Armory Sponsor
Posted: 4/26/2012 7:46:02 PM EDT
|
I was wondering a few things about the rifle in the badass picture I posted.
1. What size magazine is on this rifle? 2. Did Ruger ever make stainless finish mags? 3. What feature is the stainless piece above the barrel (it looks ported or vented?) I notice most of the time its not stainless but a blued metal. 4. Is this considered a ranch rifle, is that flash suppressor on it? Thanks for your help in figuring this out. 
|
|
It's not an AC-556, as there is no selector on the side of the receiver. The handguard on the top is aftermarket, as is the muzzle break.
As to the mag, either a 30 or 40. Most likely aftermarket, as most factory 30's I've seen are blued. (I own an AC-556, and previously owned a Cali DOC Mini-14GB in stainless.... it came with blued mags) See also: http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/A-Team,_The#Ruger_Mini_14_Stainless_version_with_Folding_stock |
|
Quoted:
40 rounders. Ruger Mil/LEO stock, not available to civies IIRC. There are plenty of transferrable AC-556Ks with the folding stock, not to mention plenty of Mini-14GB models with the same stock. Mind you, they may not have originally been sold or marketed to civilians, but they most certainly were available. |
| When I asked props about this years ago I was told that they were stainless Mini-14's (not GB models as they were sans bayonet lug) with the factory folding stock or the factory stocks were added (full stocks were kept around to make them look different for other characters in different scenes). They also had an aftermarket flash hider added. The magazines were ProMag stainless 30 rounders. Ruger never made stainless mags - they were all after market. |
|
Quoted:
When I asked props about this years ago I was told that they were stainless Mini-14's (not GB models as they were sans bayonet lug) with the factory folding stock or the factory stocks were added (full stocks were kept around to make them look different for other characters in different scenes). They also had an aftermarket flash hider added. The magazines were ProMag stainless 30 rounders. Ruger never made stainless mags - they were all after market. Great info thanks for posting. Someone had told me they were 40 rounders, but its great you were able to speak to a prop person to confirm this. I was wondering something else on these, Is it true the newer Mini 14 GB Leo marked guns had a 16 inch barrel vs a 80's model having an 18" barrel? |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
40 rounders. Ruger Mil/LEO stock, not available to civies IIRC. There are plenty of transferrable AC-556Ks with the folding stock, not to mention plenty of Mini-14GB models with the same stock. Mind you, they may not have originally been sold or marketed to civilians, but they most certainly were available. I know. But still NOT sold from Ruger to civilians through their channels. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
40 rounders. Ruger Mil/LEO stock, not available to civies IIRC. There are plenty of transferrable AC-556Ks with the folding stock, not to mention plenty of Mini-14GB models with the same stock. Mind you, they may not have originally been sold or marketed to civilians, but they most certainly were available. I know. But still NOT sold from Ruger to civilians through their channels. However.... if you owned one, Ruger would replace it when they still had them in stock. |
|
Quoted:
Ruger Mil/LEO stock, not available to civies IIRC. I'm pretty sure this is incorrect... I wish I had a catalog image to prove it, but I recall 80's Ruger catalogs showing the Ranch Rifle with the folding stock, and I remember new Mini-14's on gunshop racks with factory folding stocks. Mine came on a 1993 NIB Mini-14GB/F, which was an LEO item, and proves nothing. |
|
Quoted:
The magazines were ProMag stainless 30 rounders. Ruger never made stainless mags - they were all after market. Did ProMag even exist back then? I'd think that in 1983 they would either be Federal Ordnance or PMI/Precision Mag Industries (they took over FO and were in business until the AW Ban). These were the only aftermarket Mini-14 mags that really worked; I've got 21 PMI mags (7 each 20/30/40) and they all work flawlessly.. |
|
Answers...
1. The mag is a 40 rounder, probably made by Precision Mag Industries aka PMI. 2. Ruger never made stainless steel magazines, especially 40 rounders. 3. After market perforated steel handguards were made for both M1 carbines and the Mini-14. 4. The rifle shown is not a Ranch Rifle. Ranch Rifles had a different type of rear sight that could fold down and had integrated ring bases in the receiver. The flash suppressor is an aftermarket accessory and is retained by a longer roll pin that retains the front sight. The Ranch Rifle was available with the folding stock though. Also the folding stock was a standard catalog offering from Ruger to civilians in blued or stainless. Catalog number Mini-14/5F for the blued and K-Mini-14/5F for the stainless. The Ruger Mini-14GB model was not available to civilians, only law enforcement or Military organizations. The folding stock used on the folding Mini-14GB/20F was the same stock as on the Mini-14/5F. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Ruger Mil/LEO stock, not available to civies IIRC. I'm pretty sure this is incorrect... I wish I had a catalog image to prove it, but I recall 80's Ruger catalogs showing the Ranch Rifle with the folding stock, and I remember new Mini-14's on gunshop racks with factory folding stocks. Mine came on a 1993 NIB Mini-14GB/F, which was an LEO item, and proves nothing. You are correct, folding stocks were available on the Min-14 and the Ranch Rifle and I do have a 1986 catalog that shows them in it. 
