New member wanting advice and opinion...

G

Guardian2009

Inactive
Hello everyone! Merry (belated) Christmas, and I hope everyone has a better 2012 than we all have had over the last three years! I’m new to the forum. I have read several posts and think y’all sound like solid folk that are knowledgeable. I have a need for opinions and maybe some advice:

I’m considering the purchase of three specific weapons and would like any advice and/or opinions on these:

Ruger Mini-Thirty, or the Mini-14

http://www.ruger.com/products/miniThirty/models.html
**If I get this weapon, I'll probabbly also add the barrel stabilizer from True Shot

S&W MP.40

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...57955_757781_757781_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y

Mossberg 500 Pump-Action Tactical Turkey Shotgun 12 Gauge 20" Barrel 6 Rounds Fiber Optic Sights Adjustable Stock Realtree Hardwoods HD Green Camo Finish **Featured on CTD.COM**

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/2MS53263-1.html

Also, I have been looking for a .308 Mauser (pref '98 design), shortened for bush hunting (or close-in defense) but have only found found this little (and I mean little) Mauser offered by Mitchell’s Mausers. I may consider it later if you all think it may be worth the money. I remember the YUGO, circa 1990's, aka, "The AlGORE". Not too familiar with Yugo firearms, and ole Mitch seems like he's a bit proud of his stuff but I'm not sure.

"Mitchell’s Mauser's announces the arrival of its newest Mauser rifle known as the Tanker-Mauser’, Model 63 in the following calibers!
.30-06 Springfield, .308 Winchester, and .243 Winchester”

http://www.mauser.net/firearms/rifles/mauser-rifles/m63tanker/index.htm

I don’t hunt much anymore, but plan to get back to doing a bit of it in the near future. These will be primarily for home defense and general shooting and plinking. What do you all think, and what type of ammo would you recommend for each. I look forward to learning a lot from you all over the future. Thanks!

~L.Fleming
 
Advice and opinions are like dirty socks, . . . everyone has a couple of em, . . . and some stink to high heaven, . . . but you asked:

Seriously, . . .if I were you, . . . I would re-think the Ruger Mini 14. Although I have never owned one, . . . there is enough bad press on them to make one think twice. For beginners, . . . they take proprietary magazines, . . . they don't like hardly any HP ammo, . . . and accuracy from one of them is spotty at best.

For the money you put into a Mini 14, . . . you can add just a little, . . . get a really good AR, . . . mags runs as little as $10 each, . . . mine shoots 1 inch holes at 100 yards, . . . and it shoots anything I put into it that is .223 caliber. On top of that, . . . I can modify the doggone thing to the nines, . . . something unheard of on Uncle Bill's toys.

Get the Mossberg, . . . it's a good choice.

On the Mauser, . . . I would go with the 30-06, . . . and save $100. That'll buy a bunch of ammo. The ammo for either one is pretty much the same price most places, . . . and some hunting camps may have few choices for .308, . . . but they'll have an array for 30-06.

Again, . . . just opinions from an old geezer who's been popping caps for 55 years or so, . . . wishin' you the best.

May God bless,
Dwight
 
Well I'll speak only to what I believe I know. Since I own a mini30 I'll keep my comment to that only. From the factory it will not like any round with hard primers. Read the manual online BEFORE you buy so you know exactly what you're signing up for...

If you want to have an accurate mini then it will cost... barrel swaps and re-bedding. If you want to shoot hard primer rounds you'll need a heavy hammer spring. If you want to find your brass you'll be looking 15 to 30 feet to the right and with mine a little forward of your shooting position.

It's a fun light weight rifle that will produce about 2" groups when you first pick it up if this is not good enough then pass. Figure to buy the brass cased ammo if you want no problems Remington, UMC, etc. Wolf and others will not perform well without an upgraded spring.

Look here for more info and this will give some ideas of costs.

I like mine and it's a keeper but YMMV:D
 
Guardian does have some good points, but let me make some counter points:
Although I have never owned one, . . . there is enough bad press on them to make one think twice.
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There is a lot of bad press on the AR also. I own both. I am selling my M4 and won't be selling my mini anytime soon. Many have done the opposite and it is somewhat subjective,

they take proprietary magazines
Click to expand...
mags runs as little as $10 each
Click to expand...
I think most will tell you $10 mags will get you a lot of problems. Most people I know who are using them for much are using Pmags at more than double that cost. The proprietary ruger mags are much better quality than USGI AR mags and the cost is about the same when compared to similar quality AR mags.

don't like hardly any HP ammo
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HP ammo in 223? Are you talking the Russian stuff? Do some research on HP 223 and I think you will find it isn't providing much. I have never tried to shoot HPs in mine. It has no problem with anything else(including steel case which most will tell you ARs do not like).

and accuracy from one of them is spotty at best.
Click to expand...
For the money you put into a Mini 14, . . . you can add just a little, . . . get a really good AR
Click to expand...
Ruger mini is 668 at Bud's, A good AR by my standards is going to be about $500 more. Maybe not a bushmaster though..
, . . . mine shoots 1 inch holes at 100 yards
Click to expand...
True. Most of the cheap AR will do 1.5 or two MOA and the mini usually does more like 2-3 MOA. Of course, if you aren't shooting on your belly with a sling or a bench, it probably won't matter much.

