Reflections of a Mini-14......

J

J. Parker

New member
Just recently I re-acquired a Mini-14 from my brother-in-law. Used to be mine then after a year or so I got it back in a trade. I'm not an expert rifleman or anything like that but I do demand a reliable weapon and this rifle has never failed me. Not one malfunction that I can remember. Of course, everyone has their thoughts on the Mini-14 as we well know but these are just mine. It's just an excellent "weapon" (for me). I'm in a transitional period in that I had a Glock 21 for a house gun, sold it, my other guns are "elsewhere" so for the house I've got a brand new sig P-220 or the Mini. So until I function fire the P-220 the Mini will serve as a house gun. We live in the country where the closest neighbor is about a 1/4 mile away. All the kids are downstairs in a daylight basement. Mini-14 for home defense? What do you think? Best Regards, J. Parker
 
Sounds good given the circumstances. There are some "tactical" (oh boy, here we go again) loads available from various sources that are supposed to limit overpenetration.

Just a question and no disrespect intended; if you like it, and its utterly reliable, and it fills your particular need, why do you care what anyone else might think??
 
Thanks Jack. I've never fired anything but FMJ out of the rifle (because it's cheap). I guess I need to explore a more effective round. Thanks again, J. Parker
 
I guess you can call me an AR guy but I do own a Mini-14. Like you, I have never had a mech failure of any kind.

I dont consider the Mini-14 a "Combat" rifle (Due to the barrel) so all this stuff about it not shooting a 2" group under sustained fire conditions is mute.

It would be a very nice sidekick in a home defense situation. and I dont think you'd have to worry about long distance accuracy.

It is a great (super-reliable) rifle when used within its limitations.
 
FireForged; Thanks for your honesty. It seems like people either love 'em or hate 'em. I like mine alot but then again I know it's "limitations". Best Regards, J. Parker
 
A mini will take care of any two legged predator within the effective range of the .223 round. What 'limitations'?
 
LOL..I totally agree with you BullsEye. I just included that for the guys that think every rifle should shoot a 2" group at 150yards..




[This message has been edited by FireForged (edited September 13, 2000).]
 
Actually, the accuracy "thing" really never bothered me. Hell, if I wanted accuracy I'd get a bolt action. The Mini is just plain fun to shoot! Ammo is relatively inexpensive and the gun is stone cold reliable. I've got PMI mags that have never failed me. Lookin' at it with a Butler Creek stock and a 30 PMI mag in it is just way cooool. Best, J. Parker
 
I have a Mini 14 to and it has never failed me either. They may not be made for shooting competitions but they are still a pretty accurate rifle. If I can shoot 6 to 8 inch groups with it out at 600 yards without a scope, I'm a happy guy. I have a Bushmaster also and I have a hard time deciding which one is more fun to "play" with. I like 'em both but I must say that the Mini is much easier to maintain than the AR15.
 
Certainly a good choice but not my choice. I prefer a bolt-action for those purposes because it's more likely I'm going to dispatch a four-legged varmint than anything else. Secondly, the Mini that I used to own shot terribly and I want better accuracy.

I picked a .223 because like you my neighbors are within a quarter mile. With frangible bullets (Remington Premier Varmint 50 grain V-Max) I don't have to worry about ricochets and the stopping power is more than adequate.

Blitz: Anyone who can shoot 6-8" groups at 600 yards with a Mini using open sights is a helluva rifleman. Those groups sound more like what I was getting from the bench at 100 yards with a 2.5 power scope. What's your secret?
 
My buddy has a Mini-14 and a Colt H-Bar. When we go shootin' he always brings his Mini but not the H-Bar. I ask him why and he says "I don't want to scratch it". Oh, brother! Let's talk accuracy. A person who knows a helluva lot more about rifles than myself recently stated; "In rifle work, group size is of some interest, but it is by no means the critical consideration that some commentators seem to deem it. It is well to remember that a rifleman does not shoot groups, he shoots shots. Group size is unimportant, unless it is very bad. If you can hit a dinner plate at 100 yards, first shot, every time, under all conditions, that will do"...Jeff Cooper
 
Anyone who can shoot six inch groups at 600 yds with a Mini, even with a target scope, is a hell of a keyboarder. (Keyboarded groups are the easiest kind.)
 
I had a Mini that shot regular sub .5 inch groupings at 100 yards. Course, that was only with one bullet.

[This message has been edited by Mackeath (edited September 14, 2000).]
 
Following up on your posting (and referencing response from Jack99): Here is a possible source for your "tactical" .233 :

Hitach Industries (www.hitach.com)...see their ammunition section & the .223 area. You might want to thing about something like the Hornady 55 gr. "tactical law enforcement" ammo or the "Devastator". Good gun & good round though - these two examples can penetrate a lot of soft body armor around today, cut up the assailant's innards with numerous stretch cavities, BUT, not outright endanger bystanders.On your P-220 you can keep the same ammo theme going with Cor-Bon's "Bee-Safe" or Magsafe's prefragmented choices (previously known as SWAT loads....).
 
I knew it was only a matter of time before I would see you on here Walter! I have hit paper at 500yds with a 3-9x scope on my gun but in no way was there any kind of group. I think I have to agree with you on this one. And I know my Mini is above average compared to what I hear from other people. But 6inch goups at 600yds? I think my Mini shoots 2-3inch average at 100yds and probable shoots about 8-10inch at 300yds after about 400yd its no grouping.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top