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NEW TOY,!


AzRednek

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Just acquired a new toy tonight in a straight across trade. I traded away a nice S&W Model 10-5 38 Special with an oddball three inch barrel and a nice leather holster. I got a stainless Mini-14. No extra mags, just the factory 5 round, original box but no manual or paperwork. I feel I traded up $$-wise. The 3 inch barrels fetch a higher price. The down side of the 38 and almost killed the deal is the import  stamp. According to the J&G salesman. It is French Airport Security Police surplus. Despite the age, 1970's it showed little use based on the cylinder turn line and top strap etching. Has some holster wear at the muzzle. 

This is my second Mini. I had a Bicentennial model I paid a whopping $140.00 for in 76 but traded it in for a Colt AR-15 a few months later. I was surprised to see the plastic stock and handguard on the Mini. Guess I'm showing my age assuming it would be wood before we met up. The Mini also has an after market Williams rear sight. I'm a happy camper and feel like a kid with a new bicycle. Health, aches and pain permitting. Hope to give you guys a range report tomorrow. I'm tight this month, probably be a few weeks before I can get a couple 20rd mags. 

This is my first attempt uploading photos on the new forum, hope they turn out ok.

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Good deal I shot the Mini,  A friend wanted to trade it for my Mi carbine  but I had a big can of brass for the M1 carbine and reloading tools  and he did not for the Mini so  no deal.  But the mini was a very nice rifle, I think you will like  it.

 

karl

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Cool.  I think that was a good deal.  And I think a later Mini is better.  I understand the early ones had jamming issues.  I think that Ruger was going to stop production on them until The A Team came out and everyone had to have one after that.

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I read the early problem was a too light (thin) barrel and that that has been fixed..

Doc is right about the A team I saw them use one almost every show.

As I said it is a very good rifle I just liked my M1 carbine better

karl 

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1 hour ago, karlunity said:

I read the early problem was a too light (thin) barrel and that that has been fixed..

Doc is right about the A team I saw them use one almost every show.

As I said it is a very good rifle I just liked my M1 carbine better

karl 

Smart move keeping the Carbine especially if it is US GI. In my neck of the woods a US GI Carbine fetch about a grand. Value may decrease if the market is flooded with Korean surplus but my guess DCM will be fetching more than a grand. Mini prices fluctuate as Ruger obviously keeps the supply short and releases them irradically. Used prices in Phx vary as low as 450 but usually sell in the 5-750 range. Occasionally see gun show Minis with all kinds of bells and whistle accessories asking ridiculous prices. 

My early Mni-14 was remarkably reliable but the accuracy was fair at best. I did discover as I was still going through a learning curve hand loading ammo. The Mini's accuracy improved considerably with very mild hand loads. Any slug weight not in the 52-55 range didn't shoot worth a tinker's darn. Never in my wildest dreams did I think the Bicentennial Minis would become collector's pieces. As I recall in 1976 nearly everything sold had a Bicentennial marking of some sort. What I liked best about my Bicentennial Mini, wood hand guard and no plastic. 

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Just got back from a quickie at an indoor range. Took a quick look at extended mags and found a genuine  Ruger 30 rounder on the rack. Put right back after finding the 49.95 price tag and went to look at ammo. Al they had was high priced varmint ammo so I headed to the shootng area. All the 223 I had on hand was steel case Wolf but also had some of the good Chinese Norinco brass case. I have about 200 rds of US GI but left it at home. 

5 rds at a time, I shot up 40 rds of the Wolf and only 10 rds of the Norinco. The Mini ran smooth, no hiccups. The indoor rifle lanes are only 25 yards. I'm more than satisfied with the 25 yard shot to shot accuracy but I need to get to an outdoor range to see what it does at 100 or more. The only disappointment, the after market Williams peep sight came loose. Tightened it the best I could with a pocket knife but even with the mild and pleasant recoil it kept working its way loose. The guy I traded with did not have the original rear sight. I'm going to have to return with some Lock-Tite, a very tiny blade screw driver and sight it in again. 

I ended the range time shootng up a box of Blazer aluminum case 38's. The 158 gr lead slugs did ok at 25 yards fired from a 6 inch S&W M-28 but I only got two hits out of 10 with my S&W 438 with a 1 7/8 barrel. I wised up brought the target back to seven yards. I scored 9 out of 10 hits on a man sized silhouette target, five each of single and double action with the snubby. The heavy 6 inch revolver clustered up real nice center mass in about a 3 or 4 inch pattern. The Blazer ammo smoked excessively, don't know if it was from powder or to much lube on the lead slugs. Not an exaggeration, the smoke cloud on several rds was near what I'd expect from a cap and ball revolver. About 50% belched a long muzzle flash and the level of recoil felt inconsistent. Don't know if I just happened into a bad batch but I won't be buying anymore of it in the future. The only good thing I can say about the Blazer ammo was no sticky extractions like I've dealt with from steel case 38's. 

To summerize my quickie range visit, totally happy with the Mini despite giving up one of my favorite 38's for it. Seriously doubt I'll ever come across a 3 inch model again without an inflated price. 

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On 1/16/2018 at 6:57 PM, AzRednek said:

Just acquired a new toy tonight in a straight across trade. I traded away a nice S&W Model 10-5 38 Special with an oddball three inch barrel and a nice leather holster. I got a stainless Mini-14. No extra mags, just the factory 5 round, original box but no manual or paperwork. I feel I traded up $$-wise.

Great trade!

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  • 9 months later...
7 hours ago, FC said:

Why’s an import stamp bad?

Import stamp on a S&W revolver means it went overseas and returned as a police trade in. Generally police trade ins have plenty of use, holster wear and when buying long distance it's a crap shoot on what might arrive. It was French airport security and showed signs of low use. The cylinder turn line was very faint. I cherry picked it from three at J&G. 

Mausers without import stamps fetch a better price from collectors. Exactly why I'm not sure. 

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