@@Isaac556x45 I’m glad that Ruger upped their quality. To this day my Ruger 10/22 (Had since 1986) is my favorite rifle. IMO for the money, the 10/22 is the best rifle Ruger ever produced.
@RickNethery it's a 15 dollar fix. Or at least it was. The heavier Wolf spring kit solves that issue entirely. I have thousands of junk rounds through mine now without a hiccup
For those of us living in ban states, it's a reasonable, under-the-radar alternative to an AR. I picked up mine, used, in excellent condition for $220. I've got a LOT of rounds through it, absolutely trouble free.
Must be a 90's build. First rifle i ever bought with my own money was a Mini 14 Ranch. Paid about $400 for it at Wal-Mart if you can believe that. About as accurate as a worn AK. Wouldn't feed mags reliable unless they were factory and during the ban factory 20 rounders and 30 rounders were unobtainable. I also probably spent at least $500 on the rifle trying to get it to be more accurate and better looking. Probably spent $1k in aftermarket mags that Wouldn't work. A lot of love hate with that rifle.
Years ago working on a ranch in NM we kept one of these within reach... always enjoyed the occasional end of the day sessions shooting it at rusty cans or whatever... wish i had that rifle now
The Mini 14 subreddit is wild - every month you'll find someone complaining that they had to take a file or power tools to the rifle, when in reality all they had to do was learn how it functions.
The AC556k was the first giggle switch gun that I ever handled, back in the 80s. I still have my Mini-14, a gift for my 16th birthday, and I still shoot it. It's purely emotional for me but I am glad that I have it. :)
I have an older Mini 14, made sometime in the 90s. It actually shoots pretty well especially after adding an ultimak rail and red dot sight. I’m able to consistently hit a .66 IPSC steel target at 300yds.
I have an older mini, a 188xxx serial #. I put a "harmonic" barrel stabelizer on it. And I get 1.5" groups at 100 without even thinking about it. And its a great shooting gun. Put a 3x9 optic on it. Boarder line tac driver now. I own two AR's, one in .556, and one in .300 blackout. I actually enjoy shooting the Mini as much, if not more than the AR's. And other than hog hunting, Ill use the mini for pretty much anything else. And .223 is cheap, so great range day gun too.
When Samson announced they were going to make the A-TM stock, I bought my Mini 14 just for that. Pre-ordered the stock soon as I could. I love it and I have added the Hannibal Rail which makes it more flexible in terms of accessories. It came with a Vortex Venom red dot.
i love the mini 14... i had a stainless 80's version years ago in vegas and regretted letting go of it... i got another one this year for my birthday... black tactical version , and i got the samson folder too... i remember as a kid watching the A-Team telling myself that someday I'll have "that gun"... dreams do come true.
That rifle brings back memories, around 20ish years ago when i was a small boy, our family used to watch the A-Team every Sunday. I always wanted to get one but due to our laws i'm somewhat limited on the overall amount of guns.
In 2005 I bought a Mini 14 at my local Walmart for less than 600 bucks. I owned it a couple of years and sold it to one of my brothers. It came with a wood stock and I later got a folding stock and an AK-74 style flash hider. Now I wish I had kept it.
I like mine. Fast handling, mine has never failed, ever. My favorite work , knock around gun. Handy, quick to use. Not bulky, not a bunch of stuff sticking out. I like how it throws brass. Like an Olympian
Years back I went shooting with a friends family. Her dad brought a Mini 14 while I brought my MK12 Mod 0. I admit I turned my nose up at the mini 14 and thought to myself why not just get an AR? After watching this video and owning so many different AR’s over the years making them some what boring. Seeing yours with the folding stock I admit that’s freaking cool.
Thanks for another fun video. Boyds makes really nice looking laminated wood stocks for the Mini-14! They also make the them for other rifles. Skinner Sights makes a clever rail that replaces the bottom forward stock mount. It makes a great way to mount a tactical light. This makes the Mini-14 a better home defence carbine. Also G G & G makes a nice sturdy sight rail that uses the ring mount slots. Great for mounting a 1-4x scope! The Mini-14 can be a devastating CQB rifle! In the 1986 FBI Miami Firefight The Bad Guy Platt was able to take out an FBI stake out squad. 2 Agents died ar the scene. 3 were Seriously wounded. And 2 were wounded. Fortunately Agent Mireles was able to finish the Fight. He killed the 2 bad guys who were already fatally wounded, but still going. The FBI Blamed the failure of the 9mm and this lead to the adoption of the 10 mm. Which lead to the .40 S&W. It also resulted in better tactics for law enforcement! Agent Edmundo Mireless, the Hero of the gun fight wrote a must read book; 'FBI Miami Firefight Five Minutes That Changed the Bureau' This book debunks a lot of the arm chair warriors analysis. But also shows the failures of FBI tactics. Don't under estimate the effectiveness of the Mini-14!!
The Boyds gunstocks for the Mini do look good, but they don't use the steel stock reinforcement that's part of the Ruger manufactured stock design. As a result, over time, the Boyds stock will get loose.
@@alanhigh8125 the new ruger stocks do not use the reinforcements either. The laminated wood is much less likely to warp or become loose. If you're worried buy the new Rugers with the synthetic stock. The latest generation of Ruger Mini-14s are much better. More accurate! They don't have re enforcements either. My 1944 Inland M1 .30 carbine has been to hell and back. The wood is still tight. My Remington 1944 1903 A3 is in very good condition. Still not warped or loose. I knew a WWII Marine Veteran who fought on Guadalcanal and Saipan. He told me he carried an 03 A3. Great man. But he suffered from severe PSTD. He had survivors guilt. But that's a story for another day. But on July 4th, I remember him and my Stepfather who carried a M1 Carbine from D Day plus 4 to Berlin. Cheers
My first rifle was an ar15, carrying handle and all. I got it when I was 16. My dad bought it for me because he knew it would help me when I joined the Army, which I did, at 17. The entire time, he had a mini14 and carried it everywhere. This is from a guy who spent 24 years with an m16. Now that I'm done with my 21 year Army career, I bought a mini 14.
Yes! Just what I’ve been waiting for.. I’ve been shooting an AR of one sort or another since I was 10, now 50. Just think, there must be hundreds of thousands of us in our 50’s that fell in love with the AC .556 with the A-team. Honestly, it’s the only one I’ve ever wanted, and I started out with a 10/22. Just never pulled the trigger to make a clone.
