Since 1973, the Ruger Mini-14 has been in production in one variant or another. Nearly 3 million have been made so far. The two most common being the standard Mini-14 and the Ranch Rifle, which starting in 2005, was redesigned and the standard Mini-14 and Ranch Rifle became the same when the 580 Series came online. The original Mini-14 was a Iron Sight only rifle and the Ranch Rifle had a small folding rear sight that gave the shooter the option of mounting a scope. The current production redesigned the rear sight to be solid and still give the shooter the ability to mount a scope.

Early Production 182 Series Rifle


Pre 580 Series Ranch Rifle w/ Butler Creek Folding Stock & replacement Tech Sight.


Current production 580 Series Mini-14.

But between 1973 and the present time. There has been other, more interesting variants. The Ruger AC556 and AC556K of course; the regular Mini's full-auto cousin introduced to the market in 1978. The AC556 is a standard 18 inch barreled Mini-14 with a giggle switch and the AC556K is the 13 inch barreled version. Both came with a flash hider and the full-size model came with a bayonet lug also.


AC556K

Additionally, there was also the French contract Mousqueton AMD. A standard Mini-14 made for the French National Police with a checkered walnut stock with rubber butt pad and different receiver markings plus a M1 Carbine style oiler/sling mount.



Other variants were target models with adjustable barrel weights that look like a suppressor to dampen harmonics and even odd chamberings like the 'Triple Deuce' (.222 Remington), along with more modern loadings like the 6.8 SPC and .300 BLK.





But the most sought after variant that is available in the US market is the Ruger Mini-14 GB.



A semi-auto clone of the AC556. Ruger's main Mini for Law Enforcement sales. The key accessory for the rifle, other than the rifle itself was the folding stock that was inspired for the AC556K. A solid piece of design from a bygone era of wood and steel. In today's markets; the folding stock actually costs as much as a current production Mini-14 due to popularity and rarity.

Here my factory folder with all the proper hardware. They are getting very hard to find these days.









The stocks were only commercially sold to the public until 1989 when Bill Ruger pulled them from the civilian market as a response to the Cleveland School shooting in Stockton, California. After that until production ceased in the mid 1990s; they were sold only to law enforcement agencies.

Here is my personal stainless GB Model in a factory laminated stock with all stainless components.



















Mine was made in December of 1989 and shipped out to the market in January 1990 with full production ending in 2003. The Ruger Mini-14 GB is in my opinion the best variant of the rifle ever brought to market. Especially when it is combined with the factory folding stock. You have a compact, lightweight, capable rifle chambered in 5.56x45mm that can withstands the rigorous of outdoor use in places like a airboat in the brackish humid swamps of Florida.

Many bash the Mini-14 as a rifle that can only hit the side of a barn from the inside and that the ergos and layout sucks compared to an AR-15. But the most common complaint I hear from Mini-14 haters is the magazine. Everyone always says that they'd buy a Mini-14 if they took standard AR-15 mags. Well, here's the thing. The Mini-14 was designed in the late 1960s and hit the market in 1973. The AR-15 was not what it is today. The idea of a rifle that ran off Ar-15s wouldn't have made sense since at the time, the Ar-15 was not popular on the civilian and law enforcement market. In that era, Steyr, Heckler & Koch, Armalite, and others all had their own 5.56xmm designs and guess what folks. They all ran off their own proprietary designs for magazines.

I grew up with Mini-14s and AR-15s and I can say this. The Mini-14 is a great rifle for its intended task. A small, compact rifle that feeds from reliable 20rd & 30rd magazines and is accurate at bad guy / pest animal distances. But every time someone mentions a Mini-14 on any inline forum, this always gets posted as the running gag.



The Mini-14 is accurate enough for self defense and varmint/pest hunting. It is especially capable of being useful when needed. Here's a 7 15 round group shot in under 2 minutes from sitting, unsupported at 100 yards.



