[Squid]

I am considering the purchase of one of these rifles but I have heard mixed reviews. Anybody care to weigh in?

[courtgreene]

you are about to get even more mixed reviews. I'll say that I love mine, but they are just like AR's in the fact that you either love them or hate them. I have mine for a gun that is adequate, fun to plink with, can be used to hunt, and that will go for a long time between cleanings although I have never been able to resist the urge to clean... but I like to know that it will run anyway should that ever be required. I have other guns for target shooting and showing off. The mini is great for my desires.

[HD Fboy]

I loved my Mini 14 until I got my AR-15. Nice gun But once I began shooting the AR the Mini sat in the safe until I sold it.

For me, the AR is better balanced, lighter weight, easier to clean, more accurate, more options, etc.

Good luck.

[speaksoftly]

Never owned a mini-14 but it's on my list. I have shooting buddies who own mini's though and they are always dead on accurate and reliable. I've yet to hear one of them say anything negative about the rifles. I can't say the same about our AR's.

[sappyg]

don't care for them so much. my experience with them is that they are great at waisting ammo but not so good at hitting what you are looking at.

i like them. i just don't want another.

[Double Vision]

My Mini 14 & Thirty are my favorites. I would recommend them highly.

They have had no problems with accuracy at all, they're reliable, ammo is reasonable, it's easy to maintain and they bring a smile to my face when we're at the range.

Folks rave about the AR-15 but I still prefer the Minis.

Recently, I brought a friend to the range for her first time at shooting. She hit the bullseye on her very first shot with the Mini 14. After the Mini she tried the AR but wanted to go back to the Mini. All in all, we both shot better with the Mini than the AR.

Good luck with your choice.

[lencac]

They go bang but beyond that who knows :barf:

[jmr40]

It has not been too many years ago when an AR would cost you $1,000 and used Mini's were everywhere for $300 or less. At that price difference I owned several Mini 14's and Mini 30's

They were always 100% reliable with factory mags. Much less with after market mags. Ruger mags holding over 5 rounds were almost impossible to come by and were expensive. Same story today. Never shot one that was better than a 2-3" gun, most were 4-6" at 100 yards.

A quick look at www.budsgunshop.com shows Mini's selling for between $640-$800, plus any tax, shipping or transfer fees. I now own 4 AR's and paid no more than $700 for any of them. The most recent DPMS cost me $650 out the door including tax. The rifle came with a hard case, cleaning kit, and 2 30 round magazines. I put a scope on it and shot a 3/4" group after getting the scope zeroed. Scoped, all of them are under 1" guns and I've never had a single malfunction with any of them.

The mini's have their fans, but as the prices of AR's have come down and Mini's have gone up I cannot see buying one unless I lived in a place where the AR's are illegal to own and Mini's are not. Just the cost of magazines is huge. AR mags are dirt cheap and everywhere. The only mags I've found that are reliable in the mini are factory. I'm not sure what they are selling for now, but the last 30 round Mini-14 mags I saw were $50 each.

It's not that the Mini is a bad gun, it's that you get a lot more in an AR, for less money.

[TX expat]

I own one of the new 581 series mini-14s and I think it's a great little rifle. It really amounts to what you want to do with it and how much money you want to spend on a rifle. Some folks love the AR platform, and if you have the cash and the desire to own one, great; that's just never been a rifle I've been interested in. I like the look and feel of the Garand style rifle and since I shoot with iron sights for fun, I've never been hung up on the sub-MOA trip.

[jim in Anchorage]

Mini's look like guns. ARs look like a piece of plastic sewer pipe.
Enough for me.

[Welding Rod]

I have owned 3 Minis including a new model. I now own 1, a 186 series.

The Mini is the most inaccurate firearm I have ever tried.

The Mini also moves POI farther between different loads than any firearm I have tried.

The Mini has more creep in the second stage of its 2 stage trigger than any other firearm with a 2 stage trigger that I have tried.

