Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Ironic...

Got an e-mail about a special deal on a rifle, and couldn't help but chuckle when I saw it:

That's the Ruger Mini-14 Tactical Rifle, which (aside from the 20 round magazine) is 100% Assault Weapon Ban compliant. Y'see, it only has one "evil" feature (the flash suppressor), so it's perfectly fine to sell in states like MA/CT/CA/etc. that still have some version of the Federal AWB in place.

Only Ruger could have a "tactical" rifle that isn't even an "assault weapon"...

That is all.

14 comments:

ZerCool said...

How special a deal? Because I miss my Mini-14 like hell, and would sorely like to replace it.

I know people bash them, but if you take them for what they are, they're a great rifle.

Anonymous said...

Actually, 2 "evil" features (which is the limit here in CT). It also has a removable magazine.

Jay G said...

Zercool,

The MSRP is somewhere around $800; I'd wager out the door it's around $600. The S&W M&P15 has an "optics ready" carbine (ORC) that retails around $750; Ruger would be foolish to price the Mini-14 that close to an AR...

Mopar,

Good point - the flash suppressor is the *second* evil feature. I kinda took it for granted that the OH NOES removable magazine was the first...

Brad_in_IL said...

Jay,
Are you saying there are no post-ban (Sept 1994) magazines of MORE THAN 10-round capacity for this beast?

JRebel said...

Nice rifle. Got one just like it hanging on the wall as I type this.

Dave H said...

The evil feature count process is weird. I've never seen the wording of the Federal AWB but New York has memorialized it as "a removable magazine and two or more of the following...", followed by The List. I think of the mag not as an evil feature so much as an enabler of evil features to follow.

Bubblehead Les. said...

We have a little-known clause in my local gun laws based on the AWB that state it is "...illegal to own any firearm CAPABLE of taking a magazine which has a capacity of MORE than 30 rounds...". Then I look at the Beta-Mag Catalog, and see how many rifles that can take one of their mags. That got me thinking of the 40 rounders that the Mall Ninjas put in their AK's, or the Thompson Submachine gun drums, or the 33 round Glock mags, or even the Lewis Machine Gun Drums.... The strange thing is, there is no mention of it being illegal to own a belt-fed weapon, like my buddy's 1919 you shot last fall.

Funny how silly little things can stay on the books, ready to bite you in the ass if the Federales choose to use it against you.

Anonymous said...

Actually, it's not legal in CA, since it has a flash hider. 1 evil feature and a removable mag is a one way trip to felony land here.

zeeke42 said...

Anonymous is right, CA's AWB is much worse than the Fed AWB copied into MA law.
http://www.calguns.net/caawid/flowchart.pdf

Anonymous said...

I know this is a stupid question, but why the hell do we live in states with laws like these? I know I would move in a heartbeat if my wife would allow it. Gotta wait until her son is 18 she says (he's 14 now).

Jay G said...

Mopar, my reason for staying is the same as yours - the Mrs. doesn't want to move.

If she said "yes" to moving I'd have the house on the market *tomorrow*.

Will said...

There is a threaded barrel under that flash hider. That wouldn't be legal, either.

This looks like a slightly neutered GB (gov't barrel) Ruger. Missing the bayonet lug under the front sight, that goes with that flash hider.

Anonymous said...

In Mass, a detachable magazine is inclusive for a semi-auto rifle. If you can find a preban mag or a 10 round post ban, because there is no pistol grip, bayo lug or adjustable stock, the flash hider is the only "evil" feature on the gun, making it MA compliant.

See below:

a semiautomatic rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least 2 of--

(i) a folding or telescoping stock;
(ii) a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon ;
(iii) a bayonet mount;
(iv) a flash suppressor or threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor; and
(v) a grenade launcher;

Anonymous said...

In Mass, a detachable magazine is inclusive for a semi-auto rifle. If you can find a preban mag or a 10 round post ban, because there is no pistol grip, bayo lug or adjustable stock, the flash hider is the only "evil" feature on the gun, making it MA compliant.

The definition of “assault weapon” is the same as the federal law that went into effect on September 13, 1994. Specific guns are banned by name, and guns with certain combinations of features are banned:

a semiautomatic rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine AND has at least 2 of--

(i) a folding or telescoping stock;
(ii) a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon ;
(iii) a bayonet mount;
(iv) a flash suppressor or threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor; and
(v) a grenade launcher;