Question About a Mini 14 in Odd Caliber

[welldoya]

This has been bugging me for years.
Back during one of the "assault rifle" panic-buying periods of the late 80s or early 90s I was in a local shop looking around. They had very few rifles left.
They had all their rifles on a peg board and the customer was free to pick them up. BTW, this changed a few years later when an idiot was looking for an insurance settlement, loaded a .243 and shot himself in the leg.
Anyway, I distinctly remember looking at a Mini 14 ( I believe it was stainless) and it was marked .222. Not .223, but .222.
I thought about buying it because it was one of the few they had left but didn't want the odd caliber.
I know what I saw but is this possible ? Did Ruger make the Mini 14 in .222 ?

 

[farmall1456]

Welldoya,
I too have seen a mini 14 in .222 rem. The rumor I heard was that there was a special run in .222 for a ranch in Texas. Just do not know if that is true.

 

[Quarterbore]

I have seen them too. I thought the reason they made them is some export markets do not allow weapons in military cartridges so making the mini-14 in 222 allowed these rifles to be sold there.

I don't have time to search it but these 222 Minis are out there!

 

[welldoya]

I googled it and found this :
Other calibers: Some early Mini-14 rifles were chambered in the .222 Remington cartridge. Since the .222 Remington is not completely dimensionally equivalent to the 5.56x45mm, Ruger chambered Mini-14s for both 5.56 and .222 Remington. Civilian firearms chambered in 5.56 are highly restricted in countries that restrict or prohibit firearms that chamber military cartridges (such as Mexico). By chambering the Mini-14 in the similar but not interchangeable .222 Remington caliber, the Mini-14 could be sold in those countries.[12]

Nice to know I'm not crazy. I wonder if the rifles in .222 would bring a premium to collectors these days ?
Thanks for the replies.

 

[golferboy426]

I've sold several in the last year, very low premium if any and they are a tough sell

 

[GasGuzzler]

.222 bullets are not as common in bulk and cost more. They're loud and fast. Not a bad caliber, not common though like a .223.

 

[hammie]

If I recall correctly the ruger had a cataloged model variant of their early production rifles called a ranch rifle, and it was offered in .223 Rem and .222 Rem chamberings. The ranch rifle had a folding rear sight and the receiver had notches to accept standard ruger scope rings.

I have never thought of the .222 remington as being odd, but I guess it has become so. Savage just announced that it will be chambering its model 25 in .222 rem. If and when, they start showing up on dealer's shelves, I intend to get one.

 

[HAWKEYE#28]

The 222 Mini............Some were Over runs from a French Contract negotiated by the late Stephan Vogel, Ruger Domestic and International Marketing Mgr(WBR's Son in Law). This was also the origin of the fabled and long time rare 10 round Mini 14 clip.............

 

[welldoya]

If I recall correctly the ruger had a cataloged model variant of their early production rifles called a ranch rifle, and it was offered in .223 Rem and .222 Rem chamberings. The ranch rifle had a folding rear sight and the receiver had notches to accept standard ruger scope rings.

I have never thought of the .222 remington as being odd, but I guess it has become so. Savage just announced that it will be chambering its model 25 in .222 rem. If and when, they start showing up on dealer's shelves, I intend to get one.

I used to not think of .222 as being odd. Back in the 60s and 70s it was a very popular varmint round but seems like the .223 has brushed it aside.
I'll bet some of the younger shooters have never even heard of a .222.
My son is 23 and has been shooting since he was 4. Knows a lot about guns and he looked at me funny when I mentioned a .222.

 

[k2nd]

The .222 uses .224 diameter bullets same as the .223, 22-250, .220 Swift, .225 Winchester etc. Starting back in the 50's thru the late 70's it was THE accuracy cartridge until the advent of the PPC cartridges. I have one in a Sako and it is a sweet shooting rifle.
k2nd

 

[cellar701]

Yep, I am also a big fan of the triple deuce. If I came across a mini in .222 I would buy it - not sure I would pay a premium, but for a fair price I'd be taking it home.

