Folding stock pre Clinton mini 14

[winchester348]

Why has Ruger not come back out with a folding stick Mini 14? It's not like someone can't buy an after marketfolding stock. I understood why it was discontinued back on the day but when the Clinton bill died. Why haven't they jumped back into production? Seeing what people are paying for an original.

 

[DGW1949]

Good question.
My gut say's that they don't figure it'd be worth the time and money...but that's just me speculating.

DGW

 

[COSteve]

Deleted

 

[Ruger45]

You can by a brand new one http://www.ruger-firearms.com/products/mini14TacticalRifle/specSheets/5846.html
I have it in mini 14, mini 30 and I put a 300 black out in one.

 

[DGW1949]

You can by a brand new one http://www.ruger-firearms.com/products/mini14TacticalRifle/specSheets/5846.html
I have it in mini 14, mini 30 and I put a 300 black out in one.

I could be wrong, but I think that this is the one he meant:
http://media.liveauctiongroup.net/i/13481/13749152_1.jpg?v=8CF527F5226D490

DGW

 

[gunzo]

The original steel side folding stock added about 22% to the dealer price. How many would pay about a thousand bucks for an otherwise stock Mini, just because it folded?
Actually I'm somewhat baffled at how Minis sell now, considering their price or the alternatives. Is The Mini legal in some states where most other semi-autos aren't ?

Oh.... and the crazy prices people are asking/paying for the original folding stock cause it's............."Discontinued"!!!

Sometimes I think that if they "discontinued" the house fly, the demand for them would increase. :lol:

 

[DGW1949]

The original steel side folding stock added about 22% to the dealer price. How many would pay about a thousand bucks for an otherwise stock Mini, just because it folded?
Actually I'm somewhat baffled at how Minis sell now, considering their price or the alternatives. Is The Mini legal in some states where most other semi-autos aren't ?

Oh.... and the crazy prices people are asking/paying for the original folding stock cause it's............."Discontinued"!!!

Sometimes I think that if they "discontinued" the house fly, the demand for them would increase. :lol:

To start with, aside from an M1-Carbine (which uses an inferior cartridge) or possibly the over-priced SKS, there really aint no "alternative" to the Mini-14 platform.
Then there's the fact that some folks has a use for a folding stock, and the discontinued Ruger version is widely held to be one of the best.

You are right however, in that some of the Mini's popularity is due to it looking considerably-less "offensive" than many other semi-auto designs....which to your point, has been known to effect legislation.

Although I sorta get it's point, your "housefly" comment seems like quite a stretch, so I'll just let that dog lay. :lol: :lol: :lol: .

DGW

 

[gunzo]

DGW, Don't blame you on the housefly comment, it may have been a bit of an exaggeration, & was penned by fella who has given 4 figures for a "discontinued" Ruger that they originally couldn't sell for $245.00. :o None the less, the word discontinued can & has skewed a lot of prices over the years. The term "didn't miss the water till the well ran dry" comes to mind.

No alternatives to the Mini 14 platform? I see several, but my point of view is different from certain types of people. So, I can see the Mini's popularity from that perspective. I had a couple back in the '90's partly for that very reason. :mrgreen:

To the original topic, I'll repeat my question, how many would pay 22% more for a Mini if it had the original type folder on it. Considering the alternatives these days, I think the sales would be poor. Just me?

edit: I got the price figures from a 1983 Ruger dealer price sheet, it comes in handy for some of my nostalgic moments.

 

[Ruger45]

To the original topic, I'll repeat my question, how many would pay 22% more for a Mini if it had the original type folder on it. Considering the alternatives these days, I think the sales would be poor. Just me?

If they put that old school folder on a new mini I would gladly pay the 22%
The problem with disconnected products is at any time they can start production again. Thus killing the collector value :lol: :lol:

 

[DGW1949]

Yeah, there's plenty of .223/5.56 weapons to be had these days, but about all that they have in common with the Mini-14 is that they all share the same cartridge.
In other words, in a world awash in .223 rifles/carbines, the Mini-14 is purty-much a stand alone platform...so no, there simply aint no real "alternative" for someone who wants a handy, old-school, carbine-length, .223-Cal semi-auto rifle made from real-steel...hence my prior comment on the matter.

As for answering your specific question, I really can't say how many people would pay that much extra to get a new Mini with a re-popped folding stock. What I can say though, is that I'm purty-sure that if Ruger thought that it'd be profitable, they'd have already dug it out of the mothballs.
At any rate, your point on that is well taken.

DGW

 

[steelshooterco]

Been watching several of the old folders on E-bay and they have been going between $400 to $600, based on blued or stainless and condition.

Seem to sell pretty quickly too!

 

[dfletcher]

Been watching several of the old folders on E-bay and they have been going between $400 to $600, based on blued or stainless and condition.

Seem to sell pretty quickly too!

I got a stainless factory folder stock a few years back. Some fellow selling it at a gun show, two kids looking at it b*tching that "almost $100.00 for a stock" was too much. I didn't use it much, being in CA mostly, sold it a few years later at the same gun show - one guy followed even me into the restroom, while I was standing doing my business & asked "is that for sale .....?" :?

Regarding that 22% cost increase, my bet is that's based on a Mini 14 price much lower than we see nowadays.

 

[steelshooterco]

Used stainless folding stock only with hand guard just sold on E-bay #152334561838, for $710., they just keep going up!

Once right before it with a buy it now 252645059727 went for $600. Now the stainless ones are more scarce too.

 

[mohavesam]

Falcon made a spec copy available around $300 for years but didn't sell well enough I guess? I imagine the patents have expired for anyone with the scratch to have some manufactured. I'd bet the stainless fabrication would make it a "hundreds-per-item" wholesale, and you'd likely end up with a warehouse full of slow stock after the initial run and everyone who wants one paid more than $500 each for one.
Sure would put a satisfying dent in the used-gun and parts speculators though! Look no further than the re-issue M1 .30 Carbine folding models for a market model.

 

[HAWKEYE#28]

Please, don't ignore that the Ruger folder went away in the 1986-87 time frame.........desireability factors on age and technically these went away nearly 30 years ago. Rumor has it that the Falcon brand was sold on the side by Ruger. I recall that the payment/order addy for them, as offered in the Gun List in 1986, was Cottonwood, AZ. not really very far from the Ruger Ranch, outside of Prescott.......That folder is still the best design, I THINK........... 8)