These always work - no "forward assist" is required. UltiMAK in Idaho makes a great billet rail to replace the top handguard & mount optics to the Mini.
I love AR's, but forward assists are dumb. It's a solution to a problem that shouldn't have existed, and doesn't exist anymore. It was a terrible solution to the issues the early rifles had and the fact that GI's were told the rifle never needed to be cleaned. If the round doesn't want to go in, get it the hell out of there. If it won't chamber, there's a problem with the rifle or the ammo. Trying to jam a round in the chamber that doesn't want to go in is the last thing you'd want to do. I've been shooting ARs for years. Not once have I ever needed to use the forward assist, not would I try to if the round wouldn't chamber.
It's a low production gun without the same scale and manufacturing process as the AR-15. Many of the parts are cast. The trigger is much better than the average mil-spec AR-15, also the barrel is cold hammer forged which is nothing really something you see in sub $1,000 AR-15s outside of Ruger's own MPR. If you can pick one up for $850 (blued version), it's not a bad deal if you're looking for something outside of an AR. It's much more fun to shoot in my opinion but still would revert to an AR-15 for any serious use due to the lack of parts to service the Mini-14, cost of magazines, manual of arms, mounting solutions, etc.
I’ve owned several Mini-14s, and I discovered early on that only factory mags were reliable. The aftermarket mags fed like garbage. Factory 20 and 30 rounders are hideously expensive. You’d think that Magpul would come out with a P-Mag for the mini, and keep the price sub-$20.
Precision Mags were the only after market that worked well. I own 5-40 round and 2-30 round. They are hard to find because they were made in Cali. When the mag ban happen, they shut off the machine. From what I heard, they did not get rid of the machine waiting for the ban to be lifted.
I've always loved the LEO versions of the Mini 14 with the folding stocks. They just looked really trick. I've also seen some that are in a different stock setup that looks just like the M14 EBR and they look equally as cool. I get performance. Reliability,and cost should be the main considerations in purchasing a firearm,but the fact that they slick slick and aesthetically pleasing is a bonus.
The mini 14 (I think a licensed copy with wood stock) is carried by a lot of national police in France since it doesn't look "scary". It's a bit strange walking around Paris seeing guys with mini 14's and mp7s
Ah. The Mousqueton A.M.D. A US gun parts seller had a small cache of stocks for the Mousqueton that were checkered and looked very different from the old utilitarian Mini-14 stock. I was so sorry that they sold out before I could grab one.
Great gun! My first deer rifle in the mid 90s. They have since upgraded the mini and the last 15 years were a good time to buy one especially before gun prices skyrocketed. I sold it to my Dad so still in the family . I purchased mini 14 tactical in 300 BO 6 years ago for $750. Now they are $12-1300!
When I turned 18 and was finally able to buy a firearm on my own, I purchased a Mini-14 at a gun show. I love mine. I've shot thousands of rounds and never had any malfunction that was fault of the rifle. All were due to a bad magazine. It also would eat the nastiest surplus ammo that would force an AR to be cleaned after a couple of mags. It is accurate enough for me that I've used it to hunt whitetail deer.
Knucklehead's name checks out. Including your work of fiction. This Fuddlore myth you are peddling has been busted ad nauseam. The Mini 14 isn't reliable as the AR15.
Thanks Tim for being more vocal on your channel. In regards to terms like the anti gunners being NUT JOBS!!!!! Also telling it like it is “They aren’t getting our guns“. We need more of this in the content everyone makes.
They're not getting our gun? Look at horrible anti 2A laws that have been passed in numerous states over the last 30 years. And it has only become worse.
The first firearm I ever bought was a Mini-14 ranch from the local Cabela’s gun library. I still have it and I have a blued Samson stick on it, and I love it.
I have this same setup but with a Choate flash hider and hand guard. Pin and welded to 16.1”. I get 2MOA with a Weaver 4X mounted with factory rings. I absolutely love it. Enjoyed the video.
A stainless GB folder was my first rifle (thanks A-Team), but the AR is a FAR superior design. I still wish I had kept it, but money was tight as a student in the mid-1980s.
I have a new style stainless like this one, and it's ran 100%. Got it for the price of an entry level AR as it was a police trade-in in nearly new condition a few years back before prices went insane.
My best buddies dad has about a dozen of these things at the farm. I never warmed up to them. I reloaded for a bunch of them trying to squeeze out accuracy. I gave up after putting way too much time into them. Thanks A-team😂
We carried Mini-14s for years before we changed back to the AR-15. The Minis just don't hold up to long term hard use, compared to our Colts. They were fun, though, especially with aftermarket parts.
OMG, I suddenly want one now. I grew up in the '80's and the A Team was one of my regular shows to watch as a kid. In fact I recall having the Murdock action figure.
Videos like this are exactly why I follow your work everywhere 😂 I don't always have to agree with your opinions or gun choices, but on all things 2A I have the same "not giving an inch" attitude. Thanks for all you do!
I unexpectedly found a couple of stainless models with folding wire socks at a local pawn shop. They were marked TN DOC. Shop owner said they were used by prison guards here. Pretty cool but way overpriced.
Wondering why that is? I know a couple people, including myself, who have had failure to extract after rapid fire. I have a newer version of the rifle. Called Ruger and asked for a new extractor, extractor plunger and spring. Was happy they sent it out rather than shipping the whole rifle to them. Hope that fixes the problem. Any comments?
Back in the day I worked briefly in a gun store. There were more high quality rifle imports than I could shake a stick at. I can’t help but to think that the extraordinary popularity of the M4 type stuff was helped greatly by all that other stuff getting banned at one point.
@Ed T It had more to do with the US military using it since the 60s. Vietnam, the Gulf War, GWOT and all the movies made about them pushed the M16/M4 into the public consciousness. There was never going to be a way for imports to compete against domestically produced AR-15s on price, and price has a lot to do with popularity. If a rifle is maybe 10% better than an AR-15 but costs 4 times as much, most people are going to save their money and just buy the AR-15.
@@ericsmith5919 …I absolutely see your point. But in my experience, the sales of alternative rifles dwarfed the sales of the AR stuff, despite the cost.
@@edt8535Wouldn't your example mean that you would have to look at other reasons why the AR is popular? I think part of it has to do with the development of budget AR's, like Olympic Arms, DPMS, PSA and so on.
