My Mini14 Ranch did 1/2" groups at 25m on the first ten shots or so. The group would get a lot bigger after that. Reliability was good with factory and PMI magazines. Rear sight was awfully fragile. I like dthe action enough to get an M1 carbine and a n M1 Garand...but the rear sight experience was depressing.
Is the Mini14 really that bad?
- Thread starter Shin-Tao
- Start date
Gizmo99, John Masen Company out of Texas makes a ten round mag for the Mini 14 that is about as close to a factory mag as you can get. I have two for my mini and have been very happy with them.
Erik, the A-team also had a pretty cool belt fed M60 machine gun. I suppose you don't want one of those either
[This message has been edited by bullseye (edited March 03, 2000).]
Erik, the A-team also had a pretty cool belt fed M60 machine gun. I suppose you don't want one of those either
[This message has been edited by bullseye (edited March 03, 2000).]
Rob Pincus
New member
Most of the time I see negative comments on the (under $400) Mini-14, it is being compared to a weapon of at least twice its value... quite often the an AR variant...
Not only do I not think that is fair.. I also happen to think that (aesthetics aside) both Mini-14s I've owned performed well next to most of the ARs I've owned.
I still have a GB version, and it shoots very accurately.. fast 6 pie-plate hits at 100 yards are not difficult with the standard iron sights.... and that's even with the horrible GB to rest my cheek on! It does basically anything I would want my 16" ars to do at 100 yards or less....
The Mini-14 is a classic American bargain. You can buy an Mini, a good handgun, and appropriate accessories for the price of one good AR and you'll be much better prepared than if you only had one gun....
Not only do I not think that is fair.. I also happen to think that (aesthetics aside) both Mini-14s I've owned performed well next to most of the ARs I've owned.
I still have a GB version, and it shoots very accurately.. fast 6 pie-plate hits at 100 yards are not difficult with the standard iron sights.... and that's even with the horrible GB to rest my cheek on! It does basically anything I would want my 16" ars to do at 100 yards or less....
The Mini-14 is a classic American bargain. You can buy an Mini, a good handgun, and appropriate accessories for the price of one good AR and you'll be much better prepared than if you only had one gun....
WalterGAII
Moderator
I'd like to follow Rob's lead and say something nice about the Mini:
If you're ever in a river and need a half-ass anchor, a Mini makes a better anchor than does an AR.
If you're ever in a river and need a half-ass anchor, a Mini makes a better anchor than does an AR.
Depends on what you want to use them for. I used to work as a corrections officer and this was our issue weapon. I got the chance to witness and shoot a lot of different rifles. I never saw a mini-14 jam or fail to fire with the 20 rd Ruger factory mags. These are very dependable weapons! Accuracy was another matter. We shot the GB models with the funky front sight and the flash suppresser. Most rifles grouped 3" to 4" at 100 yards with the first 20 rd magazine. The barrel really heats up fast, causing the groups to grow. I see two potential problems with them. Lack of factory parts(Ruger requires that all parts be fitted at the factory) and the lack of high capacity factory magazines. The Ruger factory 20rders go for $100.00 each! Still not a bad choice if you don't try to make it into a target rifle.
WalterGAII
Moderator
Bah!! Humbug!!! I don't really hate very much, except Democrats.
I don't like Mini's. Not from reading about them, but from having owned one and from observing them at or local range.
I don't care what anybody shoots, as long as they're not shooting a Mini to my left at the range. They throw cases at supersonic levels, which I consider to be dangerous.
I find the AR more reliable, more accurate, easier to disassemble for cleaning, etc., etc., etc. In the Grand Scheme of Things, there isn't much difference in the price of an AR and a Mini.
BTW, I like my Glock; my 70 Series Gold Cups; my Woodsman Target; my Belgium Lt. 12 Browning; my SKB shotguns;my 29 Smith, etc., etc., my canine friend, Pepper, the Democrat-Biting Dog.