The Mini is subject to workmanship issues and spotty QC, like all Rugers.

I like the basic layout of the gun, and with a wood stock it is nice to look at. However, the poor accuracy and poor trigger quality really take the wind out of my sails.

[lencac]

jmr40 blew the whole money logic out the window. There's a reason why no military or LE agencies use the mini ................. cause thay are junk
True story. Myself and a freind are shooting at 50 yrds at a 3/8 in. thick steel plate. He with his Mini 14, me with my standard colt H-Bar. We both are pulling ammo from the same can. The AR would punch holes like a paper punch the mini would NOT penetrate the plate. End of story
Mini's are junk :eek:

[Elm Creek Smith]

My "Christmas Rifle 2009" Ruger Mini-14 581-series is accurate enough for me (2 moa at 100 yards w/Weaver K25 scope). I can always blame my old eyes. It functions every...single...time I pull the trigger. And, it looks like a rifle.

I'm not unfamiliar with AR's, but the low-priced versions usually need something before they'll work...like sights. And it seems like no one can resist hanging the doggonedest things off of them. My brother, for instance, put the 5-position collapsible stock, a monolithic Picatinney rail hand guard that free-floats the barrel of his HBAR, a flashlight, a green laser, a bipod, and a scope that mounts on the carrying handle. That sucker's heavy.

ECS

PS. I got mine at Wal*Mart for $607.00, well under the MSRP, and the last time I looked, just last week, they were still $607.00.

[wtfd661]

I really like my Mini - 14 (I also have one of the newer models). I prefer them over the AR's.

[Robert]

The Mini 14/ 30 is the most reviled and loved firearm ever made. The one I have shoots one nice ragged hole pretty much all the time with nothing but iron sights. Some, like mine, are great and some are just flat terrible.

The biggest thing to remember is that the Mini is not an AR or an AK. It is not built to take abuse very well and is prone to quickly over heating. As long as you remember this and do not do back to back mag dumps you should be ok.

The Mini is a fine plinker and a fun rifle just don't buy a Mini and expect to get an AR.

[Wolfeye]

I've shot a mini-14 but not an AR, unless you count once when I was a kid. Using cheap ammo, it never misfired and was accurate enough to make me happy while plinking. The barrel seemed to get hot quickly, but I didn't have an AR to compare it side-by-side with.

The mini strikes me as more of a sportsman's rifle, while the AR is a tacti-cool rifle. I prefer the mini; it looks & feels the way a rifle should, while the AR looks less like a rifle than my paintball gun.

You can legally take deer with the mini-30 in many places. Dunno about ARs. The minis will probably stick around for years and will be less subject to gun legislation, while ARs will probably become a lot less popular once the military drops the M16 & its variants and adopts a different assault rifle.

[X-Rap]

Good companion to a HiPoint pistol.

[RNB65]

I don't dislike the Mini 14. I used to own two of them -- a standard one with iron sights and a Ranch Rifle with a scope. They're fun, reliable little plinkers.

But then I bought an AR15. Never fired either Mini 14 again and sold both within a few months. Haven't missed them. There's nothing that the Mini can do that the AR can't do better.

[Observer]

I have owned and currently do own both in multiples. I am 49 and just returned from Afghanistan. There is no difference that I can see. It is just a matter of tastes. This is why I own both the Mini 14 and 30 and ARs.. I love them all and they feel like good women to me.

[bruzer]

Got my Mom's mini and sold my SKS to buy the SS mini. Dad got her the mini to hunt with and I could not pass up the deal my buddy gave me for the stainless one. I have yet to shoot that one.
Mike

[B166ER]

There's a reason why no military or LE agencies use the mini....

That's not entirely correct. I've seen many state prison facilities that utilize the Mini 14 to this day. Granted they probably never actually fired the rifle aside from the occasional sighting in....I really like the preban models with the factory folding stocks. They were quite a sight to behold....

