Just picked up a Mini 14, serial # 196-64xxx. Does anyone know when this serial range was made. Just curious as the book I have "Ruger and His Guns" only goes up to 1993 and Serial range 186-20065. Am I correct that this serial range had the one-in-nine barrel twist? I've been shooting 55 grain bullets in my Ar's, hopefully my Mini 14 will like them as well, as this is my first one. Any insights/info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Ruger Mini 14, 196 series
- Thread starter Patches
- Start date
This was posted by BWRaven on the Perfectunion site for Mini's. Looks like made in 2001, 1:9 twist. I have a 1:10 and 1:9 twist Mini's and both shoot the 55g well. I have a 183 and found the strut and a Hogue stock really helped the accuracy. After these mods it shoots as good as my new heavy barrel 582.
180 Series Mini-14
Beginning
Serial Nbr
180-00001--1974--1 in 10
180-05101--1975--1 in 10
180-28282--1976--1 in 10
180-59251--1977--1 in 10
Mini-14
Thin barrel, ejector is in the bolt, no scope ring scallops cast into the receiver.
Beginning
Serial Nbr
181-07488--1978--1 in 10
181-48351--1979--1 in 10
181-84879--1980--1 in 10
182-45601--1981--1 in 10
183-03581--1982--1 in 10
183-40455--1983--1 in 10
184-17175--1984--1 in 10
184-26063--1985--1 in 10
184-95448--1986--1 in 10 and 1 in 7
185-14140--1987--1 in 7
185-50455--1988--1 in 7
185-56556--1989--1 in 7
185-81009--1990--1 in 7
186-05029--1991--1 in 7
186-18250--1992--1 in 7
186-20065--1993--1 in 7
186-31116--1994--1 in 7
186-42502--1995--1 in 7
186-58133--1996--1 in 7
186-66855--1997--1 in 7 and 1 in 9
186-81445--1998--1 in 9
186-87432--1999--1 in 9
*196-06325-2000--1 in 9
*196-44553-2001--1 in 9
*196-80982-2002--1 in 9
*196-99207-2003--1 in 9
*197-12180-2004--1 in 9
* Mini-14 serial numbers rollmarked with Mini-14 Ranch Rifles beginning in 2000
Ranch Rifle
Thin barrel, ejector in the bolt stop assembly, scope ring scallops cast into the receiver, buffer sytem using the recoil spring assembly.
Beginning
Serial Nbr
187-00001--1982--1 in 10
187-02611--1983--1 in 10
187-13218--1984--1 in 10
187-27226--1985--1 in 10
187-50919--1986--1 in 10 and 1 in 7
187-59308--1987--1 in 7
187-70033--1988--1 in 7
187-84127--1989--1 in 7
188-01157--1990--1 in 7
188-30499--1991--1 in 7
188-50902--1992--1 in 7
188-66901--1993--1 in 7
188-71086--1994--1 in 7
188-85981--1995--1 in 7
195-06037--1996--1 in 7
195-27761--1997--1 in 7 and 1 in 9
195-44221--1998--1 in 9
195-63542--1999--1 in 9
196-06325--2000--1 in 9
196-44553--2001--1 in 9
196-80982--2002--1 in 9
196-99207--2003--1 in 9
197-12180--2004--1 in 9
New Mini-14 Ranch Rifle
580 Ranch Rifle (early version): Thin barrel, ejector in the bolt stop assembly, scope ring scallops cast into the receiver, buffer sytem using the recoil spring assembly, new tooling resulting in a slightly different look to the receiver (more rounded edges, etc.)
580 Ranch Rifle (later version)-581: Thicker flanged barrel, ejector in the bolt stop assembly, scope ring scallops cast into the receiver, buffer sytem using the recoil spring assembly, new tooling resulting in a slightly different look to the receiver (more rounded edges, etc.)
