Should I get another mini 14?

[DLT 1,646]

I already have a ranch rifle and I love it. But now I want a tactical one in stainless. With the traditional looking stock, not the ugly pistol grip one. Opinions on the stainless tacticals?

[PFerris 76]

Some of them will not shoot steel cased ammo,  but most do without messing with them.  

 

When you get them broke in,  they really shoot brass well and are easy to work on and take apart.

 

If you get a lemon,  send it to Ruger and they will fix it or replace it.

 

In stainless it is all stainless,  even the internals.

 

It is all about the money and availability when it comes down to it.  Ruger makes some good guns.  

[SouthernOne 203]

I have a SS Ranch and a Target model. Ruger does make some good guns. I think the Mini was left out of the attempted AWB for what it's worth. The Ranch will shoot .556 and .223 but the Target is recommended for .223 only. I got mine back when they were around $600, good luck with that now.

[patriot 7,197]

If you want it, and can afford it, then yes, by all means get it.

[gunfun 3,931]

I liked them a lot when they were 1/3 -1/2 the cost of an AR, but now that they are about the same money...

 

Now SS is a big advantage in some applications, which is a deal maker to me if you are around boats or other similar environments. IMO the mini 30 might be the best choice for marine varminting.

 

You already know that Mini 14 magazines are hard to find the good ones and very pricey too.

[Rhodes1968 1,638]

A rifle that lost its purpose.

 

Your money man 

[sunnybean 939]

I sold a stainless mini for a loss but never looked back. Horrible accuracy with all the ammo it tried. Like must Rugers I've owned, I didn't mind letting them go.

[mancat 2,368]

The Mini is a dead end product. I used to like them until I started really looking into what I would be buying.

 

The most I'll say is that the newer models have solved a lot of the accuracy problems via heavier barrels, and mechanically the design is very reliable. Otherwise, still a crap aftermarket, crap mag selection, crap spare parts supply, and so on. 

 

What other modern rifle can you think of where one of the first recommended accessories is a barrel brace? Seriously?

 

There's a reason why Ruger started making ARs.

Edited November 16, 2013 by mancat

[gunfun 3,931]

Good point. I am not a fan of ruger's warranty system. The company seems to go out of it's way to tell their customers that ruger does not trust them.

 

My uncle had an early 80s SS mini 14. SS butler creek side folder, wevaer scope and side mount. In short, rugged, compact, utilitarian. It was the old style where you had to get the gun tapped for the mount. His SS gas block cracked due to a casting flaw. NBD, I'll just order a new gas block right? Nope- Ruger doesn't trust their customers to install such a dangerous and complicated part. (IIRC back out one  locating set screw and a clamping cap screw and the thing slips off the end of the barrel. Remember-the worst I could screw that up would just render the gun UK legal, not dangerous.) Ruger's policy? Send the whole gun in through an FFL after getting a work ticket. Pay them labor, buy the new part. Oh and the form gives them permission for them to remove any non OEM accessories on the gun and put on factory parts and bill you for it. No thanks. At the time someone was selling an adjustable gas block for $78. I should have just ordered it, because my uncle welded the cast SS and it ended up cracking on another flaw line near the weld. Now I can't find the same part and I haven's seen another one for less than $150.

[patriot 7,197]

I sent a Ruger Old Army in to have it un-fucked. The previous owner was a maniac with a dremel.

Not only did they repair for me free of charge, it's got a REALLY nice action now.

 

As noted above, your mileage may vary.

 

Also, My MKIII, Vaquero, Old Army, and 10/22s all work great, and I shoot a LOT. ( I think that's all of them!)

[sunnybean 939]

I sent a Ruger Old Army in to have it un-fucked. The previous owner was a maniac with a dremel.

Not only did they repair for me free of charge, it's got a REALLY nice action now.

 

As noted above, your mileage may vary.

 

Also, My MKIII, Vaquero, Old Army, and 10/22s all work great, and I shoot a LOT. ( I think that's all of them!)

Yeah I still have a few that I like (single six, MKII, and a Mark 77). But, after the shit show I had with them on a Red Label 12 gauge and the Mini 14 I was left with a bad taste in my mouth. The Red Label went in twice because it would either fire both barrels at the same time or it would fire one round and then the safety would flip on under recoil which would basically render the second shot useless. Finally they sent a new gun and that one worked but the barrel rib was loose. They couldn't seem to fix that either. Oh, and the trigger guard would hit my middle finger hard creating one hell of a monkey bump. Talk about making you flinch. I was happy to see it and the mini go.

 

They don't make anything I need that someone else doesn't make better.

 

Besides Bill was a shithead for endorsing a 10 round mag limit.

