A Bean Supper in a Submarine 🤢🤢🤢💨 Lol You Made My Day With That One Mr Gunblue 😂😂

@ErikHenrichsen

11 ай бұрын

Might increase the buoyancy of the vessel...

@ditto1958

11 ай бұрын

Lol, immediately hit “like” when I saw that

@paulmasters2590

11 ай бұрын

​@@ErikHenrichsen😅😮😮😮😊

@scottdunn2178

11 ай бұрын

Instantly added to my lexicon 🤣

@3henry214

4 ай бұрын

Gives a new meaning to "emergency blow"....

I've had my Mini 14 close to 40 years now and never had an issue with it. I keep it clean and I use Ruger factory mags.

@gregmcelhattan6982

11 ай бұрын

I half half a dozen mini 14s 30 year speed have M1A have colt H bar served in the USMC zero and i mean zero problems all great old rifles

WOW THANK-YOU!! You just saved me from a nightmare. I was given a 1975 Mini-14 in 1977, and was assured by my father-in-law & brother-in-law that in spite of the markings, it loved 5.56. I've shot nothing else in it for 45 years, although I haven't used it much in the last 10. I just bought a new one for my grandson yesterday, and I took mine along for a new sight at the most reputable gun store around. Then, I picked-up some range ammo on the way out. The two gunsmiths (a Vietnam and a Gulf vet) reacted in horror, and pointed to the .223 marking, explaining very expertly (and loudly) that the 180- series was chambered ONLY for .223 and only the 580- series was made to handle 5.56. I felt outgunned standing there in the store surrounded by good old boys all nodding in agreement, and I sadly bought some .223 wondering how I may have damaged my beloved weapon over four decades. This morning, I stumbled upon your video, and I actually almost cried. The pronouncement had been like a sucker punch yesterday, and you info came like awaking from a bad dream this morning. (What an amazing coincidence!) You can bet we'll watch a great deal of your stuff over the next months, and will support you the best we can. Both Both

@peterf4552

7 ай бұрын

You were being attacked by Fudds. This, straight from the Ruger Factory Manual: "The RUGER®MINI-14®RIFLESare chambered for the .223 Remington(5.56mm) cartridge. The Mini-14 Rifle is designed to use either standardized U.S.military, or factory loaded sporting .223 (5.56mm) cartridges manufactured in accordance with U.S. industry practice." Seems pretty unambiguous to me!

Sir, you cleared up an argument I've heard for over 30 years...thank you!

@GunBlue490

15 күн бұрын

@@jefftaylortaylor5836 Thank you. Unfortunately, the argument persists because folks simply don't open their owners manuals. This knowledge, apart from the history behind it, was always available.

In 1995, I was in a Militia group. My group leader's son had a Mini - 14, and all he ran through it was 223 ammo. Thanks for helping to clear the confusion from some of my friends.

I think these arguments persist because they can. We're lucky enough to live in a developed country where we have very comfortable lives, and have plenty of free time to argue about all sorts of philosophical meanderings: AR vs AK, .9MM VS .45ACP, Whopper vs Big Mac, .223 vs 5.56. Love hearing your perspective on things. Keep em coming.

I have a mini 14 now in part because of you! More Mini videos please!

I received a mini14 from the 1st series the rifle was ever produced. When i got it they told me at the gun store not to run 5.56 only .223. As I was researching the gun I found contradictory sources but nothing definitive. This has been very helpful. Thank you.

AR 15 started coming around when in 1997 they were starting to be used at the NRA national matches. At the time I was still using the M1A in 308 and we found that the AR could be fired with less recoil which made it more popular and quicker to get back on target. I got mine a bushmaster in 1998 and started building my own a few years later. Good talk thanks,

@xmackc1100

11 ай бұрын

Did the same. Started a year or two later than you with an M-1 from CMP and then realized the AR was more accurate, easier to shoot, and a lot cheaper shoot and to reload. I built up one from parts kits so I could get a free floated match barrel and it took months to get them.

@hairydogstail

11 ай бұрын

The AR-15 started coming around in the mid 1970's with the growing survivalist movement..

@joeycrooker1282

11 ай бұрын

I got a Bushmaster in 1986 , at Benning's school for wayward boys

@jasonb4350

11 ай бұрын

Purchased my first colt in 1991

@LRRPFco52

11 ай бұрын

Colt SP-1s, Sporter IIs, and Carbines were very popular on store shelves in CA in the 1980s, along with Hk91s, Hk93s, Hk94s, Uzis, SAR-48s, Mini-14s, but no real AKs to be found, with maybe a few Mitchell exceptions. Eagle Arms EA-15s started showing up in the mid-late 1980s, followed by Quality Parts/Bushmaster. I saw all of this first-hand as someone who frequented gun shops regularly.

Just when I thought I knew everything about AR’s, you come along and show me that I didn’t know a thing. 80% of what you said in this video was new to me. Thank you for what you’ve done for our Country, and thank you for teaching me something that I couldn’t learn on google.

@GunBlue490

11 ай бұрын

Thank you.

Good background and some info that I did not know. Ruger really took advantage of inexpensive ammo, the mini-14 for the 556 and later mini-30 in 7.62x39. Bought my first AK before the first Gulf War and my first AR and a Mini30 in the year after I completed that deployment. The Clinton AWB in 1994 did a lot to peak peoples interest in the AR, AK and other then forbidden fruit firearms.

@LRRPFco52

11 ай бұрын

Roberti-Roos Ban in California sent a shockwave of interest in AR-15s across the Nation in the late 1980s, then came the Clinton/Biden/Feinstein Crime Bill/AWB.

