Mini 14;
- Proprietary magazine, that can be quite expensive and sometimes difficult to procure.
- Accessories are sometimes difficult to come by.
- Barrels are made to be shot cool for optimal accuracy ( at least the Older Models I have).
- .223 only, one should not really shoot 5.56 through them.
FYI: Both 5.56 and .223 are perfectly fine in the Mini-14 rifles.
From page 11 of the Mini-14 manual:
"The RUGER® MINI-14® RANCH RIFLES are chambered for the .223
Remington (5.56mm) cartridge. The Ranch Rifle is designed to use either
standardiz U.S. military or factory loaded sporting .223 (5.56mm) cartridges
manufactured in accordance with U.S. industry practice. See “Ammunition
Notice” & “Ammunition Warning”, below."
Despite the fallacy that the 5.56 NATO and .223 Rem are the same cartridge, which they're not, it is indeed perfectly safe to fire either in the Mini-14 rifle.
Other firearms, of course, may be different.
http://pdf.textfiles.com/manuals/FIREARMS/ruger_mini14ranch.pdf
My mini is stamped for .223 also and Ruger told me I should only shoot .223 out of it.
Nice change, thank you.
My mini was an '80's model and was .223 only rifle...