[Sim_Player 1,939]

I would say, "no".

[XD45 7,124]

My first centerfire rifle was a mini.  I never connected with it.  Sold it and never missed it.

[storm6490 2,768]

I know you want one so perhaps I can suggest that you go for the mini 30 in stainless. It's a lot of fun and the round turns it into a lot of fun an is very versatile.

[patriot 7,197]

 

Besides Bill was a shithead for endorsing a 10 round mag limit.

 

 

...and Henry Ford sucked up to the Nazis and hated Jews.

[Wolverine 10,360]

If you are going to get a Mini 30, why not go for a Springfield 7.62 x 51 rifle.  They offer varying models including the Socom 16, the Scout squad, the standard models and some that are made for accuracy and target shooting.  The stopping power of the .308 far exceeds the .223.  If I had to clear a building the Socom or equivalent would be my choice.  20 to 25 round mags, a kick ass round and great maneuverability.  A Scout Squad could cover the Ranch Gun category.  Just a thought and my two cents.   

[sunnybean 939]

 

Besides Bill was a shithead for endorsing a 10 round mag limit.

 

 

...and Henry Ford sucked up to the Nazis and hated Jews.

I didn't know that. But, Fords suck too.

[Sdustin 578]

I look at the mini as an ak of ar15s. If I wanted an american rifle that always works the mini in either 14 or 30 would be a good choice. And in stainless its got an edge over about all other rifles.

 

I had two mini14s and other than mags made by ruger costing an arm and a leg I loved it. But I started reloading and the thing slung brass like an ak and grouped like one too. And as far as steel cases having problems my minis and everyone I shot never had any issues at all other than mags. And the mini30 I got a lot of trigger time with was excellent. If you wanted a marine rifle in a good caliber a stainless mini30 would be the best rifle. I love 762x51 but your talking three or four minis for the price of a socom16.

 

I say if your looking for a rifle that will work your not worried about pin point accuracy and are not a brass hound then get another mini. If you want to shoot tight groups and have brass in a neat pile and tge need to clean and lube your rifle a lot get an ar15.

[gunfun 3,931]

If you are going to get a Mini 30, why not go for a Springfield 7.62 x 51 rifle.  They offer varying models including the Socom 16, the Scout squad, the standard models and some that are made for accuracy and target shooting.  The stopping power of the .308 far exceeds the .223.  If I had to clear a building the Socom or equivalent would be my choice.  20 to 25 round mags, a kick ass round and great maneuverability.  A Scout Squad could cover the Ranch Gun category.  Just a thought and my two cents.   

 

They cost a lot more for SS models though, don't they?

 

As a reloader, I'd rather have 308, if I were buying, 7.62x39 is hard to beat for price. From what I've seen 68 cents a round is about the cheapest bulk price for 308 at the moment. You can still get the russian round for a third of that.

 

I like shooting the mini 14, but with the other options on the market, it's getting hard to justify.

 

The OP should get whatever he wants. Since he's already got mags, one of the biggest downsides for the platform, the feild is somewhat more level. It sounds like he wants a mini.  

 

There are some killer deals on PAP series AKs and VZ58s that look a lot sweeter to me at the moment though. 

[unclejake 428]

I LOVE My VZ58!! To Me, The Sweetest Little 30 Cal Carbine Out.There. Very Quick Handling, And Accurate. Dressing One Out Tactically Is.Expensive But You Only Do It once.

Edited November 16, 2013 by unclejake

[storm6490 2,768]

If you are going to get a Mini 30, why not go for a Springfield 7.62 x 51 rifle. 

Because it's a russian 7.62x39. Cheap as hell to shoot compared to 7.62 nato and a lot less expensive to obtain one new or used.

 

ps had a socom16. It sucked and I sold it. Got an RFB, much more stoked, more accurate and a hell of a lot shorter.

As far as it being a dead end product, that's horse shit. Pound fence post with it all day, throw it in the truck, forget to clean it and still kill a wolf running at your cattle. Fucking thing is a modern man's ranch rifle. Hardcore little motherfucker.

Edited November 17, 2013 by Stryker0946

[DLT 1,646]

I think I would be better served by getting an SKS over a mini if I was going to get another rifle in 7.62 x 39.  Heck for that matter, even another AK47 would do the same thing.  I just really like the garand style action of the rifle.  What makes no sense to me is how the M14 and Garand can be so loved and respected universally, but the Mini seems to be one of the most hated rifles ever made.  Yes, I know that the old mini's had accuracy issues when the barrel got hot, but doesn't every rifle?  I can't argue with the mini after market magazines sucking argument, but that's not the mini's fault.   

[gunfun 3,931]

It's more of an issue of lack of affordable good magazines.

