Mini-14 what would you do

WalterGAII I mean Absolom Learn how to shoot a Mini 14. I've been reading these debates and rants for over a year. I put 20rds in 24inch target last weekend at 400yds. And that was with American Eagle 55gr ammo. My Mini shoots 1MOA with 69gr Bullets EVERY TIME!! Its the shooter not the gun.
 
Buy the Mini 14 or drink a six pack of beer and save the empty cans - Use them to build a "custom AR15"! :p
 
More pros & cons on the "Mini M14 vs. the AR" comment-

14- available in stainless steel, which is the only one that I know
of in it's class (hunter/survivalist/plinker/assault/whatever),
which means it's not as easy to corrode.

Spare parts are a b**** to get, but then again, it's a
pretty robust gun anyway. Plus, they're cheap (buy two)

Yeah, you have to cock & rotate the mag in, but you have
to do the same thing with an AK, so train up.

Accuracy sucks compaired to an AR, but there are companies
who can fix that.

Magazine reliability seems about the same as AR mags, but
the AR has the edge in that there are a lot more out there.

AR parts are easy to get.

AR will shoot pretty accurate right out of the box, plus it
has a removable upper, so you can zero one caliber upper
and replace it with another caliber that's already zero'd.

Final choice is up to you. Both have good and bad features. The
AR isn't the same gun that went to Vietnam (and I'm not an AR15
fan either, so take it for what it's worth).

ANM
 
Comparing a Mini-14 with my buddies $1400 Colt H-Bar is like comparing a Ford pickup to a Mercedes SUV. There're two totally different guns. There is no "fair" means of comparing the two.
The Mini-14 has been one of the most popular rifles of the last twenty years and one of the most successful civilian rifle designs of the twentieth century.
Bill Ruger designed it so American's could afford it and he succeeded in that respect.
 
I decided agains the mini, it seems a good gun, but it isn't as good as the compact ruger bolt gun they had at the shop today. not exactly the same thing, but i decided to save my pennies. BTW the blued one was 399 and the stainless was 409. the ranch rifles ran 500 for both finishes. Thanks for your responses.
 
If you know anyone with an older (180,181 series) Mini 14, compare their magazine wells with the newer models.

It seems that Ruger has added metal to the sides of the magazine wells that squeezes the sides of most high capacity magazines to the point that they fail to function reliably.

If you have one of these it is relatively simple to remove this excess metal with a file.

If you return the magazine wells to the dimensions of the older Mini 14s I think you’ll find most of the problems with high capacity magazines go away.
 
I have tried and tried and tried and tried and tried to love the little Ruger and will probably try again and again as soon as my memory fades a little more. Every one of the five I've owned have been terribly inaccurate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I certainly wish I could find one that was as accurate as several that I've heard about and read about!

Buy one and if it's not what you want sell it. That's what I've done five times.
 
Ok.....I would urge you to pass on the Mini. I own 2 and can tell you from experience that they are not worth a flip past 50 yards after a couple of shots. I would rather use a pistol within that range. They are very reliable and would be good for keeping varmits at bay around the campsite. The SAR on the other hand is a great little rifle. Super reliable, reasonable accuracy out to 200 yards and can be had for under $300.00
 
In my opinion the Ruger is best used in place of fire crackers -- to make noise and seem cool to youngsters. I know, cruel... but that's how badly I've found them to be... although I surely do wish they would shoot well as they have great looks, size, and aftermarket stuff you can get. I even tried to find someone who could make them work... it was expensive so I just got a Daewoo.

Tomorrow I pick up another SAR (AK 74) which is much better and much cheaper than the Ruger.
 
Deja vu all over again.

I bought a Mini whenever it was they first came out. I could see better, back then, and shot within 2 MOA with the iron sights. I put a K4 on it, anyway. 1.5 MOA.

I bought a stainless Mini whenever it was they first came out. Same deal with the K4--1.5 MOA

I've owned two more that I traded into. Same deal with a K4--1.5 MOA.

As reliable as any other rifle I've ever owned. That is, no failures.

While I can feel sorta sorry for the "lemon-aders", I sure as all get out can't go along with all the naysayers. My experience is all good.

And I suggest some of the naysayers don't get personal. :)

:D, Art
 
Don; Yes, Ruger made money on the Mini and all his firearms. He wasn't in the charity business, he was in the gun makin' business. This is America right? We all like to make money don't we? If you're stuck with 10rd mags when you buy a pistol...thank Diane Feinstein and Bill Clinton.
 
Gee, Jody, it took you five times to figure out you didn't like a particular rifle...hmmmm....it only took me three times to figure out I didn't like Glock's....
 
But I DO like the Ruger. In fact I LOVE it. I just have not been able to have one that I could hit the target with. I would love to have another stainless Ranch Rifle with some after market iron sights again... that I could hit with. For instance today, we were having a great time shooting ping pong balls out on a large sandy spot on one of our farms. It was a lot of fun to hit the little yellow balls out to about 80 yards standing with the little SAR and with our Makarovs in particular. I know, some of it was hitting the balls with splashed sand, but that was fun too.

With the Rugers I had I was unable to hit 55 gallon drums reliably at 50 yards!!!!!!!!!!!! in some cases. The last one I had I did get down to about 12 to 15 inches, more or less, at a little under a hundred yards. I hated to sell it. :(
 
I just got my Mini-14 Ranch yesterday and ahve not had a chance to shoot it yet, so I'm reserving judgement on its capabilities.

But I find it difficult to imagine ANY commercially produced rifle that cannot hit a 55 gallon drum at 50 yards.

Perhaps you're flinching?
 
I found ALL of the five Rugers I had IMPOSSIBLE TO BELIEVE... I even have found AKs in 7.62 x 39 to be FAR more accurate. My personal experience with these things has been horrid and I really DO want one. I just know I'll be going out a buying one again as a result of this darned thread! :eek:
 
Well you got us on that one;)

It sounds like your not matching your ammo with your barrel twist Don. I've seen drastic variations with my Mini 14.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top