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Is There A Problem With The 180-Series Ruger Mini-14?
nunn
Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,078 ******
I have one in excellent condition. I tried to sell it on Gunbroker, but no one wanted it, so I booked it out to me and kept it.
People seem to dislike this version of the Mini-14, but why? It has no provision for mounting a scope, and the bolt hold open is external and looks weird, but other than those things, I see no difference between this rifle and a newer version.
So, why is this model so unpopular?
Comments
SOME parts are different than the later series and Ruger will not do any repair on the 180 is what I say.
I found that earlier ones were fussy about newer mags being too wide.
Their early models (180) have a "pencil" barrel that is said to distort when hot and hinders accuracy, there were also some issues with the bolt.
Ruger no longer supports the model 180.
just what the other posters have said its unique to its own self and not very popular you have found out .
unless you just about truly give it away for dirt cheap or just parting it out
Ive got a Ruger mini 14 and like it. Im not familiar with the 180 and the differences. Could you enlighten me? I dont even know which one I have.
This is my understanding as well. Folks don't want a gun Ruger will no longer support or repair. Parts may be hard to come by for it. And even though the 180 series is more accurate than say the 181-196 series (before Ruger did their re-tool), folks probably don't want it for that reason.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
They are the ones manufactured between 1974 and 1977. The serial number begins 180-
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
Thank you, mine is a later model.
Mini14s sure look cool and when they first came out they sold like wildfire but people found out they are inaccurate and unreliable. Probably the only gun Ruger ever made that turned out to be junk.
I had a stainless Mini 14, never fired it but I did trade it for a Browning BLR in .308, I'm still smiling over that trade.
The guy I traded with fished off shore a lot and wanted something for his boat with more range than a 12 gauge.
I owned a 180 series years ago and it was the most inaccurate rifle I ever shot,....pretty much gave it away just to make room for something else and never had a desire for another mini-14. The only good thing I can say is it never jammed when I shot it.
"Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee
I bought a new ranch rifle 2 years ago. The difference between it and an older mini 14 was amazing.
start at penny it will sell for something
My brother has a mini-14 that he bought new. It is marked 'Made in 1976', and was made in 1976. Since it was made in 1976, it is no different than any other Mini made in 1976.
Made in 1976 in believe.
I have had my share over the years at one time they were called the poor man's AR 15
Back in 1994 or so when klinton and the gang did the ban
I scrapped together what money I could headed to the local GS with intentions of buying a AR15 at that time a Colt but then the choices were limited anyway
I had never had a AR 15 but had owned several mini 14 to that point
Any way i got to the GS and i knew rhe Colts were not inexpensive i think about 700 to 800 dollars aT the time they were always to much for my meger budget
but that day i decided i better splurge and buy one
At the show i just could not get myself to spend that much on a colt
So I bought two NIB SS Rugers a mini 14 and mini 30 a bunch of extra magazines and ammo for both and for less than the cost of one Colt AR15
later on down the road I sold all the rugers and the two still new in the box ones I bought that day here on GB
and bought my first COLT AR15
any way I would have never guessed everybody and their brother would start selling and making AR rifles for cheap compared to what they were any way
And the Ruger mini series would be more expensive
I still have one ss ranch version Ruger in the safe and added a aftermarket thumb hole stock
Side note during the ban I searched out the factory ruger mini 14 magazines to resell for some time I could get 125 to 150.00 for a 20 or 30 rnd factory mag a 10 round factory were even harder to find but the states like kal people paid dearly as that's the limit the state had set
I kept just a few for me
But then I went nuts on the AR rifles and magazines
-
Similar experience to yours. I bought a mini-14 ranch rifle in 1994, layaway. The Colt AR-15s were out of the question. I bought my first AR ten years later after the ban expired, a Colt LE6920. Since then, I have purchased many ARs, but had this revealing moment this summer when I was zeroing in my Ruger MPR. The mini-14 is now considerably more expensive than many ARs including the MPR. And wow is the MPR considerably more accurate.
Have you forgotten the zinc framed Wrangler they currently make?
I learned something today. I did not know this about the 180's.
Good thread, Nunn.
Not to belabor a well discussed thread, but in addition to lack of service parts on the 180 series, the earliest mini-14s were built with subcontractor barrels. The first people to supply barrels were Douglas, and then Ruger switched to Wilson barrels which were cheaper. Quality was not controlled in-house by Ruger and the early minis got a reputation for inaccuracy.
It wasn't until the very late 80s or early 90s that Ruger began fitting its own hammer forged barrels that the mini-14 became a much more accurate rifle.
Thanks, @chris8X57
A buddy had a series 180 mini....It had the all wood stock, no plastic cover like the newer ones.. It was a little lacking in accuracy. He has some issues with it and had a hard time finding parts for it. He ended up buying another one just for parts. He finally got rid of all of it.
I had a couple different Mini's over the years. The first yote I ever shot was a 110 yard shot with a scoped Mini Ranch Rifle. That one would shoot under 2.5" at 100 yards. MOY....Minute of Yote !!!! The others were pretty much the same accuracy wise. Never had any issues with any of them with the exception of being a little magazine sensitive...
I bought one when they were on sale right after they were first available around $150, Have put a case thru mine and have had no issues yet. I bought one with the silver frame with black barrel & cylinder. I admit they do look cheep and Ruger advertised them as a budget pistol.
However, a Mini 14s when they were introduced were selling for the equivalent of over a grand in todays money and just about every example grouped around 6" at 50 yards and most all I have seen at the range provided similar accuracy. Many would only accept only pricey Ruger mags and the sights sucked. No wonder George Peppard of the "A team" never scored any hits.
IMHO Ruger over the years has proven to be the best firearm manufacturer in the USA, but every gun manufacture will poop out a lemon, even Ruger and the Mini 14 is Ruger's Edsel
WIll admit the newer ones in 7.62 x 39 were an improvement
I have one of those pieces of junk....it is actually not that bad for a plinker.
I have several Rugers myself, all single action and I have had some rifles. I agree they are mostly good. I like the SR1911, but I think most of the semi autos are ergonomically bricks with triggers. And I just can't do zinc.
i had a 180 series mini14 for a while. ya as the barrel heated up it would start stringing the shots up, up, and farther up. and toss the emptyies into the next 40 acre field. Factory magazines were hideously expensive, and the aftermarket mags were unreliable. i was able to engineer a barrel strut gizmo that held down the stringing to 3 inches at 100 yards. changing the gas bushings helped control the empties better. accuracy was never going to be any better than what it had with all the fixes. there was a tapered base scope mount that attached on the left side of the receiver that was useless as T***[bumps] on a boar. i sold the gun ammo and gizmos at a healthy profit to some forgettable co worker that i haven't seen in 9 years.
The Mini-14 was the original model that Bill Ruger refused to sell over 10 rd mags to civilians. Ruger would not sell 20 or 30 rd mags on the retail market until after the 2004 ban expired. If you see a 20 or 30 rd mag in a white box that was made for "Law Enforcement Only". Post 2004 mags are in plastic packing.
Way to stay on topic, guys!
Or, I should state: Way to stray off topic, guys!
Put it up for a dollar start and you will get better than expected, maybe 🤔
I'll probably just keep it. It hangs on the wall in my office and doesn't eat.
The best tip I’ve heard;
When shooting the Mini 14 begin by tossing a 6 foot hula hoop to the right of your shooting position.
Fire your target.
Inevitably the spent brass grouped in the hula hoop will be tighter than the rounds on target.
Brag about your spent brass group.