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Does anyone know if the older Mini-14s can handle 5.56? I have a 180 series that I bought new in 1976. I have shot 5.56 in it but I don't know if it's really OK. It's not stamped on the barrel. I will check with Ruger but I wanted to try this first .

From what I understand all Mini's are rated for .223. The pressure from the 5.56 round is more than what is recommended for the chamber on the Mini. It might EXPLODE...in your face!

What does the owners manual say?
Or, call Ruger and ask.

This:

The Mini-14 Rifle is designed to use either standardized U.S. military, or factory loaded sporting .223 (5.56) cartridges manufactured in accordance with U.S. industry practice.

I had a 180 series mini-14 that would shoot anything it could chamber...... only problem was when it failed to go to battery with a round from Wisconson Ammo Co while hurriedly getting ready for a shot on a pair of hogs at about 60 yards.... the shoulder of the brass was dented and caused the malfunction. My buddy dropped both hogs, DRT with his .243 Rem 700 before I could clear my jam. As it turned out, I found three more severely dented rounds in the box of 50 "high quality" loads.

To answer the originial question..... the mini-14 can handle either conventional .223 AND mil-spec 5.56 (as long as it can chamber it )


surv

Yep, I called Ruger and they said all Mini-14s could shoot either. But he said the 180 (older) series Mini-14s were not supported by Ruger anymore, parts or service and most parts don't interchange. He said that if that gun came to them for anything all they would do is offer to sell me a new rifle at a discounted price. What my brain really heard was , you should have bought something besides a Ruger. And no, Midway, Brownells, etc. don't have parts specifically for the 180. The good news is everything I've heard and read says that they just don't hardly ever break.

My understanding is all Mini 14's can handle either .223 or 5.56 EXCEPT the Target model,which should shoot only .223. I got this info from a mini
14 forum.

glbedd53 wrote:Yep, I called Ruger and they said all Mini-14s could shoot either. But he said the 180 (older) series Mini-14s were not supported by Ruger anymore, parts or service and most parts don't interchange. He said that if that gun came to them for anything all they would do is offer to sell me a new rifle at a discounted price. What my brain really heard was , you should have bought something besides a Ruger. And no, Midway, Brownells, etc. don't have parts specifically for the 180. The good news is everything I've heard and read says that they just don't hardly ever break.

On the other hand, that sounds like a perfectly good excuse to buy an AR15! ARs are like AKs. There will always be parts available.

Yep, I have 2 ARs and 1 AK. I've always liked the Mini-14 because Garands are built like tanks and I think of Rugers as pretty good quality. The response I got from Ruger on this subject doesn't seem hardly acceptable. 1976 is not exactly a rifle I would call antique. Mini-14s are common but maybe there aren't as many 180s out there as I think there are.

glbedd53 wrote:Yep, I called Ruger and they said all Mini-14s could shoot either. But he said the 180 (older) series Mini-14s were not supported by Ruger anymore, parts or service and most parts don't interchange. He said that if that gun came to them for anything all they would do is offer to sell me a new rifle at a discounted price. What my brain really heard was , you should have bought something besides a Ruger. And no, Midway, Brownells, etc. don't have parts specifically for the 180. The good news is everything I've heard and read says that they just don't hardly ever break.

That's good news since I have a 183 series Mini-14. It just recently got a face lift with an ATI stock.