Mini 14 Vs Mini 30

0 Mini 14 vs Mini 30. In my previous article on the best scope of Ruger Mini 14, it was assumed that Mini 14 was preferred.However, one common question folks are considering is whether to buy a Mini 14 or Mini 30. Both are by the same company and can sound the same if you are not familiar with their details.

. (AC-556 variant only)Place of originUnited StatesService historyUsed bySeeWarsProduction historyDesigner,Designed1967–1973ManufacturerProduced1973–presentVariantsSeeSpecificationsMass6 lb 6 oz (2.90 kg)Length37.25 in (946 mm)length13 in (330 mm) to 22.0 in (559 mm)and others,750 rpm (Full-auto rate-of-fire for AC-556 model only)3240 ft/s (990 m/s)Feed system5- to 30-round factory box magazine.SightsThe Mini-14 is a lightweight manufactured by used by military personnel, law enforcement personnel, and civilians. A (5.56 ) firearm, it is made in a number of variants, including the Ranch Rifle (a basic, civilian variant), the Mini-14 GB, and the Mini Thirty, which is chambered for. Stainless steel Mini-14 Ranch Rifle with various accessoriesThe Mini-14 was first introduced in 1973 by The name Mini-14 was coined because it resembles a smaller version of the military. Designed by and, it incorporated numerous innovations and cost-saving engineering changes.

The Mini-14 rifle employs an, and is mechanically similar to the, with a self-cleaning, fixed-piston gas system. Initial rifles were produced with a complex, exposed bolt hold open device with no button for manual engagement. Stocks were somewhat angular and heat shields were made of wood. These rifles, with serial number prefixes before 181, were tooled and redesigned with a new stock, new bolt hold-open mechanism, and other small changes.The original Mini-14 rifle had a rear aperture with large protective wings and no integral scope bases.

In 1982, Ruger introduced the Ranch Rifle with an integral scope base on the receiver, a new folding aperture rear sight and factory scope rings.In 1987, Ruger introduced the Mini Thirty rifle chambered for the Russian cartridge. At the time, large quantities of surplus military ammunition were being imported into the United States at rock-bottom prices. Also, the 7.62×39mm is ballistically similar to the cartridge. As a result, the Mini Thirty proved to be an effective deer rifle.In 2003, the design was overhauled to improve accuracy and update the styling while at the same time reducing production costs. The standard Mini-14 was discontinued and the name became the family name for all Mini-14 type rifles. As of 2005, all Mini-14 type rifles are now based on the Ranch Rifle design, with integral scope bases, a non-folding aperture rear sight and a winged front sight similar to that used on the. These upgraded rifles have serial numbers beginning with 580 and are sometimes referred to as 580 series Ranch Rifles.

They also have a new modified gas system designed to reduce barrel vibration and are capable of shooting 2 inch groups at 100 yards (2 minute of angle (MOA) accuracy).Sometime between 2007 and 2008, Ruger added a heavier tapered barrel to the Mini series. The heavier barrel had an overall larger diameter with the barrel visibly becoming thicker in the final inches as the barrel approaches the gas block from the muzzle. These changes combined with tighter tolerances result in greater potential accuracy.

All Mini-14 type rifles are available in stainless steel or blued finish with hardwood, synthetic, or laminated stocks with 16.12-inch (409 mm) or 18.5-inch (470 mm) barrels. Variants Ranch Rifle. Note: scope mounts and ghost ring rear sightThe Ranch Rifle is a basic model offered in a wood or synthetic rifle stock paired with a blued or stainless steel receiver and a standard 18.5\' tapered barrel (1:9\' RH ).

These rifles feature an adjustable ghost ring rear sight and winged front sight, and they are sold with a detachable scope rail mount and a choice of two 20-round or 5-round detachable box magazines to comply with some U.S. States and other countries which have laws restricting magazine capacity.