That looks minute of bad guy accurate to me.

Folks can bash it all they want. But prior to the popularity explosion that the AR-15 had after the end of the Clinton Assault Weapon Ban, the Mini-14 was a very popular rifle and sold well in the Civilian Market. But along with civilian sales; the Ruger Mini-14 sold very well in the law enforcement market and also some interesting overseas markets.

Bermuda

A small UK colony off the coast of the US in the Atlantic. Bermuda has its own territorial militia and it participates in regional security operations within the Caribbean as an associate member of CARICOM. A regional economic and security alliance of 15 Caribbean nations and dependencies.


RBR on a CARICOM Security Mission

When the UK adopted the SA80/L-85 Pattern bullpup rifle to replace the FN FAL, Bermuda didn't want it. The bullpup had a number of issues and as a territorial force, they were allowed to select their own arms for their own particular needs. The M16 still had the stigma attached to it from its introduction during Vietnam and HKs were still ungodly expensive. So in 1983, the Royal Bermuda Regiment adopted the Ruger Mini-14 GB.


Late 80s OPFOR training in Bermuda

With their adoption, the RBR swapped out the factory wooded stocks for a fixed Choate Machine & Tool polymer stock. Other than that, their Mini-14 GBs were bone stock.





The RBR was so good with their Mini-14s that they even beat the Bermuda Police Force ERT (Emergency Response Team) armed with AR-15s.



The RBR even used them at Camp LeJeune and set some records with them when they did joint training with the USMC.









Alas, the Mini-14 was finally retired from the RBR in January 2016. The RBR replaced the Mini-14 with the new HK reworked L-85A2 series of bullpups. The replacement might have happened due to the UK Ministry of Defence providing them free of charge to the RBR.



The Mini-14 being put out to pasture by the RBR. As with all things soldierly. They don't die, they just fade away.



Northern Ireland

In 1979, the Royal Ulster Constabulary began to buy Ruger AC-556 rifles for their Special Patrol Groups, Special Operations (E Services) and exposed border police stations and units. These rifles saw extensive service for twenty years, only being replaced by the HK33 when the RUC became the Police Service of Northern Ireland in 1999 after the Good Friday Agreement.



The RUC was involved in heavy police action against the IRA and PRIA during The Troubles. Originally, the RUC armed their officers with M1 Carbines but as the The Torubles kicked up and the IRA and PIRA became better armed due to their American Cousins in Boston and Uncle Gaddafi in Libya sending them money and arms.





The RUC needed something with more of a punch. Cost was an issue as was appearance. The could have used the British FN FAL (LA1A) but since they were a territorial police force. It would not be good for public relations to police the community with weapons of war. So they chose the Ruger AC556.





As mentioned, the Ruger AC556 served the RUC until 1999 when the agency was disbanded altogether in accordance with the Good Friday Agreement.

Rhodesia

The Ruger Mini-14 saw some limited but very interesting service the southern end of Africa. Rhodesia and South Africa to be exact. Though the service in South Africa was more of a historical event than an official military one.



Mini-14s saw limited official use in Rhodesia, Al J. Venter used a Ruger Mini-14 while covering the bush war in Rhodesia 1978. Photo from a reprint of the 1979 G&A article Guns of the Mercenaries.



From left to right standing: Three Rhodesian African Rifles (RAR) troopers, Robert K. Brown, former French Foreign Legionnaire Jerry O'Brien, and SOF art director Craig Nunn. Kneeling: RAR trooper, "Reb" Pierce, a guitar player from Atlanta; Major Darrell Winkler, OIC of the RAR unit; and Belgian army veteran Yves DeBray.

Robert Brown and Darrel Winkler are carrying stainless steel Ruger Mini-14's in 5.56 mm. Bill Ruger, CEO of Ruger Firearms at the time and close friend of Robert Brown and provided SOF with said guns at a "special price". Robert Brown essentially smuggled them out of the U.S., as there was an arms embargo on Rhodesia. Bill Ruger subsequently provided a number of Ruger Mini-14s free to SOF for operations in El Salvador. "He was a good dude," commented Robert Brown.