Back in the fall of 1988 two of my buddies walked into Dick's Sporting Good's just outside of Syracuse, NY. One bought a Ruger Mini 14, the other bought a Colt AR15. Both rifles were brand new and were sitting on the shelf.

USMC started issuing camouflage beginning near the end of 1968, called ERDL(Engineer Research Development Lab). Made in brown or green background, or 'Highland' or 'Lowland', the green was used predominately in Viet Nam. When I enlisted in NR in 83 to be Corpsman w/1/25, we we were still wearing that pattern, which had been designed in 1948, btw. Good vid. Thanks.

As a Vietnam-era veteran, I can totally agree with all you said about those days. Only hippies wore the OD uniforms they bought, and none of us wanted anything to do with owning an AR. Great video!

@GunBlue490

11 ай бұрын

Exactly. Archie Bunker's meathead son in law wore a field jacket. It represented some weird perspective by draft dodging hippies. I never could fathom it.

@the1knifepro169

11 ай бұрын

When I was coming up it was the poor kids that wore Army-Navy Vietnam era clothes. Usually the jackets and boots they weren't trying to be tough or steal valor it was just that their parents were poor and those clothes were cheap and tough.

@jayjason423

11 ай бұрын

Veterans, as soon as they do anything right, their benefits will be cut. Remember that. Probably explains their lack of interest. 😉

@LRRPFco52

11 ай бұрын

A good friend of mine bought a Colt SP-1 as soon as he got back from Vietnam in the early days, then went to college in Texas, then got commissioned in the Army, went SF. He was in Vietnam before 1965 build-up, doing OTB stuff in Force Recon. He had a very interesting career.

@the1knifepro169

11 ай бұрын

@@LRRPFco52 Absolutely!

Thanks for all the background on the mini. I bought mine in the 80's and never thought about 5.56 versus .223, and just figured both were fine! As for AR-15's, I seem to remember they were available but very high priced, and that was the reason I went with the Ruger mini-14. When my state decided to outlaw black rifles in the late 90's while grandfathering in rifles owned before their cut-off date, that prompted me to add one to my collection! Thanks for your service in Vietnam, and welcome home. Maybe we crossed paths over there! I started service with the Navy Seabees stateside my first year out of bootcamp, then went to Vietnam to serve with the brown water Navy in 68 and early 69 (we were a combination of Navy and the Army's 9th Infantry Division troops as a team), and then we went off to play with beach landing U.S. and ROK Marines in 69. What did I think of the M-16? My Seabee battalion had M-14s when I arrived in early 67, but mid year brand new M-16s were added to the armory. We only went to the range once to try them out so I didn't have much experience to make any judgements about them other than they kicked a lot less than the M-14s. In Vietnam I never laid hands on an M-16, but rather carried or stood watch with a 1911 .45, M-1 carbine, 12ga pump, M-60, Ma deuce, or the king of machine guns of the era, our 3"-50's! I did bring home a couple pairs of jungle boots, and spent a few years wearing them out, plus I bought a surplus green field jacket or two and wore them out, too, so hippies weren't the only ones wearing military garb!

@waynehajek6346

9 ай бұрын

Welcome home from a Seabee brother. CBMU 302 Detachment India NSAD Ben Luc, Delta region, 1970-1971.

@fjb4932

6 ай бұрын

​@@waynehajek6346 soaringbob, Glad you made it out. CBMU-302, Subic Bay 1978-79 "Done did." ☆

I've run 855 and 193 in my 1977 mini for years and I'm still here with the correct amount of fingers. It's never been a problem. That rifle eats everything from the trash steel case that i could afford as a younger guy, up to mil-surp back when it was cheap and plentiful. I never had a "spontaneous, rifle-initiated field strip" in my life with it. It'll run 5.56 all day.

Good to see you again Sir! I got my first AR-15 (DPMS Lite 16) in 2008. It was a FOMO (fear of missing out) purchase. Gun channels and some of my buddies were saying Obama would instantly declare them illegal, so I had to have one.

Similar to the Vietnam my Dad told me that he had no interest in the M1 Garand when he came home after WWII, however this all changed by the 1960s when I was a young teenager and he began to say that the M1 Garand and the 1903 springfields were the greatest rifles ever made.

@mohammedcohen

11 ай бұрын

...my late father wanted an M1 Garand...hr got one of the first M1 Carbines that the government surplussed out in the early 60s - I was only 12 or 13 at the time and didn't appreciate the collectibility of those guns...never thought to look at the maker of various other features...around two years after he passed away in 1984 I bought one of the Korean imports from an FFL at Pratt & Whitney in Jupiter, FL - it was in sorry condition, but over time I restored it to shootability...

Thanks so much for clarifying this old question. I have a 181 series, and have often had near-arguments with gunshop experts who don't want to sell me 5.56 ammo for my Mini 14.

Enjoyed the talk Gunblue. Just an FYI that as a student of history, you should be aware of this- "Russian GRU defector Stanislav Lunev said in his autobiography that "the GRU and the KGB helped to fund just about every antiwar movement and organization in America and abroad," and that during the Vietnam War the USSR gave $1 billion to American anti-war movements, more than it gave to the VietCong,[27]" -Wikipedia

@GunBlue490

6 ай бұрын

Yes, I was always aware of that. Meddling in American affairs is their game, because it's always easier and cheaper to subvert and convert a people from within than to overtake them by force. It's a concern that the FBI was once very devoted to years ago, which is no longer apparently the case.