I don't like Mini's. Not from reading about them, but from having owned one and from observing them at or local range.
I don't care what anybody shoots, as long as they're not shooting a Mini to my left at the range. They throw cases at supersonic levels, which I consider to be dangerous.
I find the AR more reliable, more accurate, easier to disassemble for cleaning, etc., etc., etc. In the Grand Scheme of Things, there isn't much difference in the price of an AR and a Mini.
BTW, I like my Glock; my 70 Series Gold Cups; my Woodsman Target; my Belgium Lt. 12 Browning; my SKB shotguns;my 29 Smith, etc., etc., my canine friend, Pepper, the Democrat-Biting Dog.
The A-Team gun. That was low.
Okay. The Mini-14 is judged as extremely reliable.
What is more important for a combat weapon? Accuracy or reliability? Really, do you want tighter groups for range time, or do you want the thing to go bang every time you pull the trigger?
I can't believe the A-Team was invoked.
Okay. The Mini-14 is judged as extremely reliable.
What is more important for a combat weapon? Accuracy or reliability? Really, do you want tighter groups for range time, or do you want the thing to go bang every time you pull the trigger?
I can't believe the A-Team was invoked.
Acutally, I never have had an M-16 or my AR-15's malfunction. Then again I am a weapons maintence zelot and probably take better care of my weapons than I do my self. But I have to look at it this way, as long as you keep an AR clean, it's a reliable and accurate rifle. If you have a reliable but inaccurate weapon, you can fire at the bad guy and miss, then you may as well have just saved your ammo or cut back on the weight even more and just shoot blanks. Like the creed says, "it's not the noise of our bursts or the smoke we make but the hits that count. We will hit" Actually, if you want an accurate, reliable rifle with enough power to make sure the bad guy doesn't get up again, just get an M-14 be done with it.
But I have to look at it this way, as long as you keep an AR clean, it's a reliable and accurate rifle. If you have a reliable but inaccurate weapon, you can fire at the bad guy and miss, then you may as well have just saved your ammo or cut back on the weight even more and just shoot blanks. Like the creed says, "it's not the noise of our bursts or the smoke we make but the hits that count. We will hit" Actually, if you want an accurate, reliable rifle with enough power to make sure the bad guy doesn't get up again, just get an M-14 be done with it. USMCgrunt,
No malfunctions? With the 16? Were you 0311?
Ours were lousy with jams. I was lucky to get through a full mag without a jam.
M14. Yes indeed. I would take that in a heartbeat. A lightened, shortened M14 with a collapsable stock and product improved M203 would be good to go.
Is the Mini-14 really so inaccurate that it will make you miss at average firefight ranges? Remember, no matter what the PMI says, you can't squeeze off perfectly aimed shots when someone is firing bursts at you.
No malfunctions? With the 16? Were you 0311?
Ours were lousy with jams. I was lucky to get through a full mag without a jam.
M14. Yes indeed. I would take that in a heartbeat. A lightened, shortened M14 with a collapsable stock and product improved M203 would be good to go.
Is the Mini-14 really so inaccurate that it will make you miss at average firefight ranges? Remember, no matter what the PMI says, you can't squeeze off perfectly aimed shots when someone is firing bursts at you.
Actually I probably spoke too soon on that. I had one barrel that had a gas hole that was too small so I replaced the barrel and had no more problems. I also don't count malfunctions with blanks they used to give us. If you are going to shoot, use a real bullet in the darn thing! LOL but yeah, I was an 0351 by trade but also managed to get "Semper Gumbied" into working with the 0331's, 11's and even the 0352's for a short time.
Though I may be stretching to my limits, I'd like to take another stab at this.
There are two things you can do with a Mini to get satisfactory results. The first is to send it to a gunsmith and get it sub-MOAed. Price-wise, it would creep out a few hundred dollars more than a stock AR. Hence original comment about getting what you pay for.