South Africa


Eugne Terre'Blanche on the far right

Another interesting case was the fact that Eugne Terre'Blanche's Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging used Mini-14 rifles when they stormed the Kempton Park World Trade Centre in 1993 during the lead up to the elections that put the ANC into power in South Africa. In that era, semi-auto FALs were common and yet it was the Mini-14 that that used. The AWB also saw paramilitary action in the former Bantustan of Bophuthatswana during the coup d'tat of 1994.



It didn't end well for them.

France



The Rugers were purchased to replace the odd assortment of SMGs the CRS had floating around after WWII. With the military replacing the MAS-49/56 and adopting the FAMAS in 5.56x45mm. The French National Police needed something in the same cartridge. So of course, Ruger stepped up to the plate and the Compagnies Rpublicaines de Scurit had a special contract drawn up with Ruger and adopted the Mini-14 as the Mousqueton AMD.



The contract specified that a Mini-14 with a 18 inch barrel be made for the French National Police with a checkered walnut stock, non slip rubber butt pad, a M1 Carbine style oiler/sling mount, and different markings on the receiver heel.



The CRS are the general police reserves for the Franch National Police. They are primarily involved in general security missions but the task for which they are best known is crowd and riot control. They are organized on the company level with 60 "general services" units that are tasked to take part in maintaining public order and crowd control. Additionally they have some specialized units for mountain rescue, motor cycle units, and highway patrol. But their main focus in large scale riot control. The CRS is often mistaken for the Gendarmerie Mobile; but they are in no way related. They can be distinguished by uniform. The uniform of the CRS is blue while that of the Gendarmes Mobiles is black. The CRS wear a big red CRS patch and their helmets sport yellow bands; the gendarmes have a stylized grenade on their medium-blue helmets.









In January 2009, the French Government implemented a rapprochement ("bringing together") of the police and the gendarmerie. While this policy falls short of a complete merger, as the gendarmes have kept their military status (while the CRS are a highly unionized civilian body), this has led to more commonality in terms of equipment for the two forces. Additionally, the Mini-14 is not to be replaced and is to be kept in service since that frees up other rifles like the FAMAS and HK G36 for more front-line police units.







The CRS has been called out due to numerous terrorist attacks over the years and have taken part in the manhunts and security missions that have resulted in said terror attacks.

United States of America

Across the US, the Ruger Mini-14 in one form or another as served in various law enforcement agencies. Two of the more famous ones are the New York City Police Department and the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. First, let's look at the NYPD.

Here we have officers using Mini-14s for Force on Force training at the Rodmans Neck Fire Range in the Bronx, NY.



And here we have Detectives training at the shooting range during firearm quals at the Rodmans Neck Fire Range in the Bronx, NY.





NYPD ESU out on the streets with both a Ruger and a AR-15.



But now let's look at the biggest and current user of the Mini-14 in the US. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. The story of how the San Bernardino Sheriff became equipped with the Mini-14 is a interestign tale. It all started with the Norco Shootout of 1980.

The Norco shootout was an armed confrontation between five heavily armed bank robbers and deputies of the Riverside County and San Bernardino County sheriffs' epartments in Norco, California on May 9, 1980. Two of the five perpetrators and one sheriff's deputy were killed, nine other law enforcement officers were wounded, and gunfire damaged at least 30 police cars and one police helicopter.

At approximately 3:40 p.m., five men armed with shotguns, an AR-15, an HK91, an HK93, handguns, and an improvised explosive device robbed the Norco branch of Security Pacific Bank. Deputies of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department responding to the bank robbery call confronted the perpetrators outside the bank and a shootout ensued, killing one perpetrator. The perpetrators then stole a vehicle in the bank parking lot and fled the scene, leading police on a 25-mile car chase into neighboring San Bernardino County.