Beginning
Serial Nbr
580-00001--2005--1 in 9
580-15286--2006--1 in 9
580-32382--2007--1 in 9
580-50951--2008--1 in 9
* 580-76276
and 581-00000--2009--1 in 9
* 581-48753--2010--1 in 9
* 581-71056--2011--1 in 9
* 581-95645--2012--1 in 9
* New Mini-14 Ranch Rifles rollmarked with Mini Thirty Rifles beginning in 2009.
Mini-30
Beginning
Serial Nbr
186-00501--1986--1 in 10
189-00001--1987--1 in 10
189-15143--1988--1 in 10
189-17652--1989--1 in 10
189-25005--1990--1 in 10
189-38805--1991--1 in 10
189-51041--1992--1 in 10
189-52528--1993--1 in 10
189-59348--1994--1 in 10
189-65480--1995--1 in 10
189-75697--1996--1 in 10
189-82126--1997--1 in 10
189-84971--1998--1 in 10
189-89313--1999--1 in 10
189-96162--2000--1 in 10
*196-06325-2001--1 in 10
*196-44553-2002--1 in 10
*196-99207-2003--1 in 10
*197-12180-2004--1 in 10
* Mini Thirty serial numbers rollmarked with Mini-14 Ranch Rifles beginning in 2001
New Mini-30
Beginning
Serial Nbr
581-01002--2006--1 in 10
581-05892--2007--1 in 10
581-06747--2008--1 in 10
581-11910--2009--1 in 10
581-48753--2010--1 in 10
581-71056--2011--1 in 10
581-95645--2012--1 in 10
180 Series Mini-14
Beginning
Serial Nbr
180-00001--1974--1 in 10
180-05101--1975--1 in 10
180-28282--1976--1 in 10
180-59251--1977--1 in 10
Mini-14
Thin barrel, ejector is in the bolt, no scope ring scallops cast into the receiver.
Beginning
Serial Nbr
181-07488--1978--1 in 10
181-48351--1979--1 in 10
181-84879--1980--1 in 10
182-45601--1981--1 in 10
183-03581--1982--1 in 10
183-40455--1983--1 in 10
184-17175--1984--1 in 10
184-26063--1985--1 in 10
184-95448--1986--1 in 10 and 1 in 7
185-14140--1987--1 in 7
185-50455--1988--1 in 7
185-56556--1989--1 in 7
185-81009--1990--1 in 7
186-05029--1991--1 in 7
186-18250--1992--1 in 7
186-20065--1993--1 in 7
186-31116--1994--1 in 7
186-42502--1995--1 in 7
186-58133--1996--1 in 7
186-66855--1997--1 in 7 and 1 in 9
186-81445--1998--1 in 9
186-87432--1999--1 in 9
*196-06325-2000--1 in 9
*196-44553-2001--1 in 9
*196-80982-2002--1 in 9
*196-99207-2003--1 in 9
*197-12180-2004--1 in 9
* Mini-14 serial numbers rollmarked with Mini-14 Ranch Rifles beginning in 2000
Ranch Rifle
Thin barrel, ejector in the bolt stop assembly, scope ring scallops cast into the receiver, buffer sytem using the recoil spring assembly.
Beginning
Serial Nbr
187-00001--1982--1 in 10
187-02611--1983--1 in 10
187-13218--1984--1 in 10
187-27226--1985--1 in 10
187-50919--1986--1 in 10 and 1 in 7
187-59308--1987--1 in 7
187-70033--1988--1 in 7
187-84127--1989--1 in 7
188-01157--1990--1 in 7
188-30499--1991--1 in 7
188-50902--1992--1 in 7
188-66901--1993--1 in 7
188-71086--1994--1 in 7
188-85981--1995--1 in 7
195-06037--1996--1 in 7
195-27761--1997--1 in 7 and 1 in 9
195-44221--1998--1 in 9
195-63542--1999--1 in 9
196-06325--2000--1 in 9
196-44553--2001--1 in 9
196-80982--2002--1 in 9
196-99207--2003--1 in 9
197-12180--2004--1 in 9
New Mini-14 Ranch Rifle
580 Ranch Rifle (early version): Thin barrel, ejector in the bolt stop assembly, scope ring scallops cast into the receiver, buffer sytem using the recoil spring assembly, new tooling resulting in a slightly different look to the receiver (more rounded edges, etc.)