All models are chambered in both.223 Remington and 5.56×45mm NATO ammunition except the Target Rifle variant (which is.223 only). Target Rifle Introduced in 2007, the \'Target Rifle\' version has a 22-inch (560 mm) cold hammer-forged heavy barrel, adjustable harmonic tuner with adjustable minute-of-angle accuracy, and either a laminated wood or Hogue overmolded synthetic stock. The Target Rifle does not have iron sights but includes the standard scope rings and mount. It is designed for use with the.223 Remington round only; 5.56 NATO is not warranted by Ruger. Tactical Rifle. Ruger Mini Thirty with pistol grip folding stock, Harris bipod, 30-round magazine, AK-74 style flash hider with added flash diverter and 3–9×40mm scope on Ruger high-post ringsIn 1987, Ruger began production of the Mini Thirty.

The Mini Thirty is chambered for the Russian cartridge, used in the and, as many states prohibit hunting of deer with calibers smaller than 6 mm (.243 in). The 7.62×39mm has ballistics similar to the well-known. The Mini Thirty is available with a 16.12\' (Tactical Model) or 18.50\' barrel having a twist rate of 1:10\' RH, and is sold with two 20-round or 5-round box magazines. Ruger does not currently produce 30-round Mini Thirty magazines.

The Mini Thirty shares many of the same design and accessory options with those of the smaller caliber Mini-14 Ranch Rifle.Mini Thirty Tactical Rifle The \'Mini Thirty Tactical Rifle\' variant was introduced in 2010. It closely mimics the Mini-14 Tactical Rifle variant, but in. It also has a shorter 16.12\' barrel with flash suppressor, and is available with a standard fixed stock/forend, or a collapsible ATI-brand stock with Picatinny rails.Government models Mini-14 GB. Ruger Mini-14GB with a pistol grip, side folding stock, 30-round magazine, bayonet lug, threaded barrel, flash suppressor and.The Mini-14 GB (\'government bayonet\'): 579 models feature either a pistol grip, side folding stock or a standard semi-pistol grip rifle stock, a 20 or 30-round magazine, bayonet lug, threaded barrel, and flash suppressor.

Sales were intended only for law enforcement, military and private security markets, and could only be found in Ruger\'s Law Enforcement Catalog. However, many have entered the civilian market. AC-556 The AC-556 is a version of the Mini-14 marketed for military and law enforcement use. The design incorporates a selector on the right/rear of the receiver to select either semi-automatic, or full-automatic fire modes; the manual safety at the front of the trigger guard operates the same as a standard Mini-14. The front sight is winged and incorporates a bayonet lug. The 13-inch (330 mm) or 18-inch (460 mm) barrel incorporates a flash suppressor, which can be used to launch approved tear-gas and smoke grenades.

A folding stock was used on the AC-556F and AC-556K. The rifle came equipped with 20-round magazines and a 30-round version was available for a time. The AC-556 was dropped from production in 1999 and Ruger stopped offering service for the rifle in 2009. Mousqueton A.M.D. French CRS police officer with Mousqueton A.M.D. With tangent rear sight. Note: selector lever at the rear of the receiver.In France, the AC-556 is known as the Mousqueton A.M.D.

Where it was used by several governmental agencies within the French: the (\'P.A.F.\' —Border Police), the (or \'C.R.S.\' —Riot Control Brigade) and the (\'GIGN\') special operations unit. Come in two versions, the first has the standard Ruger aperture rear sight. On the other, the aperture rear sight has been completely removed and replaced with a tangent rear sight located on top of the barrel just forward of the receiver.Straight-pull action A small number of only (a.k.a. Only) Mini-14 and Mini-30 rifles were manufactured for sale in the United Kingdom as a result of legislation which banned semi-automatic rifles in 1988. Other calibers and accessories.

Disassembled Mini-14 with various accessories.222 Remington Ruger produced a caliber model as of 1984. Designated Mini-14/5R.222, these rifles were made mostly for the European market and were discontinued in the early 1980s.: 577 6.8 mm Remington In 2007, Ruger began production of the Mini-6.8 utilizing the commercial cartridge. However, they were discontinued in 2012 and are no longer listed in the Ruger catalog.300 Blackout In 2015 Ruger introduced the Mini-14 Tactical chambered in. Accessories There are a wide range of aftermarket accessories available for the Mini-14 and Mini-30, including numerous stocks, magazines, weaver and Picatinny rail mounts.