@JohnB-dr8sk

6 ай бұрын

@@GunBlue490 Rightly said. The FBI was purged of American patriots starting with Bush Sr. and Bill Clinton and was completed by Obama. Now they are nothing more than Praetorians helping to purge America of "counter-revolutionaries" (i.e. anyone opposed to their Marxist insurrection).

I remember asking the Scheels gun manager if they had any of those black rifles back in the day, maybe the late 90's or early 2000's. He said smugly, "we only sell hunting rifles." now go to the same store and there are at least 100 different "black" rifles and rightly so, it's what sells, I still love the old walnut and blued steel, but, I do have my share of PCC's and such. I counted the other night, and I have 7 folding rifles and many older military surplus with bayonets. It's part of our wonderful hobby. Thanks for the vid.

We have a couple of the SP serial numbered Colt's from 1975. Nice old rifles for what they were designed for. Thank you for this very enlightening video. I did not know until today that you had served in Vietnam. Your cool factor is totally off the charts now. 😎 My father-in-law served as well. In fact, three-quarters of our Bible study group is Vietnam vets.

Great info. This comment is slightly off topic but I always feel like I'm sitting in your presence, having a chat, while watching your videos. The popularity of the AR platform has always perplexed me. The cartridge doesn't have much use for anything larger than a coyote, in my area (SE Wyoming). If I needed a weapon for war, I would not choose that cartridge. I know some folks like to use it for whitetails but I would prefer something with a bit more power...like 243 or 25-06 or 270 (my favorite). I own an AR but it never leaves the safe. I only own one because the libs told me I shouldn't be able to have one. PS: I like your snowblower! 😊

@dgunearthed7859

11 ай бұрын

Same. And I have a double barrel shotty because of the current pres. Thanks uncle joe

@LRRPFco52

11 ай бұрын

Get a 6.5 Grendel AR upper. I'm not far from you in Utah and shoot the Grendels all the time. Awesome little cartridge.

@afroghair6793

11 ай бұрын

The beauty of the ar15 is ubiquity. Like going to your neighbor to borrow a cup of sugar; and maybe a magazine and a few hundred rounds of 223/556.

@LRRPFco52

11 ай бұрын

@@afroghair6793 Yup. It's an easy design to be well-regulated by the local citizenry.

I bought my first AR-15 (a Colt R6600DH) in 1986. They weren't unpopular or hard to find at all back then. Also, the first AR-15 (a Colt SP1) I ever shot was purchased by my father in 1971. He was the furthest thing from a Rambo wannabe you would ever meet. He bought it because he thought it was super cool, high-tech, and fun to shoot. Maybe things were just different up there in the deep blue northeast.

@aukula1062

11 ай бұрын

This guy is a Fudd.

@LRRPFco52

11 ай бұрын

Yup. AR-15s and other semi auto military rifles were very popular in the 1980s in the Southwest US from what I experienced.

@allmyhobbiesareexpensive2676

11 ай бұрын

I also call BS on the 'only hippies wore OD', the south pretty much lived off of milsurp for basic everyday uses.

@williamjarvis3473

11 ай бұрын

In the 70s while in the army you could buy civilian m16 from the rod and gun club for under 200 bucks. We carried CAR15s in central America. Lots of people had ar 15s in the 80s

@peterolsen269

11 ай бұрын

I totally agree, I was buying ARs in Alaska which is also "Blue". I went to high school in the Boston area and the accent is unmistakable. I don't find his story that credible regarding the availability or demand for ARs in the eighties. I've been in the Aviation industry for 40 years and NOBODY is shoving the metric system down my throat, not unless they just don't want to fly. He needs to get out of the garage more I think? A man you ask what time it is and he tells you how to build a watch.

I think it can be argued that the North Hollywood Bank of America robbery in 1997 precipitated the interest in AKs and ARs. The suspects had the LEOs outgunned and out-ranged. That incident was the impetus for my agency (and many others) to begin equipping officers with ARs. And, unfortunately, because of lower costs for Norincos, the criminals began acquiring AKs.

I seem to recall the initial issue with the M-16 was the decision to switch from ball powder to stick powders? Many guys died because of FUBAR move by the bean counters! I myself was out of service in 1976. The war was over by the mid 70s so I was quite fortunate to have not been "in country" with that ammo! I just didn't hunt with the AR rifle. It was not a common use of such a smaller caliber rifle out west here! I did by a mini 14 back in the latter 1970s and found it to be quite handy in terms of pest control and smaller game. For everything/anything else it was the good old bolt action/lever action rifle/carbines from 30-30 win and the fine model 70 in .270 win. Even today, both long guns serve me quite well! Yes, I still own that mini14 in .223 rem. It was back in the mid 1980s that the AR became "weaponized" by the gun industry/lobbyists. I remember Jim Zumbo being railroaded by the gun intrustry/lobbyists for his position on shooting the AR as a hunting caliber. He was just roasted alive! I still miss Jim Zumbo's fine rifle/gun writings.

@kyrozudesoya1829

11 ай бұрын

The ordinance department deliberately sabotaged it. Which is why they got shut down.