 

Again, I like the mini. I just don't think it warrants the same money as a decent AR. 

 

I think the love and loathing mentioned in #22 are both the result of fanboyim.

 

Things I like about the mini

 

• It USED to be reasonably priced
• While they typically do badly in accuracy comparisons to other platforms, I find them easy to shoot well off-hand in practical pest control type shooting.
• It comes in SS and will run if left around weather and grime.
• It comes in plastic furniture and the butler creek side folder is pretty nice and is cheap. Either one is light and durable.
• newer models have good sights. Wonderful sights if compared to the awful ones on AKs or SKS.
• Feels better balanced than an SKS.
• It can have a pretty wide array of useful mag capacities.
• It's pretty rugged and simple. Open form makes clearing a jam easy to diagnose and do.
• Ergos are OK as stock. I like the garand style safety.
• It's relatively light, but not amazing. 
• I would expect the old barrel profile to be lighter, but maybe not? Not that big a deal for pest getting. As a tool this is a non-issue. As a weapon for holding off the cuban invasion maybe then it matters.
• Not scary to FUDs and Antis
• Back in the 90s they were half as much money as an AR and tended to be more reliable. 
• Ruger's warranty policy
• Ruger's current political policies
• US made
• It's been around long enough you can get most any part you want 3rd party.

Things I don't like so much

• You can now get an AR for the same money, or almost 2 AKs which do almost everything it does better. If you want to change it from OEM or scope it, the cost adds up quickly.
• Mags are either hard to find and expensive, or mostly junk.
• Scope mounting options suck. They stick out, are heavy (or come in the wrong place- I'm looking at you Scout.) They may also interfere with ejection.
• Tactical furniture is hokey, expensive, and most of the controls aren't ideally located. i.e. bho, trigger behind receiver. Most of them are front heavy, don't provide a very good scope mount and might cause ejection issues, not to mention ugly.
• Not scary to Fudds and Antis
• Awkward to get a good scope mount.
• Rock and lock mags. 
• Most are a pain to thread.
• Not ambi.
• Ruger triggers tend to suck on semi-autos- (but not too hard to fix)
• Ruger's warranty policy.
• Ruger's old political policies
• Ruger's insulting treatment of customers: The "paragraph", trigger locks, Very Heavy Triggers , clunky crude redundant safeties on anything not "cowboy" or generally appealing to Fudd usage, magazine safeties on pistols... They think we are too stupid to be trusted with a normal firearm. Other companies with lawyers face the same liability and manage to avoid this kind of stuff. This is about their philosophy.

If they were still ~$450-500. I'd probably have a stainless one in 7.62 and I might still pick one up for dad. Actually, I bought my first S12 with money I planned to spend on an SS mini 14, but didn't because the prices jacked.

Edited November 17, 2013 by GunFun

[Sdustin 578]

This thread has me thinking about a ss mini30 with a ss folder for use as a trunk gun. Is tgere a way to use ak47 mags in a mini30?

[DLT 1,646]

Sadly no, it's not possible. The whole magazine issue is the primary thing holding me back. If only I didn't despise the AR so much, I could focus on getting another one of those, but I can't hide it.

[sunnybean 939]

Why all the AR hate?

[DLT 1,646]

My first AR was a jam o matic. Seems I can't get past that. My current Colt 6920 is great. Has never jammed or failed me in any way, but I know how DI works and I don't like that system at all. It shits where it eats. My AK rifles on the other hand, have never so much as even hickuped once. I trust them with my life. They are more than accurate enough for me and deliver a punch no AR can match. The same reliability statement is pretty much universal among my soviet collection of firearms (PPS, Tokarev, SKS, and Mosin).

[storm6490 2,768]

Why all the AR hate?

Don't hate the platform, hate the caliber. 5.56 is a toy round.

[DLT 1,646]

Agree on the caliber. But the design in essence is flawed because of the heat and carbon buildup inside the bcg. Now I know that there are plenty of piston system AR makers out there, but those rifles are ridiculous in price. Hence my preference for the AK or Garand action rifles.

[Rhodes1968 1,638]

Why all the AR hate?

 

Not seeing all that much "hate" but I can answer why I dont own one...

 

Two years + taking care of the battalion armory.

If you think its tough keeping them clean with commercial ammo try it after a few mags of blanks are run through them during exercises and listening to the BS when they do what Stoners do when they get dirty. Qualifications with live ammo were not much better.

And these were Colts...

 

As for the round itself, its really pretty good FOR A SELECT FIRE WEAPON.

Full auto is a dream on the 223 vs a 308 which is where things once stood. Semi not so much at all.

Edited November 18, 2013 by Rhodes1968