French police armed with Mousqueton A.M.D. Rifles.: Currently used by the.: The has used the Mini-14GB/20 as its standard service rifle since 1983. Original wooden stocks were replaced with Choate black plastic stocks about 1990. The regiment received rifles in August, 2015, and the Ruger was phased out in January, 2016.: Mini-14GB and AC-556 used by the.: Mousqueton A.M.D.

Variant used by French police forces (, ). Frequently seen since the.: Used by the Hit Team and.: Mini-14s were used in Rhodesia.: Use by and.: The Firearms Support Team (now known as the Tactical Firearms Unit) was armed with Mini-14s in the 1980s modified with folding stocks. The had used the AC-556 model prior to its inventory being destroyed by 1995.: Mini-14s were used by the with the rifles eventually being replaced by the. The NYPD\'s Organized Crime Control Bureau is armed with the Mini-14s. The Mini-14 is the main rifle used by the, the, and the. US Marines that serve as guards at certain US embassies are sometimes issued Mini-14s.

Has some Mini-14s in inventory. The Peace Force employed some Mini-14s in addition to and Uzis.Criminal use The Ruger Mini-14 was used in several notable crimes:., a prolific American active between 1971 and 1983, killed his victims with a Ruger Mini-14 and a knife. In 1989, his son Yorie, and friend Scott Faul used Ruger Mini-14 rifles in two bloody shootouts in separate times with the police., Three men with at least one armed with a Ruger Mini-14 opened fire upon worshippers attending a church service at Mountain Lodge Pentecostal Church, killing three Protestant civilians and wounding seven. Hogg; John S. Weeks (2000). Military Small Arms of the 20th Century. Krause Publications.

295. Hogg, Ian (2000-02-10). Krause Publications.; Robert K. Campbell; David Steele (26 September 2007). The Gun Digest Book of Assault Weapons. Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. Pp. 87–89.

Ezell, Virginia Hart (November 2001). Archived from on October 8, 2006. Military Small Arms Of The 20th Century, 7th Edition, 2000 by Ian V. Hogg & John S. Weeks, p.295. ^ J.

Rifle Shooter. ^ Lewis, Jack (28 February 2011). \'Today\'s Mini-14\'. Assault Weapons. Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. Pp. 128–130.

^ Sheetz, Brian (22 March 2016). American Rifleman. Blue Book of Gun Values. Retrieved 2016-11-07. (PDF).

Ruger-firearms.com (Press release). Retrieved 2016-11-07. ^. Archived from on 2016-11-06. Dan Shideler (7 August 2011). Gun Digest 2012. Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books.

Blue Book of Gun Values. Retrieved 2016-11-07.

Publishing, Skyhorse (1 November 2009). Skyhorse Publishing Inc.

Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. Retrieved 2017-02-21. Warner, Ken (1989). Gun Digest 1990: 44th Edition. Trajectories are identical according to Remington. Shideler, Dan (28 February 2011). \'The Hammer of Thor\'.

Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. Retrieved 2017-02-21. ^ Wilson, Robert (10 November 2015).

Skyhorse Publishing Company, Incorporated. Ramos, Joe (1982).

The Mini-14 Exotic Weapons System. Boulder, Colorado: Paladin Press. Peterson, Phillip (30 September 2008). Gun Digest Buyer\'s Guide To Assault Weapons. Iola, Wisconsin: F+W Media. 1 February 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2013.

Chris Bishop; Tony Cullen; Ian Drury (1988). The Encyclopedia of World Military Weapons. Crescent Books. P. 246. ^ Martin K.A. Morgan (January 9, 2015). Retrieved January 12, 2015.

^. January 11, 2015. Retrieved January 12, 2015. Bishop, Chris (1996).