The other thing is to simply operate the rifle within its performance envelope. Specifically, Ruger advertises this gun as a hunting rifle, not a combat rifle. Hunters typically don't shoot more than two shots at a time. If you do that too and clean it afterwards, the inherently light barrel is not much of a limitation. Our esteemed DC here has had much success using the rifle that way.
I certainly don't think the Mini is the greatest thing in the world. However, as Rob pointed out, to compare it with rifles that are nearly twice as much doesn't seem fair. I see it more in league with the AK myself. Mini-14 vs. AK. That sounds much more interesting, and fair if there is such a thing.
There are two things you can do with a Mini to get satisfactory results. The first is to send it to a gunsmith and get it sub-MOAed. Price-wise, it would creep out a few hundred dollars more than a stock AR. Hence original comment about getting what you pay for.
The other thing is to simply operate the rifle within its performance envelope. Specifically, Ruger advertises this gun as a hunting rifle, not a combat rifle. Hunters typically don't shoot more than two shots at a time. If you do that too and clean it afterwards, the inherently light barrel is not much of a limitation. Our esteemed DC here has had much success using the rifle that way.
I certainly don't think the Mini is the greatest thing in the world. However, as Rob pointed out, to compare it with rifles that are nearly twice as much doesn't seem fair. I see it more in league with the AK myself. Mini-14 vs. AK. That sounds much more interesting, and fair if there is such a thing.
Well, yes Ruger advertises the Mini-14 as a hunting rifle NOW, but not on the back of the SOF magazines I used to get back in the early 80's--hey, I was going to a liberal college and needed the outlet; also, I'm the scum who invoked the A-Team earlier--anyway, they were trying to make it an assault weapon vs. the AR-15 in those old ads.
Guess we know who won!
I never had a jam with either my Mini or any of my AR-15's, so to me reliability is a wash. But I do want the gun that most often hits what I shoot at, no matter how hot the barrel gets--the AR-15 is it. Spend the extra money for the AR-15. I'd rather look at a stainless Mini any day than the space gun, but what good is that? Did I mention that you should spend the extra money to get the AR-15?
Guess we know who won!
I never had a jam with either my Mini or any of my AR-15's, so to me reliability is a wash. But I do want the gun that most often hits what I shoot at, no matter how hot the barrel gets--the AR-15 is it. Spend the extra money for the AR-15. I'd rather look at a stainless Mini any day than the space gun, but what good is that? Did I mention that you should spend the extra money to get the AR-15?
I own two ranch rifles myself. I have no problems with them. Mounted on them are red dot's. I can shoot a aluminum can with them at 200 yards easy. Yes the barrels get hot but just don't grab them and you will not notice it. I am no competition shooter but if someone was invading my home or trying something stupid with my wife well...........
I have 6 30 rd. mags and a long driveway.
I have 6 30 rd. mags and a long driveway.
Daryl Waldron
New member
I was not going to add my comment, but what the heck. The mini 14 I had would not feed, would get only 6 inch at groups at 100 yards on a good day. I had all the problems stated already above. It was the only firearm I have ever owned that I disliked. I kept it for 5 or 6 years before I sold it hoping I would find a way to make it better. Yes I told the person I sold it to it was a dog. But he had the hot for a Mini and we all know how that is. I know guys that have the mini 14 and like them. I can say that I know of no one that loves there mini. But to each his own
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TOUJOURS PRET
Swamprat
[This message has been edited by Swamprat (edited March 06, 2000).]
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TOUJOURS PRET
Swamprat
[This message has been edited by Swamprat (edited March 06, 2000).]
Have had no problems with my Mini. Iron sight accuracy 2-3" 100 yds. Good enuff for wot I use it for. Can skip a 1 gal can out to 150 yds starting at 50. VERY impressive to the uninitated as the can will jump 10-15 feet if hit low. Coors, that is the ctg. Gets hot. So what? Shoot slower or if u need to shoot fast for the situation, it doesn't matter anyway. PMI mags that I got long time ago work fine.