Riverside County deputies were joined in the pursuit by officers of other area law enforcement agencies, including the California Highway Patrol and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. The perpetrators then ambushed the pursuing deputies and engaged them in another shootout in unincorporated San Bernardino County near Lytle Creek before escaping into a wooded area in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains.

The day after the Norco Shootout, Sheriff Frank Bland ordered as many Mini-14s from Ruger as they could and had them flown to San Bernardino on a private plane to better equip his deputies.

Two days later, three of the four surviving perpetrators were arrested in the area of the ambush; the fourth was killed by police. The three who were arrested were convicted of 46 felonies and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Ever since then, the San Bernardino Sheriff have been buying and issuing Mini-14s and was one of the first agencies in the US to equip itself with rifles at the patrol level.



San Bernardino Sheriff has continued to use the Mini-14 even when all the surrounding agencies have gone to the AR-15. Some of the more famous responses has been during the Christopher Dorner Manhunt and the 2015 Terrorist Attack.

















On a more news worthy and less official uses of the Mini-14 was when Ammon Bundy and his militia took over and occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Harney County, Oregon. The Ruger was front and center.







In the end, the Ruger Mini-14 as served and continues to serve. It has seen service in the Caribbean, North America, Europe, Africa, and Latin America. It has been dependable, reliable, and long lasting. Though it has been outpaced by the AR-15. It isn't outclassed for today's civil needs.

I own them and enjoy them and they serve right along side my other non AR-15 pattern rifles.



Daewoo K2, Ruger Mini-14, Zastava M90NP, MSAR XM17-E4, and Kel-Tec SU-16C. The Mini-14 does a good job at punching paper and protecting the homestead alongside the others shown.

So stop hating the Mini-14 and embrace your inner A-Team. You'll be surprised at how well you might like them.

Some were made with a Masuer style rear sight.



The guy's thumb is covering it.

What is a good price for a new tactical mini 14?

Seen them around $599

Very good piece of history in this thread thanks for posting!    The Mini 14 served as an unofficial patrol carbine for many Police Officers in Illinois in years past.   My small PD had a couple of M-1 Carbines, a couple of 45 ACP Commando Arms Thompson look a like PCC and a couple of Mini 14’s.   Several Troopers/LEO’s purchased Mini 14’s because they could be considerably cheaper than an SP1 Colt in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

There was a Trooper and another Officer murdered near Paxton Illinois during a traffic stop where a perpetrator was armed with a Mini 14.  After that shooting many Mini 14’s found their way into police cars in Illinois whether in or out of policy.    I had a SS model 183 which I eventually sold and bought an AR-15.  I carried my Mini 14 a lot and used it on a couple of call outs.   Only issue I’ve ever seen with the Mini 14 is the trigger guard will come unlatched.   Otherwise the Mini 14 was very reliable and accurate enough for most patrol functions.

Excellent write up OP! Despite being almost 65 and owing several different Mini's over the years (still got 2) I learned a lot! Thanks!

Excellent historical time line of the Mini 14. I just got a good education !

Thanks!!

Awesome report.  I have a GB coming, been wanting one of those for many years.

I need that AC556K!! Great write-up, Miami! Very informative.

There was a department down here (Wilton Manors) that wanted rifles, but the council said AR15's were mean. So they pulled out the Mini14 with wood stock and 5 round magazine and said "but, isn't this a polite looking gun" so they got them. Then they swapped out to scopes & folders and stuff. I think now they're allowed AR15's also, but I imagine there's still some places where a Mini14 looks more polite than an AR15.

I'd kind of love one of those wood stocked mauser sighted guns, but... eh. I've got a 300blk and it's fun, but spending more money on a 223 or 7.62X39 just seems pointless.

That stainless Mini-14/GB-F is striking! I think those look the best.

