Which is more reliable Colt AR or Ruger Mini?
- Thread starter taco
- Start date
Personal Experience...
The AR's went bang every time, the Ruger most all of the time. My Pre-Bans are still here and the Mini-14 Ranch Rifle Stainless with laminate stock departed long ago (1992?).
There was never any rhyme or reason to the failure. The rifle was new and it was as if the action would suddenly chose not to cycle, and it was a real bear to open by hand when it 'locked'. It obviously had some defect that required factory attention but instead I swapped it for a Beretta 92 that I still have.
You may want to check out AR-15.com, this topic has been slugged out several times over there, with good information on each side.
Darryl
The AR's went bang every time, the Ruger most all of the time. My Pre-Bans are still here and the Mini-14 Ranch Rifle Stainless with laminate stock departed long ago (1992?).
There was never any rhyme or reason to the failure. The rifle was new and it was as if the action would suddenly chose not to cycle, and it was a real bear to open by hand when it 'locked'. It obviously had some defect that required factory attention but instead I swapped it for a Beretta 92 that I still have.
You may want to check out AR-15.com, this topic has been slugged out several times over there, with good information on each side.
Darryl
J. Parker:
Tell me about your Mini-14 and we can compare notes. I currently have 1 Mini and 2 Ranch Rifles and love them all. My personal experience with 4 Mini/Ranch rifles and 3 AR's (Colts and BM) in past 10 years seems to indicate better reliability with Rugers while AR rifles seem a little more accurate.
Tell me about your Mini-14 and we can compare notes. I currently have 1 Mini and 2 Ranch Rifles and love them all. My personal experience with 4 Mini/Ranch rifles and 3 AR's (Colts and BM) in past 10 years seems to indicate better reliability with Rugers while AR rifles seem a little more accurate.
Was issued the M16A2 in the Marines.
When I got out I chose to buy the Mini-14.
The Mini-14 has way less than half the malfunctions of the delicate and self-fouling M16.
Also, one does not need to take the Mini off the shoulder to work the action. The charging handle on the 16 was extremely anoying.
The Mini stands up to use in less than ideal conditions better than the 16. The 16 malfunctions at a fatal rate when not inspection-clean.
The M16 is far more accurate than the Mini. No question about it. That's why target shooting civilians think it's the best rifle in the world. It's NOT.
When I got out I chose to buy the Mini-14.
The Mini-14 has way less than half the malfunctions of the delicate and self-fouling M16.
Also, one does not need to take the Mini off the shoulder to work the action. The charging handle on the 16 was extremely anoying.
The Mini stands up to use in less than ideal conditions better than the 16. The 16 malfunctions at a fatal rate when not inspection-clean.
The M16 is far more accurate than the Mini. No question about it. That's why target shooting civilians think it's the best rifle in the world. It's NOT.
That's your opinion, Shin Tao, but...........
There are tens of thousands of veterans all over the world who will disagree with you. No, ARs do not need to be inspection clean to be reliable. All of those "spray and praying" in Vietnam proved that, but yet, some people want to make us believe that ARs are five shots weapons at best!If ARs are really that unreliable as some people say, we wouldn't be firing 50,000 rounds of ammos per enemy killed in Vietnam. Granted that those 50,000 rounds include arties, machine gun ammos and rockets, but I am willing to bet that at least 1/2 of those 50,000 rounds were fired from the M-16s. And how many commies did we kill?
I am a lazy person, never clean my ARs, but the COLT's ones never jammed on me. I have a Colt's sitting in my safe who's been to the range at least 10x without being clean and I'll bet you a case of whatever ammo you shoot that it will go bang anytime I pull the trigger. With the Bushmaster, well, that's different story.
The Israelis love their ARs and don't tell me that those ARs that they lug around in West Bank are "inspection clean". How do you explain that the Malaysians prefered the earliest ARs over the FALs when they were fighting the Indonesians in Borneo during early 60's?
The SAS, and various US SOG operators have nothing to say but words of admiration about the ARs. Those Vietnam vets who complained about the ARs did so because:
(1) they didn't have cleaning tools to clean their ARs
(2) type of powders were swithced. Compounded with calcium carbonate contained in the primer, the weapons jammed
(3) many of them were just a bunch of close minded dinosaurs who think only .30 calibred ammos will do the job.
If you would give me a Mini with the factory magazine, I won't feel underarmed at all, but still I'd rather carry the AR.
Johannes
There are tens of thousands of veterans all over the world who will disagree with you. No, ARs do not need to be inspection clean to be reliable. All of those "spray and praying" in Vietnam proved that, but yet, some people want to make us believe that ARs are five shots weapons at best!If ARs are really that unreliable as some people say, we wouldn't be firing 50,000 rounds of ammos per enemy killed in Vietnam. Granted that those 50,000 rounds include arties, machine gun ammos and rockets, but I am willing to bet that at least 1/2 of those 50,000 rounds were fired from the M-16s. And how many commies did we kill?
