I need help from one of you smart guys.  A friend of the family has offered the below rifle to me.  All I know is it is a Ruger Mini 14 .223 model.

I'm trying to figure out the following:

what year manufactured? (ballpark) I know its not the ranch model.

whats the worth or what should I not pay more than?

$500 to 700 depending on condition

Good to fair condition $300 to 450

Barrel has poor or no rifling $100 because you will need to change the barrel and install/fit a new bolt

Something I received this morning.

@GunUp: Hard to find Ruger Mini-14 in stock for $799 + free shipping. http://t.co/GHxfwm6AgM

m.twitter.com/GunUp

I need help from one of you smart guys.  A friend of the family has offered the below rifle to me.  All I know is it is a Ruger Mini 14 .223 model.

I'm trying to figure out the following:

what year manufactured? (ballpark) I know its not the ranch model.

whats the worth or what should I not pay more than?

Give me the serial number and I'll get you the year of manufacture and rifling twist rate.

As for value, the 180-series rifles have barrels purchased from a vendor that rarely shoot better than 3 MOA. They also tend to heat-string. Ruger's in-house, hammer-forged barrels in the 580 series rifles are much more accurate and consistent under rapid-fire. That alone makes me price 180 series rifles like the one you are looking at considerably below the 580 series rifles, but looking at online pricing, most other people don't seem to put as much value in that.

Also, mounting a scope on a non-Ranch Rifle is kind of a pain, which further drops its value for me.

Personally, I wouldn't pay more than $450 for the gun, and that's only because I love the quality of the wood Ruger used. I would offer $80 to $100 less if it weren't stainless.

Thanks to all

Nomenclature I will get you the SN when I get home

If you pass on the deal I may be intrested

Give me the serial number and I'll get you the year of manufacture and rifling twist rate.

As for value, the 180-series rifles have barrels purchased from a vendor that rarely shoot better than 3 MOA. They also tend to heat-string. Ruger's in-house, hammer-forged barrels in the 580 series rifles are much more accurate and consistent under rapid-fire. That alone makes me price 180 series rifles like the one you are looking at considerably below the 580 series rifles, but looking at online pricing, most other people don't seem to put as much value in that.

Also, mounting a scope on a non-Ranch Rifle is kind of a pain, which further drops its value for me.

Personally, I wouldn't pay more than $450 for the gun, and that's only because I love the quality of the wood Ruger used. I would offer $80 to $100 less if it weren't stainless.

The SN is 182-26917

1980

I am milling down a Mini-14 SS rear sight as we speak.  What a pain to do.....

The SN is 182-26917

Yup, it's 1980, so your twist rate is 1 in 10. It handles 62 grainers fine, but I wouldn't want to go much heaver than that.

1980

1980? As year manufactured, holy crap that thing is old.  Id give it a 7/8 out of 10, it's still in good condition for the age.  Where did you look up the serial #

1980? As year manufactured, holy crap that thing is old.  Id give it a 7/8 out of 10, it's still in good condition for the age.  Where did you look up the serial #

http://www.ruger.com/service/productHistory.html
Click "Show All" on the Rifles bar.

As for it being old, I have a 1983 Mini that I have shot since I was a kid, and although I have gone through several stocks, the rifle itself is still functionally as good as new.

I have an old 180 series Mini. Only thing done to it was to glass bed the action and add a flash Sup that modifies the Frt sight to have a M1A sight picture. It has a 1 in 14 in twist rate so only good with 55grn 223. I get 2inch groups with it at 100 yrds. Only maintenance done to it over the years was to change out the recoil spring and hammer spring.

Very good small light reliable rifle for protection and packing. Back in the day it used to cost 220 bucks brand new.

I get 2inch groups with it at 100 yrds.

Very good small light reliable rifle for protection and packing. Back in the day it used to cost 220 bucks brand new.

Sounds like you got a good one.  I put a scope on my Ranch bought about 1988 and could not get a coherent group to sight the darn thing at 100 yards.  Maybe 6" group at best.  How the heck to you adjust your sights with that?

It was inexpensive though, but Ruger 30 round magazines were rare then.

Hope the picture comes out--This is my setup for sights.

Mini14 rate of twist
1. 1974- 1986 is 1 in 10
2. 1986- 1997 is 1 in 7
3. 1997- present is 1 in 9

I have a 181 Series SS.  I use 55gr Hornady FMJ Handloads.  My groupings are 1.5" @ 100 Yards with Iron Sights.