The Mini14 was the first centerfire rifle I ever owned. In late 1977 paid $177 brand new from my local sporting goods store. In the following years I found getting the 20 round factory mags was difficult and expensive.
Good grief I got so scared when you changed the stock, weapon of war!!😂the term morons way to mild for those idiots, very entertaining video Tim, well done!
@@georgewhitworth9742 how can you protect and serve when a kid sees you, you look like the bad guys they see on tv. Which the modern gun culture is retarded. In my time you could have bought an AR-15 ..... but why? You guys only buy ar15s cause they look cool. They are in all the movies. In my time I remember when people were obsessed with getting their hands on a .357, .44 or a 12 gauge riot gun In the a team era , also after the Miami Dade shoot out it was mini 14s, 9s and .40s. About everyone has a black gun is true but still instills fear when it's seen. Why would you want to scare people when they are supposed to be looking at the police as a helper. 95 percent of police work is totally non violent. Heck why wear the commando clothes?
If a cop wants to pack a black gun I heard the US military is going all out to hire new people. You get to fight all kinds of guys with black rifles. But many cops are Dem cowards and hide at the donut shop for 15 minutes before they respond to a DV event.
I bought my first AR-15 and Mini-14 at the same time! Later on I still had only one Mini-14, but several more AR-15's before I lost them all in an unfortunate boating accident. I didn't like the design of the trigger assembly, the trigger guard can loosen and the whole thing will fall out over time (watch Mac's disassembly to see the design flaw). It fell out at the range and I had to fix it-twice. The second fix seemed to have worked. Other than that, I liked it.
I loved the A-Team. I hope to get one of these some day. I just bought a pistol. A PSA 7" Marauder. I'm about done editing the video, but I had to stop and watch this lol. Gr8 vid as usual. 🔫 🇺🇸
Here in Canada the government and anti gunners declared them to be “assault style rifles” and banned them. Sadly we’re turning into great example of what can happen when the government has too much power.
Who makes it possible for the Canadian government to pass ever more restrictive gun laws? The Canadian people, of course, who continue voting for the same liberal MPs year after year. There's only one thing a politician fears: losing the next election. Canadians are so leftist/liberal that any talk of restoring gun rights is utterly hopeless at this juncture. Many Canadians would feel right at home in the Peoples Republic of China. "I'm Canadian. Please abolish more of my rights. I'll feel safer. I'm happy the government controls every aspect of my existence, from the cradle to the grave."
BA , Face, Howling Mad Murdock, and Hannibal. They could throw out the rounds and blow up things with so much accuracy that no one was ever hurt much less killed. Notice on the shows from before 86 they had real giggle guns, them after that was only semi with sound effects dubbed over to make it kinda fun.
First rifle I ever bought myself at 18 in college, 35 years ago. Holy crap. It wasn’t exactly a tack driver but it was fun to play with in the grasslands of Colorado.
Same, my dad agreed to letting me get a gun when I turned 18 but didn't want me to scare my mom bringing home an AR-15 or WASR at the time lol. Such a fun gun to shoot though with irons.
You can take the guns apart, install a new barrel, and zero in without even getting up from your chair. That's what I call a workshop. I like the Ruger AC-556 that's what a call a WOW ;)
That's freaking crazy!! A 22lr rifle is not an assault weapon. I'm so glad I don't live there. That sucks big time! A model 60 is tube fed for crying out loud!
If I found myself in a similar situation, I'd simply move to a more gun friendly state. I'm retired, though, and live on my pension and Social Security. A younger person would have to acquire another job in their new home before they could move, unless they worked remotely.
Fun Fact: The Ruger Mini-14 actually came about from a conversation Mr. William Ruger had with a driver of the Car/Limo Service he used if he needed to go anywhere during or for company business. The one driver, ( never did know his name) was a Vietnam Veteran & apparently would talk about guns with Mr Ruger during their drive/time in the vehicle. In a Nutshell the Vet mentioned that a M-14 style Rifle in a 5.56 as opposed to 7.62 would be a cool Rifle. And Bill Ruger evidently gave it some serious thought & that is how the Mini-14 came to be. We read this I think it was back in the ‘80’s , it was a sidebar story that briefly mentioned that Bill Ruger donated some Mini-14’s that went for service during the Rhodesian Bush Wars, from his conversations with Robert Brown from S.O.F. Magazine about the apparent need for equipment.
I'm the same age as Tim and remember how the Mini-14 was more popular than the AR-15 back in the 1980s due to its lower cost and more traditional appearance. How things have changed. Now the Mini-14 is an overpriced dinosaur mostly popular with those who can't legally buy an AR. Having said that, even the anti-gunners have found a way to ban guns like this which is why I can no longer buy one in WA state.
That's not true. I read the wash law cover to cover. The standard ranch model mini 14, mini 30 's are not banned by name or features in your state. You just can't buy the tactical model, as the flash hider is a banned feature.
@@markwellsfry9843 Unfortunately so is the ventilated handguard. There are no Mini-14s for sale in any of the gun shops here because they're not allowed to sell them. If there were I'd buy one, trust me.
@@markwellsfry9843 Well then please tell the gun shops here. They tell me they're not allowed to sell them anymore. And every online site I tried says "This item is restricted in your area". The handguards are considered heat shields, which is a banned item.
Bill Ruger is the genius that came up with the 'high capacity' magazine limit. To save the wooden stocked, normal looking Mini-14 from being banned by name on the '94 AW ban, he recommended limiting magazine capacity for guns that did not have enough evil features to make the list. That is also when Ruger stopped selling the folding stocked Mini and the 20 and 30 round magazines to the public.
"Tide Pod generation."🤣🤣🤣🤣 Little has more Americana than a stainless Mini with a Samson stock. I don't care if it were 8 MOA - it's still fuckin cool. Thanks for sharing this gem with us MAC!
You can also get a five round magazine. Here in Kentucky for deer hunting you cannot have more than five rounds in the rifle at a time and I think you really have to have the five round magazine to make it legal. then again my version is the Mini 30 so at least for it there is a five round magazine.
Thanks for informing us, Fudd. I still rather use a modern AR10 for deer and hog hunting. And yeah, 5rd mags exist for those also. The AR platform is just better.
@@Enjoyer.762He's not a Fudd. Like all of us, he has preferences, and found what works for him. I read his post, and he made no negative comments about other posters or the AR-15. I've noticed that in general, AR-15 owners have an almost irrational hatred for anyone with a different opinion, and go out of their way to criticize and impune anyone who doesn't own their "wonder weapon". It's rather childish and immature. I think the common term is "Gun Snob".
