Ruger
Mini 14
- Ruger Mini 14 General Info.
- Caliber: 5.56x45 mm NATO (.223 Remington)
- GENERAL INFORMATION AND MECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS
- Bill Ruger, one of leading US arms designers of post-WW2 period, began development of a new semi-automatic rifle circa 1970. The rifle was intended for civilian, police and para-military use; it was patterned after then-current US issue military rifle, the M14, and was chambered for relatively new 5,56x45mm (.223 Remington) ammunition. Since its commercial introduction in 1973 the Ruger Mini-14 rifle found wide acceptance among both civilian shooters and a variety of police and security forces around the world. For government users, Ruger produced two specialized versions of the basic rifle - the Mini-14GB semi-automatic and AC-556 assault (select-fire) rifles. All weapons in the Mini-14 family share same basic design, although there are differences in certain parts; for example, AC-556 rifles had slightly longer receiver, which hosts the fire mode switch at its rear part.
- SAFETY MECHANISM
- The manual safety mechanism is located forward of the trigger as illustrated in Figure A. The safety can be moved to "ON" (extreme rearward position) only when the hammer is cocked. When the safety is "ON" it blocks both the hammer and sear. WARN I NG: The user should never depend on a safety mechanism or any other mechanical device to justify careless handling or pointing the rifle in an unsafe direction.
- BOLT LOCK MECHANISM
- The Mini- 14 Rifle is designed so that the bolt remains open after the last shot has bccn fired, provided there is a magazine in the rifle. When the magazine is empty. the magazine follower actuates the bolt lock which is designed to retain the bolt and slide in their rearward position.
- WARNING: The bolt lock is not a safety device. It should not be used to hold the bolt back when there are cartridges in the magazine. A slight jar to the butt end of the rifle will cause the bolt lock to disengage and to feed a cartridge into the chamber.
- The bolt lock should be relied on only to hold the bolt in its rearward position when the chamber is empty and an empty magazine is in place in the action. The onl purpose of the bolt lock is for convenience in the rapid changing of magazines and for holding the bolt in its rearward position when the rifle is unloaded forthe purpose of cleaning or inspection.
- To release the slide (which allows the bolt to go forward) either:
- 1. Remove the magazine, draw the slide handle to the rear and release, or:
- 2. With the magazine in place, draw the slide handle fully to the rear. l'hcn depress the
- magazine follower slightly with the thumb and allow the slide to go forward. To manually engage the bolt lock to keep the bolt open: I. Pull the slide handle all the way to the rear.
- 2. Depress the bolt lock plunger and allow the slide to move forward until it stops.
-
- Article by Scott Rupp here
Action: Gas operated, rotating bolt
Overall length: 943 mm
Barrel length: 470 mm
Weigth: 3.06 kg
Magazine capacity: 5, 10, 20 or 30 rds detachable box
magazines
The first major modification to the Mini-14 family appeared in 1978, when Ruger introduced an all-stainless version of the basic rifle. Until now, all Ruger Mini-14 rifles are available either in carbon or stainless steel versions. In around 1982 Ruger introduced its next civilian modification of the Mini-14, known as the "Ranch" rifle. This version was optimized for use with telescope sight, and thus was produced with integral scope bases on receiver. Ejection mechanism was changed to eject spent cases to the right side, clear of the scope, and rear sight was fitted on the folding base. In 1986, Ruger introduced a Mini-30 rifle, which was same basic weapon but adapted to 7,62x39 M43 ammunition of Russian origin. Next change in the Mini-14 line-up appeared as late as in 2005, when Ruger company introduced a new version of the Mini-14, which incorporated integral scope bases of the earlier "Ranch" rifles with protected front sight and non-folding diopter rear sight, which has smaller mount that of previous rifles. Most current additions to the Mini-14 rifle family are the Mini-14 Target rifle, which is optimized for accuracy and use of optical sights, and the all-stainless Mini-14 in the new 6,8x43 Remington SPC caliber which has less recoil than 7,62x39 but offers better terminal effectiveness than 5,56 / .223.