 

[golferboy426]

Yep, I am also a big fan of the triple deuce. If I came across a mini in .222 I would buy it - not sure I would pay a premium, but for a fair price I'd be taking it home.

pm sent to cellar

 

[hammie]

@welldoya: Yes, you're right about the .222 rem. It has languished. In the late 60's, my first centerfire rifle was a rem 788 chambered for the triple deuce. Money was tight for me, and all I had to reload with was a lyman nutcracker and Lee scoops. But it worked and the rifle shot amazing groups. The rifle was later stolen and I replaced it with a .222 built on a small sako action and a douglas ultra-rifled barrel. Like k2nd's, the sako was a good shooter, but mine didn't really shoot any better than the remington 788 (but that's still saying a lot). The sako now resides with my son.

When I saw the savage chambering in .222, I thought it would be good to have one, just for old-time's sake. Plus, no offense to we ruger fans, I've never seen a savage that wasn't a good shooter, right out of the box.

 

[Major T]

The .222 dates back to 1950, being introduced in the Remington 722. As mentioned, it took the bench rest shooters by storm. It also was a best seller to poachers back in the day. It eventually took over .22 Hornet's place for the most part. The two that I had over the years (Sako & Anschutz) were both great shooters. jack

 

[Mike Armstrong]

I have a Savage Model 2400 combination gun made in Finland by Valmet in the mid 1960s. The shotgun barrel is 12 guage 2 3/4" and the lower rifle barrel is .222 Rem. The rifle barrel shoots as well as most bolt action .222s, and that, as somebody has already said, is saying something. I can shoot 3/4" groups all day with the mild handloads I make. (Needless to say, there's no problem with the barrel heating up--not exactly rapid fire!). Have the same gun with a .308 Win rifle barrel--it also shoots.

If you have a .222, you really need to handload. And use it for serious target work or for hunting, not Rambo wannabe games. One of the good things about the Triple Deuce is that you can often find a very nice old one cheap because it ISN'T a .223.

Ammo will be available for a long time since it is still very popular overseas, partly because of the restrictions noted above, partly because it was introduced long before the .223 became a common civilian caliber so the .222 became a standard offering in many forms of sporting guns. It is still offered in many new guns overseas.

 

[pieface]

Yep, I am also a big fan of the triple deuce. If I came across a mini in .222 I would buy it - not sure I would pay a premium, but for a fair price I'd be taking it home.

Do you handload?

 

[Busterswoodshop]

The .222 is a nice caliber and fun to shoot.
I have a couple rifles and a Contender that shoots it.
I would not mind finding a good Mini 14 in that caliber.

I just wonder how hard magazines would be to find or will .223 magazines work ?
I know the .222 will fit in a .223 chamber but a .223 will fit but not go all the way in a .222 chamber.

 

[Joe in Fl]

I used to have one of the Colt AR-15's in 222. I bought it in the
80's. They were contract over-runs from a south American contract.
They sold for IIRC $400 back then. A friend has a couple of m-16's (pre-86)
Transferables in 222. They sure get the greasy eyeball when he brings them out.
Joe

 

[Major T]

Bench rest, varminters, and poachers. A LGS owner once told me that the mild mannered and relatively quiet .222 was his poacher customer's caliber of choice in center fires. ,jack

 

[chet15]

Yes, as mentioned by Hawkeye#28 above, the .222 was originally produced for foreign markets. I can only ever remember one Ruger advertisement, on the back of a "GunWeek" if I remember right, of Ruger offering the .222 alongside the .223. Even then, that advertisement was probably for a group of extras the factory still had in inventory.
There were blue .222 Ranch Rifles and stainless .222 Ranch rifles, with the stainless being probably 10 times rarer than the blue.
I also have reason to believe there were a few factory folders made in .222, blue and stainless, but have yet to have anybody come forward with one. If made, these would be the creme of the crop for collectible mini's.
Chet15

 

[ArmedinAZ]

.222 bullets are not as common in bulk and cost more. They're loud and fast. Not a bad caliber, not common though like a .223.