[HGUNHNTR]

If the world's supply of AR type rifles suddenly disappears they would be a viable alternative.

[Art Eatman]

They're certainly not the thing for tight groups from the benchrest. But mine were always very reliable for the first shot going to the expected point of aim, so I figured that's all a hunter really needs.

Plinking? I've hit many a soda pop or beer can, out to fifty yards.

There's never been any question about reliability.

For defense? They'll hold minute of torso all day long.

[rogertc1]

I own a lot of guns and never warmed up to the mini 14. I am sure they are just fine.

[HOWARD J]

I like my Minin-30. It was always a great deer hunting rifle.
My thirty is still a great shooter.

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/2398/targetk.th.jpg (http://img835.imageshack.us/i/targetk.jpg/)

[TonyAngel]

Although the original post didn't mention ARs, the comparison inevitably comes up in these sorts of threads. I've owned quite a few Minis over the years and have always liked them. The ones I've had would shoot at least minute of clay pigeon at 100 yards. It is was it is and what it's supposed to be. It's a handy rifle to have around. I find them to be easier to carry around than an AR and I like the ergonomics of the Mini. My biggest gripe is now and always has been the price of magazines. Although it is a good plinker, I wouldn't look forward to putting 500 rounds through it in an afternoon. The accuracy really declines when the barrel gets hot and it gets hot quickly.

On the flip side, there are those that will say that the AR is a piece of trash and that Mini is a "real" rifle. That really isn't a fair comparison because there certainly are lots of junk ARs out there. A more fair comparison would be to compare the Mini (which is obviously a reference to the Ruger product) to a specific model of AR, such as a Bravo Company, Spike's or Larue. Still, all things considered, I'd take a Spike's AR over a Mini any day of the week. I used the Spike's as an example because they are pretty closely priced.

[Welding Rod]

Two of the 3 I owned did have reliability issues.

Right out of the box, my new model's bolt hold open wouldn't release the bolt. The hold open operating plunger would jam in its hole and not move freely.

My 186 has only been on one shooting outing, ever. And it suffered from light firing pin hits, and experienced an extraction problem.

I don't buy into the "But Minis are more reliable than <some other gun>" argument.

[Squid]

Someone stated at the beginning of this thread that opinions would vary widely and they do! I appreciate all the input. I purchased a stamped Romy Ak last night so I had something in my collection that is of a more robust platform that can deal with a variety of ammo. More than likely Ill augment this with an AR somewhere down the road. Thanks folks!

[HoosierQ]

Well I want to like the mini. I had a mini and I sold it cause I needed money at the time. I didn't get to shoot it much but mine was dead on reliable...never really got to put it through its paces accuracy-wise before I "went broke".

But here's the thing. Now that I can afford a new one, and have been looking at new ones, with the improved rear sight and all...sticker shock. $800 for crying out loud. My old one was a Ranch and it was nearly-unused used so the price was right.

For $800, nice wood or not, I'd look for an AR and have a lot more gun. I think the old saying applies here. "The Mini-14 is the best $300 gun $800 can buy".

So, it just doesn't make a very attractive option when all things are considered.

[Ignition Override]

When people state that the Minis are accurate, they do not say whether they have older, original iron sights.
Also, few mention whether they added a barrel stiffener (Accu-strut). The descriptions can therefore be misleading.

It makes no difference to me, because most of my targets are floating in water or on a sand bar about 100 feet away, maybe less.
The rifles were supposedly designed to fit easily onto a saddle or in a truck rack.

My only complaint about my older Mini 30 is the thick front post sight.
Yes, have read on "Perfectunion" that adding a flash suppressor also gives the rifle a thinner front post.