0 Mini 14 vs Mini 30. In my previous article on the best scope of Ruger Mini 14, it was assumed that Mini 14 was preferred.However, one common question folks are considering is whether to buy a Mini 14 or Mini 30. Both are by the same company and can sound the same if you are not familiar with their details.

. (AC-556 variant only)Place of originUnited StatesService historyUsed bySeeWarsProduction historyDesigner,Designed1967–1973ManufacturerProduced1973–presentVariantsSeeSpecificationsMass6 lb 6 oz (2.90 kg)Length37.25 in (946 mm)length13 in (330 mm) to 22.0 in (559 mm)and others,750 rpm (Full-auto rate-of-fire for AC-556 model only)3240 ft/s (990 m/s)Feed system5- to 30-round factory box magazine.SightsThe Mini-14 is a lightweight manufactured by used by military personnel, law enforcement personnel, and civilians. A (5.56 ) firearm, it is made in a number of variants, including the Ranch Rifle (a basic, civilian variant), the Mini-14 GB, and the Mini Thirty, which is chambered for. Stainless steel Mini-14 Ranch Rifle with various accessoriesThe Mini-14 was first introduced in 1973 by The name Mini-14 was coined because it resembles a smaller version of the military. Designed by and, it incorporated numerous innovations and cost-saving engineering changes.

The Mini-14 rifle employs an, and is mechanically similar to the, with a self-cleaning, fixed-piston gas system. Initial rifles were produced with a complex, exposed bolt hold open device with no button for manual engagement. Stocks were somewhat angular and heat shields were made of wood. These rifles, with serial number prefixes before 181, were tooled and redesigned with a new stock, new bolt hold-open mechanism, and other small changes.The original Mini-14 rifle had a rear aperture with large protective wings and no integral scope bases.

In 1982, Ruger introduced the Ranch Rifle with an integral scope base on the receiver, a new folding aperture rear sight and factory scope rings.In 1987, Ruger introduced the Mini Thirty rifle chambered for the Russian cartridge. At the time, large quantities of surplus military ammunition were being imported into the United States at rock-bottom prices. Also, the 7.62×39mm is ballistically similar to the cartridge. As a result, the Mini Thirty proved to be an effective deer rifle.In 2003, the design was overhauled to improve accuracy and update the styling while at the same time reducing production costs. The standard Mini-14 was discontinued and the name became the family name for all Mini-14 type rifles. As of 2005, all Mini-14 type rifles are now based on the Ranch Rifle design, with integral scope bases, a non-folding aperture rear sight and a winged front sight similar to that used on the. These upgraded rifles have serial numbers beginning with 580 and are sometimes referred to as 580 series Ranch Rifles.

They also have a new modified gas system designed to reduce barrel vibration and are capable of shooting 2 inch groups at 100 yards (2 minute of angle (MOA) accuracy).Sometime between 2007 and 2008, Ruger added a heavier tapered barrel to the Mini series. The heavier barrel had an overall larger diameter with the barrel visibly becoming thicker in the final inches as the barrel approaches the gas block from the muzzle. These changes combined with tighter tolerances result in greater potential accuracy.

All Mini-14 type rifles are available in stainless steel or blued finish with hardwood, synthetic, or laminated stocks with 16.12-inch (409 mm) or 18.5-inch (470 mm) barrels. Variants Ranch Rifle. Note: scope mounts and ghost ring rear sightThe Ranch Rifle is a basic model offered in a wood or synthetic rifle stock paired with a blued or stainless steel receiver and a standard 18.5\' tapered barrel (1:9\' RH ).

These rifles feature an adjustable ghost ring rear sight and winged front sight, and they are sold with a detachable scope rail mount and a choice of two 20-round or 5-round detachable box magazines to comply with some U.S. States and other countries which have laws restricting magazine capacity.