What the heck are you talking about? :shock: My Rem 722 triple deuce shoots exactly the same .224 dia. bullets as my AR in .223! Look in any reload manual. The .222 was THE hot varmint and target round until the .223(5.56) was intro'd, being a military cartridge it quickly displaced the .222 in popularity. They're twins.

If you're talking about buying bulk ammo, not bullets, you're correct. .222 has never been available as cheap bulk ammo like .223 since it isn't a military round.

I'd consider buying a Mini in .222 if one crossed my path.

 

[dfletcher]

I'm heading to the range tomorrow with an "All 222" line up. A T/C Encore with MGM made barrel, a Remington 788 with 22" barrel (and a 1970s Bushnell 3 to 12x) and a Cooper 21 single shot with a Leupold 36X scope. I figure IMR 4198 and RL7 behind Sierra 52 grain BTHP will do very well in each of them.

 

[golferboy426]

I'm heading to the range tomorrow with an "All 222" line up. A T/C Encore with MGM made barrel, a Remington 788 with 22" barrel (and a 1970s Bushnell 3 to 12x) and a Cooper 21 single shot with a Leupold 36X scope. I figure IMR 4198 and RL7 behind Sierra 52 grain BTHP will do very well in each of them.

you obviously need a mini, I just might know where there is one or two :wink: :wink:

 

[ArmedinAZ]

golferboy, have you shot any of these .222 minis? Do they deliver typical mini minute of close accuracy? It almost seems...improper...to submit the well regarded triple deuce caliber to shooting patterns. (let's not fight or make excuses, we all know usual mini performance. :roll: )

 

[golferboy426]

I have never fired one, safe queens

 

[dfletcher]

I'm heading to the range tomorrow with an "All 222" line up. A T/C Encore with MGM made barrel, a Remington 788 with 22" barrel (and a 1970s Bushnell 3 to 12x) and a Cooper 21 single shot with a Leupold 36X scope. I figure IMR 4198 and RL7 behind Sierra 52 grain BTHP will do very well in each of them.

you obviously need a mini, I just might know where there is one or two :wink: :wink:

Thank you - I'll file this in my memory bank. "The Mini 14 222 Remington Diet Plan" - loose weight chasing your brass .... :wink:

 

[PaulChristenson]

I'm heading to the range tomorrow with an "All 222" line up. A T/C Encore with MGM made barrel, a Remington 788 with 22" barrel (and a 1970s Bushnell 3 to 12x) and a Cooper 21 single shot with a Leupold 36X scope. I figure IMR 4198 and RL7 behind Sierra 52 grain BTHP will do very well in each of them.

you obviously need a mini, I just might know where there is one or two :wink: :wink:

Thank you - I'll file this in my memory bank. "The Mini 14 222 Remington Diet Plan" - loose weight chasing your brass .... :wink:

And you need to add to that, the Ruger 1-A model #11377 222 Rem

 

[woodman39]

There are also AR-15's chambered in .222 for countries where it is illegal to own a firearm chambered for a military catridge.
I love the .222, I own 2 and shoot benchrest with one of them.

 

[Merle1948]

If I recall correctly the ruger had a cataloged model variant of their early production rifles called a ranch rifle, and it was offered in .223 Rem and .222 Rem chamberings. The ranch rifle had a folding rear sight and the receiver had notches to accept standard ruger scope rings.

I have never thought of the .222 remington as being odd, but I guess it has become so. Savage just announced that it will be chambering its model 25 in .222 rem. If and when, they start showing up on dealer's shelves, I intend to get one.

I used to not think of .222 as being odd. Back in the 60s and 70s it was a very popular varmint round but seems like the .223 has brushed it aside.
I'll bet some of the younger shooters have never even heard of a .222.
My son is 23 and has been shooting since he was 4. Knows a lot about guns and he looked at me funny when I mentioned a .222.

Well then, ask him about the 222 Mag :mrgreen:

 

[Merle1948]

I remember in the summer of 1985, Ruger had Mr. Klashnakolf himself up there trying to make the Mini 14 work with .308. They were to call it the XGi i believe it was. I was in line to be one of the first to get one.

It didn't work, so I bought the Heckler & Koch SL 7.

Yep, it was the XGI. I was also one of those disappointed fans.