The Mini-14 Tactical rifles feature a “Improved receiver with rounded contours.”. This improved receiver is also available on some of the standard Mini-14 Ranch Rifle.
“New” Receiver.
From the photos I have seen I cannot see any differences. Ruger has altered Mini-14 many times over the years so this is not a big deal. It would be a big deal if accuracy has also improved.
The Mini-30 and 6.8mm models have not been updated.
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Wasn’t accuracy greatly improved when they moved to the 580 series of Mini14’s?
How hard is it to make the Mini-14 with a decent barrel? If Ruger had made a truly “mini M14″ back in the day they would have a product to seriously challenge the AR-15.
IMHO, the barrel weight option is an insult to gun owners. I just don’t get it.
Preach it, Brother Jay.Mac, preach it. They have built the Mini-14 for years with that fly-weight barrel. It is a joy to carry, but at the bench it just makes you mad.
Now they come out with a heavy barrel Mini-14, with a correspondingly heavy/clumsy stock. Shoots great from the bench, but is about as handy as a railroad tie.
Why, oh why, can’t we get a medium weight Mini-14 barrel with a standard weight sporter stock? Enquiring minds want to know.
Agreed, both J.M & LM,Esq. Letalis, which Mini-14 with the heavy stock did you mean? Excuse me if this question is naive (I know next to nothing about design & manufacture), but what about the possibility of cutting down the “Heavy, hammer forged stainless steel barrel” of the Mini-14® Target Rifle (KMINI-14)
( http://www.ruger.com/Firearms/FAProdView?model=5828&return=Y )
to the 16 1/8″ length of the Tactical Mini-14 barrel
( http://www.ruger.com/Firearms/FAProdView?model=5847&return=Y )
and fitting it to the latter? Is this a realistic possibility? It seems to me that this would solve the overheating and harmonics problems of the tapered, lightweight barrel of the Tactical Mini-14 and mitigate the undesirable extra weight (and front-heaviness) by removing 5 7/8′” from the target barrel. Make sense to anyone?
I purchased a 580 series rifle in January, not the target model. With my 23 year old son behind the scope, under 1″ groups were common. With my 50 year old eyes, the groups were about twice that size. We shot 3 round groups and allowed some time for checking targets, etc between groups. The barrel is much heavier on this model and it does not heat up much at all. Now we can all complain about the nearly 9 pounds this scoped rifle weighs!! As far as I am concerned, the mini is now at least as good as any of its users. Good job Ruger!!
PS to the above post, the distance was 100 yds. Ammo was Federal 55gr FMJ, the value pak stuff available at Walmart.
JAL