|
|
bryan2010x,
the picture you posted is one that came from my library years ago. I snapped that screenshot and others such as these from my A-Team dvds to show the 2nd season A-Team rugers, 
In season 2 of the A-team they began using the Rugers. As stated before they were not AC-556 guns, they were standard Minis with "at the time" nickel plated "federal ordnance" handguards on them. They are very had to find these days however they do turn up on ebay from time to time. Here are my 3 Rugers. 1st on is A-Team season 2 version with the proper Fed Ord handguard and the other one is the standard handguard and the 3rd pic is my AC-556F 
you will notice the team also used "federal ordnance" flash suppressors as well. I found mine on eBay as well over the years. Here is another one of my screenshots with an up close pic of the Teams flash hider by Fed Ord from the 4th season episode "There goes the Neighborhood" 
the 40rd stainless mags they used in seasons 2, 3 and 4 (the pic you posted) were in fact PMI Precision mag industries mags. Then in season 4 and the final one 5, they went to nickel plated 30rd mags and I believe they were black dog / John Masen mags. I have some of them as well and they seem to look exactly like what the team used for those 2 seasons. Here are a few shots from seasons 3 and 4, 
while the team normally used regular minis there were occasions where some AC-556Fs were brought out. Here is an example from the episode "bounty" where they mounted 2 ACs in BAs van 
hope this helps..... enjoy, Rob |
|
http://blfuller.ptera.net/Ruger1986.jpg
blfuller, I just noticed the catalog pages you posted & saved them for future reference. Thanks. |
|
yeah the USA mags for the Ruger were always hit or miss. I could never get the usa mags to feed properly in my Rugers. Some others have had good luck. With me the only aftermarket mags I have had good luck with since 86 have been John Masen / Black dog and PMI mags.
Rob |
|
Great response Rob, alot of great information I had been wondering about. I found that picture I posted online, so I guess your screen caps are all over the web. Two other questions:
1. What is the difference between a Stainless mag vs a nickel plated one, how can i tell the difference? 2. I read that you can tell a PMI mag as it has the square spot welded on the back of the magazine, is this unique to the PMI or do alot of the aftermarket companies do that? 3. Can you fire 5.56 out of the minis? I have read different things, I thought I would ask as we are talking about the vintage folders on this forum. Thank you again for the great information. Quoted:
bryan2010x, the picture you posted is one that came from my library years ago. I snapped that screenshot and others such as these from my A-Team dvds to show the 2nd season A-Team rugers, http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v673/5150rob/4.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v673/5150rob/maltese1.jpg In season 2 of the A-team they began using the Rugers. As stated before they were not AC-556 guns, they were standard Minis with "at the time" nickel plated "federal ordnance" handguards on them. They are very had to find these days however they do turn up on ebay from time to time. Here are my 3 Rugers. 1st on is A-Team season 2 version with the proper Fed Ord handguard and the other one is the standard handguard and the 3rd pic is my AC-556F http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v673/5150rob/DSC01115.jpg you will notice the team also used "federal ordnance" flash suppressors as well. I found mine on eBay as well over the years. Here is another one of my screenshots with an up close pic of the Teams flash hider by Fed Ord from the 4th season episode "There goes the Neighborhood" http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v673/5150rob/PDVD_006.jpg the 40rd stainless mags they used in seasons 2, 3 and 4 (the pic you posted) were in fact PMI Precision mag industries mags. Then in season 4 and the final one 5, they went to nickel plated 30rd mags and I believe they were black dog / John Masen mags. I have some of them as well and they seem to look exactly like what the team used for those 2 seasons. Here are a few shots from seasons 3 and 4, http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v673/5150rob/at9.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v673/5150rob/PDVD_003.jpg while the team normally used regular minis there were occasions where some AC-556Fs were brought out. Here is an example from the episode "bounty" where they mounted 2 ACs in BAs van http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v673/5150rob/bounty1.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v673/5150rob/bounty2.jpg hope this helps..... enjoy, Rob |
|
Quoted:
All mini-14's, except the target version, are chambered 5.56x45 NATO regardless of whether they are stamped 5.56x45 or .223 Rem. This info came direct from Sturm Ruger. great to know, I was afraid the 5.56 would be too much pressure for it. thanks for the fast answer. |
Armory Sponsor