WHAT IS A 1983 RUGER MINI 14 SS WORTH?

9MMBERETTA

THIS MINI 14 WAS BOUGHT NEW AND UN-USED IN THE BOX. BUT THE STAINLESS STEEL HAS A HIGHLY POLISHED FINISH. IS THIS HOW THE OLDER ONES CAME FROM THE FACTORY (MY 1995 MINI 14 HAS THE MATTE FINISHED STAINLESS STEEL) OR DID THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAVE SOME CUSTOM WORK DONE ON IT? WHAT DO YOU THINK ITS WORTH?

JudgeColt

Unless you find someone to whom the non-original, polished finish appeals, I would estimate the value to be about $100-$150 less than current wholesale. I guess someone could take the trouble to sandpaper the rifle to bring it closer to the correct appearance, but I doubt that it would never look right again. This is a perfect example of someone spending money to greatly reduce the value of their firearm.

gundummy

DEPENDS ON WHAT "HIGHLY POLISHED" MEANS. I HAVE ONE THAT WAS MADE IN 1981 AND QUESTIONED MY OLD TIME GUN DEALER ON WHY THAT GUN HAD A MORE "SHINIER" FINISH THAN THE NEWER ONES HE HAD SITTING THERE. I WAS TOLD BY HIM AND OTHER DEALERS IN THE AREA THAT THE OLDER ONES HAD A "SHINIER" FINISH THAN THE NEWER DULL MATTE ONES. NO ONE SEEM TO KNOW THE SERIAL # CUT OFF. I ALSO FREQUENT GUN SHOWS EVERY MONTH AND ALSO NOTICED THE EARLIER (~182 AND BELOW)S/S MINI'S TO HAVE A "SHINIER" FINISH AND WAS ALSO TOLD BY THE OLD TIMERS THERE THAT IT CAME OUT THAT WAY BEFORE. I DID SEE A "SHINY" ONE ONCE WITH A LATER SERIAL #, BUT THAT OWNER ADMITTED POLISHING IT. SO BASED ON WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD,THE EARLIER ONES WERE MORE "SHINY" OR "BRIGHTER" THAN NEWER ONES, BUT NOT "HIGHLY POLISHED". HOPE THIS HELP AND DID NOT CONFUSE ANYONE. GD

gundummy

OOPS, FORGOT TO GIVE YOU THE PRICES I'VE SEEN THESE SOLD FOR. ABOUT $400 TO $500, UNLESS IT WAS POLISHED, THAN I WOULD AGREE WITH JUDGE ON THE PRICE DROP UNLESS THAT HUNTER PLANS ON BLINDING HIS TARGET BEFORE HE HITS IT. ANYTHING MUCH MORE THAN THAT WOULD DRIVE BUYER TO LOOK FOR A GB MODEL OR EVEN AN AR-15. JUST MY 2 CENTS, OOPS, 4 CENTS NOW. GD

boeboe

I believe the earlier ones had what might be called a "polished" finish as opposed to the matt finish. I had a 181 series that was like that, and I know the original owner of it well enough to know he wouldn't have the where-with-all to polish it himself. and he sure wouldn't spend the money to have it done.