@GunBlue490

11 ай бұрын

Watch my historical remarks about the M16 in the video presentation I made. No, the government converted from extruded IMR powder (DuPont-Remington) to Ball powder (Olin-Winchester) with a different burning rate, but that was not the issue. The issue at hand was the sabotaging of the M16 by military brass within the Ordnance Department who didn't want to lose their cushy jobs overseeing Springfield Armory, et al. They didn't want civilian manufacturers to assume the role of making guns that the military had enjoyed since George Washington. They purposefully neglected to chrome plate bores, as everyone in Ordnance had proclaimed was necessary after WWII, and they didn't issue .22 bore cleaning equipment to combatants. That combination of wanton and deviate neglect by the high command caused severe corrosion and fouling very quickly in Vietnam. These neglects were identified very quickly in country and were immediately corrected. They used other tactics to defame the M16 and undermine confidence. Combat news reporters were mysteriously sent to interview soldiers and Marines about their bad guns and drew them into suggestive responses. I saw such reports on TV. "Soldier, how can you be confident in that gun when it's so bad?" Seconds later, that soldier was returning fire with the camera running, but the poison was given to folks at home. Those faulty M16s were immediately called out and replaced with very capable revisions called the A1. The brass was furious at Secretary McNamara's closing of Springfield Armory, and they did everything to spoil the gun, which unfortunately cost some American lives. It was not the huge number that legend has made of it. But the enemy was not the fine gun that has been fighting capably and officially since 1969; it was those who sought to take it down.

@charlesmudd9834

11 ай бұрын

​@@GunBlue490 ★ Wow! That's interesting! I haven't heard that. Thanks.

Found my '77 manual....cover page, page 1 and 13 just like you stated...keep videos coming, very informative

Great topic! I've had this argument several times. I always said the same thing about the manual. I took a trade on one of those target models w/1200 rounds of 223. Never been shot

As an advisor, I often had my choice of weapons to use. Turned in my M-16 for a M-14 after two incidents of failure to fire after a bandolier of ammunition. The M-14 was heavier and was limited in the amount of ammunition you could comfortably carry, but it was very dependable and much more powerful. While providing security for the Corpsman in the villages around our camp, I carried a M2 carbine which was cut down by the armorer. It was very dependable also as both weapons were short stroke gas piston operated. I have never owned a "Black Rifle" since coming back.

I must have had a different gun store than most. Mine was attached to a large police equipment store that catered to a large number of LEO in my area. They had AR’s,AK’s,H&K 91,93 and 94’s, AR180’s,FAL’s, M1a’s and more. Lots of SKS rifles as well and 70$ a case 7.62x39. It was the first place I saw a Dawoo rifle. They had Mini14’s too but since Bill Ruger didn’t trust civilians with 20 and 30 round magazines we couldn’t get those. Or so he thought. The store ordered them and sold them to whoever wanted them. Latest copies of the Shotgun News on the counters. Late 80’s. Good times

@GunBlue490

11 ай бұрын

That's quite the alphabet soup. Police departments don't allow cops to carry any rifle on the job. All police departments have qualification regulations to keep vicarious liability lawsuits from suing towns and chiefs out of their fiscal britches. Maverick rifles... uh, I don't think so. I get tired of that unfair blog mischaracterization. Bill Ruger was a very loyal and patriotic American, who sought to preserve the Second Amendment. Any gun company IS about preserving the Second Amendment. He was well aware of the attack on it and knew the enemy, who was stalking any opportunity to demonize shooters. He was trying to preserve sporting firearms as he knew them, and believed that high capacity guns would legitimize the liberal press and give anti-gunners more ammo than any magazine. It was merely a numbers game, and I'm not at all convinced that I couldn't withstand any conceivable threat that existed in those days with the 10 rounds that he favored. Things have since changed, but nobody was under mortal threat when he made his statements. It had nothing to do with his trust for Americans. He was fearful of further encroachment by government and was trying to keep an increasingly angry dog away from his beloved Second Amendment. History proved his fears were quite prophetic. Almost immediately, the gun culture took a turn that I sincerely regret. I lived through the terrible changes from the wonderful gun culture of my youth. We kept guns in unlocked walnut furniture glass cases in the living room. Every Sunday afternoon, folks tuned into African hunting episodes with Robert Stack shooting dangerous game with a .458 Winchester Magnum on the American Sportsman, on ABC! In the 7th grade, I built a bedroom gun rack from a three ring binder in the Junior HS wood shop. That would incur an FBI investigation now and a local news reporter's snooping around with a TV camera. HS kids in my town brought target rifles to school to store in the Principal's office and walked or took the school bus with them without even a gun case. That would be imprisonment for the Principal now. That's the America Bill Ruger grew up in, too. In the 60s, walked from my house to the local woods with a .22 under my arm through the city streets, and mothers would call out, "have fun and be safe!". Mattel sold millions of toy guns that were advertised on TV and given at Christmas. I owned a Mattel Tommy Gun and a holstered pair of "Fanner 50's" that I played with outside with my friends when I was 8 years old. I took my Daisy everywhere after I turned 10, and every boy I knew had one. It stood in my bedroom. Guns were beloved by Americans. That's the America Bill Ruger was trying to preserve. Whether he was mistaken in his personal approach to the matter or not has nothing to do with trust for Americans, and it's quite unfair to paint such a broad brush. He created guns for Americans. The First Amendment comes just before the Second and he was using that right, whether others agreed or not. Factually, if it wasn't for his introduction of the Mini-14 and the introduction of an otherwise military caliber, tons of surplus 5.56mm ammo would have been dumped into the ocean, and the .223 may never have caught on.

@kccodex8931

11 ай бұрын

"Police departments don't allow any cop's to carry any rifle on the job." What did I miss? Plenty of cops are issued AR 15..