Love my Mini. Stainless with black synthetic stock. Classic look, tons of fun to shoot, feels great. Haven't changed anything on it and don't plan to. Kicks brass 500 feet out. Also like my AR, but I didn't like it as it came. Had to customize it. An Aimpoint, stock swap, grip & vertical grip, and a couple little aesthetic changes later I like it equally to the Ruger. Usually if I'm firing 5.56 at the range I take both and split the ammo 50/50. Don't understand why so many guys feel the need to draw a line in the sand and think they have to pick one or the other.
Carried one for 4 years as a Texas State Trooper. Wasn't bad, there are better, and I've wanted to always get one just to have. We almost got the Sig 551 Swat issued but they didn't because it looks too militarized lol.
Many people don't know this, but Ruger had planned to market a successor to this rifle that was to be called the "Mini Me 14." However, the project was scrapped after Verne Troyer threatened to sue for copyright infringement. True story...
The AC556 was only used in one episode of The A Team. The rest of the rifles featured were Mini 14s . Both rifles were available with folding stocks and in blue finish as well as stainless steel. The AC556 had a longer receiver than the Mini-14 so the stocks will not interchange because the receiver well is longer on the AC556 to accommodate the select fire trigger group.
I love it when a plan comes together
lol. I always think about the A Team when I see these. My father had one in the 80’s. Was a piece of 💩
@@kevcom82 The newer ones are a lot better.
@@Isaac556x45 I’m glad that Ruger upped their quality. To this day my Ruger 10/22 (Had since 1986) is my favorite rifle. IMO for the money, the 10/22 is the best rifle Ruger ever produced.
Hell yeah!
@@kevcom82
They made pretty good bolt guns and ARs, too. And the new Marlin lever guns look great.
It's the leg casually burning in the background for me.😂😂😂
Bro why is it on fire lmao
Some Fallout 4 behavior 😂
If Ruger made a Mini-14 that would accept AR mags, they would sell a ton of them.
@RickNethery it's a 15 dollar fix. Or at least it was. The heavier Wolf spring kit solves that issue entirely. I have thousands of junk rounds through mine now without a hiccup
Thermold makes a mag that fits both. I wish that Pmags would fit.
In the 90s,you could order an adapter to put AR magazines in a Mini14.
I am not sure if the product is still available.
For those of us living in ban states, it's a reasonable, under-the-radar alternative to an AR. I picked up mine, used, in excellent condition for $220. I've got a LOT of rounds through it, absolutely trouble free.
Hell wish I could get my hands on one for $200 bucks !
200$ IN THIS ECONOMY? YOU STOLE IT
You're the exception to the rule then.
Maybe stop complying with said infringements of your rights?
Must be a 90's build. First rifle i ever bought with my own money was a Mini 14 Ranch. Paid about $400 for it at Wal-Mart if you can believe that. About as accurate as a worn AK. Wouldn't feed mags reliable unless they were factory and during the ban factory 20 rounders and 30 rounders were unobtainable. I also probably spent at least $500 on the rifle trying to get it to be more accurate and better looking. Probably spent $1k in aftermarket mags that Wouldn't work. A lot of love hate with that rifle.
Years ago working on a ranch in NM we kept one of these within reach... always enjoyed the occasional end of the day sessions shooting it at rusty cans or whatever... wish i had that rifle now
The Mini 14 subreddit is wild - every month you'll find someone complaining that they had to take a file or power tools to the rifle, when in reality all they had to do was learn how it functions.
And keeping it cleaned also ,I bought a used one and had to repair the gas system
@@talkingrock7011 for some strange reason the young 2A zoomer crowd thinks not cleaning your gun is some kind of a flex
@@Kiwibird17 cleaning is less necessary than lubing. Although an AR will go a lot longer uncleaned than a mini 14.
@@spookyindeed I beg to differ
@@spookyindeed Now that's a funny joke.
I converted my mini 14 to look like the A-Team rifle. I have no regrets.
I pity the fool.
Could you put some kind of wrap or like pipe insulation or something over that tube stock for a better/more comfortable cheek weld?
What model ? Ranch or tactical. What's the oal
Love this! I grew up watching A-team as a kid, and this is the coolest version of the mini 14, thank you for this! 😁
Agreed and thanks for the support!
Yeah I used to watch the first time watching the the 18 it was introduced to the second season of the show of the 18 that's when they showed the mini
The AC556k was the first giggle switch gun that I ever handled, back in the 80s. I still have my Mini-14, a gift for my 16th birthday, and I still shoot it. It's purely emotional for me but I am glad that I have it. :)
So uh... what's with the leg in the burn barrel?
I have an older Mini 14, made sometime in the 90s. It actually shoots pretty well especially after adding an ultimak rail and red dot sight. I’m able to consistently hit a .66 IPSC steel target at 300yds.
I have an older mini, a 188xxx serial #. I put a "harmonic" barrel stabelizer on it. And I get 1.5" groups at 100 without even thinking about it. And its a great shooting gun. Put a 3x9 optic on it. Boarder line tac driver now. I own two AR's, one in .556, and one in .300 blackout. I actually enjoy shooting the Mini as much, if not more than the AR's. And other than hog hunting, Ill use the mini for pretty much anything else. And .223 is cheap, so great range day gun too.
What brand of stabilizer are you using?
Thanks!
Cool little setup, glad to see a mesh of old & new come together so well!
I’ve had my mini 14 for close to 35 years. It’s still a fun gun.
When Samson announced they were going to make the A-TM stock, I bought my Mini 14 just for that. Pre-ordered the stock soon as I could. I love it and I have added the Hannibal Rail which makes it more flexible in terms of accessories. It came with a Vortex Venom red dot.
My mini-14 is sporting the ATI strikeforce stock with an accu-strut. I absolutely love it.
i love the mini 14... i had a stainless 80's version years ago in vegas and regretted letting go of it... i got another one this year for my birthday... black tactical version , and i got the samson folder too... i remember as a kid watching the A-Team telling myself that someday I'll have "that gun"... dreams do come true.
Wayne: she will be mine. Oh yes, she will be mine
@@iowa_lot_to_travel9471 all in perfect time... enjoy the liberty of owning one Bother!
Whwre do u even get these things anyway?