I fight the "Mini 14 Accuracy Trolls"  all the time, and my latest weapon against their uninformed blather is this group shot at 100 yards with a Red Dot sight. The gun is a 580 Series with a Laminated Stock.  They usually shut right up! or say it can't be?





Randy

Haiti

Once a colony of France, Haiti has had a torturous past of revolution, conflict, and violence. In 1991, General Raoul Cedras overthrew the elected president and placed himself into power after staging a coup d'tat against Jean-Bertrand Aristide. From 1991 to 1994, he ruled Haiti as it's de facto leader until the US removed him during Operation Uphold Democracy.  With US Armed Forces staged in Puerto Rico and southern Florida; an airborne invasion was launched. Spearheaded by elements of the Joint Special Operations Command like the 75th Ranger Regiment, followed by 3rd Special Forces Group (Green Berets), the US Army 7th Transportation Group, and the 10th Mountain Division. The US removed General Cedras from power.



During this operation, the Haitian Armed Forces was disbanded and the Haitian National Police was formed in 1995 to replace it.



Since that time, the National Police has been tasked with being the primary organization for the security of Haiti's national sovereignty and enforcement of law and order.  The National Police has numerous units including SWAT Teams, which uses the Israeli Galil as their primary rifle.



But the regular patrol officers carry stainless 580 Series Ruger Mini-14s in polymer stocks. A good choice actually for the humid environments of Haiti.



The National Police especially put those Mini-14s into good use after the 2010 Earthquake.

Great pics and history, Miami JBT.
I put a link to this thread over on perfectunion's Mini section and the guys there enjoyed it.
The 10th Mtn. Division was the last unit I served in, a couple years before retirement.
Haiti was paradise compared to Mogadishu, the armpit of the planet. Even that is too kind, more like the anus of the planet.

OP - Tthank you for putting this together.

Do you or any other members know if there were some factory accessories sold with some of the more significant government or police contracts?

I'd be interested to know if Ruger had some specific gear like mag pouches, slings, tools, bayonets (even subcontracted) etc. that would have gone well with larger contracts.  I figure many just used NATO Type mag pouches etc, but it would have been short sighted for a factory to not have tried to bundle such accessories in a contract.

As an example, I have not seen vintage factory Ruger Mini-14 slings (that I am aware of) and would be interested to know if such things existed.

Very nice post thanks.

Never seen Ruger ship a sling with a Mini-14

I walked into a local department store one night in about 1983 or 84 and saw two Ruger Mini14's on the rack behind the counter in sporting goods.

One blue, one shiny stainless steel.  I asked the lady behind the counter if I could see the "3rd rifle from the end".  She asked, "The chrome plated one?"  I said, "Yeah, the chrome plated one."

Price for the blued one was about $275.  Price for the "chrome plated one" was $10 more.  I put it on lay-away right then and picked it up a week or so later.

Picked up some 20 and 30 round magazines in those first few years.  Never found a load that shot well enough to suit me for what I'd bought it for (varmint hunting/killing).  My M700 will shoot dimed sized groups at 100 yds.  The mini wouldn't do that at 50 yds.  So it pretty much just sat in the corner in the gun case, where it is still at today.  I've tried two different scope mounts on it (the ones that replace the bolt catch cover) and neither made any real improvement over the iron sights.

I picked up another blued one a few years back when my dad passed away.  Along with a Ceiner .22 conversion kit for that one.

Interesting fact:  In the late 1960s, after Colt bought rights to the AR-15 from Armalite, Bill Ruger recruited L. James Sullivan (Stoner's chief design engineer on the AR15 project), to come to Ruger and down scale the M-14 to create the Mini-14!  The primary designer of the Mini-14 was the primary designer of the AR15!

