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.
I bought a mini 14 slightly used but not abused and had 1 problem the slide lock would prematurly lock before I was out of ammo .
0 
0I seen an above comment about cutting down the barrel I would ask someone who knows the laws but if I’m not mistaking I don’t think you are allowed to cut a rifle barrel below 16 inches and a shot gun below 18 inches the reason why I make this assumption is because the ar and ak series pistols if you put a stock on them or a foward pistol grip on them they are illegal and please forgive me if I’m wrong but I have never seen a rifle in the U.S.A that was semi auto with a barrel below 16 inches I know they are out there like the krincov ak etc. but I don’t think common folk like me are allowed to purchase them but again I could be wrong check wt someone who knows the laws in and out I would hate for someone to go to prison for simply having a rifle wt a too short barrel
0 0Im so sorry sounds like you already knew that I saw where you said down to 16 1/8 please forgive me Im kinda tired
0 0PS to the above post, the distance was 100 yds. Ammo was Federal 55gr FMJ, the value pak stuff available at Walmart.
JAL
0 0I 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!!
0 0How 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.
0 0Preach 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.
0 0Agreed, 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?
0 0Wasn’t accuracy greatly improved when they moved to the 580 series of Mini14′s?
0 0
Im so sorry sounds like you already knew that I saw where you said down to 16 1/8 please forgive me Im kinda tired
I seen an above comment about cutting down the barrel I would ask someone who knows the laws but if I’m not mistaking I don’t think you are allowed to cut a rifle barrel below 16 inches and a shot gun below 18 inches the reason why I make this assumption is because the ar and ak series pistols if you put a stock on them or a foward pistol grip on them they are illegal and please forgive me if I’m wrong but I have never seen a rifle in the U.S.A that was semi auto with a barrel below 16 inches I know they are out there like the krincov ak etc. but I don’t think common folk like me are allowed to purchase them but again I could be wrong check wt someone who knows the laws in and out I would hate for someone to go to prison for simply having a rifle wt a too short barrel
I bought a mini 14 slightly used but not abused and had 1 problem the slide lock would prematurly lock before I was out of ammo .
PS to the above post, the distance was 100 yds. Ammo was Federal 55gr FMJ, the value pak stuff available at Walmart.
JAL
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!!
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?
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.
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.
Wasn’t accuracy greatly improved when they moved to the 580 series of Mini14′s?