That rifle brings back memories, around 20ish years ago when i was a small boy, our family used to watch the A-Team every Sunday. I always wanted to get one but due to our laws i'm somewhat limited on the overall amount of guns.
In 2005 I bought a Mini 14 at my local Walmart for less than 600 bucks. I owned it a couple of years and sold it to one of my brothers. It came with a wood stock and I later got a folding stock and an AK-74 style flash hider. Now I wish I had kept it.
I love my classic Mini-14’s 😊
I wish these were as reasonably priced as they used to be. Ruger went from a good and reasonable price of their firearms to full we todd ed pricing.
I like mine. Fast handling, mine has never failed, ever. My favorite work , knock around gun. Handy, quick to use. Not bulky, not a bunch of stuff sticking out. I like how it throws brass. Like an Olympian
Tim: Let's see if it'll bump-fire.
ATF Agent: ThAt's a mAchInEguN!!!111
🤣🤣🤣
Wow this brings me back to my high school days. I had the same Ruger mini 14 with the foldable stock and I miss my girl!!!
Years back I went shooting with a friends family. Her dad brought a Mini 14 while I brought my MK12 Mod 0. I admit I turned my nose up at the mini 14 and thought to myself why not just get an AR?
After watching this video and owning so many different AR’s over the years making them some what boring. Seeing yours with the folding stock I admit that’s freaking cool.
I will take things that didn't happen for $500 lol.
@@Enjoyer.762 that’s a hard story to believe? 😂
@@MyFlexinIsAProblem The Mini is trash lol. The AR isn't boring. It's just better lol.
@@Enjoyer.762 nothing wrong with owning different types of guns. After a while AR’s do get boring. Ak’s are super fun to shoot too.
@@MyFlexinIsAProblem AK is perfectly acceptable. And more accurate than any Mini 14 lol.
I still have one of the original Ruger folding stocks, and yes that is what makes the rifle so cool!
Thanks for another fun video.
Boyds makes really nice looking laminated wood stocks for the Mini-14! They also make the them for other rifles. Skinner Sights makes a clever rail that replaces the bottom forward stock mount. It makes a great way to mount a tactical light. This makes the Mini-14 a better home defence carbine. Also G G & G makes a nice sturdy sight rail that uses the ring mount slots. Great for mounting a 1-4x scope!
The Mini-14 can be a devastating CQB rifle!
In the 1986 FBI Miami Firefight The Bad Guy Platt was able to take out an FBI stake out squad. 2 Agents died ar the scene. 3 were Seriously wounded. And 2 were wounded. Fortunately Agent Mireles was able to finish the Fight. He killed the 2 bad guys who were already fatally wounded, but still going. The FBI Blamed the failure of the 9mm and this lead to the adoption of the 10 mm. Which lead to the .40 S&W. It also resulted in better tactics for law enforcement!
Agent Edmundo Mireless, the Hero of the gun fight wrote a must read book; 'FBI Miami Firefight Five Minutes That Changed the Bureau'
This book debunks a lot of the arm chair warriors analysis.
But also shows the failures of FBI tactics.
Don't under estimate the effectiveness of the Mini-14!!
The Boyds gunstocks for the Mini do look good, but they don't use the steel stock reinforcement that's part of the Ruger manufactured stock design.
As a result, over time, the Boyds stock will get loose.
@@alanhigh8125 the new ruger stocks do not use the reinforcements either. The laminated wood is much less likely to warp or become loose.
If you're worried buy the new Rugers with the synthetic stock. The latest generation of Ruger Mini-14s are much better. More accurate!
They don't have re enforcements either.
My 1944 Inland M1 .30 carbine has been to hell and back. The wood is still tight.
My Remington 1944 1903 A3 is in very good condition. Still not warped or loose.
I knew a WWII Marine Veteran who fought on Guadalcanal and Saipan. He told me he carried an 03 A3. Great man. But he suffered from severe PSTD. He had survivors guilt. But that's a story for another day. But on July 4th, I remember him and my Stepfather who carried a M1 Carbine from D Day plus 4 to Berlin.
Cheers
That'a beauty. Loved the A Team. " I love it when a plan comes together."
My first rifle was an ar15, carrying handle and all. I got it when I was 16. My dad bought it for me because he knew it would help me when I joined the Army, which I did, at 17. The entire time, he had a mini14 and carried it everywhere. This is from a guy who spent 24 years with an m16. Now that I'm done with my 21 year Army career, I bought a mini 14.
You bought a mistake. Congrats lol.
the mini 30 is a great gun also. 😊
@@DANTHETUBEMAN Nope
So you bought the wrong gun is what I'm hearing?
Yes! Just what I’ve been waiting for.. I’ve been shooting an AR of one sort or another since I was 10, now 50. Just think, there must be hundreds of thousands of us in our 50’s that fell in love with the AC .556 with the A-team. Honestly, it’s the only one I’ve ever wanted, and I started out with a 10/22. Just never pulled the trigger to make a clone.
Awesome looking Mini-14. I like the Mini-14 and 30. I also like the M1A. I've killed a bunch of hogs with my Mini-30.
These always work - no "forward assist" is required. UltiMAK in Idaho makes a great billet rail to replace the top handguard & mount optics to the Mini.
I love AR's, but forward assists are dumb. It's a solution to a problem that shouldn't have existed, and doesn't exist anymore. It was a terrible solution to the issues the early rifles had and the fact that GI's were told the rifle never needed to be cleaned. If the round doesn't want to go in, get it the hell out of there. If it won't chamber, there's a problem with the rifle or the ammo. Trying to jam a round in the chamber that doesn't want to go in is the last thing you'd want to do. I've been shooting ARs for years. Not once have I ever needed to use the forward assist, not would I try to if the round wouldn't chamber.
My problem with the mini-14 isn't that it's not a good rifle. It's that it's way to expensive for what it is.
It's a low production gun without the same scale and manufacturing process as the AR-15. Many of the parts are cast. The trigger is much better than the average mil-spec AR-15, also the barrel is cold hammer forged which is nothing really something you see in sub $1,000 AR-15s outside of Ruger's own MPR. If you can pick one up for $850 (blued version), it's not a bad deal if you're looking for something outside of an AR. It's much more fun to shoot in my opinion but still would revert to an AR-15 for any serious use due to the lack of parts to service the Mini-14, cost of magazines, manual of arms, mounting solutions, etc.