@johnnyrocko2933

11 ай бұрын

@@GunBlue490 I never said the police carried anything. The gun store was connected to the building that housed the police supply store. There were always police officers in the gun store. Local, sheriff’s department officers, state troopers and others. I’m just relating what I saw. I don’t know what firearms they bought or what some of their personal feelings were, I just know the store carried a multitude of different firearms types. You were the one that said no one was interested in those types of firearms back then. I also knew the owner personally and knew his feelings about the second amendment. As far as Mr. Ruger is concerned I think he made it pretty clear that he didn’t trust ordinary Americans to be in possession of standard capacity magazines for their firearms. If he did he would have allowed them to be sold. No matter to me, as I said I never had any problem getting new in the white box 20’s and 30 round mags for my Mini. That’s just the way it was. Once again I never said those officers carried anything but I can say this. Up until then I didn’t have much use for police. I saw them as the enemy but those men I met during that time changed my mind. They took the time to talk to a young guy like me and I’m proud to say many of them were my friends. I experienced the same America you did. My Dad kept his guns in the same kind of cabinet you described. Bought it at Sears. It held a prominent place in our family room for years. He even let me store my Johnny Eagle big game hunting rifle in the cabinet alongside his real guns. When I was old enough I got my first “real” gun the way most boys back then did. A Marlin single shot .22 on Christmas Day and it spent many days with me on the range and in the woods learning the skills and responsibilities of firearms ownership. You see, I grew up in the same America you did and had the same experiences. To bad that America is gone now. I really wish it wasn’t so.

@Justin-rq6kf

11 ай бұрын

​@@GunBlue490The problem is he missed the core reason of the 2nd Amendment. It was not for hunting, it was so people could band militias and be on the same playing field as the troops of the federal government.

@terrythornock6468

11 ай бұрын

@@GunBlue490 many of the Idaho State Police and Idaho City Police Officers carried AR-15’s in their Patrol cars when I was in High School and rode around with them. That was 1975-1978. I’m not sure what they carry now, as those I rode with have long since retired. I love the information about the Mini-14. I bought my first one in 1982. I traded it in on an Arma-Lite National Match AR-15 in 1998. I’m still kicking myself over that one. Nothing worse than saying good-bye to a gun!!!

I'm quite a pale one and stumbled over someone going to matches in the death valley wearing a particular hat. He was so happy when I asked about it. It has a mesh that keeps the head cool and some have a pad that is dipped in water for a few minutes and slowly evaporates cooling further. Look for a Tilley air-flow hat. Left a like as always for the constant good quality.

If you look in your owners manual, under ammunition, you will see that it states the Mini14 is rated for standardized US military (5.56mm), or factory loaded .223 sporting cartridges. The only one specifically excluded is the Target Model.

As always, your videos are extremely informative and well made. You answered the question I had on the beginnings of the civilian AR boom. Thank you!

@patrickgriffitt6551

11 ай бұрын

Just a small question. Civilian AR boom? If it's military it's an M16 not an AR15. Are you including police as civilian as I suppose?

Great Vid as usual sir!! Glad you brought this up. A buddy of mine and I were in s shop in 74 and the owner had just gotten one in. We were sold on em right away, because we both loved the Garand and I had shot the M-14 in the service. A month later we both had mini's. I'll still take that mini over an AR any time!

I feel one of those 'what is the difference between 5.56 and .223' internet debates brewing. LOL.

@hairydogstail

11 ай бұрын

There is a difference, read above..

First of all, thank you for your service I am a vet myself alot of my family went to Vietnam as well and just a special thanks for all you fellas that had to go over there. I'm new to your channel and just love your content. Keep em coming and I love that you were drinking a beer what's your favorite beer?

Just wanted to comment that your channel and Hickok45 have the best content and always enjoy the info sharing you produce. Life is good 😊

I believe Desert shield and storm ARs began raising interest. Operations in middle east sent many troops out, then ARs in many forms began really to become popular. But I remember thinking the M16 was easy to shoot when it would shoot ( I had nothing but trouble with them my entire career). I also remember everyone complaining they were being issued a .22 rifle that would explode on a stick or frond. I saw rounds exploding on sand being blown in the air. I have to say though, shooting an AR or Mini is a whole lot cheaper than 30-06 .308 and 30 USC. And the only thing I even slightly miss from that era is the security of the oven they called a helmet. And I might be the only one in the world on that!

I Just bought my 1st Ruger mini 14, & it's awesome. I've heard (seen on KZread) a lot of people saying that the 14 isn't very accurate, jams...etc etc. Thank you for all your knowledge on this rifle. I am a Marine, & I look forward to watching all your other videos. Thank you for your service 🇺🇸

Good garage talk! Thanks for sharing some of your vast knowledge with us, you are an excellent instructor.

I do believe this was the most informative and definitive vid I have seen. I had just purchased 1000 rds of 556 for a new to me Mini-14 I had come across. So, I thank you for this info. Subscribing.

Thank you for another great, informative video. You answered a question I never thought of asking.

A personal note, I went prairie dog hunting for the first time about 15 years ago. On my first trip I had a Thompson Encore in 22-250. One of the other guys brought an Match grade AR-15 with a 24” bull barrel. Needless to say his hit ratio dwarfed mine many fold. So much so that I acquired my own version of his rifle, a 13 lbs behemoth! I’ve already burned out one barrel on the gun and am on my second one. For me there’s just no better prairie dog gun out there! I later built a 300 Hamr from Wilson combat with a 16” barrel for deer and hog here in Texas. We don’t shoot out past 200 yards here much. My bolt guns are just collecting dust in the safe! I can’t say enough good things about those 2 ARs as my main hunting guns.

That's great info, and it cleared up that debate. Thank you for your service brother. I to am a Vienam vet . I Served in Vietnam in 1971 in the 173rd airborne brigade. There were still alot of troops there, and I can guarantee the war was not over!

