Saw a pic of a prototype rifle quite a few years ago that Ruger was going to build . It was a cross between a Mini-14 and an M-14 chambered in .308 . They were going to call it the XGI . Anybody know what happened to it ? I'd probably buy one .
Ruger XGI
- Thread starter atr
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maple_leaf_eh
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I remember seeing a magazine cover story and a photo of one circa 1985. Thought it would be the cat's a$$. Then there was a long pause between announcements.
(Gather round kiddos, there was a time long long ago when we had to read printed words on paper to find out what was happening.)
I was bummed out when they announced it was canned. Apparently, the problem was inconsistent accuracy. They could make it function, but not hit the desired place enough times to justify selling them. There are a few prototypes in the Ruger museum, but nothing got onto the commercial market.
(Gather round kiddos, there was a time long long ago when we had to read printed words on paper to find out what was happening.)
I was bummed out when they announced it was canned. Apparently, the problem was inconsistent accuracy. They could make it function, but not hit the desired place enough times to justify selling them. There are a few prototypes in the Ruger museum, but nothing got onto the commercial market.
Donny Fenn1
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GS beat me to it....
but on a side note in the new Varmint Hunter magazine there is a review of the new Ranch Rifle (the new Mini 14) and it shoots pretty good with a wide range of ammo so mayb they fixed it after 20 or 30 odd years....
but on a side note in the new Varmint Hunter magazine there is a review of the new Ranch Rifle (the new Mini 14) and it shoots pretty good with a wide range of ammo so mayb they fixed it after 20 or 30 odd years....
Lee Enfield
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A friend of mine who was at the Ruger school about that time said that the real reason it was canned was because it required too much hand fitting.
Ruger's are designed to be produced with little or no hand fitting.
Ruger's historically have been designed to fill a missing nitch in the market and meet a price point. Witness the Mk.1 (price point), Single Six (no competition), Blackhawk series(combination), No.1 (no competition) ect.
Personnally I believe a combination of things including: cheap Chinese & domestic M-14s, crappy accuracy & the hand fitting problems are what killed it.
Ruger's are designed to be produced with little or no hand fitting.
Ruger's historically have been designed to fill a missing nitch in the market and meet a price point. Witness the Mk.1 (price point), Single Six (no competition), Blackhawk series(combination), No.1 (no competition) ect.
Personnally I believe a combination of things including: cheap Chinese & domestic M-14s, crappy accuracy & the hand fitting problems are what killed it.
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There were actually aftermarket magazines available. The local black rifle shop had a couple, I think they were Eaton or Eagle , something like that. Then the rifle never came to be which is probably good considering the other ruger rifles. If i recall correctly the mags were a combo type, fit m-14 as well.
Ruger XGI semi-automatic carbine
The gun it's a very rare, experimental RUGER XGI semi-automatic carbine. Advertised in Ruger's 1984 catalogue, the Ruger XGI was originally started as a 7'62x51mm-NATO rifle that was in direct competition with the Springfield armories M1A1 or M14, and there was a patent violation by Ruger that caused the weapon not to be mass produced and made available to the public. On a side note, the XGI in .243-Winchester had been advertised to be available in 1985. The project re-spawned years after, when SturmRuger was commision to create the MINI-30 under request of the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command as a weapon that Navy SEALs could take into Warsaw Pact countries and have the ability to use the enemies own ammo and magazines once the operator was out of his own ammo. The Military Version of the Ruger Mini-30 has the ability to use AK47 magazines.
The gun it's a very rare, experimental RUGER XGI semi-automatic carbine. Advertised in Ruger's 1984 catalogue, the Ruger XGI was originally started as a 7'62x51mm-NATO rifle that was in direct competition with the Springfield armories M1A1 or M14, and there was a patent violation by Ruger that caused the weapon not to be mass produced and made available to the public. On a side note, the XGI in .243-Winchester had been advertised to be available in 1985. The project re-spawned years after, when SturmRuger was commision to create the MINI-30 under request of the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command as a weapon that Navy SEALs could take into Warsaw Pact countries and have the ability to use the enemies own ammo and magazines once the operator was out of his own ammo. The Military Version of the Ruger Mini-30 has the ability to use AK47 magazines.
After looking at the pics I think it's a stupid idea. It's basically a copy of the M14. Why go to all that trouble to do all the R&D of what basically ammounts to a copy of a military rifle that has been perfected already and is readily available. I doubt Ruger, given their reputation with the Mini 14 could have done better.
It was announced at the SHOT show in January, '85 sounds about right, then cancelled in June or July of the same year as Ruger couldn't get it to work. A year or so later they came out with the Mini-30. It was never built beyond the prototype.
Donny Fenn1
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- East Kootenays
"The project re-spawned years after, when SturmRuger was commision to create the MINI-30 under request of the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command as a weapon that Navy SEALs could take into Warsaw Pact countries and have the ability to use the enemies "
it's been a while since i read any stuff about the SEALS and their weapons, but wouldn't they have access to alot of AKs instead of having to contract a new gun?
it's been a while since i read any stuff about the SEALS and their weapons, but wouldn't they have access to alot of AKs instead of having to contract a new gun?