All models are chambered in both.223 Remington and 5.56×45mm NATO ammunition except the Target Rifle variant (which is.223 only). Target Rifle Introduced in 2007, the \'Target Rifle\' version has a 22-inch (560 mm) cold hammer-forged heavy barrel, adjustable harmonic tuner with adjustable minute-of-angle accuracy, and either a laminated wood or Hogue overmolded synthetic stock. The Target Rifle does not have iron sights but includes the standard scope rings and mount. It is designed for use with the.223 Remington round only; 5.56 NATO is not warranted by Ruger. Tactical Rifle. Ruger Mini Thirty with pistol grip folding stock, Harris bipod, 30-round magazine, AK-74 style flash hider with added flash diverter and 3–9×40mm scope on Ruger high-post ringsIn 1987, Ruger began production of the Mini Thirty.

The Mini Thirty is chambered for the Russian cartridge, used in the and, as many states prohibit hunting of deer with calibers smaller than 6 mm (.243 in). The 7.62×39mm has ballistics similar to the well-known. The Mini Thirty is available with a 16.12\' (Tactical Model) or 18.50\' barrel having a twist rate of 1:10\' RH, and is sold with two 20-round or 5-round box magazines. Ruger does not currently produce 30-round Mini Thirty magazines.

The Mini Thirty shares many of the same design and accessory options with those of the smaller caliber Mini-14 Ranch Rifle.Mini Thirty Tactical Rifle The \'Mini Thirty Tactical Rifle\' variant was introduced in 2010. It closely mimics the Mini-14 Tactical Rifle variant, but in. It also has a shorter 16.12\' barrel with flash suppressor, and is available with a standard fixed stock/forend, or a collapsible ATI-brand stock with Picatinny rails.Government models Mini-14 GB. Ruger Mini-14GB with a pistol grip, side folding stock, 30-round magazine, bayonet lug, threaded barrel, flash suppressor and.The Mini-14 GB (\'government bayonet\'): 579 models feature either a pistol grip, side folding stock or a standard semi-pistol grip rifle stock, a 20 or 30-round magazine, bayonet lug, threaded barrel, and flash suppressor.

Sales were intended only for law enforcement, military and private security markets, and could only be found in Ruger\'s Law Enforcement Catalog. However, many have entered the civilian market. AC-556 The AC-556 is a version of the Mini-14 marketed for military and law enforcement use. The design incorporates a selector on the right/rear of the receiver to select either semi-automatic, or full-automatic fire modes; the manual safety at the front of the trigger guard operates the same as a standard Mini-14. The front sight is winged and incorporates a bayonet lug. The 13-inch (330 mm) or 18-inch (460 mm) barrel incorporates a flash suppressor, which can be used to launch approved tear-gas and smoke grenades.

A folding stock was used on the AC-556F and AC-556K. The rifle came equipped with 20-round magazines and a 30-round version was available for a time. The AC-556 was dropped from production in 1999 and Ruger stopped offering service for the rifle in 2009. Mousqueton A.M.D. French CRS police officer with Mousqueton A.M.D. With tangent rear sight. Note: selector lever at the rear of the receiver.In France, the AC-556 is known as the Mousqueton A.M.D.

Where it was used by several governmental agencies within the French: the (\'P.A.F.\' —Border Police), the (or \'C.R.S.\' —Riot Control Brigade) and the (\'GIGN\') special operations unit. Come in two versions, the first has the standard Ruger aperture rear sight. On the other, the aperture rear sight has been completely removed and replaced with a tangent rear sight located on top of the barrel just forward of the receiver.Straight-pull action A small number of only (a.k.a. Only) Mini-14 and Mini-30 rifles were manufactured for sale in the United Kingdom as a result of legislation which banned semi-automatic rifles in 1988. Other calibers and accessories.

Disassembled Mini-14 with various accessories.222 Remington Ruger produced a caliber model as of 1984. Designated Mini-14/5R.222, these rifles were made mostly for the European market and were discontinued in the early 1980s.: 577 6.8 mm Remington In 2007, Ruger began production of the Mini-6.8 utilizing the commercial cartridge. However, they were discontinued in 2012 and are no longer listed in the Ruger catalog.300 Blackout In 2015 Ruger introduced the Mini-14 Tactical chambered in. Accessories There are a wide range of aftermarket accessories available for the Mini-14 and Mini-30, including numerous stocks, magazines, weaver and Picatinny rail mounts.