I am a lazy person, never clean my ARs, but the COLT's ones never jammed on me. I have a Colt's sitting in my safe who's been to the range at least 10x without being clean and I'll bet you a case of whatever ammo you shoot that it will go bang anytime I pull the trigger. With the Bushmaster, well, that's different story.
The Israelis love their ARs and don't tell me that those ARs that they lug around in West Bank are "inspection clean". How do you explain that the Malaysians prefered the earliest ARs over the FALs when they were fighting the Indonesians in Borneo during early 60's?
The SAS, and various US SOG operators have nothing to say but words of admiration about the ARs. Those Vietnam vets who complained about the ARs did so because:
(1) they didn't have cleaning tools to clean their ARs
(2) type of powders were swithced. Compounded with calcium carbonate contained in the primer, the weapons jammed
(3) many of them were just a bunch of close minded dinosaurs who think only .30 calibred ammos will do the job.
If you would give me a Mini with the factory magazine, I won't feel underarmed at all, but still I'd rather carry the AR.
Johannes
taco; I love Mini-14's, plain and simple. I believe ( to much tradin') I've owned two blued and two stainless regular Mini-14's (not Ranch). I'm not a big time rifleman or anything like that but there're just fun to shoot. I've tried all sorts of hi-cap mags and the only ones I trust is the PMI's. I can't remember a malfunction of any kind. Gee, sounds like the kind of rifle I want! Accuracy? My buddy and I step off about 120 yards (there's a gate with big 'ol fence posts we can rest on) and shoot at silhouettes. Ten out of ten. Not all in the ten ring but hey, at that distance ten out of ten anywhere on the silhouette makes me happy. If you want to shoot Prairie Dogs at 300 yards get a damn bolt action. The accuracy debate is bull puckie! Reliability? No debate. Reliable hi-cap mags? Their out there just hurry up before there're gone forever. They are certainly not as bad as hi-cap Glock mags! You buy a $450 Glock, then buy two or three hi-caps and you're a proud owner of a $800 Glock! Oh' and I like this one- "the barrel gets hot" No s*** sherlock!!!! My shootin' buddy has a Mini-14 and a Colt H-Bar. He brings his Mini all the time when we go shootin' but not the H-Bar because he doesn't want to SCRATCH it. Pleassseeee! And when he does shoot it, it goes CLANK, CLANK, CLANK. The Ruger Mini-14 is a fine WEAPON. Just my thoughts, J. Parker
How do I explain the Malaysians?
They didn't want to lug around the heavy long-reaching FAL in the dense jungle.
Explaining the Isreali 16s. They jam. They clear the jams. If the 16 was reliable they would have never bothered to fund the creation of the Galil.
I don't just have an opinion on the 16. I have experiance with the 16. It wasn't a good experiance.
Jam.
Jam.
Jam.
The number one requirement for military rifle is reliabilty.
Everything else is secondary.
They didn't want to lug around the heavy long-reaching FAL in the dense jungle.
Explaining the Isreali 16s. They jam. They clear the jams. If the 16 was reliable they would have never bothered to fund the creation of the Galil.
I don't just have an opinion on the 16. I have experiance with the 16. It wasn't a good experiance.
Jam.
Jam.
Jam.
The number one requirement for military rifle is reliabilty.
Everything else is secondary.
I've posted this before....
The only problem I have with my mini-14 is the barrel gets pretty HOT!!!. Never a jam. And, I'm shooting precision mags(30rders). I guess I'm the lucky one.
Now my buddy on the other hand has one of those finicky Colts. After a few hundred rounds, yes we're using cheap ammo, Norinco or what ever else we can find, because we shoot alot. His Colt AR 15 starts having hick-ups. It can be attributed to the dirty ammo. But, my mini is shooting the same stuff with nada problemo!
I think the real reason everyone dislikes the mini so is that it doesn't look evil enough.
The Texas Department of Public Safety(Highway Patrol)uses the mini-14.
and I remember some bad guy in Miami used his without any problem.
The only problem I have with my mini-14 is the barrel gets pretty HOT!!!. Never a jam. And, I'm shooting precision mags(30rders). I guess I'm the lucky one.
Now my buddy on the other hand has one of those finicky Colts. After a few hundred rounds, yes we're using cheap ammo, Norinco or what ever else we can find, because we shoot alot. His Colt AR 15 starts having hick-ups. It can be attributed to the dirty ammo. But, my mini is shooting the same stuff with nada problemo!
