Opinions on a Ruger Mini 14 please

I have both the Ar and a 580 series mini-14 and much prefer the mini. Mine is wood and stainless steel and has the heavier tapered barrel. It will shoot cheap steel cased Monarch ammo from Academy into 2.5" groups with open sights. Thats as well as I can do and with a change in my eyesight over the last year I doubt I can still do that well.

The mini does everything I wanted that style of rifle for. And yes factory mags are more expensive but they are hardened steel and not thin aluminum like the AR mags are that I have. You get what you pay for. And I have 9 twenty round Pro-Mags and they seem to work just as well as the Ruger factory mags. They were $20 each.

If I have one complaint about the mini it is that if you have a 20 round mag in the gun it stabs you in the back when slung over your shoulder. I wish there was a way to modify it so it lays flat on your back like an M-1 Carbine does.
 
Since you're getting a Ranch Model, I see you want to install optics. You might want to swap out that folding rear leaf sight. Ruger factor folders for the Ranch tend to break.
 
Thanks Flashhole. The Einstein quote I stole. The village idiot one is all mine.

Enjoy the Mini-14. It is a lot better rifle than some would have you believe.
 
I have a 195 series Ranch rifle and a Del-ton AR M4 clone. I don't think I would ever get rid of my Ranch rifle. The ranch rifle is my favorite and is the one I will always pickup when we go out and plink or go woods walking. The Ruger is accurate enough for me and eats the ammo the AR doesn't like. I have an old 4x scope on the Ruger and it does fine.

Handle both weapons, make your decision on your needs, and enjoy!

The AR is a very good rifle and has a huge support market to make it to be whatever you want. I like the Ruger because it suits me, the AR is like an "adult lego kit."
 
Picked up a Mini-14 Tactical couple years ago. Find it is significantly more accurate than the previous Mini-14 I had during the AW Ban.

I added an click adjustable rear sight from:
http://www.tech-sights.com/mini-products/

Plus an Accu-strut not seen below.
http://accu-strut.com/

10206864643_80b1ed2153_b.jpg
 
Working overseas screwed all that up. Put it on before heading to Africa, haven't shot the rifle in 2 years. Was home last month but spent more time shooting Black Powder guns than anything else.
 
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Hope you enjoy your Mini 14. I have fun with mine. It does what I need doing with it and is about clay pigeon accurate at 100 yds. I can certainly hit a paper plate at that range with open sights and that is all I need.

But on the other hand, I can do that with a handgun too. ;)

Buy some extra Ruger mags for yours.
 
I still have the 181 I bought new. I have installed a homemade strut on it and it helped alot. Tried aftermarket mags but went back to Ruger mags. I like the look, feel and accuracy(for me). It is an acquired taste for some.
 
I'm sure I will have fun with the gun. Hoping to keep iron sights on it and will likely set aside the scoped long guns in favor of the mini for everyday farm duty.
 
Flashhole you don't need the accustrut with the newer series of rifles. The new guns have a heavier tapered barrel and don't seem to change POI like the older guns did.

They also have smaller gas port holes and mine only throws brass about 8-10 ft from the rifle. You might want to get a rubber buffer for the Op Rod. Some use a buffer made for the 1911 or you can get one from Midway. But they are not absolutley neccesary.

Good luck with your new gun. A range report will be needed.
 

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You wont win any sharpshooting competitions with them, but they are combat accurate and super reliable. Not to mention they are really fun and cool guns to shoot, they essentially a scaled down version of the M14, and before all the M14 experts jump in here, I stress essentially.
 
Whenever someone breaks one out I get as far away from them as I possibly can. I was standing next to my brother when his blew up in his face. Luckily for both of us it was mostly contained in the rifle.

Split the stock, wrecked the receiver and caused a chain reaction that went through a few rounds in the mag while blowing it straight into the ground. It was 30+ years ago but I still remember it well, my brother was in shock for the rest of the day.

Fast forward about 20 years, out shooting with some friends and one asked me to come over and look at his rifle. Another mini but not as bad as what happened to my brothers rifle. This time the bolt was stuck all the way back and somehow the front of the bolt was sticking out 90 degrees out from the body. It also had that same chain reaction down into the mag but this time the mag stayed in place.

Sorry but I'll never buy one, shoot one or stand around while one is being fired.
 
Gave it some thought once. (owning one) Never did. After reading this thread now I'm glad I didn't buy one.. "I have no use for a inaccurate firearm."
 
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I have a 181 series from 1979. It really is a blast to shoot. Accuracy isn't what I would like it to be, but a lot of that is me. Also just figured out my scope needs replaced. All in all I would rather have my mini than an AR.
 
Gave it some thought once. (owning one) Never did. After reading this thread now I'm glad I didn't buy one.. "I have no use for a inaccurate firearm."
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You know, its hard to take someones opinion serious when it is not based on any experience.

I used to think the same thing about the Ruger 77/22. I read on the internet they weren't that accurate. I bought one for a good price and found out with a cheap Bushnell 4X scope it will shoot 1/2" ten shot groups at 50 yards with Federal bulk 22 from Walmart. Good thing I don't believe all the BS I read on the internet.

Try a new model Mini. They shoot much better than the earlier first model guns. And I didn't buy my Mini or AR to be a bench gun. I bought them to be a fun plinker with what used to be cheap ammo. Something with a little more noise and recoil than just plinking with a 22LR.

I also wanted them to be 300 yard mankillers if needed. Either one will do that just fine. Past 300 yards I have better rounds to use on rifles with scopes mounted on them.
 
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