Rumor Time: Is Ruger Redesigning the Mini-14 to be PC?

D

DarkStar

New member
Just returned from the range where I was talking with the owner about all things firearms related when he told me he was expecting the 'new' Mini-14 rifles in soon. He said they had a fixed 5 round magazine and top loaded with a stripper arrangement. He also thought there were going to be a few other changes internally as well.

My question is has anyone else heard this rumor? On the way home I was thinking how Bill Ruger screwed over the shooting community to save his 'little rifle' and now they do this anyway? If this is true, exactly what was the point of pushing for a magazine capacity limit then converting the rifle to PC garbage anyway?

I was never a fan of the Mini-14, but all of us have paid the price for Billy Ruger's desire to keep it intact. Just when I was getting over being mad at Ruger, too. I hope this is just another rumor...

Darryl
 
Ick. That would be a totally useless rifle...
If you have a fixed 5 round magazine - it might as well be a bolt action with MOA or better accuracy.
 
First, who would buy it? Second, there isn't a NEED to redesign the gun such and market it. What law would they be complying with either real or proposed?

There have been hundreds of rumors started about how Ruger has bent over for the government. In truth, they only did this once with the Magazine Capacity thing and got smacked down big time. Since, I don't know of any other practices that have been in poor political judgement.

With all the REAL bending over out there by companies like Sellout & Wesson and Colt, let's stick with what we know, guys.

And if it were true that a clip-fed Semi-Auto were a bad thing, why would anybody buy a Garand?
 
Ruger/ Bah ! Humbug!

Mr. William Ruger has cost hisself thousands of bucko's.
He , as Colt, started the Gun PC movement way before it was kosher.
I have not owned a Ruger for more than 6 months in my life, and I'll never buy another.
It's Bill's perogative to do what he wishes, it's his company...........And I'll continue to exercise mine, along with non purchase of anything Colt, S & W, and Ruger............period.
 
if it is true, then it might because a semi auto rifle that does not accept a detachable magazine is CA legal

ps
Bill Ruger retired this Fall
 
dZ, that could very well be what it is... the changes in Kali laws could have prompted Ruger's modification of the Mini...

Darryl
 
I thought Kalifornians could still have Mini 14s

The ban affects pistol-grip rifles, or rifles that had actions that traditionally came with pistol grips (ARs/AKs of all types, even if you change the stock).


Battler.
 
CA can still have Rugers because of the squabbling over the definition of a grip that can be grasped below the action.

They got around this issue by updating the roos list to now include guns that were not required to register back in 1989

the Mini 14 was not on that new list but the detachable magazine is considered a defining trait of the assault rifle species.

eliminating this feature would make the Mini less likely to be banned.

consider the SKS
the ones with detachable magazines are CA assault rifles.

Generic Characteristics Defining Assault Weapons:
12276.1 (a) Notwithstanding Penal Code section 12276, “assault weapon” shall also mean the following:
Rifles
(1) A semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and any one of
the following:
(A) A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon.
(B) A thumbhole stock.
(C) A folding or telescoping stock.
(D) A grenade launcher or flare launcher.
(E) A flash suppressor.
(F) A forward pistol grip.
(2) A semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that has a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than 10
rounds.
(3) A semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that has an overall length of less than 30 inches.
Note: Bayonets and bayonet lugs are not assault weapon characteristics under California law.
Click to expand...

by my read, the centerfire detachable magazine defines the "evil" semiauto species
 
Ruger engineers may well be working on such a design. It would be marketable in Communist (We trust our citizens) states and countries (Canada & England).
 
dz:

(1) A semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and any one of
the following:


I.e. it needs one more "deadly feature" to be an assault weapon. The ruger traditionally has none of these features. (Aftermarket stocks excluded).

The detatchable mag-fed ruger is not a CA Assault weapon.

Battler.
 
i agree that the Mini 14 is not a CA SAW by this years law...

what about next years law?

the removal of the detachable magazine feature would make the gun a better "investment" for the manufacturer

dZ
 
agreed.

Does anyone not think that they're not going to come forward and say (as we did) that all these cosmetic features count for naught, and call the rest of autoloaders a "loophole"?
 
That sounds a lot like the new .44 mag carbine, based on the mini-14 action (Deerfield carbine, IIRC). It uses a 5 round detachable rotary-style mag (like the 10/22) rotary mag, that just isn't well suited to extending.

I wouldn't count on the rumor being true, nor would I discount it. There might be a place for a pure 5-round rifle as a hunting rifle, but I'll keep my old mini, thank you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top