580 Ranch Rifle (later version)-581: Thicker flanged barrel, ejector in the bolt stop assembly, scope ring scallops cast into the receiver, buffer sytem using the recoil spring assembly, new tooling resulting in a slightly different look to the receiver (more rounded edges, etc.)
Beginning
Serial Nbr
580-00001--2005--1 in 9
580-15286--2006--1 in 9
580-32382--2007--1 in 9
580-50951--2008--1 in 9
* 580-76276
and 581-00000--2009--1 in 9
* 581-48753--2010--1 in 9
* 581-71056--2011--1 in 9
* 581-95645--2012--1 in 9
* New Mini-14 Ranch Rifles rollmarked with Mini Thirty Rifles beginning in 2009.
Mini-30
Beginning
Serial Nbr
186-00501--1986--1 in 10
189-00001--1987--1 in 10
189-15143--1988--1 in 10
189-17652--1989--1 in 10
189-25005--1990--1 in 10
189-38805--1991--1 in 10
189-51041--1992--1 in 10
189-52528--1993--1 in 10
189-59348--1994--1 in 10
189-65480--1995--1 in 10
189-75697--1996--1 in 10
189-82126--1997--1 in 10
189-84971--1998--1 in 10
189-89313--1999--1 in 10
189-96162--2000--1 in 10
*196-06325-2001--1 in 10
*196-44553-2002--1 in 10
*196-99207-2003--1 in 10
*197-12180-2004--1 in 10
* Mini Thirty serial numbers rollmarked with Mini-14 Ranch Rifles beginning in 2001
New Mini-30
Beginning
Serial Nbr
581-01002--2006--1 in 10
581-05892--2007--1 in 10
581-06747--2008--1 in 10
581-11910--2009--1 in 10
581-48753--2010--1 in 10
581-71056--2011--1 in 10
581-95645--2012--1 in 10
welder
Buckeye
wxl said:
If I may respectfully add, it never jams with factory magazines. At least none of mine have. That was never true with non-factory mags. I hear there are some aftermarkets that work, but the numerous ones I tried were all junk.
I stand corrected. They never jam with factory mags. You are right about the factory mags, they are 100% reliable. I've had to tweak some of the after market ones to make them work properly, but I couldn't blame the gun for that. I've read some of the new after market mags are pretty good as well. I just ordered 3 30 rounders from CDNN for $15, keeping my fingers cross that they work. Read some pretty good reviews. Beats $35-$40 for the factory ones although the factory ones are bullet proof and last forever. I still have my original ones from 1987. I have 3 factory 20 rd ones for home defense, the after market ones are for the range and carbine class.
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welder
Buckeye
When I really took up shooting as a serious hobby I moved from my few bolt guns and a revolver or two to the semi autos. I ended up with both a Mini 14 and mini 30. There was no Ruger forum then so my knowledge was limited as to what worked and what didn't. I bought some lessons with the Mini's and mags. I'd traded the 30 due to the mag problem for my first AR. I kept the Mini 14 and finally got some factory 20 rounders for it. It is a keeper. I just like to share my experience with new Mini owners and try to save them a little money.
I have heard that some of the new after market mags do work now but I have a pretty good supply of factories and will stick with those. Good luck with the CDNN sourced ones. Maybe let us know how they do. That is a good price.
I have heard that some of the new after market mags do work now but I have a pretty good supply of factories and will stick with those. Good luck with the CDNN sourced ones. Maybe let us know how they do. That is a good price.
Appreciate all the thoughts and input, fellas! If anybody has any slightly used 20 round factory mags for sale, let me know. I also wouldn't mind getting a wood handguard to put on it if I could find one at a decent price (i know...good luck!).