[Skyshot]

I have had 3 mini's over the years the first one was a pretty good shooter and very reliable (with ruger mags) the second one was reliable also but wasn't very accurate 5-6 moa at 100 yards. Last year I bought one the 581 series tacticle patrol rifles with the 16 in. barrel. Its a great shooter,1 1/2 moa at 100 yards. Its very light with the composit stock. Here is the kicker, when I take my wife or my nephews to the range and they shoot the mini and my stag arms AR, they always want to shoot the mini again.

[Observer]

I have probably had a dozen Minis. I have never had a problem. I do not use them for bullbarrel .22-250 shooting precision. The are always accurate enough to shot everything I shoot, even small items. Never a problem.

I prefer other weapons, ARs, FALs, ect., but I do love the Minis!

[Fishman777]

I don't like guns that look like assault rifles. I'd never buy an AR-15 for this reason.

I haven't decided which one to get, but it will definitely be a synthetic, stainless variety.

[merlinfire]

as with the others have said, an mini is an alternative to an ar or an ak, but since both are cheaper than a new production mini....eh....

[Skyshot]

Bought mine NIB for $615.00 can't get an AR for that!

[skoro]

I've had my Mini-14 ranch rifle for a little more than two years now and I'm VERY happy with it. I've fed it all kinds of ammo, from the cheapest commie-bloc junk to decent name brand fodder and it's digested all of it w/o a single problem. Definitely a fun plinker. Not a target rifle, if that's what you're looking for, but accurate enough for my purposes.

[greyeyezz]

True story. Myself and a freind are shooting at 50 yrds at a 3/8 in. thick steel plate. He with his Mini 14, me with my standard colt H-Bar. We both are pulling ammo from the same can. The AR would punch holes like a paper punch the mini would NOT penetrate the plate. End of story
Mini's are junk

Heavier bullets in a 1:10 twist(early Mini) will keyhole. But the rifle is junk.:uhoh:

[BrocLuno]

Yeah, but they are sure having fun running up the prices and selling that junk :)

[lucky-gunner]

I don't think the Mini is junk but I do think that it is overpriced a bit. When the mini was a lower cost option it made more sense. Now I just don't see the niche they are supposed to fill.

The Mini-30 could be a good option if you are good for an AK like rifle. If there was a cheaper option for high cap magazines or a way to modify them to accept AK mags. If that was possible I would be more interested. As it sits I think there are better options available.

[ElPasoCounty]

I've got a mini I'm really happy with...except how the magazine seats.

[Myles]

They are a great rifle. Very well suited for field use by the average ranch/farm owner. The sights available will make the difference. If you cannot hit a target using basic fundamentals, changing to another rifle will not change that. The mini is less accurate but more robust (less cleaning/lubricant required, less finicky parts, better designed to handle debris) than an AR platform; the AR definitely holds accuracy under sustained fire.

I own both, so before the AR crowd jumps in to argue the point of spare parts and lubrication - be honest about what parts and oils are in your range bag.

[CDawg]

I've had a Mini Thirty for almost 20 years. Shot lots of rounds through it without any problems. Brass cased ammo, steel cased ammo, they all work well for me. I put a folding stock with pistol type grip on it years ago and it's proved to be a good addition. If I wanted to hunt with it I'd put the full length stock on it and probably mount a scope. It does throw brass quite a ways at the range, so I try and get the shooting station on the end of the line, because it will pelt folks with brass. Whenever I've taken novice shooters to the range they seem to warm up to the Mini Thirty very quickly. The new female shooters have all liked it. It's not hard to shoot well. It's a sturdy platform and has been dead reliable with the Thermold hi-cap mags I purchased in the 90's. Now Ruger makes factory 20rds for it too. Got a few of those too, but haven't tried them yet.

[pacpiper]

I was wondering how the AR came up when the original poster asked about the "MINI 14". :banghead:

There are a dozen semi-auto rifles out there which are a blast to own and you asked about the Mini 14 so here is my take.

