Question on Ruger Mini-14

Thermold magazines are a hit and miss. Most often they work some of the time.

^^ Exactly. Unless something has changed, factory Ruger or John Masen for best reliability.

someguy2800 said:

I love the design but was soured on them because the only 3 I ever shot were just lousy inaccurate. My brother bought one of the target model ones like 15 year ago for prairie dogging and it was like 6-8" groups. If they have actually fixed the accuracy problems like people say I think they would be a great fun gun. I still wouldn't pay the going rate for them but if I found a good enough deal on a newer one I would give it a go.

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Mini 14 target came out in 2007.... eleven years ago. They do much better than 6-8inch groups, you have to actually turn the harmonic dampener to tune in loads. That's the big roundy thingy that goes up and down on the end of the barrel.

Speedo66 said:

I see Sportsman's Guide is selling 3 packs of 30 round Thermold magazines for $25. Anybody have any experience with them?

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My experience with Sportsman's Guide was less than exemplary. To put it plain, they sell things,
as to backing what they sell, not so much. That said, I only buy Ruger brand mags for ANY Ruger.
There's a lot of cheesy knock-offs out there, and they aren't at all interested in you, your opinion of their
product, or repeat business, once they have your money. As someone earlier said, Minis aren't ARs.
This is especially true with respect to mags.

$25 for 3 mags, heck, I'd buy a pack just for kicks. If you can even get one out of the three that runs, you're pretty much money ahead over the OEM Rugers.

That being said, if you want one that you know will work, Ruger's about your only option.

Through the years I have had probably 3-4 mini 14's my favorite were the originals just based on the the look with wooden top cover but my last is a 580's series and it costisntly 3 Moa compared to the originals which were 6+ on a good day also found it would really only shoot 55gr halfway decent in sure due to the vintage and twist rate , one thing I did learn after selling my first was to keep any factory ruger 20 and 30 rd mags even if I sell the mini I'll end up with an other one at some point

With my Mini 30 and Mini 6.8, the only thing lacking at the house is a 14. I was thinking of getting one after I get from my next Journey which is to Hawaii leaving tomorrow. I read all the comments about inaccurate Mini's and I tend to agree at times. My Mini 6.8 was in that group. But one trip to a specialist and it is now a super accurate carbine. I see the point on the AR's, but counter with living with the Safe Act here can certainly tilt the scales to the Mini.

I'm that AR guy. I say buy it if you are prohibited from owning an AR but can own a mini 14. Otherwise, compare prices of guns, magazines (minis typically only function reliably with Ruger factory mags BTW) And then compare the capabilities/limitations of optics mounting as well as any other accessories (blot-on accessories like lights, as well as enhancement accessories like match triggers, etc.) you may want to mount in the future. Then decide.

Kame B. said:

Mini 14 target came out in 2007.... eleven years ago. They do much better than 6-8inch groups, you have to actually turn the harmonic dampener to tune in loads. That's the big roundy thingy that goes up and down on the end of the barrel.

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This would have been 2003 or 2004ish. I don’t recall it having a barrel tuner, it had a heavy barrel and I think no iron sights. Worst shooting rifle I’ve ever seen, he sold after fighting with it for a month.

I just bought a new 584 series Mini 14 (.223/5.56). I'm not an AR fan and I wanted something to replace my M1 Carbine. I know, you can buy an AR for $500 and there's all these negative vibes out there in cyberspace regarding the Mini 14, but I bought one anyway. In many ways the AR makes more sense but I don't really care.

I've had this rifle about 2 weeks and had it to the range twice. I have a 1-4 VX-2 Leupold scope on it. So far the only thing I've done to it is change the gas bushing. Up next is a trigger job.

I would have to say this particular rifle is a 2 MOA shooter right now. I think I can tighten that up a little with a tuned 3.5 trigger and do a little work with some loads, we'll see. If it doesn't improve much I'm still happy with it.

Several things I really like about it. It's easy to take down and thoroughly clean. It also uses a gas piston and an op rod like the older US military carbine, garand and M-14. The bolt looks the same as a M1 carbine bolt. That was a pretty good design and still works. I like old stuff anyway because I'm old.

I'd be happy with a 2 MOA Mini 14.

Legionnaire said:

I'd be happy with a 2 MOA Mini 14.