HERE IS JEFF COOPER'S ARTICLE ON THE MINI-14 FROM ABOUT 1972





I carried a Mini-14 and Mini-30 as LEO trunk weapons as much as I did Ar15 and M1 Carbines.  I actually prefer the Mini-14 (583 series) as a n HD carbine.  Sure the AR15/M4 is a better battle weapon, but the Mini is a great HD carbine.  I recently had to sell mu Mini-14 and Mini-30 because of health caused financial issues, but I do intend to get another at some point.

Great info!

I got my 1st rabbit kill with one and have wanted one ever since.
Never seem to get around to getting one though.

The first centerfire rifle I ever bought was a 187 ranch rifle  ( 1986 ). 5 mags, 300 rounds of ammo  for I think $200 and some change .From a Marine buddy sitting around a camp fire while at deer camp. Still got it today. Been a great rifle. Wardawg

Note in the Jeff Cooper article that the Mini's 20rd mag is straight like the M14's.  These days Ruger uses a curved one, however, I have 5ea OE brand straight 20rd mags that OE claims they first produced for Ruger's Mini-14 when it originally came out.  Based on the fact that straight mags are pictured in the article above and they look exactly like mine, that they in fact fit better and more solidly in the Mini's receiver than the current ones (I have 5ea of Ruger's curved 20rd as well) and are they are 100% reliable, I'm inclined to believe that they had a part in producing the originals.

Also, as the Mini-14 is patterned after the M14, one of my all time favorites as I carried it in Basic and Germany before being given a toy M16 in RVN, I decided that my 583 Series Mini Ranch Rifle should pay homage to the M14 and my M1A and become my 'Mini M14'.  I think it came out nicely and with the few common accuracy tweaks that cost less than a decent trigger for the AR, my Mini M14 can produce near 1 MOA with iron sights which is great for plinking bowling pins at 200yds.

With my scrounging, I recently found 10 brand new OEM Ruger AC-556/Mini-14 slings.

With them they each have a brand new original OEM QD swivel as used on the folding stock model.

They are circa 1980s.

Its believed that they were take offs from AC-556F or MINI-14GB Folding carbines that a LE dept purchased and not used and just put in a box.

The swivels are rare(smooth plunger) and have not been made for decades. The slings are pretty rare.

My question is what value can I put on each one for resale (sling with swivel)?

I have 100% confirmed that sling and swivel is original using New in box AC-556F example as well as hours of research.

Most folding stock owners (JBT, your slings are not real), are lacking the original slings and most are also missing the original QD swivel.

My stock is factory. It just wasn't sold with my rifle. My GB was sold in a solid stock.

In your opinion what should I value a sling and swivel at?

Post a photo please.

No pics, not in my hands yet.

I started with a 186 series standard Mini-14 with a 1/7 twist barrel (for my MK262 MOD1) that I found on Gun Broker.  It is a little know fact that all Minis from Mid-1986 to mid 1997 were made with 1/7 twist barrels.  Before that, starting with the 180 series, they had a 1/10 twist.  After Mid-1997, all were made with a 1/9 twist.  My 1/7 AR15 LOVES MK262 MOD1 77 grainers, and so does this one.

I added a matching wood handguard, front and rear buffers, and it was just 6lbs 15 ozs. pounds.  I then replaced the front sight with an M1 style post and wing front sight from a 583 series Mini, instead of the mile high ramp sight they cam with.  I originally installed an Accustrut, but it added over half a pound to the weapon.  If it was going to be a target rifle or long range shooter, I would have left it on.  For a 100 yard Zombie smacker, I don't think I needed it.  In the 1990s, I regularly qualified with an old pencil barrel Mini-14 as my LEO trunk weapon, hitting 7 or 8 shots in the head of a B27 silhouette target at 100 yards with iron sights.

Range Report!

Function: 100% for 200 rounds of M855 62s and MK262 MOD1 77s, using my Factory LEO marked 20s. Front 1911 buffer and rear Buffer Technologies Mini-14 buffer really mellowed it. The front of the op-rod is smooth and flat, unlike the slice and dice on the 583s. Have to love the old style M1 carbine type "in bolt" ejectors. All brass landed in a 3 foot circle, 10 feet away at about 2 o'clock. Just a joy to shoot!

