Suitability of Ruger Mini 14 Rifles and .223 Ammo

Self ^ | 10-2-2001 | Don Myers

[Don Myers]

This is a pure vanity. We have been doing a lot of talking about terrorism and the "war." I have two Ruger Mini 14s. Well, one is a Ranch Rifle and one is a Mini 14. They are virtually the safe rifle with minor differences. I have not even been able to fire them yet. A local police agency turned them in to a local gun store. I think that I should have bought more of them. The Ranch rifle has a scope.

Anyway, I am sure there are many of you who have these guns. I am curious as to what you think about the suitability of the gun and the ammo in a self-defense role in which rifles may be used. There may be a time when a rifle may be necessary to repel multiple hostiles.

[Travis McGee]

The .223 goes through kevlar, which pistols, SMGs, and shotguns won't.

A 30 round mag of .223 puts out a hail of lead comparable to a shotgun at shotgun ranges, and keeps right on hitting out past 200 yards.

400 rounds of 223 weighs less than 200 rounds of .308, not counting even the extra weight of the .308 battle rifle.

Since we will not be carrying 4 or 5 guns and ammo types on us when TSHTF, I'd just take the .223.

[PatrioticAmerican]

The 45 rules only if well trained and using tactical techniques, but the 223 can be effective using sloppy techniques by anyone. A 45 won't penetrate armor, and a head shot is not always possible. A 223 will penetrate most armor.

[JeepInMazar]

stainless steel (then painted black with engine paint)

Why in the world did you paint your stainless steel black?

[stlrocket]

Anyone interested in info on the H&K Super Sniper Rifle? Pix of H&K Details H&K Text Enjoy

[JeepInMazar]

I've got a Ruger Mini 30 and the last time I shot it using the cheap Russion ammo, half the rounds did not fire. I tried the same ammo with a cheap SKS and every round fired without a problem. Is it a problem with the firing pin on my Mini 30? or does it just not like the cheap Russian ammo? Any suggestions?

[Eastbound]

Lurker, how well would a 62 grain hold with a 223 custom 5-twist long barrel? What pattern should I get at 300 yards? Thanks.

[SBprone]

Don, I don't have hands-on experience with the Mini but I have an Armscorp M14 and it sounds like maybe something in the stock is interfering with the op rod. If you purchased this rifle in a local shop I would take it in and have it checked by a gunsmith. If it's what I think it is it won't be hard to fix.

[Don Myers]

Thanks, I will do that.

[Travis McGee]

I have to have stainless for a salt water boat gun, but no way do I want a shiny silver rifle! It ain't about pretty.

(Black paint for engines and barbeques will stay put on stainless forever. The little that rubs off, who cares.

I did invest in a far superior combination front sight/flash suppressor. The sight is much "finer" than the crude mini post sight, with protective "wings" on each side which also help get on target faster, I find. Sort of "brackets" the target.

The flash suppressor is CRITICAL!! If you shoot in low light, the bare ended barrel puts out a flame like an oronge basketball yelling "I'm over here! Shoot over here!"

[PatrioticAmerican]

Where a formal "flash suppressor" is not legal, a compensator will do just fine. A little known fact to the Marxist who hates flash suppressors is that many compensators accomplish the same thing. The AK-74 (not 47) comp does very well at flash suppression.

[xm177e2]

You can always have your mini-14 upgraded if you are willing to pay a couple hundred dollars... but for that price, an AR would serve your needs far better.

[Travis McGee]

They are better than nothing, and vary widely in their funneling of gas and light, but nothing hides the light like a regular slitted flash suppressor like those on the M-16 variants. They cut that light down from a glowing basketball to 6 little winks. That is really one accessory I would buy.

[Travis McGee]

I love these barrel stroking threads, but in the end, it's 80% man and 20% gun.

How long until some of those Dilbert clerks and cooks "guarding" our airports and bridges have their unloaded M-16A2s taken away by gangbangers with .32s?