@@joeyassyrian mini 14 any time. However your ar 15 points are more than valid
everything is way too expensive for what it is.
Is a result of a company refusing compromise quality.
There was a time when the mini-14 was cheaper than the AR, and the AR was unobtanium.
I, love my Mini 14! I, got rid of the Ram line folder stock for the Traditional Dark
Walnut Woodie! I, love it!❤️😁😉😎👍
I’ve owned several Mini-14s, and I discovered early on that only factory mags were reliable. The aftermarket mags fed like garbage. Factory 20 and 30 rounders are hideously expensive. You’d think that Magpul would come out with a P-Mag for the mini, and keep the price sub-$20.
I don't think Ruger lets manufacturers see the specs on the mags. So any Company that makes them has to essentially reverse engineer them.
@@armorer94 Ah, good point.
@@armorer94 Which shouldn't be difficult.
Precision Mags were the only after market that worked well.
I own 5-40 round and 2-30 round.
They are hard to find because they were made in Cali. When the mag ban happen, they shut off the machine.
From what I heard, they did not get rid of the machine waiting for the ban to be lifted.
The ONLY aftermarket mags that I've used in the the Mini 14 that have been totally reliable are the ones made by Tapco, especially the"gen2" versions.
I've always loved the LEO versions of the Mini 14 with the folding stocks. They just looked really trick. I've also seen some that are in a different stock setup that looks just like the M14 EBR and they look equally as cool. I get performance. Reliability,and cost should be the main considerations in purchasing a firearm,but the fact that they slick slick and aesthetically pleasing is a bonus.
The mini 14 (I think a licensed copy with wood stock) is carried by a lot of national police in France since it doesn't look "scary". It's a bit strange walking around Paris seeing guys with mini 14's and mp7s
Ah. The Mousqueton A.M.D. A US gun parts seller had a small cache of stocks for the Mousqueton that were checkered and looked very different from the old utilitarian Mini-14 stock. I was so sorry that they sold out before I could grab one.
Slick government
"We want a firearm that doesn't look scary"
Also France: carries MP7
Ahhhh that window out to the range is such a dream
I always wanted a mini-30 in 7.62x39 so it would be a legal deer rifle. And I'm just a fan of the little x39 round.
Great gun! My first deer rifle in the mid 90s. They have since upgraded the mini and the last 15 years were a good time to buy one especially before gun prices skyrocketed. I sold it to my Dad so still in the family . I purchased mini 14 tactical in 300 BO 6 years ago for $750. Now they are $12-1300!
When I turned 18 and was finally able to buy a firearm on my own, I purchased a Mini-14 at a gun show. I love mine. I've shot thousands of rounds and never had any malfunction that was fault of the rifle. All were due to a bad magazine. It also would eat the nastiest surplus ammo that would force an AR to be cleaned after a couple of mags. It is accurate enough for me that I've used it to hunt whitetail deer.
Knucklehead's name checks out. Including your work of fiction. This Fuddlore myth you are peddling has been busted ad nauseam. The Mini 14 isn't reliable as the AR15.
Great video. I spent much time with a Mini 14 from 12 to 18 years old.
Thanks Tim for being more vocal on your channel. In regards to terms like the anti gunners being NUT JOBS!!!!! Also telling it like it is “They aren’t getting our guns“. We need more of this in the content everyone makes.
They're not getting our gun? Look at horrible anti 2A laws that have been passed in numerous states over the last 30 years. And it has only become worse.
i love the old gb folders, now the only thing this needs is some type of clamp on bayonet lug to basically be a GB
Very cool rifle. Wish I could afford one. I'd put a handguard on it that exposes the op rod. Love that M1 look.
@Timothy Mckee Sounds like poor financial decisions for a luxury item I don't need.
@Timothy Mckee Wow.
That’s what I did to mine. Choate makes a nice looking one. Really a beautiful gun.
The first firearm I ever bought was a Mini-14 ranch from the local Cabela’s gun library. I still have it and I have a blued Samson stick on it, and I love it.
I love mine, the only downside is the extractor and the casings going 20 feet 😂
I have this same setup but with a Choate flash hider and hand guard. Pin and welded to 16.1”. I get 2MOA with a Weaver 4X mounted with factory rings. I absolutely love it. Enjoyed the video.
A stainless GB folder was my first rifle (thanks A-Team), but the AR is a FAR superior design. I still wish I had kept it, but money was tight as a student in the mid-1980s.
Same here as a first rifle. Sadly I was underage when NJ passed their AWB so my father sold it to a coworker from PA.
I have a new style stainless like this one, and it's ran 100%. Got it for the price of an entry level AR as it was a police trade-in in nearly new condition a few years back before prices went insane.
My best buddies dad has about a dozen of these things at the farm. I never warmed up to them. I reloaded for a bunch of them trying to squeeze out accuracy. I gave up after putting way too much time into them. Thanks A-team😂
We carried Mini-14s for years before we changed back to the AR-15. The Minis just don't hold up to long term hard use, compared to our Colts. They were fun, though, especially with aftermarket parts.
It took me about 5 times of looking at the burn barrel to realize there was a leg😂
I noticed that while he was talking right at the start, but I couldn't tell if it was on fire or not. Why is there a plastic leg in the fire pit.
@@tighlia3375 To get you commenting about it, in order to push up engagement in the algorithms. And it worked😂
Whoops we weren’t supposed to see that
@@COD4JESSE Bamboozled again!
I know, right? NEVER leave the evidence lying around while filming. 😄
OMG, I suddenly want one now. I grew up in the '80's and the A Team was one of my regular shows to watch as a kid. In fact I recall having the Murdock action figure.
The first firearm I ever bought was a Mini Thirty. I'm sorry I ever sold it, but hard times came and choices had to be made.
The thirty was cool!! I wanted one as a kid so bad. A lot of my buddies had SKS Paras for brush guns, I wanted to be different
After shooting a friend's mini 30 I never wanted an AK or AR. Couldn't afford one back in the 80's now I'm glad I waited.
Same here. I really wish I still had it.
Videos like this are exactly why I follow your work everywhere 😂 I don't always have to agree with your opinions or gun choices, but on all things 2A I have the same "not giving an inch" attitude. Thanks for all you do!
I unexpectedly found a couple of stainless models with folding wire socks at a local pawn shop. They were marked TN DOC. Shop owner said they were used by prison guards here. Pretty cool but way overpriced.
