What is the difference?

[Muzzleloaderbill]

On Gun Broker.com there is a Ruger Mini 14. It says not a ranch rifle. What is the difference from one that is a ranch rifle?

 

[JStarr]

The early model mini 14 was not designed for a scope. After market mounts and rings came out so a scope could be added, however the angle of ejection was not set for a scope so the brass would bang into the scope.
The Ranch rifle came with the scope mount as part of the receiver, and the ejection angle was changed to kick the brass lower and to the right more.
I had a couple of the early mini's and scoped one of them. I lived with the dinged brass, and just used full length resizing dies to reload it.
The Mini-14 is chambered in .223 and the Mini 30 is chambered in 7.62x39. Both come in the ranch rifle configuration.
Just a side note: Ruger did attempt to offer the mini in a .308 caliber. I was on the waiting list for a year before they dropped the project because they were not able to overcome some major problems. It would have been a great carbine!!
Shoot safe

 

[Muzzleloaderbill]

Thank you for the info.

 

[Hookeye]

I think there were a few Mini's in .222 also.

 

[sepe]

I think there were a few Mini's in .222 also.

Yep, they made them for those silly countries that don't allow military rounds. I haven't seen one in person but I've checked them out on the auction sites a bit. I was looking into .222 last year and really like the mini for what it is (I know that they're not the greatest in terms of accuracy) so when I saw the few that were up for auction, it was hard to talk myself out of it.

 

[Hookeye]

I saw a used one about a yr ago come through the local shop. Hadn't seen one (but wasn't looking really) since they were offered new. Seen old Colt AR's in triple duece too.

I started chucking back in the mid 70's with a triple deuce 660 so my favoritism lies there. Not a .223 fan by any stretch.