AR-15s were definitely rare back in the 70s and 80s. They were crazy expensive. My first rifle that I bought for myself was a Remington semi-auto in 30-06 SPR. I bought it in the late 70s. It was on sale at Dunham's (a major sporting goods chain in the Detroit area) for $169. A fellow I knew bought a Colt AR-15 around the same time for $1200. I thought he was nuts. You could buy a car for that kind of money. I had just bought a like-new used 1977 Pontiac Grand Prix for $1700.

i always find your vids entertaining and informative. Keep it up. and thank you for your service in Green and Blue.

From I can remember when I did qualification on the M16, there were two designations on the form: .223 / 5.56 . . .the .223 was used !......if I made an error, it is because this was in '66.........time has flown by now and still have memories of that time ! . . .tks for the great videos and say HI to Benny ;-)

Thank you for your service . I really enjoy your channel and thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience .

Always great to hear you talk about American history and how it relates to the hobbie I enjoy that so much. God bless you sir and thanks for making awesome videos! 👏

My experience was a bit different. When I returned from RVN, they declared my MOS critical and kept me on active duty for 11 more months. I served as a Bn. Training NCO at 5th FSR, Camp Pendleton. I was later released and got a job as a deputy. I bought a M1A (in the 500 serial block-- a relatively new product) with intent of match shooting. Well, too many work hours and now married, no time for a lot of range use. I sold the M1A and later got a Mini14 and found it less accurate than I was used to having. So, I found a M16 mechanic who built me a M16A1 on a civilian receiver using all military parts. Well, by this time, my department had traded the old WW2 weapons in the locker for more recent weapons, including the M16 and H&K MP5s. As a SWAT guy, I preferred the M16. I also carried my clone M16 type as a patrol rifle at times. The Corps had issued M14, M1 (3-×), M16A1, and 1911s. I was also used to the M60 and BAR. I guess that I didn't have that phobia about M16s you mentioned as I looked at them as a tool for specific tasks (and I now realize felt odd not having a rifle available). So, I maintain my M16 type as well as a brace of M1s ( a favorite) in .30 caliber and .308 just because I can and I like them. I would guess you have short and long guns for similar reasons. Good discussion as I had checked with Ruger back then to verify 5.56 NATO was safe in the Mini 14 (Ruger didn't add "NATO" to their manual). Thanks

Thankyou for your service and welcome home

Always great stuff! Cheers, I finished a beer with you!

Thank you for your Service .

Actually interesting, that we in Germany are not much behind the US with the Popularity of the AR-15. The first imports of Olympic Arms AR-15 to Germany started before 2003, don't know the exact year, but they still had to be modified to comply with our back then "Assault Weapon Ban" (Endet 2003) Not too much later, Oberland Arms started the first manufacturing of AR-15 components and assembly of AR-15s in Germany. Now we have 4 large manufactorers of real (DI) AR-15 and a few custom shops. Not to bad for our smal market, I think.

Thank you for your service. I enjoy your channel very much. Thank you

Thank you your service. Thank you for correcting my ignorance as well. 😊👍👍

Thanks for the video I learn so much from you all the time

Thank you for clarifying this!

Thank You For Your Service.

I bought a Colt civilian AR 15 model in Ocean Side California while in the Marine Corps in 1974 from a gun shop. In 1977, I bought a Ruger #3 in 223 Remington caliber from the PX in North Carolina. The Colt AR cost $326 dollar and the Ruger Cost $169 dollars. I have use this cartridge ever since.

For starters, thank you for your service, and thank you for your knowledge. It was awesome to watch.

Oh also I get the biggest kick out of the picture of you and your bro in the suit and hats. Lol you guys look like Meijer and lucky headed to Cuba lol. All you need is a cigarette between your fingers . Your the best on the tube keep up the good work. I look forward to every video. Oh and a great quote quote, without debate there is no democracy. Take care . Hope you and your family including Benny are healthy and happy.

I love this guy! Thank you for your service and wisdom.

❤ As ALWAYS thanks for sharing your information.

You are correct. Most of the units were issued green jungle fatigues in Viet Nam. However, my unit was issued camouflaged fatigues. In addition, we had Tiger striped and plain black fatigues. With that being said, "we stood out like a sore thumb" while in the rear echelon areas. We also could carry any weapon we chose to depending on the mission. One time a 1940's Greese gun 45 ACP, an AK47, but mostly a XM21. Your videos are the only videos I consider professional advice.

I bought my first AR -A Colt SP1 for $85 in 1978. Complete with sling, bayonet, a few aluminum mags. Can’t do that anymore!!

Great presentation! I enjoyed listening to your explanation.

I simply buy carbines/rifles with Wylde chambers and not worry about it. Many years ago, I bought an old "SGW" Scheutzen Gun Works a.k.a Olympic Arms AR-15 A2 built in the mid 1980's. I just checked and it has both Caliber 223 and 556 on the side of the receiver. My memory is not the best, but I do recall 2004 when the AWB of the Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act sunset. There was a sudden surge in people buying rifles based on the A-15 and Kalashnikov patterns. The buying frenzy slowly died off until the Sandy Hook attack. The AR-15 now is a huge political totem that is both reviled and cherished by different groups of people.

@Jack-xy2pz

11 ай бұрын

Somehow the AR-15 smells a little bit more like freedom than the Mini-14 ?

@GunBlue490

11 ай бұрын

@@Jack-xy2pz How's that?