I'm a factory certified armorer for the mini-14. They're a pain in the ass to work on.
Wondering why that is? I know a couple people, including myself, who have had failure to extract after rapid fire. I have a newer version of the rifle. Called Ruger and asked for a new extractor, extractor plunger and spring. Was happy they sent it out rather than shipping the whole rifle to them. Hope that fixes the problem. Any comments?
There is an alternative world where America adopted the mini 14 as a service rifle and the AR15 is a niche rifle like the SCAR or AUG.
Also the mk 14 EBR is the standard sniping rifle.
Back in the day I worked briefly in a gun store. There were more high quality rifle imports than I could shake a stick at. I can’t help but to think that the extraordinary popularity of the M4 type stuff was helped greatly by all that other stuff getting banned at one point.
@Ed T It had more to do with the US military using it since the 60s. Vietnam, the Gulf War, GWOT and all the movies made about them pushed the M16/M4 into the public consciousness.
There was never going to be a way for imports to compete against domestically produced AR-15s on price, and price has a lot to do with popularity. If a rifle is maybe 10% better than an AR-15 but costs 4 times as much, most people are going to save their money and just buy the AR-15.
@@ericsmith5919 …I absolutely see your point. But in my experience, the sales of alternative rifles dwarfed the sales of the AR stuff, despite the cost.
@@edt8535Wouldn't your example mean that you would have to look at other reasons why the AR is popular?
I think part of it has to do with the development of budget AR's, like Olympic Arms, DPMS, PSA and so on.
The Mini14 was the first centerfire rifle I ever owned. In late 1977 paid $177 brand new from my local sporting goods store. In the following years I found getting the 20 round factory mags was difficult and expensive.
Good grief I got so scared when you changed the stock, weapon of war!!😂the term morons way to mild for those idiots, very entertaining video Tim, well done!
That thing oozes Freedom! Awesome
Our department used mini-14's because it wasn't "as scary as an AR-15"...still put down bad guys!
So you use mini 14s to confiscate the AR15s of gun owners like a government jackboot thug? Is that what I'm reading?
they should still keep using them with a sporter stock. no reason to patrol your niegborhood with a black gun. it makes folks think they are in 1984
@@Hornet_LegionFudd take of the year.
@@georgewhitworth9742 how can you protect and serve when a kid sees you, you look like the bad guys they see on tv.
Which the modern gun culture is retarded. In my time you could have bought an AR-15 ..... but why?
You guys only buy ar15s cause they look cool. They are in all the movies.
In my time I remember when people were obsessed with getting their hands on a .357, .44 or a 12 gauge riot gun
In the a team era , also after the Miami Dade shoot out it was mini 14s, 9s and .40s.
About everyone has a black gun is true but still instills fear when it's seen. Why would you want to scare people when they are supposed to be looking at the police as a helper.
95 percent of police work is totally non violent. Heck why wear the commando clothes?
If a cop wants to pack a black gun I heard the US military is going all out to hire new people. You get to fight all kinds of guys with black rifles.
But many cops are Dem cowards and hide at the donut shop for 15 minutes before they respond to a DV event.
I bought my first AR-15 and Mini-14 at the same time! Later on I still had only one Mini-14, but several more AR-15's before I lost them all in an unfortunate boating accident. I didn't like the design of the trigger assembly, the trigger guard can loosen and the whole thing will fall out over time (watch Mac's disassembly to see the design flaw). It fell out at the range and I had to fix it-twice. The second fix seemed to have worked. Other than that, I liked it.
I loved the A-Team. I hope to get one of these some day. I just bought a pistol. A PSA 7" Marauder. I'm about done editing the video, but I had to stop and watch this lol. Gr8 vid as usual. 🔫 🇺🇸
Love my mini 14..all 3. Converted one to folding stock. Love em
Here in Canada the government and anti gunners declared them to be “assault style rifles” and banned them. Sadly we’re turning into great example of what can happen when the government has too much power.
Well, Switzerland's gun laws are quite strict despite gun ownership is high.
Move to America. We need more free thinking Citizens
Who makes it possible for the Canadian government to pass ever more restrictive gun laws?
The Canadian people, of course, who continue voting for the same liberal MPs year after year.
There's only one thing a politician fears: losing the next election.
Canadians are so leftist/liberal that any talk of restoring gun rights is utterly hopeless at this juncture. Many Canadians would feel right at home in the Peoples Republic of China.
"I'm Canadian. Please abolish more of my rights. I'll feel safer. I'm happy the government controls every aspect of my existence, from the cradle to the grave."
So sorry to hear that. You deserve better fellow human
BA , Face, Howling Mad Murdock, and Hannibal. They could throw out the rounds and blow up things with so much accuracy that no one was ever hurt much less killed. Notice on the shows from before 86 they had real giggle guns, them after that was only semi with sound effects dubbed over to make it kinda fun.
First rifle I ever bought myself at 18 in college, 35 years ago. Holy crap. It wasn’t exactly a tack driver but it was fun to play with in the grasslands of Colorado.
Same, my dad agreed to letting me get a gun when I turned 18 but didn't want me to scare my mom bringing home an AR-15 or WASR at the time lol. Such a fun gun to shoot though with irons.
You can take the guns apart, install a new barrel, and zero in without even getting up from your chair. That's what I call a workshop. I like the Ruger AC-556 that's what a call a WOW ;)
In Washington State that basic rifle is considered an assault rifle! So is a Marlin Model 60!
Yes! Just about every semiautomatic rifle with a detachable magazines is on the list. Even the WWII M1 30 carbine
That's freaking crazy!! A 22lr rifle is not an assault weapon. I'm so glad I don't live there. That sucks big time! A model 60 is tube fed for crying out loud!
If I found myself in a similar situation, I'd simply move to a more gun friendly state. I'm retired, though, and live on my pension and Social Security. A younger person would have to acquire another job in their new home before they could move, unless they worked remotely.
WOW man, you have changed from the last time I watched your videos. And I like it.
Rocks,sticks,clubs and jawbone of asses were all "weapons of War" at one time
Amen
True. And they would also have us believe that there weren't staggering amounts killing before the advent of firearms.
Damn it man! I have 3 older Mini 14’s and now you have single handedly talked me into buying a dang new one,,,,,,,or 2,,,,,or even 3!!
4:38 You're wrong. The version in The A-Team simply was a normal Mini-14. The actors rapid-fired them, and machine gun sounds were added.
