First Look: Ruger .300 AAC Blackout Mini-14 Tactical Rifle

Ruger is adopting the .300 AAC Blackout cartridge into its product line by introducing a new version of the Mini-14 Tactical rifle, chambered for the growingly popular .30-caliber wildcat.

The new Ruger .300 AAC Blackout Mini-14 Tactical rifle features an optimized gas port to reliably cycle both supersonic and subsonic .300 AAC Blackout loads. The gas port is also designed to perform dependably with or without a suppressor attached.

"This is an exciting addition to the Mini-14 rifle line," said Ruger CEO Mike Fifer. "The ability to run the wide range of ammunition available, from suppressed subsonics to unsuppressed supersonics, broadens the versatility of the timeless Mini-14 rifle. With its solid reputation for reliability, the new Mini-14 Tactical rifle is an obvious choice for those who want an autoloading rifle chambered in the .300 AAC Blackout," he added.

The new Mini-14 Tactical rifle in .300 AAC Blackout comes equipped with a cold-hammer-forged, medium contour, alloy steel, 16.1-inch, 5/8"-24 threaded barrel with a 1:7 twist rate for attaching suppressors or other threaded barrel accessories. A Ruger flash suppressor initially comes threaded to the barrel, but it can be easily removed to attach other devices.

Weighing in at about 6 3/4 pounds, the new rifle sports a durable glass-reinforced nylon stock; a nonglare, post front sight; and a receiver-mounted, adjustable ghost-ring rear sight. Like previous Mini-14 rifles, the new Tactical rifle in .300 AAC Blackout also incorporates a receiver-mounted Picatinny rail for mounting additional optics and Ruger's integral scope mounts for conventional mounting.

The Ruger .300 AAC Blackout Mini-14 Tactical rifle is available for $1,019 and ships with two 20-round detachable box magazines.