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So I've Got a NIB Ranch Rifle .223 Comming

2K views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  COSteve 
#1 · (Edited)
Done
 
#3 ·
After the election of 2012 I decided to buy a Mini 14 for SHTF purposes only. I thought the possibility of societal collapse existed. I've owned Mini's in the past and was familiar with the platform.
I've not done much to mine. The length of pull was a bit long on the new model so I swapped it out for and older model stock without the recoil pad. I installed an after market steel butt plate to that stock. I tried a red dot without much satisfaction and a very heavy scope that made the gun too heavy to be agile. I settled on a Simmons shotgun 4X scope which fits my needs very well. I've killed ground hogs at a range finder measured 75 yards with it.The sling I bought off fleabay, its amish made with a Conway buckle that is easy to adjust and well made. I have my Mini just about where I want it.
The stainless scope rings are a result of my poor mechanical ability. From fleabay the contrast has grown on me.

 
#4 ·
If anything a FS will make it more accurate, as the mini needs all the help it can get. As long as you don't expect too much, you will be happy. I have had a love/hate thing with the mini for a long time, but I think I am through buying new ones. I absolutely love the form/ergos of the gun but I have had to send both of mine back for function issues and neither is very accurate. Leaving it with irons is a good idea as you won't get tempted to stretch its legs regarding range or accuracy expectations. That being said, as a HD carbine, I prefer an iron sighted mini over an AR.
 
#5 ·
Yeah man! Go ahead and get all that stuff and more. Make sure those buffers are front and back and .045 gas bushings! Then you got to get new trigger spring and recoil spring. Get trigger job and send it off for cryo job. Add new front sight and barrel strut. Bed the stock or even better add a new one and bed it too. You're not finished though. Now you have to add rails, optics, sling, bipods, etc. Whoo! Whoo!
 
#7 ·
Steve,
The mods you plan on doing will make it a very nice rifle, but I would shoot it a good bit first, to find if it functions properly and doesn't have to be sent back to Ruger.

I have the non-pistol grip 582 tactical model that I bought used. It's had a trigger job. The only thing I've done to it was a Choat hand guard and a 1" wide USGI black nylon webb sling. It's cycled everythig I've run through it and is most accurate with PMC 55grn. ammo.
The width of the FS is accurate enough for me... can shoot a 5 shot group into a 50 cent size circle at 50 yds. The factory RS works good also.
One of the first things I'd do when I got the rifle, (after cleaning it) would be to loosen the RS screw and put some blue loc-tite on it.
 
#8 ·
COsteve, I like everything you are planning on doing to your new rifle. My only advise would be to not run the buffers or gas bushing, I would not mess with the operating system until the gun was broken in and running fine, once you know that the gun is operating the way it should, say 2 or 3 hundred rnds down the pipe .

Then I would start to make some changes. Unfortunately my mini 14 Tactical 582 series is going back to Ruger this week. It started jambing the cases against the breach. This will be its 3rd trip and the gun has shot nothing but good brass. YMMV.

Its a love hate thing with my gun at this point.
 
#9 ·
Tony,
I don't ever remember hearing of so many QC problems Ruger is haveing with their Ranch rifles as I have read about here lately.
Most are like your case with the empty's hanging up at the breach. Seems to be the claw of the extractor is digging in behind the case head too much, and the ejector is haveing a hard time overcomeing it.
Guess I've been fortunate with mine not haveing any issues. It's a 2011 model.

Hope Ruger gets it right.... soon.
 
#10 ·
IMR, Sucks doesn't it, don't know what to think at this point. Last time it came back all I did was polish the chamber and it ran great for about 150 rnds. Then on Saturday it started doing it again, :wacko: so its all boxed up with pictures and a letter.

I will call Ruger on Monday for an RMA # and we will see what they have to say. Not giving up on her , I love the Mini platform. ;)
 

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