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Yeah, even for small varmints, you're usually going to hit what you're aiming at.

I bought one when Wally World put them on clearance.

Although I am a fan of the Garand action, I avoided them for years due to Internet "knowledge." And there is a PSA store right around the corner with cheap AR goodness. But the price was right. So, from my experience with a 2017 Mini:
-It is a solid 2-3MOA rifle.
-Sights are OK, tech-sights are better.
-the Promag 20 round metal mags are 100% - <$20
-Tapco GenII magazines are also cheap and good to go, but the Promags are more solid.
-make sure you get the right shooting lane, because the brass moves about as fast as the projectile.

Since I bought it, it has gotten more range time than all the ARs combined. It is very fun to shoot, and about the same accuracy as the basic ARs.

I almost never use scopes, though, and obviously the AR will do that better. I am not old enough to need a scope, so I'll keep clinging to irons until I do.

This is a mini 14 3 shot group.

Catpop said:

This is a mini 14 3 shot group.View attachment 810202

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I said I saw well enough to still shoot irons - I never said I can still shoot irons WELL. If it can hit a clay at 100 yards pretty much every time, that's about the smallest thing I can see.

I don’t see any one here putting down the Mini 14, just listing the short comings it has had over the years.
Are the new Mini 14 better then the old ones? Hell yes. Ask anyone who has ever shot a Mini 14 and just about all will say that it’s a fun gun to shoot.
I think the one big thing that the Mimi 14 has going against it right now is the price.

Roger that!

GunnyUSMC said:

I think the one big thing that the Mimi 14 has going against it right now is the price

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Yeah, it's hard to justify seven fiddy when you can do the same thing for five. I usually don't have to look at the price of a firearm and think about it too long if I can get it in the door and set it up the way I want it for under a grand. I already had the scope and the mods will run me about another $125 so I'm under budget. Trigger went out yesterday to get tuned.

First one for me and man is it fun to shoot.

I agree about the prices being very high over last few years. I bought my min14 in 2011 for around $699. They go for 750-899now? Wow
I thought that you could just buy a used one for less, but now that I've been looking at used rifles, I cannot find a Mini 14 for sale on the used gun racks.
Are people holding onto them? or are they selling so fast that they're all gone before I get to the store? I often wonder

mrmike7189 said:

I agree about the prices being very high over last few years. I bought my min14 in 2011 for around $699. They go for 750-899now? Wow
I thought that you could just buy a used one for less, but now that I've been looking at used rifles, I cannot find a Mini 14 for sale on the used gun racks.
Are people holding onto them? or are they selling so fast that they're all gone before I get to the store? I often wonder

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They go pretty fast on the racks at my LGS. I was watching a used one about a month ago and it went in about a week. It was like new and price was pretty high. I would have made an offer but it was a 180 series.

The Mini is like a wolf in sheep's clothing. With a wood stock it doesn't look anything like an AR. Still legal in CA I hear.

CoalTrain49 said:

They go pretty fast on the racks at my LGS. I was watching a used one about a month ago and it went in about a week. It was like new and price was pretty high. I would have made an offer but it was a 180 series.

The Mini is like a wolf in sheep's clothing. With a wood stock it doesn't look anything like an AR. Still legal in CA I hear.

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Yes ....and still legal in the Northeast where AR15's have been banned.

Nothing wrong with AR's, used one that my previous employer said I needed when traveling to far away vacation spots. But give the Mini its due. I don't need a light or a place to hang tacticool. I put some bucks into mine, but sometimes that is just the price of doing business. The trigger is to die for, the ergonomics nice. It does have nice Ruger built in mounts that I take full advantage of. Mine has never ever barfed a load of carbon and hot spent gasses on my bolt and chamber. It doesn't go twang when I shoot, and It looks good in wood.

Ruger is still making them, so the market for them exists. Somebody is out there buying them. I am one of those.

I like my Ranch 5816 just fine. 100% reliable and at the range (25 -150 yards) I use it for,it will accurately get the job done. For longer distances I use my CZ 527 with a scope. I have nothing what so ever against the AR I and like to shoot my friend's 6920. I just don't need more than one 5.56 semi auto carbine and the Ranch Rifle covers that slot nicely for me .