If Ruger brought to market a Tactical model in .223/5.56, with a 18.5" heavy profile barrel. Would you buy one?

Nope. I own 2 Mini 14's NRA Editions and they shoot fine for what they are. I am not interested in throwing any money at them to chase bullseyes with em' all day.
I am actually far more interested in spending money on a Mini 14 .300 for some asinine reason.

My preference in a redesigned Mini 14 is a barrel which is cylindrical and uniform in its outside dimension. O.D. of .75" At a length of 16 1/2", muzzle threaded with a standard thread pitch.

I like Ruger's stainless steel models. And I have a Ranch Rifle. In s/s.

Nope.

I had the heavy barrel 10/22 target.  It didn't shoot very good at all.  

Don't try to make a silk purse from a sow's ear.

My opinion is mine alone.  Yours may differ and that's not a problem for me.  



That said, to me, heavy barreled carbines, whether they be ARs, other Mil weapons, or Minis just don't make sense.  A carbine by definition should be small, compact, light weight, and maneuverable.  Adding a bunch of junk to a carbine or adding weight to it via a heavy barrel just violates it's basic nature to my way of thinking.



Would I consider a heavy barreled Mini? No

This.

kwg

I've owned several Mini's over the years. I currently have three (180 series, 185 series, 189 Series Mini Thirty). The 185 and 189 I bought new, many years ago. All three have served me well. And I wouldn't change any of them. At some point, I'll pickup the latest 16" Tactical. I also own several small frame AR's and a couple of large frames that I've assembled. All of them are very different from each other (ranging from lightweight carbine to my version of an SPR). My go to rifle though, is my 185 Mini. I've put many rounds through it, and I'm very comfortable with the rifle and how it shoots. And it eats everything I've fed it.

With all that said, I personally would like the "option" of a heavy barred Mini from the factory. I'm not talking 1" bull barrel, that would be restricted to the bench because of weight. A barrel profile like what's being used on the 300 BO would be a great place to start. A .223 Wylde chamber, 18.5" 1 in 8 twist, threaded barrel. With a gas block that accommodates the larger profile. Which would give better consistency out to the longer ranges as the barrel heats. Does it need to be sub MOA @ 100 yards? No, it doesn't.

Just like everything else, it would appeal to some and not to others and that's ok. The platform is worthy of such offering in my opinion. And I'd buy one for my toolbox.

Great minds think alike!!!  While I don't consider that a 'heavy barrel', I agree that it would be a great addition.  So much so, that when the 300 BO was first released and I saw the thicker barrel, I sent Mike (Pres. of Ruger) a request for that very same idea, Wylde chambered 300 BO profile barreled Mini-14 through his 'Tell the CEO' link on Ruger's site.  To date I haven't heard a word from him or anyone else at Ruger.



 

I did the same thing! And like you, haven't heard back from anyone at Ruger. The company has done many cool things over the last several years. Look at the RPR, no one seen that coming (I have one in my safe in 308). Hoping they show the Mini-14 some love.

In truth, the current 583 series Minis are out of the box about as
accurate as a standard Springfield M1A out of the box.  The real
accuracy 'issues' are linked to poor ammo choices.  Too many shooters pick the cheap Tulo or other inconsistent commie ammo and then complain about poor accuracy.  With quality brass
cased, Boxer primed ammo, Mini's get decent accuracy; 1½-2 MOA seems to be
the norm which is the same for M1 Garands and M1As with equal quality ammo. However, a few tweaks on top of quality ammo can get you really close to a 1 MOA shooter like my Mini Ranch Rifle is.



NOTE: Mil ammo like XM193 or XM855, while high quality, is not the best choice for accuracy.  Mil ammo is loaded to max pressures and tested to fire every time but is not held to a very high accuracy standard; something like 2-3" at 100yds.  That's 'precision' enough for the military but not what most of us would consider good enough.  I, like many here, handload my own 55grn, 62grn (non-penetrator), and 68/69grn long range loads for my ARs, Savage Bolt, and my Mini Ranch Rifle and handloading ensures the best accuracy for a given rifle so that's were the precision comes in.

I was reloading back when I bought my first Mini. The 1 in 7 twist of the rifle loved 60 gr Hornady SP and the 68 gr BTHP.. And now, when I take it out, the 68 - 77 gr factory ammo is lots of fun to shoot. Never had any accuracy issue's but, out of the gate, I knew what was best to feed it. The latest Tactical is on my short list now that I have several others out of the way. I'd love to find one of the LEO Patrol Rifles. Stainless 18.5" threaded tapper barrel that was 5 years ago. I catch the blued version on GB occasionally, but not the stainless.

Note that the new Mini-14s now come with a 1:9 twist barrel.

And the current Mini Thirty uses a .310 - .311 bore. Unlike my 189 series that uses a .308 bore. This also contributed to accuracy issue's back then. As the overseas 7.62x39mm became more readily available to the consumer.

Have you slugged your barrel to ensure that it actually is a .308 bore?  



According to Brownell's:



"At the time the Mini-30 was introduced very few bullet makers where
producing .311/.312 inch bullets for reloading in the light 125-130
grain weight required. Ruger initiated the use of barrels with a groove
dimension of .308 inch and a long tapered throat. The throat allowed the
use of ammunition with .311/.312 projectiles by gradually squeezing
them to the .308 diameter. In addition, ammunition loaded with more
commonly available .308 diameter bullets could also be used.





Commencing in 1992 Ruger initiated a change to using .311/.312 nominal
groove diameter, 1-10 inch right hand twist barrels in all Mini-30's. It
was likely well into 1993 before all rifles coming of the production
line incorporated the .311/.312 barrels."

 

I have not but according to Ruger it does have the .308 bore. I bought it new in 1989. Well before the made the change.

I can't see a heavier contour barrel make any difference unless it was consistently thicker under the hand guard as well as the exposed area.

It's doesn't have to be a bull barrel, just a little thicker to help stiffen it up.

Tactical model in .223/5.56, with a 18.5" heavy profile barrel. Would you buy one?   -   -   -    Yes I would

Interesting...to be honest all I've tried shooting out of my 16" Tactical has been XM193 and XM855...good enough to consistently hit the 16"x18" plates at 200 yards from the unsupported prone (and even when kneeling when I can steady myself properly) so I just never bothered to try anything else...maybe I should?

Tell me, how does one shoot prone unsupported?  



Seriously,
with good handloaded, accurate ammo, off the bench supported on my
elbows rather than a rest, I love shooting at bowling pins at 200yds
with my 'NM' irons (.042" rear aperture and thinned .050" front blade). I
found that stock, Ruger Minis come with a 15½" 'heel to aperture' distance (longer than normal) and adding a Mini200 rear sight moves the aperture back ½" as well as allowing for a better sight picture.



I've
found that shortened the buttstock 1" gives you the proper distance of
14" heel to aperture (the same as a stock M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, and
M14) so that you can use the irons most effectively.  For us 'seasoned'
shooters whose eyes aren't what they use to be, the small aperture close
to your eye increases the Depth of Field giving your a clearer front
sight and target down range.



Precision iron sights gives you an
excellent sight picture allowing more precise aiming.  Even though the
pin is some 15" high, it's only 4¾"
wide in a small area and tapers down to 1" wide at the neck so they are
a bit challenging at just over a 2MOA target. However, like all
reactive targets, they are easy to see and great fun to shoot while at
200 yds, a decent challenge.  Move them out to 300 yds and you really
have to be on your game to 'kill' one.

 

No sling