Who'd be interested?

N

Nightcrawler

New member
M223 Semiautomatic Carbine, Caliber .223 Remington (5.56x45mm NATO)

Description

Similar in design and appearance to the Ruger Mini-14, the M223 is based on a downsized M14-type operating system. However, the M223 features numerous improvements on the design, allowing for greater function, reliability, and accuracy.

The M223's rear sight is an M14-type apreture sight, adustable for shooting from 0-500 meters, and is protected by steel wings. The front sight is located on a stout post near the muzzle, and is protected by stout steel wings as well. The front sight is adjustable for elevation.

The M223 features a heavier barrel (though even heavier barrels are available on the match grade model) than the Mini-14, and it has a 1 in 9 twist.

The M223 accepts all standard M16 type magazines. The flipper magazine release has been enlarged, and magazines no longer need to be "rocked-in", but merely inserted ala the AR-15.

The M223's receiver featuresa built in stripper clip guide, and if the user so desires, the magazine can be left in place and recharged via stripper clips.

The receiver of the M223 has been designed to eject spent brass to the right, and has been drilled and tapped for a scope mount. The upper handguard can be replaced with an accessory rail for mounting long eye relief scopes.

The barrel, 18" long, is crowned, but a variety of compensators and muzzle brakes are available to be soldered on. Flash suppressors can be added as well, but if one is put on, the user must NOT install a pistol gripped stock, as he/she would be in violation of the law.

The M223 features your choice of a walnut or black fiberglass stock. Pistol gripped stocks are available from the factory, but the user must remember that having the pistol grip constitutes two "evil features", the maximum number allowed if the weapon is to remain compliant with the "Assault Weapons" Ban of 1994. Finishes available are glossy blue, brushed stainless, and military parkerized.

Suggested retail price for the "basic model" M223, which features:

-Parkerized Finish
-Field Grade Walnut Furniture
-Crowned Muzzle (no brake)

is $799.00. Dealer pricing and quantity discounts are available.



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So. I said the MSRP should be $800 or so...whatever the going rate for a Bushmaster/Armalite AR-15 is.

Who'd be interested in this? NO, it doesn't offer many tangible advantages over the AR-15, other than not being an AR-15. It does, however, solve most people's complaints regarding the Ruger rifle.
 
N

Nightcrawler

New member
Good question. Certainly not Ruger. Ruger's interested in making the most politically correct semiauto rifle available, and selling them in California. Ruger doesn't even make factory 10 round magazines; 5 rounds only. I suspect that if not for higher capacity aftermarket magazines, very few Mini-14s and Mini-30s would sell at all.
 
K

Kaylee

New member
I think, honestly.. as cool as it it'd look, I'd not be interested in buying one. As much as I love the Garand action, I'd not use it as a base were I to start redesigning things... mostly 'cause of the having to clean it from the muzzle issue.

I'm curious though how you'ld adapt the M16 mag into the M14 design.. if you could make a mag adapter for the Mini-14, you definately got a sellable gizmo right there.

-K
 
4

4V50 Gary

Staff
Concur w/CR Sam.

BTW, the first Mini14 had M-1/M14 style rear sights and because they cost so much, it was replaced with the cheaper sight it now carries.

Ruger has to replace that (Greenmountain) barrel with a more substantial barrel. I guess they're too cheap to do it.
 
T

Tackleberry

New member
I love your idea!!!

The only thing I would add is a couple of points to make it PC for Canadian consumption.

" Alright!!! before you guys down south fire up those old mark 12's think about it"

We have three classes of firearms (no big leason coming) the first is Non-restricted, this class contains firearms deemed as "General Sporting Arms" aka long guns.

Now, if you make some allowances that I suggest you will sell lots... We need an alternative to Mini14 (cost prohbitive) and the SKS (cost climbing and .... well, you know)

The suggestions are;
"for a semi -auto to have full wondering rights"
Make barrel 18.5" or longer

Mag Capacity 5 rds. (not a big issue, we've been plugging them to five for a number of years now.

I guarantee there will be a market here. The only ones availabe here are the new H&K rifle(nuff said), SKS(great little rifle, but has limitations), Mini14( monopoly $$$ is proof, definate limitations, mag changes - fumble city), Remington 7400(limitations, $$$, mag changes - fumble city) Oh!! my latest favorite purchase, Ruger Deerfield .44Mag(cal. limitations & mag changes - fumble city)

I love the idea..... When?? When?? When?? !!!

Edited to save "some" embarassment!
 
L

lonegunman

New member
Springfield Armory might be able to do it.

They could kind of start with the carbine model M1A, maybe scale it down to 223 and make it take AR mags.
 
N

Nightcrawler

New member
Have a question:

"Make a nice 300-400 buck toy. "

Many are willing to pay $800 an up for a quality AR 15, but a different design that would, in theory, be just as good (but different) is only worth half as much?

As is, the Mini-14 will run you $500, and that's with the crappy sights (on the ranch model, which is all I've ever seen in the stores), slightly too thin barrel and difficulty in finding good mags.
 
M

MuzzleBlast

New member
I've always thought a mini-Garand would be cool. Imagine a Garand scaled down to the .223, that has an internal magazine loading with M16 stripper clips. Totally impractical, and too expensive to produce, but it would be a cool toy.
 
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