# Mini 14 Factory Folding Stock



## Craigh (Jul 29, 2016)

I was looking through my gun safes over the past month or so to decide what to give to my son, grandson, grand daughter and son in law. I was also looking at stuff I'd not shot in years. One that I came upon was a Ruger Mini-14 Folding Stock I'd bought new in the early 1980s. It probably doesn't have 50 rounds through it and one wild pig shot with it I can remember. I'd paid the extra $40 for the folding stock version thinking I'd put it in that large pocket behind the front seat of my truck when hunting as a backup rifle to my 44 Mag Super Blackhawk I normally hunted hog with. As mentioned, I'd only used it once to shoot a hog back about when I bought it. I like it a lot but never used it. It just sat in a safe all these years. I got it out and it's still pristine new looking. 

It's a pre-ban model and that's only important in noting Ruger discontinued the factory folder when the Clinton Assault Rifle Ban went into effect. I tried to sell it to my brother last fall for $600 which I figured was fair in that I had paid a fair amount less than that. He turned it down because he didn't want to bother with drilling for a red dot. A friend also told him Mini-14s were not accurate. So back in the safe. 

Today, I was looking at it and thinking maybe it was a collectors item because Ruger hadn't made that many. So I looked it up on several auction websites to see what they've been selling for and was I surprised. Unbelievable. There were lots of sales of original folding stocks, where the rifle was removed and they sold just the stock. They sold for between $600 and $1000 just for the stock, depending on condition. I saw very few complete guns, but one I saw went for around $1400 in average condition. I saw one cheaper but it was a vintage stock on a modern Mini. You can tell the difference because the front swivel pokes out of the side on the real folding stock model. All others poke out the bottom, vintage or new. 

I was thinking about selling the stock and buying a new synthetic stock for the rifle, but I think not. I think I'll keep it as is and not drill it for optics or a rail like I was considering. I'll just keep it and shoot it on occasion while letting the value go up. Then I'll give it to my grandson in a few years and let him know the value at that time. What do you guys think? Pretty amazing, huh?


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## Blackhawkman (Apr 9, 2014)

That's a keeper! jmho
I don't give firearms away!
fwiw 


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## Craigh (Jul 29, 2016)

Blackhawkman said:


> That's a keeper! jmho
> I don't give firearms away!
> fwiw


If I were younger, I'd not give guns away either, but after a heart attack, aneurysm, blood infection and a couple of small mini strokes, I was feeling my mortality. I'm a good bit better now, but somewhat disabled by it all. Anyway, I had quite a few firearms and a good bit of somewhat valuable artwork. Upon my death, I didn't want it to go into probate nor have family members haggling over it. I didn't want it all sold for cash to the estate and didn't want family members to feel cheated by not getting something they wanted. So, for the artwork, I wrote a rider in my will specifying what goes to who. My daughter in law is a museum curator and an art lover. My Jan loves artwork, so they get most of that. They also know the value and have commented on several occasions on why some is not locked up, but hanging on my walls.

I wanted my son, grandson and son in law to have most of the firearms with a few going to close friends and my brother in law. I had a fairly large gun collection so decided to give away over half of them in what I called the Summer Gun Giveaway. I wanted to specify where each went, knowing their preferences. For example, my son lives in Minnesota so would not get scary black guns liberals might ban there, but he loves black powder so got all but my Hawken which I retained. It goes to him in my will. He also got a shotgun, hunting rifle and a couple of handguns. I gave the rest to a my son in law and grandson mostly and did it on the quiet so as to not anger other family members who really don't need them. My son in law had to purchase a extra safe and I gave him a third for his and my grandson's trove. This is why I gave guns away. I still have quite a few and might give more this summer.


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## win231 (Aug 5, 2015)

Ah...memories. If yours is a stainless folder, that's the only rifle used by "The A-Team." I could never watch an episode without laughing. Have them watch a re-run of the show; they'd appreciate the rifle.


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