I recall an AR showing up at the local gun store in the early 80s once. It sat on the shelf for over a year. The local police department finally bought it, so no one else in the community would buy it. Never seen another one replace it.

@GunBlue490

11 ай бұрын

Very typical. Three dealers I knew wouldn't touch any military style gun for that reason, and that rule didn't change for many years.

Thanks for your service !

Best article I’ve ever seen (including owner’s manual) on this subject. I think you could maintain time has more than proved you correct. I believe the first Gun Blue video I ever viewed was about the Mini 14.

The 5.56 NATO Colt TDP chamber has a minimum go gauge of 1.4646 and the 223 commercial has a minimum go gauge of 1.4636..The 5.56 also has a longer throat than a 223 to match the longer bullets used by the military like the 62 grain and tracer round to prevent pressure problems....The 223 Wylde uses the same head space gauges as the 5.56 chamber except the throat is a little tighter yet long like the 5.56 throat..

@GunBlue490

11 ай бұрын

Not so. A .223 Remington is not at all limited by bullet lengths. That's a rifling twist issue. A .223 with a fast twist will handle the same bullet lengths as a 5.56 NATO rifle.

@hairydogstail

11 ай бұрын

The 223 has a shorter throat than the 5.56 and a shorter minimum go gauge..Using 5.56 spec ammo in a 223 chamber AR-15 can cause pressure and reliability problems..@@GunBlue490

@tkalus5736

5 ай бұрын

You are correct. The 5.56 throat is a little longer than the .223. The Wylde falling in between. This allows 5.56 ammo to be loaded to slightly higher pressures than .223 ammo. Weatherby used the same long throat theory in their rifles. The Wylde chamber was developed to allow the use of longer bullets, such as the 80gr Match King. These bullets would be seated to an overall length that would allow for maximum powder capacity in match loadings. The trouble was they had to be single loaded as they were over magazine length. If memory serves, the .223 is loaded to about 55k psi and the 5.56 is loaded to about 62k psi. Is that enough of a difference in the shorter throat of the .223? As a side note .223s often have a 1/12 twist rate, while the 5.56 will use a 1/7, 1/8 or 1/9 twist. The faster twist will work with most bullet weights but the 1/12 has limits. Good shooting!

The Mini-14 manual specifically states Standardized U.S. Military or Factory loaded .223 (5.56) Ammo. This is from the 78-04 Mini-14 Manual "The RUGER® MINI-14® RIFLES are chambered (5.56mm) cartridge. The Mini-14 Rifle is designed to use either standardized U.S. military, or factory loaded sporting .223 (5.56mm) cartridges manufactured in accordance with U.S. industry practice. See “Ammunition Notice” & “Ammunition

As always, thanks for the presentation.

Thank you for this insight to set the record straight, I enjoyed it. I must confess it is my favorite gun of all.

Back in the 80's and 90's AR 15's were rarely encountered at LGS here in PA. Mini 14's were a little more prevalent and less expensive. I knew of only a few people who owned AR's at this time. Most people didnt even own semi auto rifles because you couldn't hunt with them in PA anyway. It wasnt until the assault weopon ban dissolved that many new manufacturers appeared on the scene that the AR's started to grow in popularity and became more affordable. What Gunblue is saying is exactly what I've experienced here also.

Excellent video ! Thank you !

thank you and welcome home brother...semper fi

I have had my mini 14 30 years or so , still operating well, thanks for the video

Much love and respect to you brother. God bless! I was too young for Vietnam, but my brother was 13 years my senior. So he went in the Marines in 67, and was in danang on January 27 1968 and Con Thien on January 29 his birthday. So anyway I Look at you nam vets as my brothers too. Thank you!!!

Great commentary! Being a firearms interested youth, I tracked the development and use of the regular 222 Remington, then the 222 Magnum and the 223 in the early 1970's. I was an active varmint shooter, and limited bench shooter. I encouraged my brother in the Air Force to buy a SP1 AR, which were pretty rare for the public. I later bought an early Mini 14, then an HK93, the latter being spectaculary accurate. I used 556 brass to handload for both rifles but resizes with care to fit their respective chambers. Had very good results with what you would call pretty hot ammunition. The older Mini 14, using a B Square Mount, I shimmed and set up for another older brother, will shot 1 MOA, with hand load ammo, with the shooter being very deliberate. The Mini 14 buttstock really slips around a lot, and some of the barrel runs where not the best of steel I have been told.

@Master...deBater

6 ай бұрын

I had a scoped 80s mini-14 that wouldn't shoot any better than 2.5-3 MOA! I brought it to my gunsmith and asked if anything could be done to improve its accuracy. I told him I wanted to shoot varmints...he said "nope...if you want a semi-auto varmint rifle...buy an AR"!

@johnshields9110

6 ай бұрын

It took a lot of load development, and patience to get the Mini-14's I worked on too shoot well. If it doesn't have a better barrel than normal, it may not matter, what you do. It's a difficult stock design to keep it from slipping around on your shoulder. How the screws are torqued around the gas cylinder and a few other concerns are pesky detail too. Your gunsmith is right, about Ar's being easier.

@Master...deBater

6 ай бұрын

@@johnshields9110 I ended up selling it for more than I paid for it and kept the vintage Weaver scope...so it's all good. I think it was made prior to Ruger making their barrels in-house...so that may have been the problem.

Thank you for your service, your knowledge, and your video.

