and error to find correct thickness of shims. Glue in place onto the stock when satisfied. Make sure to install some light grease on the "hooks" on the trigger guard assy which latch into recesses in the receiver. Lightly grease recesses, too. I've seen M1 Garands with similar lock-up ruined by lack of grease at these points. ProMag magazines vary in quality. Some folks have reported that dismantling them, cleaning them, sanding/filing rough spots on the follower helps. Some folks report mis-installed springs and occasionally springs far too long--cut too-long springs one coil at a time and test. Some folks report that using OEM Ruger Mini-14 followers helps (Midway). Another thing to consider is re-torquing the gas block screws to 25-30 IN/LBS, which is far less than OEM Ruger torque. Strongly suggest replacing OEM gas block screws with new ones, as original screws, being originally over-torqued, may snap. IIRC, 8-36 screws with 9/64" socket. Check this, please, or just buy the screws from Ruger or ASI. People have reported accuracy-enhancing benefits from doing this. Later on, you may wish to install a smaller than OEM I.D. gas bushing. You can re-use the new gas block screws in this event. |
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I appreciate the feedback on this, now it's a funding issue. I've decided to build a single shot .22 Benchrest gun and related equipment. I'm finding that's going to tough gathering the right parts and the wait. The Mini is sill in the works though along with moving out a couple things that I don't "need". The .22 has been a thought for sometime and evolving into a plan, see if that survives! Meanwhile the utility Ruger Ranch in 5.56 is one of the more useful items I have. |
Big girls make all your dreams come true!
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I briefly had a 586 serial range I think? It was a newer Ranch rifle, 16" barrel, thicker, stiffer. It was as accurate as a rack grade AR. 3 to 4" at 100 yards with good ammo. I had traded with a friend, he decided he wanted it back and traded me something else. Otherwise I would have hung onto it, it was a nice rifle. |
A true Texan would never leave his friends behind!
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Most modern "heavy" barreled Mini-14s shoot about 2 MOA out of the box, assuming decent ammo. My "much-modified" 186 series "Pencil-Barreled" Mini-14 will shoot about 2 MOA with high-quality ammo. If a brand-new modern Mini does not shoot about 2 MOA, use better quality ammo. Loads of accuracy tweaks for Minis exist, most being Low/No cost user-made tweaks. Trust me, I've done them all over the decades. |
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I bought one of these in the early90's before the AWB. The price was less than the AR's on the shop racks. The receiver on the Ranch Rifle (at the time) was slightly different than the standard Mini. The rear sight was a simple peep which required a screwdriver to adjust elevation. The receiver was optics ready and it came with 1" Ruger rings. Since it's an older model, it's accuracy decreased when it would heat up. An Accu-Strut was a major improvement. Currently I have a 1-4x lpvo on it. It's a 30mm tube which required Ruger 30mm factory rings. |
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Originally Posted By raf: Getting "broken-in"@ 300rds. @shasta69 Your particular Mini has a 1-9" Rate-of-Twist barrel: ROT Chart Suggest you experiment with different weight bullets and find out what it "likes". Original GI ROT for M-16 bbls, using 55-gn bullets, was 1-12" ROT. Later iterations used 1-7" ROT for 62-gn bullet. Consider using some very thin metal or hard plastic shims to reduce side-to-side play of the receiver within the stock. Detect side-to-side movement of receiver within the stock by unlatching and removing Trigger guard assy and trying to move receiver within the stock. Glue shims onto the inside of the stock; matching shims on each side. Trigger guard "should" offer some distinct resistance to fully closing about 1/4"-1/2" before being fully latched. If not present, stock may not be properly vertically clamped. Install some thin shims under the sides of the trigger group assy alongside mag well, and maybe between the rearmost point of the trigger group assy and the cut-out for it on the stock. Trial and error to find correct thickness of shims. Glue in place onto the stock when satisfied. Make sure to install some light grease on the "hooks" on the trigger guard assy which latch into recesses in the receiver. Lightly grease recesses, too. I've seen M1 Garands with similar lock-up ruined by lack of grease at these points. ProMag magazines vary in quality. Some folks have reported that dismantling them, cleaning them, sanding/filing rough spots on the follower helps. Some folks report mis-installed springs and occasionally springs far too long--cut too-long springs one coil at a time and test. Some folks report that using OEM Ruger Mini-14 followers helps (Midway). Another thing to consider is re-torquing the gas block screws to 25-30 IN/LBS, which is far less than OEM Ruger torque. Strongly suggest replacing OEM gas block screws with new ones, as original screws, being originally over-torqued, may snap. IIRC, 8-36 screws with 9/64" socket. Check this, please, or just buy the screws from Ruger or ASI. People have reported accuracy-enhancing benefits from doing this. Later on, you may wish to install a smaller than OEM I.D. gas bushing. You can re-use the new gas block screws in this event. Originally Posted By raf: Originally Posted By shasta69: brought 2 5805s last month installed choate ar stocks 3x9x40 sig bdc promag 20 and 30mags. field report @50yds, 1-5"x2" groups with 55gr 193 and 62gr LAP had jams 1 per full 30 round mag (promag) no jams with ruger 5 rounders. cycling seems to be getting better after 300 rounds. am I pleased (owned 8 ARs)? so - so would I buy them again - no @shasta69 Your particular Mini has a 1-9" Rate-of-Twist barrel: ROT Chart Suggest you experiment with different weight bullets and find out what it "likes". Original GI ROT for M-16 bbls, using 55-gn bullets, was 1-12" ROT. Later iterations used 1-7" ROT for 62-gn bullet. Consider using some very thin metal or hard plastic shims to reduce side-to-side play of the receiver within the stock. Detect side-to-side movement of receiver within the stock by unlatching and removing Trigger guard assy and trying to move receiver within the stock. Glue shims onto the inside of the stock; matching shims on each side. Trigger guard "should" offer some distinct resistance to fully closing about 1/4"-1/2" before being fully latched. If not present, stock may not be properly vertically clamped. Install some thin shims under the sides of the trigger group assy alongside mag well, and maybe between the rearmost point of the trigger group assy and the cut-out for it on the stock. Trial and error to find correct thickness of shims. Glue in place onto the stock when satisfied. Make sure to install some light grease on the "hooks" on the trigger guard assy which latch into recesses in the receiver. Lightly grease recesses, too. I've seen M1 Garands with similar lock-up ruined by lack of grease at these points. ProMag magazines vary in quality. Some folks have reported that dismantling them, cleaning them, sanding/filing rough spots on the follower helps. Some folks report mis-installed springs and occasionally springs far too long--cut too-long springs one coil at a time and test. Some folks report that using OEM Ruger Mini-14 followers helps (Midway). Another thing to consider is re-torquing the gas block screws to 25-30 IN/LBS, which is far less than OEM Ruger torque. Strongly suggest replacing OEM gas block screws with new ones, as original screws, being originally over-torqued, may snap. IIRC, 8-36 screws with 9/64" socket. Check this, please, or just buy the screws from Ruger or ASI. People have reported accuracy-enhancing benefits from doing this. Later on, you may wish to install a smaller than OEM I.D. gas bushing. You can re-use the new gas block screws in this event. THANKS! |
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