Mini 14 guys

I've owned 2 Mini 14's in the past 20 years. I sold the last one just a few weeks ago. Both my Mini's were very reliable, I can't remember a single FTF or FTE that wasn't due to funky ammo or bad magazines. Like most autoloaders the magazine is the heart of it's reliablility. Good hicap mags for Mini's are expensive and not anywhere near as common as they are for AR's or AK's. But when you get good ones you'll have a very reliable rifle. I've heard claims from some people that Mini's aren't durable, but I had thousands of rounds through my first one with no problems whatsoever. The second one was safe queen and didn't have more than 500 rounds through it.

The real problem with the Mini is the lack of accuracy, or lack of it compared to other 223 semi auto's such as an AR-15. Both my Mini's shot between 4 and 6 inch groups at 100 yards. It's not too hard to tighten that up a bit, but without spending money on a better barrel I think 2.5" to 3" is about as good as you can do. Of course that's as accurate as any AK, which many shooters find acceptable.

Once I bought an AR my Mini's didn't get much range time. The AR is much more ergonomic and has more options for mounting accessories, and they're not that much more expensive. You can build a basic AR carbine for under $500.

My Mini is a fun gun - very reliable but - it sure as heck hates Russian ammo! Feed it homeloads or American eagle - some factory .223 Rem - it is a good gun. As most find tho - grouping at 100 is very sloppy ... four out of five might be on 2" but always seems that one flier will screw the group to 4" and more.

That aside ... close range gun, very compact and totable - still worth having in the armory! Just don't expect too much.

If you want a gun that's 1 MOA out of the box, then the mini's not for you. If you don't mind spending a little extra and using some elbow grease, it can turn into a fine performer.

Check this site for more info:
http://www.perfectunion.com/forums/index.php?showforum=8

My mini never jams, and I use junk ammo and cheap mags in it.

Reliable gun.

Hard to find mags over 10 rounds. Ruger factory mags over 5 not supplied to the general public.

Accuracy past 50 yards sucks.

I'll stick with the AR series.

I've had a mini-30 for over ten years and my dad has had a mini-14 since the early 80's, I don't remember seeing a malfunction in either one.

I've had two Mini-14's. Got the first one when I was about 14. I think they're nice little carbines. I love the Garand-derived design. Neither of mine, both of which were box-stock, ever malfunctioned. For me, they were good for about 2 MOA. I'd rather have an AR-15, but the Ruger is not bad at all. I'd rather have the Ruger than an AK, hands down.

I got the Mini-14 here in Kali by default. The only time I had a jam was when I used some crappy John Masen mags years ago. In fact, I just keep shooting it without cleaning.

Mini's don't jam. Reliability is their thing. If you live in free America (not Kali like me) get the AR. The Mini is a good gun. But, the AR is better.

Mini's are very relaible and with the right ammo will shoot 2" at a 100 yards. Mine likes LC 74 and opens up on others. New Ruger brand 20 rounders are available. I picked 3 up at a gunshow near Nashville, TN for $28 each right after the ban went off. Byron

Mini's are fun to shoot, the draw backs to the Mini are the Barrels(Loses MOA when hot) and the magizines (good hicaps are not cheap). If there was someway a Mini could accept AR mags and install a good 5.56 chambered barrel I would buy one.

Dutchman nails my problem with the mini. The first couple of rounds are reasonably accurate, but as that barrel warms up the rest of the magazine's output goes every which way. Makes for an OK field/varmint gun but put a couple of dozen rounds through it at the range and you will wish for an AR. I spent one very frustrating hour trying to bench shoot and zero one in. The more I shot the wilder the groups.

The BEST thing you can buy to enhance the accuracy of your Mini-14, short of a bull barrel is the barrel stabilizer from Clark Custom guns. I went from around 3 MOA...which is OK by mini-14 standards to just at 1 MOA with handloads. It's easy to install and only $245.

P.S. I've got a Butler Creek folding stock, 4 like new Ramline 30-round mags, and a few other things left over from my mini conversion that I have for sale.

Mike

I hate to deffer a topic to another forum, but really guys if you want info about the mini and how accurate it is and how accurate it can become, you need to read www.perfectunion.com

there is so much mini-14 info there its not even funny. Plus there is a "Barrel Strut" that a forum member just deleloped that in testing was shooting 5/8" at 100 yards. Mini's can be very accurate. Just ask the 2-3k coons I have shot with it.

have had no probs w/it. accuracy at 100 is acceptable. beyond that i have a little .223 bolt gun that does nicely. beyond that i have a heavy bbl .243, that weighs far too much to pack around, but makes amazing shots over a padded truck roof.

if you want deadly accuracy, get another gun. if you want a plinker, the mini 14 is great. puts coyoties in the graveyard dead category, with the right projectile of course if you are a reloader you can make everything a little better.

if you are married to a shooter; my woman loves the mini and is trying to wear it out for me

It all depends on what you want to do with the rifle.

If you want a benchrest rifle, the mini is not what you want, the AR would be a far better choice.

If you want a plinker/self-defense rifle, and don't want to fool with it, then you'd likely be better off with the AR.

If you don't mind doing a little work, cutting the barrel to 16", installing a muzzle break, bedding the action, then the mini will shine. With a good magazine, mini's work, period, and will be plenty accurate for most purposes.

I've had my Mini-30 for several years. No malfs at all with the stock magazine. I had several feeding problems while sorting out which of the cheap aftermarket 20-rounders to keep. As has been said, aftermarket high-caps are a pretty hit-or-miss proposition.

I bought it even though I have several SKSes, mostly because it is made of SS, shorter and lighter. It just made for a handier utility carbine in a caliber that I have lots of ammo for and whose performance characteristics I'm comfortable with.

Accuracy averages a good deal better than all but one of my SKSes, and on a par with it at 2-3 MOA. Plenty good enough for my purposes, if not exactly impressive.

It's my opinion that any semi-auto design that has parts in-motion during the firing cycle with any contact point to the barrel is going to be much tougher to get MOA or less capability out of than the direct-inpingement type like the AR. It stands to reason that keeping the barrel vibration harmonics consistant will be difficult when the point where a moving mass makes incidental contact during the cycle is almost certain to change with each firing.

Obviously, it can be done as demonstrated by the many M1-A and Garand Match rifles which will shoot 1 MOA with the right ammo. It just takes more work to get it.

Personally I think that, in a utility gun, toughness, handiness and reliability are more valuable than gilt-edged accuracy. It's a nice bonus, but not at the sacrifice of any of the above.

I bougt a Mini when I was 15. I have been 100% happy with it. I bought a couple of cheap USA mags. I can't remember having any jams.