Wood handguard did not raise heat levels to any noticeable degree. When dialed in, rear sight was almost dead center also. I really like the sight picture it gives, though I drilled out the Mini rear sight a bit for easier sight acquisition. Before, I really had to crawl forward on the stock comb to get optimum sight picture.

M855 and MK 262 MOD1 both appeared to be fairly close in POI/POA, probably because of the 1/7 twist barrel. On my 1/7 AR15 they are close, but my prior Mini with the 1/9 twist, they were quite different. On the 186 Mini, they are certainly close enough to use the 62s for plinking without adjusting sights.

I used the M855s to adjust the sights, and finished fine tuning with the MK262 MOD1s. On paper, I did a 25 yard  POI 1 inch above POA to achieve  225-250 yards zero. I confirmed by hitting softball sized targets at 200 with iron sights and the MK262 MOD1. My best 25 yard group was 4 shots about 1/2" center to center, with one flyer at about 3/4". I think with actual sandbag rest, and a slightly bigger rear aperture, I can better that. I then confirmed that my MK262 MOD1 clone load (25 grains of BLC2 under a Nosler Custom Competition 77 grain OTMBT) has exactly the same POA/POI as the MK262 MOD 1 77 grainers.  Yippee!  I also confirmed that the M855 62 grainers shot to almost the exact same POI as the 77s - certainly close enough for practice.  Both like the 1/7, I guess.

I did. however, find my 186 HATES M193 55 grainers.  They are to the left and lower than both the 77s and 62s, and do not print as nice of a group.

I did not notice any stringing of shots without an Accustrut, through about 100 rounds in a little over an hour.  Then I came home with it still warm, and leaning on the rail of the back deck, nailed a softball sized rock dead center at about 100 yards with the first shot of MK262 MOD1.

I hereby officially certify the 6 pound, 15 ounce 186 series Mini-14  "Coyote/ Goblin/ Troll/ Zombie/ Raving Insurrectionist ready" with no strut and the 583 front sight.

Ian does a pretty decent job.  Thanks Mike.

I actually fired an AC556K full auto shorty with a Ruger factory folding stock at a LEO firearms instructor school I attended in the 1980s.  Cool, but the Ruger factory stock sucked to shoot with.  On my LEO trunk weapon Mini14s and Mini-30s I carried through the years, I used Choate folders.  I really like the way I have my 1/7 186 series set up with a wood stock, wood handguard, and 583 series post and wing front sight.  Sort of an M1 Carbine with a hard on!  The MK262 MOD1 77 grainers really give it thump. Since I am moving to Oregon from Commiefornication in the spring, I may thread the muzzle 1/2x28 and mount a Ruger factory flash hider on it.

Note, Accustruts do help accuracy, but... they add about 9 ozs..  For what I want ( a sub-7 pound carbine), the pencil barrel is fine for practical accuracy for a 100 yard HD/Ranch Carbine.  When I carried my 180 series (I got in 1982) and the later 181 series I got in the 1990s) as LEO trunk weapons, I had no problem qualifying with them, even with the ghastly ramp front sight.  We had to get 7 or 8 (can't remember which) out of 10 in the head of a B27 silhouette at 100 yards with iron sights.

Thanks for sharing your experiences.  If you thread your barrel the original Ruger GB threads are 9/16-24, But Ruger has made some flash hiders that look similar for their newer minis that are 1/2-28 - When I chopped mine I went 1/2x28, way more options including suppressors out there in 1/2x28.

Thanks, I did not know the original GBs were 5/8"!  I was looking at the "short" flash hiders for the tactical that are 1/2x2b listed on the parts page for the Mini-14 at Ruger.com.