It's fun, it has enough aftermarket mods that you can play (and pay) to make it your own, 223 ammo is cheap, it isn't high maintenance, and depending on how you set it up, it can be as accurate as you want. Even the worse Mini should at least get you on paper at 100 yards and if someone thinks it's accuracy isn't good enough as a SHTF rifle then I dare you to let someone cap off one round at 100 yards at you. I'm sure you'd decline.

Enjoy the Mini and forget the haters :D

[Observer]

I think they are overpriced, but I am a cheapskate. I generally buy then with whatever accessories for $450-500 used at gunshows. I love them for this price. The last one I bought was in December. I paid $510 for a stainless steel that looked like it had never been fired. Gave it to a 13 yr old stepson for Christmas.

I do not buy anything new because I am cheap. I think the last new rifle I bought was a BLR in .308.

[henschman]

The accuracy of a cheap AK with the reliability of a cheap AR.

The worst of both worlds.

[jimmyraythomason]

Both are well made,reliable to a fault and are tin can accurate plinkers. They are easily scoped (later models) and make very good varmint to deer hunting rifles. I have owned my last AR or AK variant. With the longer LOP on the later models they are very user friendly. I regret losing both my Mini-14 and my Mini-30.

[asahrts]

I'll start by saying that I love my mini14. I live in CA so i went with the mini over a modified AR, however for most here that isn't an issue.

I have a 581 series & while I'll admit it is not phenomenally accurate, it definitely gets the job done. It's easy to carry & feeds any ammo. A friend of mine has a 15+ year old model that can't shoot nearly as accurate as the new models so I'd recommend a new model with the tapered bbl.

While I hate to recommend another forum, Perfect Union has over 150,000 posts on the Mini14 alone, so you really should check it out.

http://www.perfectunion.com/vb/ruger-mini-14-talk/

[jmr40]

Skyshot
Member



Join Date: January 23, 2011
Location: Tn.
Posts: 30 Bought mine NIB for $615.00 can't get an AR for that!

Oh yes you can. I paid $607 for my last AR. With tax it came to $650 but it included a hard case, a telescoping stock, cleaning kit, and 2-30 round magazines.

Buy all that separately for your mini, pay sales tax and you are closer to $800. For a gun with far less accuracy.

[swiftak]

Owned a Ranch Rifle for about 12 or so years. Was never very impressed with it. Throws my brass about 40 feet. Which, as a reloader really pisses me off. Haven't fired it in 5 or 6 years. May sell or trade it towards something else.
I've started to see quite a few of them sitting in gunshops the last couple of months. I wonder if sales are slow on them.

[jimmyraythomason]

I've started to see quite a few of them sitting in gunshops the last couple of months. I wonder if sales are slow on them. None of the shops even close to me have any at all. All of the folks I know who own one locally won't part with them.

[Jim Barry]

Sir, I have a mini 30 and enjoy firing it each time I take it out. I have done several modifacations to improve accuracy and recoil. A trigger adjustment was a must on my rifle, then a muzzle break was attached, a 1911 buffer was installed front and rear and an adjustable/folding stock. I then added bipods. I have not shot the rifle to check for MOA, but at 100 yds, I had two of three holes touching and the third about 1/2" away. I do love my mini.

[Quentin]

I like Ruger and own three of their pistols. Since the '80s I've come close to buying a Mini-14 a few times but the accuracy problems bothered me. I love the look and Garand style action but after firing a buddy's I backed off because the accuracy was disappointing. Then I fell in love with the idea of a Mini-30 but never pulled out the wallet.

Now that I have an AK in 7.62x39 and AR in 5.56, it just ain't gonna happen on either Mini.

Similar thing with the 10/22, my old Marlin 60 was such a workhorse I never got around to that Ruger either but did buy a second Model 60.