I can modify the doggone thing to the nines, . . . something unheard of on Uncle Bill's toys.
Click to expand...
Although there are more options for the Ruger today than in the past, the AR has more and it is usual;y cheaper. Although, I have noticed the cheap accessories I have bought for my AR are usually pretty worthless.
 
Dwight's right

If you're looking for a tack driver I would seriously reconsider the Mini-30 and 14. They're good, fun guns for the casual trip to the range and shooting targets at 50 yards, but if you're looking to take advantage of these calibers' considerable potential you're talking about investing some serious money in tweaks. Money you could invest in something like an AR or Seiga (IMHO, preferably the Seiga).

Like the gentleman before me suggested, consider the 30-06, or my preferred melon buster, a .308.

Just a forum newbie's opinion! :)
 
John, thanks for the post, but I believe you were commenting on Dwight's reply to my rerquest for opinions. You have a point; I have considered looking in to gettin an AR, but for a decent rifle without any mods or upgrades, the cheapest I have found locally started at, I believe, around $12,-$1,500.00. More depending on features. I have been trying to find dependable weapons for $1,000 or less. (Wife pats her foot in agreement on that one). A friend let me plink with his Mini-14 some time ago and I liked the weight and feel. The price of the Ruger pushes the marital politic almost to the line. That's why I thought seriously about the Ruger in the first place.
 
Mitchell Mausers have a reputation of being over priced. I would look else where for that deer rifle. Try a good old Model 700 Remington and you're good for the rest of your life.

I own a Mini-14. I have never had a problem with the rifle. It is not a finicky rifle and it functions well dirty contrary to many AR's. Accuracy is sufficient for my use which amounts to plinking at 50 to 100 yds at clay pigeons or similar targets. It represents my SHTF rifle and plenty good enough for this purpose barring you are not defending against an army. Walmart sells them for a good price. The magazine issue is real, but how many magazines do you actually believe you need? I think 4 or 5 are plenty for just about every normal need. One is probably enough in reality.

The Smith is likely a great pistol. I don't have one. My 40 S&W's are Glocks which are to be used for home defense primarily and occasional carry. I personally like the caliber over the 9mm. I tend to be a revolver guy.

Mossberg 500... good shotgun. I like the tang safety feature. They are very reliable. I would get a tactical one for home defense along with a longer barrel for turkey hunting. However, my one and only shotgun is a Remington 870 Police. Don't really hunt small game any more and what I might do would likely be with a 22 rifle.

Add a 22 rifle to your list if you don't own one.
 
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Rtpzwms, thanks for the ammo headsup. I was totally not aware of that. Need to think on that issue a bit. Not sure if it will really matter for my purposes, but I was looking to use it for SHTF as well as maybe a little hunting. Maybe I should look at the Seiga that "theyallhurt" mentioned. I am looking for a good, dependable, SHTF and part-time hunting rifle.
 
Avoid Mitchells Mausers! They are liars and destroy historical pieces. They grind and restamp serial numbers from rifles just so they can charge and xtra hundred bucks for a "matching" rifle.

Also, if you want a cheap rifle, try a Mosin Nagant. My 1938 Izhevsk was about $150, reliable, came with bayonet, sling, oiler/cleaning kit, and surplus ammo is dirt cheap.
 
The new minis are entirely different animals from the old 'walking barrel' models.

Do the research on range test for these and you will find they shoot as well if not better than the average off the shelf AR.

As for hard primers... here's the simple truth.... hard primers are on the cheap commie ammo.... if I want to shoot cheap ammo I'd buy a cheap rifle like an AK or SKS...

If you are going to buy an American rifle why not shoot American ammo?
 
Guardian2009

The first thing you need to do is not pursue 3 different platforms at the same time. Decide what is most important to you right now, then focus on thaaaaat, alone :D

"I'm trying to find three perfect women: one to marry, one to date, one to love. Please advise on all three"

Welcome to the forum :)
 
The 580 Series and later Mini 14's are significantly more accurate than most of those that went before them, although I have seen individual 'old' Mini's were as good or better than these new ones. What was missing was consistency and the 580 upgrades seem to have rectified that.

But here's the rub-new Mini's are now close to the price of entry-level AR's. What you'd save on magazines alone would probably justify the AR.
 
Yes, I noted that too Sarge. Like Guardian2009 my son was in the market for one but the price pretty much scared him off; can't say I blame him. We looked at the ARs but he decided to listen to me and picked up a Saiga .223, similar to my own but bare-bones. Extremely accurate and dependable, eats any ammo (so far) and the price was easy (er) on his wallet; he loves it. Just in time, too, since Saiga rifles and shotguns are drying up fast in this area! Sign of the times...
 
I wish I had bought one each of the .223 & .308 Saigas when they were $100 cheaper, but that is the story of my life ;)
 
S&W M&P .40....

Hi;
I'm not a expert on the 12ga shotguns or rifles but I can add some input on the .40S&W Military and Police pistol.
The MP40 as some call it, is gaining a lot of support from many large LE agencies nationwide. Not as many as the workhorse Glock 22/23 line but it's growing fast.
Good after market add ons include the use of 3 dot night sights, a X-grip(ammunition extender), a new trigger system(APEX) and maybe a green laser/white light(Crimsontrace.com or Viridian).
These add-ons are not a mandate & a factory stock M&P should do fine.
Noted gunsmith & sworn LE officer; David Bowie, Bowie Tactical Concepts is widely known for M&P custom work. Bowie does action jobs, installs night sights etc.
 
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