I was an FFL for 25 years from 1981 to 2006, (while I was an LEO) Originally Ruger made 5 rounders and 20 rounders for the Mini-14.  The 20s were straight like the .224 WLMR magazines and the current OE brand.  I do not recall any Ruger branded accessories until later (maybe late 90s?)  The GB was marketed as taking standard M7 bayonet for the M16.  There was a huge amoiunt of aftermarket Ruger stuff that florished until the 1994 Clinton ban.  After that it slowed until the ban expired in 2004.

Ruger high caps were always difficult to find, but in 1989 Ruger stopped selling them to the public after Patrick Purdy shot up a school yard in Stockton, and gave birth to the first AW bans.  Aftermarket manufacturers kicked in, PMI, Masen, Fed Ord, Triple K, Scherer, and USA mags to name the major ones.  PMIs were decent, but I think the best were USA Mags.  They used hard tempered steel like the Ruger factory ones, and were very well made.  I used USA Mags until I got enough Ruger factory 20s and 30s while I was an LEO, before i retired in 2000.

My Mini

Here is a pic of the correct sling and swivel that was supplied by Ruger with the AC-556F and the Mini-14 GB folder in the 80s.

I assume it was also supplied with the standard non-GB folder.

I am sitting on a few of them and wondering what to do with them.

They are 100%, original (sling and swivel both) supplied by Ruger.

Stainless swivels were never supplied by Ruger they were all blued.

Note the swivel plunger is smooth. Swivel has no markings. I believe the design was discontinued many, many years ago. This will tell you if it is an original.

My GB Stock came with that sling and swivel. I took the sling off. Kept the swivel on it.

I am thinking they are pretty rare in the "unattainable" category. Whats the value in your opinion on each?

I have never seen any for sale that had the original sling and swivel together.

Is it not simply a Butler Creek swivel?

(The earlier ones all looked like that before BC added the knurled threaded piece.)

Does it have any markings?

They are in fact Uncle Mikes and discontinued I assume in the 80s. Ruger bought them from "Michaels of Oregon Co."

Uncle Mikes then changed the design.

At one point they started adding the stamping with their name.

At another point they re-designed it and called it the super swivel which added the knurled type locking plunger.

You know you have an original when you have none of the re-designed features.

1 1/4 inch.

Thanks. I got my accessory manufacturers mixed up.
Did Ruger ever provide the ones stamped "Uncle Mike's" or were they always plain when shipped from Ruger?

Great write-up!

It isn't that the wood does much to trap heat. The problem is simply that it's flammable, and enough rounds through the barrel in short order will catch a wood handguard on fire. (The M14 had the same problem).

It doesn't take as rapid of a firing schedule to make fire as it does to permanently discolor a stainless steel barrel though. That'll happen much earlier.
(That's why most KAC-556 owners will not subject a barrel to the same firing schedule they'd allow a blued AC-556 to endure).

I think they were always unmarked.

Choate handguards dissipate heat best, much better than Ruger factory polymer ones.   I have had wood handguards on most of my Minis through the years.  Regularly I do 200 rounds in a range session.  I have never charred a Mini-14 wood handguard, but I am not fighting a war.  They get the usual powder blowback on them like any other handguard. I just like the aesthetics of a wood and steel weapon, but I am 66 and very old school. If I had to use it as a war fighting weapon, I'd probably opt for a Choate folding stock and handguard. My last couple Minis I used as LEO trunk weapons, I usually ended up with a Choate on them (once I tried a Federal Ordnance three legged "Schmeisser" folder but it SUCKED!).

Perfect Union has a whole section on the Mini.

https://www.perfectunion.com/vb/ruger-mini-14-mini-30/

That is probably the best and most informative forum on the Mini.  HUGE knowledge base there.

Perfectunion is such a fucked up site!

Their site is broke. Signed up for a membership and they won't allow you to post. You have to wait to be activated by email that never comes no matter how many times you request it.