In general, Mini-14 rifles are known for their good reliability and durability. Accuracy is usually quoted as somewhat inferior to AR-15 (M16)-type weapons, which are very popular in USA, but this may change with recent introduction of Mini-14 Target model. \Despite some claims, Ruger Mini-14 rifles are accurate enough for most purposes, and quite reliable and durable, being excellent weapons for hunting, home defense, and general plinking.
Ruger Mini-14 is gas operated, semi-automatic only weapon
which uses Garand-type rotary bolt with two lugs. Action is operated by
the long-stroke gas piston, which is located below the barrel and is concealed
within forend of the stock. The gas piston has cup-shaped head, and is
linked to the bolt via Garand-type operating rod which runs at the right
side of the weapon. Manual safety also patterned after M1 Garand or M14
rifle, and is located at the front of the triggerguard. Standard stock
of the Mini-14 is of single-piece type, with semi-pistol grip and separate
heatshiled above the barrel. Early Mini-14 rifles had wooden heatshileds
which exposed operating rod; current production civilian guns feature polymer
heatshields which cover most of the operating rod. Over the time, Ruger
also produced a folding-stock versions with wooden stock, plastic pistol
grip and side-folding metallic shoulder stock. Ruger also makes "all-weather"
polymer stocks for Mini-14 and Mini-30 rifles. It also must be noted that
there are many aftermarket stocks for Mini-14 rifles.
Standard sights consist of a blade-type front and adjustable
diopter-type rear sight; "Ranch" type rifles also had integral scope mounts
on the receiver, which will accept proprietary Ruger scope rings.
Original magazine capacities for Mini-14 rifles were
10 or 20 rounds, but since infamous American "Assault weapons ban" of 1994
Ruger offered civilian Mini-14 rifles with magazines containing only 5
rounds; however, some magazine makers produced aftermarket magazines for
Mini-14 and Mini-30 in capacities of up to 40 (box) and 90 (snail-drum)
rounds.
Disassembly
1. Hammer must be cocked and safety must be ON to disassemble
or reassemble rifle.
2. Remove the magazine by pushing catch forward to release
magazine, while drawing magazine down and forward (Figure Below).
3. Pull the slide handle all the way to the rear and release.
Put safety "ON" (Figure Below).
NOTE: Hammer must be cocked and safety must be "ON" to
accomplish disassembly and reassembly.
4. Use a 1/4" diameter steel rod, punch, screwdriver shank,
or other suitable instrument to
spring open the trigger guard from its latched position
(Figure Below).
5. Remove trigger group (Figure Below).
6. Remove barrel / receiver asssembly from stock(Figure Below).
7. Remove recoil spring guide and recoil spring (Figure Below).
CAUTION: The recoil spring is heavily compressed--use
care when disassembling and reassembling to
prevent the recoil spring guide and spring assembly from
escaping forcibly and possibly causing injury.
8. Pull slide handle to the rear. Align locking projections
on slide with
disassembly notch on receiver. Remove slide (Figure Below).
9. Pull the bolt forward until it can be pivoted out of
receiver. Align firing pin projection with
slot in lower receiver bridge and remove bolt from receiver
(Figure Below)
.
Further disassembly of the Mini-14 Rifle is not required
for normal cleaning purposes and should only be performed
by a person who is experienced in firearms repair. Reassembly
is accomplished
in the reverse order of the Disassembly sequence.
The .223 (5.56mm) caliber cartridge used in the Mini-14
Rifle has a very high velocity and flat trajectory. Generally, if the rifle
is sighted in to hit the point of aim at a distance of 200 yards, no change
in point of aim or sight adjustment is needed to keep all shots within
a 9 inch circle at all ranges from 0 to 300 yards.
The rear sight is adjustable for both windage and elevation.
A small punch, the head of a finishing nail, or other similar instrument
can be used to depress the plunger to allow the adjustment to be moved
one quarter turn in either direction. One quarter turn will move the point
of impact I inch at 100 yards. The sight adjustments have been made deliberately
positive by means of spring-loaded detent plungers so that settings cannot
be accidentally disturbed under normal conditions.
WINDAGE ADJUSTMENT
To move the point of impact to the right - turn adjustment
counterclockwise. To move the point of impact to the left--turn adjustment
clockwise.
ELEVATION ADJUSTMENT