| Mini-14 | |
|---|---|
 The Mini-14 Government Barrel with sling | |
| Type | |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1974–present |
| Used by | See Users |
| Wars | Rhodesian Bush War[1] The Troubles Militias-Comando Vermelho conflict[2] |
| Production history | |
| Designer | L. James Sullivan, William B. Ruger |
| Designed | 1967–1973 |
| Manufacturer | Sturm, Ruger & Co. |
| Produced | 1973–present |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 2.9 kg (6.4 lb) |
| Length | Model 5816: 965 mm (38.0 in)[3] |
| Barrel length | 330–559 mm (13.0–22.0 in) |
| Cartridge | |
| Action | Gas-operated short-stroke fixed piston,[4][5][6][7] rotating bolt |
| Rate of fire | Semi-automatic mode: 40 rounds/min[8] Full-automatic mode (AC-556 variant): 750 rounds/min[9] |
| Muzzle velocity | 3240 ft/s (990 m/s) |
| Effective firing range | 200 yd (180 m)[8] |
| Feed system | 5- to 30-round factory box magazine Stripper clip (Cogburn Arsenal feed guide) |
| Sights | Iron sights |
The Mini-14 is a lightweight semi-automatic rifle manufactured by Sturm, Ruger & Co. Introduced in 1973, the design was outwardly based on the M14 rifle and is, in appearance, a scaled-down version chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO, though with its own gas system design.
Since 1973, Ruger has introduced several variants, including variants chambered in both .223 Remington and 5.56×45mm NATO, the Ranch Rifle with a civilian style rear aperture sight and integral scope ring mounts on the receiver, the Mini-14 GB with a bayonet lug and flash suppressor, variants with folding stocks, stainless steel versions of the most popular variants, a target version featuring a heavyweight barrel and barrel tuner, the Mini Thirty, which is chambered for 7.62×39mm, as well as variants chambered in 6.8mm Remington SPC and .300 AAC Blackout.[10] The rifle is currently used by military personnel, law enforcement and corrections personnel, and civilians in the United States and around the world.
- ^ "A BRITISH MERC, SOLDIER OF FORTUNE, AND A FIREFIGHT, Part One". 30 December 2021. Archived from the original on July 22, 2015.
- ^ "Weapons of Rio's crime war". The Firearm Blog. 2017-02-21. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
- ^ "Ruger® Mini-14® Ranch Rifle Autoloading Rifle Model 5816". 2023-09-04. Archived from the original on 2023-09-04. Retrieved 2023-09-04.
- ^ "Upgrading the Ruger Mini-14 'The Brownells Way'". www.brownells.com. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
- ^ Sagi, Guy. "Ruger Mini-14: A Garand-Inspired Carbine". American Rifleman. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
- ^ "Review: Ruger Mini Thirty Stainless Synthetic Tactical". 13 November 2017.
- ^ "Mini-14®".
- ^ a b Meet the Ruger Mini-14 Rifle: The Most Underappreciated Gun on the Planet? on The National Interest
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Hoggwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Brister, Bob (April 1987). Field & Stream. CBS Magazines. p. 22.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)