US GOVT Mini 14

[kwill]

The rifle in the attached pictures was recently auctioned on a popular site. Does anyone know when/who/where such a rifle might have shipped?

Thanks,
Kevin Williams

 

[mt]

The US Border Patrol had some back in the mid to late 80's, they replaced the old Remington Pump-Action Rifles for a few years until the Border Patrol got issued a bunch of refurbished Marine Corp M16A1's and M14's. I'm pretty sure a lot of Agencies were issued the Ruger during the 80's until the Military got the green light to share equipment with other Agencies.

mt

 

[hittman]

I also heard some Federal prisons but have no first hand knowledge of that.

 

[mt]

I'm pretty sure the Bureau of Prisons were using these Rugers. During a Firearms Instructor Course at FLETC in 1988 in which we were assigned "on job training" with various Agencies, I remember BOP were still training with old M1 Carbines and those guns were really wore out. It makes sense they would replace the M1 Carbine with a similar style and size rifle.

mt

 

[kwill]

Thanks for the replies. If anyone has more specific information I'd love to hear it.

 

[RugerHound]

By the SN it looks like 1989 vintage... The flash suppressor suggests it's a Mini-14 GB (Gubmint Barrel with suppressor & bayonet mount) I would expect to see other markings on it somewhere if it was part of a contract with some government agency.

 

[FergusonTO35]

In spite of the accuracy woes those GB's just look so cool. I guess it's just as well since the A-Team couldn't hit anything anyhow!

 

[cruzerlou]

Yes,
The U.S. Boarder Patrol, Federal & State prisons , U.S. Postal Service and a few other government agencies bought S.S. gov. models .Some had the folding stock, a 14.5" bbl and single shot, three round burst and full auto .
When I was working for one Private Security company we had a locker full of 14.5",single shot,three round burst, full auto 's with folding stocks.
We used them mostly for guarding H.V.T.'s while transporting them from place to place and in a few Government contracts we had.
Believe it or not on full auto those little rifles were quite a handful to control. An M-4 on full auto is MUCH easier to keep on target.
Lou