Talk me out of a Ruger Ranch rifle!

1

1shot

CGN Regular
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Location
S. Ontario
Greetings, I have that 'new toy" itch once again and have been reading up on the Ruger Ranch rifle aka Mini 14.

From what I have read from the keyboard cowboys, the rifle appears to be super reliable yet inaccurate- unless you can get one made after 2005 following Ruger's re-tooling.

I'm looking to play out to 100 yards, roll the odd Coyote etc using the open sights.
A new one is the wrong side of $800.. I can afford one, but the question is- should I?

Question for those who own/have owned one: Pros/cons?
Cheers!

1Shot
 
.223 is for children and the elderly.



Just kidding. It's a fine rifle but it's hungry on ammo. One's budget and/or reloading setup should be taken into consideration.
 
My mini 14 goes in the truck with me just about everywhere. Great guns. I also have a CZ858. The CZ is just as accurate, if not more so, cheaper to shoot and with all the extra add on do-dads looks way cooler. Plus the libs don't like the look of CZ's. I will probably always have that mini, but you may want to consider a CZ.
 
The new production are great. The only way to know for sure if a rifle is right for you is to try it for yourself. If you're not 100% sure, save a few bucks and start with a slightly used one, they turn up on the EE from time to time.
 
My stainless ranch rifle, scoped and sandbagged off the bench, with four kinds of ammo, consistently grouped in the 4 + inch range at 100 yards and had the worst trigger on any firearm I've ever tried. Absolutely unnaceptable for a $900 firearm, period.

I've heard the newer ones do better, but after reading some reviews with range reports, "better" seems to be from 2" - 4" at 100 yards depending on ammo, and with still quite a bit of variablity between rifles in the same series. So not that much better.

Word has it that guys who know lots about them can tune them a fair bit. But for a $900 rifle, I wonder why anyone would think that was something they would be willing to tolerate.
 
I got one on a trade a few weeks ago and with a peep site it shoots 3 inch 5 shot groups at 100 yards shooting across my pack.I was happy with how it shot.This is my first mini 14 but i think they are decent for a 100 yard gun or maybe a little more.
 
I've had a couple Mini 14's, a Mini 14 Ranch Rifle and a Mini 30 before. All were extremely reliable but not particularly accurate. The [lack of] accuracy is the main reason I no longer own any of them.

I have a Rem Model 7 bolt rifle in .223 that is extremely accurate. For the money I prefer it.

My .02

2007-10-27_091302_1aCoffee.gif

NAA.
 
Take a look at a Benelli mr-1... It is twice the price but can they shot 1 to 1.5 inch with handloads and reliability is up there, the mini-14 is the only rifle i got rid of, it never was able to shoot inside 4 inchs...JP.
 
caramel said:
Take a look at a Benelli mr-1... It is twice the price but can they shot 1 to 1.5 inch with handloads and reliability is up there, the mini-14 is the only rifle i got rid of, it never was able to shoot inside 4 inchs...JP.
Click to expand...

The ''NEW'' target model Mini 14s are very accurate, and uber reliable.
 
I'd wait and see what becomes of all these reclassification rumours, wouldn't want to buy one and then have it seized.

But I will x5 the SKS, it's plenty reliable, ammo is dirt cheap and it won't matter if you get a few scratches and dents in it.
 
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