[KitJ]

Travis says:"The .223 goes through kevlar, which pistols, SMGs, and shotguns won't. A 30 round mag of .223 puts out a hail of lead comparable to a shotgun at shotgun ranges, and keeps right on hitting out past 200 yards. 400 rounds of 223 weighs less than 200 rounds of .308, not counting even the extra weight of the .308 battle rifle. Since we will not be carrying 4 or 5 guns and ammo types on us when TSHTF, I'd just take the .223."

That's a fact. I was writing from the perspective of my own circumstances, which is a suburban neighborhood. Pistol and shotgun territory. On the outskirts, a .30 cal for range.
Your .223 is a good, all-around caliber for defense at 300 yards or less, but not suited to my situation. (don't get me wrong, I love the M-16, but for the average Joe, it is a very specialized weapon for use under not-general conditions...

Kit.

[PatrioticAmerican]

Are they legal in Kalifornia? No argument here that a regular FS is best, just wanted to ensure people who might be afraid to take one to the range that the AK-74 comp is a great second choice. Also, good ammo makes for no flash with even a poor FS. As triple based powders are hard to find, and not always all that good ballistics wise, a reloader can make use of excellent powders such as benchmark and achieve near perfect results. Using Benchmark and the AK-74 comp, the flash signature on a 16" bbl AR is nothing.

[xm177e2]

For people who want a little more range from their AR-15s, has anyone ever considered making one in 6.5x55mm? You can get Federal ammo for that in 120gr that has the same exact trajectory as their .308 168gr, and it has more power than the .223 (although the .223 has plenty).

I know there is the SR-25, but has anyone tried to make an AR in an intermediate caliber? I guess 7.62x39mm is basically intermediate, but the 6.5x55mm would have more range.

If you had an SR-25, how difficult would it be to have it set to accept 6.5x55mm? (I don't own an SR-25, this is a hypothetical, if I did have an SR-25, I don't think I would do anything to it!)

[Cloud William]

I've got a Ruger Mini 30 and the last time I shot it using the cheap Russion ammo, half the rounds did not fire. I tried the same ammo with a cheap SKS and every round fired without a problem. Is it a problem with the firing pin on my Mini 30? or does it just not like the cheap Russian ammo? Any suggestions?

That is a known problem with the Mini-30. The military surplus ammo has harder primers than commercial "sporting" ammo and the Ruger sometimes doesn't strike the firing pin hard enough to achieve ignition. The SKS, being designed around the military ammo, has a more robust hammer spring, heavier hammer, etc. - no problem there.

It's not the firing pin that causes the problem, it's the hammer spring. Check with Wolff Gunsprings for a stiffer hammer spring for your Mini-30. The message boards at shooters.com may have some Mini-30 tech info, too.

Hope this helps.

[PatrioticAmerican]

"How long until some of those Dilbert clerks and cooks "guarding" our airports and bridges have their unloaded M-16A2s taken away by gangbangers with .32s?"

hehehe - A great mental image: "gimme that riffel, sucka!" Or in that classic Die Hard scene "Now I've got a machine gun!" (It was Die Hard, wasn't it ?)

[xm177e2]

in the end, it's 80% man and 20% gun

I think everyone knows this, but the people who are lacking on the "man" end don't like to dwell on it.

They like instead to talk about who has the most expensive holo-sighted sniper AR which they can't shoot to anywhere near its capability...

of course, I'm not exactly Rambo myself, so I think I'll take something from Wilson Combat...

[Travis McGee]

I just looked at the Clark page you linked, and all I can think is "why"? The Mini-14 is a Chevy Nova, and there is no point in trying to make it a super stock.

Except for my flash suppressor/front sight combo.

And maybe my old Choate folding stock, which I took off to make it legal in Kali. (Without that folding stock, the velocity went from 3250fps to 900fps. Or that's what Gray Davis must think. I never could figure that crazy law out.)