Features
Mini-14
Caliber :5.56 mm.
Length :946 mm.
Barrel length :470 mm
Weight of loaded weapon :3,100 kg.
Magger capacity :10, 20 or 30 cartridges.
Rate of fire :40 rounds/min.
Initial speed :1005m/s
The appearance of the Ruger Mini-14 in 1973 marks a refusal of the mass production methods implemented since the Second World War and a return to the traditions of the gunsmiths of yesteryear:attention to detail, meticulous finishing. It's a perfect example of what gunmaking was like before the arrival of stamped steel and drop forged alloys.
From an overall design point of view, it is a 5.56mm caliber version of the 7.62mm Garand M1, the American service weapon during the last world conflict.
Ruger set out to reuse this solid and carefully thought-out model, enriching it with the latest advances in technology. When you add to this a perfect mastery and a deliberate desire to seduce those who are always looking for the "little something extra", the result is a remarkable weapon.
The look of the Mini-14 is typical of a bygone age. All the materials are of very high quality, and at a time when plastic has taken over everything, the trim is very fine walnut. However, aesthetic considerations do not take precedence over safety considerations:everything is done to protect the Mini-14 from dust and various debris. This does not prevent a certain concern for presentation; the steel of the weapon has been carefully blued. There is even a stainless steel version that sells very well in the Middle East for local markets.
While the Mini-14 has so far not been adopted by major armed forces, it has created a following among police forces, bodyguards and some shock units who prefer a well-balanced and well-built weapon to today's "tinplate" products. To meet the needs of certain armies, Ruger has
developed a particular version, the Mini-14/20GB.
The Ruger AC-556, whose trim is fiberglass, is intended for police forces; the AC-556F has a folding metal stock and a shorter barrel, an ideal weapon for bodyguards.
The French police, in particular the CRS, received mini14s under the name AMD 5.56 in the 1980s, we still see a lot of them equipping the CRS in 2015