[joehorner]

I own a 186 series mini. Blued pencil barrel 1 in 7 twist. It has been a fun rifle to shoot and tinker with. All of the inexpensive mods I have done over the years have improved its accuracy. MoRod,buffers,gas bushing replacements,chopped the barrel down to 17" with a screw on 1x28 flash hider,trigger job, plus an ATI stock. I can say it works for me and has been fun. Just recently I aquired a 184 series factory folder unfired. Not as an investment but because it belonged to a good friend who has recently passed away. The mini I own has always did what I want it to do and it has been fun making it better..........Joe

[Rexster]

I have a couple of 580-series Minis, and an AR15. Minis are not junk, being reliable, and accurate enough for general utility. They are, after all, marketed as Ranch Rifles, not precision rifles.

I prefer the ergonomics and handling qualities of the Mini. The stock safety is very lefty-friendly, a further benefit for me.

I work for a PD that will presently only let me carry an AR15 if I want to have a rifle with me at work, and wants me to used approved weapons for off-the-clock defensive situations as well, so my Minis are sporting equipment for now. When I retire, that will change. Theoretically, I can become certified to carry a Mini at work, but it may be years before I can get the rare opportunity to take another cert course.

Texas DPS used to issue Minis, and most individual troopers I spoke with seemed to like really them. Of course, they now issue the AR platform, which probably simplifies their armorers' jobs, with the Lego-like interchangeability of parts. Certain Mini parts require a trip to Ruger for replacement.

[crazyivan]

DeadDuck did a review of the new mini-30 on this forum and got groups from sub-moa to 2 moa.
I get with the new mini-14 and Wolf 55 gr. 3-4" 5-shot groups. Have yet to try it with good ammo.

Minis are nice but I do think they are over priced. but I think ARs are over priced too.

Dont compare the mini to a AR, and dont compare the AR to a mini.

The mini falls short when you try to make it a AR, and the AR falls short when you try to make it a mini...

They are two very different rifles.

But lets not make this a ARvsmini thread.

[sig220mw]

I've considered getting one but just can't get around the way they look.

[Friendly, Don't Fire!]

Back in the early 80's I bought a new one, stainless. I put about 20,000 rounds through that thing and never once had a jam, misfire, stovepipe, etc. I had at the time the 40 round magazines. I had it about five years or so before trading it on something else. When I sold it, it looked just like the day I bought it, and shot just as well, too!

[Ignition Override]

Rexster:
I met an LEO in eastern AR who carries a Mini 14. It had some nice accessory sights.

On a side note in a different situation, the LEOs who were suddenly attacked in West Memphis months ago during a routine traffic stop had no idea that the people they stopped were about to go berserk with AK clones. There might have been a warrant out for them in Indiana.

The LEOs did not need an MOA rifle-they just needed rifles or a shotgun. Maybe there was one in the car, but if so, they were pinned down too quickly to grab it, and hit, fatally.
But the rabidly (as in rabies) anti-govt. anarchists' fire was very intense, and they knew how to use their AK clones.

[Rich223]

Post 2005 mini14's, the 580 + series, are actually quite accurate, 2-3 MOA, like a standard low-mid range AR contrary to what AR fanboys will tell u ;) but with the added 2 bennefits of - price - and more reliability. Between AK and AR, i think mini is the best of both worlds. Prices are jumping up though, and for good reason, thicker barrels, more accuracy, same reliability. get a 580 or 581 series, then u'll understand :D

[Welding Rod]

Goodness, if I had an AR that couldn't shoot better than 2-3 MOA it would go back to the manufacturer or be traded in immediately. Likewise if I bought an AR that had the functional problems of 2 of my 3 Mini 14s (all brand new) they would have been sent back or traded as well (which 2 of the Minis were).

Fortunately my "low-mid range" RRA guns shoot way better than that and have never experienced a gun related functional problem. Same goes for my presumably "higher grade" Colt or BCM guns.

I like Ruger's designs alot, and have owned many of them. It is the QC thing that Ruger struggles with. They take a nice design and screw many of them up with poor workmanship or manufacturing processes out in the production shop.