I have a retired Kansas highway patrol mini 14 with a bayonet lug the m7 bayonet fits perfect
“It don’t take Glock mags” killed me 😂😂
Fun Fact: The Ruger Mini-14 actually came about from a conversation Mr. William Ruger had with a driver of the Car/Limo Service he used if he needed to go anywhere during or for company business. The one driver, ( never did know his name) was a Vietnam Veteran & apparently would talk about guns with Mr Ruger during their drive/time in the vehicle. In a Nutshell the Vet mentioned that a M-14 style Rifle in a 5.56 as opposed to 7.62 would be a cool Rifle. And Bill Ruger evidently gave it some serious thought & that is how the Mini-14 came to be. We read this I think it was back in the ‘80’s , it was a sidebar story that briefly mentioned that Bill Ruger donated some Mini-14’s that went for service during the Rhodesian Bush Wars, from his conversations with Robert Brown from S.O.F. Magazine about the apparent need for equipment.
AC556 is not a rifle but a Time Machine. Seeing it makes me feel like 9 again in the 80's
I have an appreciation for it. I enjoy the history of it, the features and what it brings to the table.
I'm the same age as Tim and remember how the Mini-14 was more popular than the AR-15 back in the 1980s due to its lower cost and more traditional appearance. How things have changed. Now the Mini-14 is an overpriced dinosaur mostly popular with those who can't legally buy an AR. Having said that, even the anti-gunners have found a way to ban guns like this which is why I can no longer buy one in WA state.
That's not true. I read the wash law cover to cover. The standard ranch model mini 14, mini 30 's are not banned by name or features in your state. You just can't buy the tactical model, as the flash hider is a banned feature.
@@markwellsfry9843 Unfortunately so is the ventilated handguard. There are no Mini-14s for sale in any of the gun shops here because they're not allowed to sell them. If there were I'd buy one, trust me.
Still not true. A handguard ( ventilated or not) is not prohibited. Barrel shroud are prohibited, but a handguard is not a barrel shroud.
@@markwellsfry9843 Well then please tell the gun shops here. They tell me they're not allowed to sell them anymore. And every online site I tried says "This item is restricted in your area". The handguards are considered heat shields, which is a banned item.
@@markwellsfry9843Cool, you willing to go to court over it? Your source is just "trust me bro"
Growing up shooting on the Kansas prairie and watching The A-Team! I knew you were my favorite gun youtuber for a reason!
Bill Ruger is the genius that came up with the 'high capacity' magazine limit. To save the wooden stocked, normal looking Mini-14 from being banned by name on the '94 AW ban, he recommended limiting magazine capacity for guns that did not have enough evil features to make the list. That is also when Ruger stopped selling the folding stocked Mini and the 20 and 30 round magazines to the public.
whenever an anti-2A bill dies in the House or Senate, I think to myself "I love it when a plan comes together!"
Except most of them have passed at the state government level.
Still own the Mini-14 I bought in 1979. Still love it.
There's a leg in the burn barrel, lol
You've heard the term, "Hot legs" before, I'm sure.
Disposing of an anti-gunner?
"Tide Pod generation."🤣🤣🤣🤣
Little has more Americana than a stainless Mini with a Samson stock. I don't care if it were 8 MOA - it's still fuckin cool. Thanks for sharing this gem with us MAC!
You can also get a five round magazine. Here in Kentucky for deer hunting you cannot have more than five rounds in the rifle at a time and I think you really have to have the five round magazine to make it legal. then again my version is the Mini 30 so at least for it there is a five round magazine.
Thanks for informing us, Fudd. I still rather use a modern AR10 for deer and hog hunting. And yeah, 5rd mags exist for those also. The AR platform is just better.
@@Enjoyer.762He's not a Fudd. Like all of us, he has preferences, and found what works for him. I read his post, and he made no negative comments about other posters or the AR-15.
I've noticed that in general, AR-15 owners have an almost irrational hatred for anyone with a different opinion, and go out of their way to criticize and impune anyone who doesn't own their "wonder weapon". It's rather childish and immature. I think the common term is "Gun Snob".
@alanhigh8125 Gun Snob? Today a decent quality AR is less than a Mini 14. Go back to sleep, boomer.
Love my Mini. Stainless with black synthetic stock. Classic look, tons of fun to shoot, feels great. Haven't changed anything on it and don't plan to. Kicks brass 500 feet out.
Also like my AR, but I didn't like it as it came. Had to customize it. An Aimpoint, stock swap, grip & vertical grip, and a couple little aesthetic changes later I like it equally to the Ruger.
Usually if I'm firing 5.56 at the range I take both and split the ammo 50/50. Don't understand why so many guys feel the need to draw a line in the sand and think they have to pick one or the other.
If this gun were still at the $500 mark, it would be more popular.
HA!!! I love the easter egg of the leg in the firepit!!! 😂😂😂😂
Careful, the atf will classify your finger as a machine gun. FJB&FTATF. 🇺🇸💪🏻
Tide pod generation 🤣😂🤣😂
I have a mini 30 and I plan to get one of those blues stocks. I also put a little pic rail light mount on the front because it’s a good camping gun
The Mini 14 is a good rifle, just too overpriced. You can get a better deal on a really nice AR-15.
It used to be the other way around. The advent of cheap AR-15s has turned the whole firearms market on its head.
No, it’s not a good rifle.
Awesome mini 14 and mini 30 both great weapons great video thanks Tim
That's great Tim, give the anti-gunners more ammunition ( no pun intended ). Next week the mini will be on their list.
Love the original factory folder, the Sp01, and K1a1. 😌 those were the days.
Carried one for 4 years as a Texas State Trooper. Wasn't bad, there are better, and I've wanted to always get one just to have. We almost got the Sig 551 Swat issued but they didn't because it looks too militarized lol.
Many people don't know this, but Ruger had planned to market a successor to this rifle that was to be called the "Mini Me 14." However, the project was scrapped after Verne Troyer threatened to sue for copyright infringement. True story...
This is huge reason I love my wood stock M1a
The AC556 was only used in one episode of The A Team. The rest of the rifles featured were Mini 14s . Both rifles were available with folding stocks and in blue finish as well as stainless steel. The AC556 had a longer receiver than the Mini-14 so the stocks will not interchange because the receiver well is longer on the AC556 to accommodate the select fire trigger group.