I bought a Mini when I was 18. I ran 556 and 223 thru it without worrying about it. The gun store I bought it from had a few AR's and AK's on the rack but they hardly ever sold. This was California. 1989. The guns that sold regularly were the bolt guns, levers and shotguns. It was south lake tahoe. The gun store was named The OutdoorsMan. They carried everything. But the autoloaders other tgan shotguns never really sold. The mentality was a high mountain hunting community. Times change. Now you go into a fun store and everything is black and plastic. And ammo was 2.99 a box fir 20 rounds.

★ I'm really glad you put this information out. I can share this about the markings. Thank you.

I knew the Mini 14 had been designed around use of 5.56 NATO round. I just had not the history and rationale behind the design itself. Thanks for knowledge and education on this topic, Mr. GunBlue!

Great piece of history and research thank you for you presentation style and honesty.

Thanks for sharing your information. My Dad had a 760 Remington Pump Rifle. I believe he purchased between 68 and 72. It was chambered for 223 Remington. In the mid 70s I bought some 5.56 surplus ammo. Not knowing what I had I was told that it would shoot fine in the gun by the seller of the ammo. I had to take a wooden Dow to get the case out after shooting a round. I found a gun smith who explained what was going on with the ammo. The 5.56 ammo was expanding more than a 223 rounds would. And that I was lucky it didn’t maybe exploded. Very good information.👍

Thank you so much for all your videos. I own a mini 14 I bought new in the mid 90 s. I've always shot . 223. But not now. Thank you again Sir

The first time I recall seeing numbers of ARs was at service rifle competition in the 1990s. They were very expensive and the best models had lead weights fitted in the buttstock and in the handguard. I bought a CMP marked Bushmaster in the mid 1990's as part of a club group purchase. Only much later, as you point out, did we see the plethora of companies offering light, handy ARs for home defense and then in different calibers better suited to hunting. Thanks for video.

...and in Canada a hunting cartridge for big game (deer or larger) has to be 0.23 or bigger. I love this! I was always told I could shoot 223 in a 556 because the 556 can handle higher pressure than the 223 but because of casing shoulder angle/head spacing you could run into problems with a 556 in a 223 chamber. Now lets talk 223 wylde.

@GunBlue490

11 ай бұрын

The cartridges are identical in everything except the somewhat higher 5.56mm NATO pressures. There's no difference in case dimensions whatsoever. The NATO chamber uses a longer freebore (leade) to allow some forgiving bullet jump, and is tested to greater pressures. I may cover the Wylde matter at some point soon.

@89fingerslouieXRP

11 ай бұрын

@@GunBlue490 Thanks!!!

@hairydogstail

11 ай бұрын

The NATO/military brass is thicker in the web compared to commercial223 cases to handle higher pressures. The outside dimensions are exactly the same..@@GunBlue490

@upcycle.outdoorsman9629

11 ай бұрын

@@89fingerslouieXRP You are correct, and @GunBlue490 nailed it in the difference. I handload for a 5.56mm AR platform, and also own a Remington 700 SA in .223. The 5.56 will shoot it all, the .223 has it's 'pet' loads because it will spike pressure with its short freebore.

Excellent video as always 🎉😊!!

I bought at 17 , through my father (GCA 68), in 1968, a Colt AR 15 SP1, 1:12 barrel. In my hand, it felt like a "Made By Mattel" toy. I was 17, thought I might get drafted, and wanted to be familiar. I've fired every sort of 223/5.56X45 ammo I could get my hands on. No problems. And I still have it. Not sure this 223/5.56 chambering controversy has any basis in fact.

@JR15A2

11 ай бұрын

All AR-15s made by Colt have a 5.56 NATO chamber, so it doesn't in your case.

very interesting. I learn something from every video you make.

The back cover on the Mini 14 receiver says .223 CALIBER not .223 Rem/Remington. Only the most recent models has it been updated to read 5.56 NATO. 5.56 is a .223 caliber round. I have a 581 Mini and a 584 Mini. The 581 still reads .223 Caliber, the 584 has 5.56 NATO. Thank you for the informative video and ending the controversy about the caliber of the Mini's. They are great rifles and have a good following. I have both Mini's and AR's. If I had to give out my AR's to family and friends in a SHTF situation for their own protection and all I had left were my Mini 14's, I'd sleep well at night knowing I'm well armed.

Thanks for this history lesson, helps clear understandings

Sure love your videos sir keep them coming

Been a fan if the mini14 for years. Had several starting in 89 after I got out of Uncle Sam's School of Shoeshine. Everyone that I have owned have not been finicky in the least. Keep in mind that most 556 use the same 50 or 55 gr bullets that most of the 223 used. It wasn't until the military started to use heavier, longer bullets that this 223 vs 556 debate started. I feel that this is because these longer bullets will hit the rifling and cause pressure spikes. I reload both 223 and 556 cases, and the capacity is very minimally different. For my mini 14s, I don't even sort out my cases. With my target rifles which I neck size only, of course I sort my cases. That said, I still only load 53 gr, bullets in all of them.

Enjoyed that, thank you. Like your dog. As one who used an M16-A1professionally in the early 80's I can tell you that the AR-15 became popular when concerned citizens realized they could order uppers from the explosion of CNC vendors without restriction or govt. oversight after the election of 2008. You had to be here a few decades prior to see that precise shift, but just 5 years before that the Vietnam era M-16s were viewed as the best chance to own one of those weapons. Too small caliber for me if I got to choose, but as a memento I would have liked to have one.

The introduction of the flat top upper is when the AR-15 took off in popularity.

Back in the 1990s, when I was looking for a rifle, I avoided the AR-15 because I was aware of the problems the military had with them in Vietnam. I decided on a Ruger Mini-14 instead and have been very happy with it.