I think the real reason everyone dislikes the mini so is that it doesn't look evil enough.
The Texas Department of Public Safety(Highway Patrol)uses the mini-14.
and I remember some bad guy in Miami used his without any problem.
Danger Dave
New member
I've noticed on the Discovery and/or Learning Channel when they do their shows on "The Big House", a lot of max. sec. prison guards seem to be carrying Mini-14's. Don't know if that's an endorsement or not, but it was my observation. They are simpler and easier to operate & maintain than an AR, but I don't know about better.
That being said, my 1976 Mini has never had a problem...
That being said, my 1976 Mini has never had a problem...
I`ve owned both rifles and have never experienced a malfunction with either one.Like anything there are examples of both rifles out there that are going to give someone fits.Bottom line is,you get what you like or can afford at the time and if something goes wrong you either try and remedy the problem of get rid of the weapon.
My Pre-Ban Colt AR will outshoot most mini's I have seen, BUT, I have found as far as reliability goes, the mini's can be just as reliable as an AR with proper Mags. Factory mags work very well, it's when you get into some of the aftermarket Hi-Caps that you run into trouble, in my opinion, the mag is the often the problem, not the rifle.
If all you want the rifle for is for plinking, or for HD living on a ranch or for a trunk gun, I believe that the mini would serve you well.
If all you want the rifle for is for plinking, or for HD living on a ranch or for a trunk gun, I believe that the mini would serve you well.
slickpuppy
New member
I own both. One mini and 4 ARs. Both styles work well and I haven't had reliability problems with any of them. All have shot anything I put through them.
As for preference, well, I don't sell guns so I keep the mini 14 in spite of it.
As for preference, well, I don't sell guns so I keep the mini 14 in spite of it.
George Hill
Staff Alumnus
Shin is absolutly correct.
The Mini is the more robust weapon. I cant believe so many people are detracting from the mini's design.
You've all heard of the M-14 right? The M-14 was lauded as one of the finest battle rifles around. Ruger took that design and made it smaller... a few changes and presto - chambered for .223 you have the Mini 14.
The HUGE advantage that the Mini 14 has is that it doesnt Defecate where it Eats (Thanks MAD DOG for that phrase) like the AR design does. The problem people think the Mini has is that it gets HOT. Well - NEWS FLASH - all autorifles GET HOT. I guess had the Mini been produced with a large heatshield like an AR it would not be percieved to heat up so bad. On MANY occasions I have personally fired an M16A2 to the point that the gas tube GLOWED brightly inside the handguards. Talk about HOT!
If you took a Mini and invest some work into it... you could get a much better package - the AR is in its 4th or 5th generation of little improvements into its design... Do the same to the Mini which is in reality still in its first - and you will have an OUTSTANDING rifle. Give it a heavy barrel like ARs have in vogue now - and you'll lose the shifting point of impact due to barrel heating. Flute it and you'll get better results... Match grade heavy fluted barrel and I bet you can surpass the AR's accuracy because the Mini has a more SOLID reciever and foundation from which to work with. Ever hear of the M-21 Sniper Rifle? Case in point.
The Mini is the more robust weapon. I cant believe so many people are detracting from the mini's design.
You've all heard of the M-14 right? The M-14 was lauded as one of the finest battle rifles around. Ruger took that design and made it smaller... a few changes and presto - chambered for .223 you have the Mini 14.
The HUGE advantage that the Mini 14 has is that it doesnt Defecate where it Eats (Thanks MAD DOG for that phrase) like the AR design does. The problem people think the Mini has is that it gets HOT. Well - NEWS FLASH - all autorifles GET HOT. I guess had the Mini been produced with a large heatshield like an AR it would not be percieved to heat up so bad. On MANY occasions I have personally fired an M16A2 to the point that the gas tube GLOWED brightly inside the handguards. Talk about HOT!
If you took a Mini and invest some work into it... you could get a much better package - the AR is in its 4th or 5th generation of little improvements into its design... Do the same to the Mini which is in reality still in its first - and you will have an OUTSTANDING rifle. Give it a heavy barrel like ARs have in vogue now - and you'll lose the shifting point of impact due to barrel heating. Flute it and you'll get better results... Match grade heavy fluted barrel and I bet you can surpass the AR's accuracy because the Mini has a more SOLID reciever and foundation from which to work with. Ever hear of the M-21 Sniper Rifle? Case in point.
Jamie Young
New member
I don't get that barrel heat up thing. I Know my gun loses accuracy after a few rounds but the barrel on my Mini is no thinner than most guns out there. Plus I held a Full Auto Mini a few weeks ago and that gun didn't seem any heavier and it was FULL AUTO.