French police armed with Mousqueton A.M.D. Rifles.: Currently used by the.: The has used the Mini-14GB/20 as its standard service rifle since 1983. Original wooden stocks were replaced with Choate black plastic stocks about 1990. The regiment received rifles in August, 2015, and the Ruger was phased out in January, 2016.: Mini-14GB and AC-556 used by the.: Mousqueton A.M.D.

Variant used by French police forces (, ). Frequently seen since the.: Used by the Hit Team and.: Mini-14s were used in Rhodesia.: Use by and.: The Firearms Support Team (now known as the Tactical Firearms Unit) was armed with Mini-14s in the 1980s modified with folding stocks. The had used the AC-556 model prior to its inventory being destroyed by 1995.: Mini-14s were used by the with the rifles eventually being replaced by the. The NYPD\'s Organized Crime Control Bureau is armed with the Mini-14s. The Mini-14 is the main rifle used by the, the, and the. US Marines that serve as guards at certain US embassies are sometimes issued Mini-14s.

Has some Mini-14s in inventory. The Peace Force employed some Mini-14s in addition to and Uzis.Criminal use The Ruger Mini-14 was used in several notable crimes:., a prolific American active between 1971 and 1983, killed his victims with a Ruger Mini-14 and a knife. In 1989, his son Yorie, and friend Scott Faul used Ruger Mini-14 rifles in two bloody shootouts in separate times with the police., Three men with at least one armed with a Ruger Mini-14 opened fire upon worshippers attending a church service at Mountain Lodge Pentecostal Church, killing three Protestant civilians and wounding seven. Hogg; John S. Weeks (2000). Military Small Arms of the 20th Century. Krause Publications.

295. Hogg, Ian (2000-02-10). Krause Publications.; Robert K. Campbell; David Steele (26 September 2007). The Gun Digest Book of Assault Weapons. Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. Pp. 87–89.

Ezell, Virginia Hart (November 2001). Archived from on October 8, 2006. Military Small Arms Of The 20th Century, 7th Edition, 2000 by Ian V. Hogg & John S. Weeks, p.295. ^ J.

Rifle Shooter. ^ Lewis, Jack (28 February 2011). \'Today\'s Mini-14\'. Assault Weapons. Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. Pp. 128–130.

^ Sheetz, Brian (22 March 2016). American Rifleman. Blue Book of Gun Values. Retrieved 2016-11-07. (PDF).

Ruger-firearms.com (Press release). Retrieved 2016-11-07. ^. Archived from on 2016-11-06. Dan Shideler (7 August 2011). Gun Digest 2012. Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books.

Blue Book of Gun Values. Retrieved 2016-11-07.

Publishing, Skyhorse (1 November 2009). Skyhorse Publishing Inc.

Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. Retrieved 2017-02-21. Warner, Ken (1989). Gun Digest 1990: 44th Edition. Trajectories are identical according to Remington. Shideler, Dan (28 February 2011). \'The Hammer of Thor\'.

Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. Retrieved 2017-02-21. ^ Wilson, Robert (10 November 2015).

Skyhorse Publishing Company, Incorporated. Ramos, Joe (1982).

The Mini-14 Exotic Weapons System. Boulder, Colorado: Paladin Press. Peterson, Phillip (30 September 2008). Gun Digest Buyer\'s Guide To Assault Weapons. Iola, Wisconsin: F+W Media. 1 February 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2013.

Chris Bishop; Tony Cullen; Ian Drury (1988). The Encyclopedia of World Military Weapons. Crescent Books. P. 246. ^ Martin K.A. Morgan (January 9, 2015). Retrieved January 12, 2015.

^. January 11, 2015. Retrieved January 12, 2015. Bishop, Chris (1996).