You will have to contact Ruger or look it up on their website since you don't provide the full sn.
The Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle marked as .223 can safely fire the .223 AND the 5.56 NATO military cartridge. The Ruger Mini-14 TARGET model should only fire .223 ammo- no 5.56 mm
yes, although feeding difficulties with 5.56 ammunition aren't uncommon with the Mini 14 Ranch.
580 is the newer version of the Mini 14 Ranch, minor engineering changes, improved accuracy, etc.
100-200
Ruger will send you a manual if you request one.
Yes you can, the mini14 has always had a 5.56x45 chamber.The mini14 receiver is marked ".223 CAL" not ".223 rem."The manual states this:"AMMUNITION (580 series mini14 and above)The RUGER® MINI-14® RANCH RIFLES are chambered for the .223Remington (5.56mm) cartridge. The Mini-14 Ranch Rifle is designed to use eitherstandardized U.S. military, OR factory loaded sporting .223 (5.56mm) cartridgesmanufactured in accordance with U.S. industry practice."The 180 series Mini 14 States this:" The Mini14 is designed to use EITHER U.S. Military, Commercial sporting, Or Other .223(5.56mm) caliber ammunition manufactured to U.S. industry standards."Here is the .pdfs for the 580 series and 180 series mini14s listed above for verification: 180 series: www.ruger.com/Firearms/PDF/InstructionManuals/43.pdf 580 series: www.ruger.com/Firearms/PDF/InstructionManuals/55.pdfThe above means that 5.56nato ammunition can be used safely in the rifle. The Ruger Mini-14 has a 5.56 chamber but can shoot .223 Remington ammuntion. It is a common myth that the mini14 is chambered in .223 Remington. While 5.56mm NATO ammunition is identical in external dimensions to .223 Remington, there are two important differences:1) The chamber dimensions between the two cartridges are different. 5.56mm has a longer throat or leade (the the unrifled portion of the barrel between the end of the chamber and the beginning of the rifling). This longer throat reduces pressures as compared to the .223 Remington. Consequently, .223 Remington ammunition is loaded to a lower pressure.2) The 5.56mm cartridge is loaded to higher pressures than the .223 Remington. Taking advantage of the longer throat, the 5.56mm can safely operate at a more powerful loading level.Firing a 5.56mm cartridge (which is loaded to higher pressure) in a .223 Remington chambered rifle (which has a shorter throat causing a further boost in pressure), could exceed the safety margin in a .223 Remington rifle. It cannot be done with complete safety.A .223 Remington cartridge can be safely fired in a 5.56mm chambered rifle, but NOT vice versa.Always use safe, reliable, and quality ammunition. When buying surplus 5.56 ammo make sure you examine it closely before using it in the rifle. It is also suggested in the manual that you don't use handloads in the mini-14. using handloads can be dangerous and will void the warranty if damage is caused as a result using improper ammunition.
Your series 197 Mini 14 was built in 2004 (or later) by Ruger according to their own website. Look up when your rifle was built there. I purchased a series 197 Ranch rifle in 2005 for around $550.00.
850Ruger Mini 30 Ranch 7.62x39 SS Synthetic StockPrice: $689.99Manufacturer: RUGER AND COMPANY INCManufacturer Item #: 5806Impact Item #: 736676058068
100-435 USD
Best left to a trained factory representative.
Between 1989 and 1995 is the best that can be told with the info given. Go to the Ruger website (see related link at the bottom), and under "Customer Service" you'll see a drop-down menu which appears when you hover the cursor over it. One of the options will be "Instruction Manuals and Product History", which you'll click on next. A new page will open in the main frame - click on "Rifle Instruction Manuals and Product History". That will open up a new menu, from which you'll select "Mini 14 Ranch (manufactured from 1982 to 2004" and click on that. A new (pop up) window will open, containing information which can help you narrow it down to a specific year. If you want a specific month, you'll have to contact Ruger.