Does any one have a Ruger mini14 ifso let me know if there worth the money.

[def4pos8]

RIGHT! -- but a .223 or 7.62x39 is FAR more effective than .30 Carbine.

I bought my first Mini-14 in '82 or so (for about $230! ) because it was more affordable than an AR-15. I traded it for an AR-15 when I managed to get that pretty, wooden handguard to smoldering after firing thirty rounds. . . . That left a really neat stripe on the underside!

I'm havin' fun with my Ranch Rifle. Son #2 will enjoy the AR-15 'cause that's what he became familiar with at Parris Island.

 

[ArmedBear]

Bottom line from all the posts: get the stainless one.

I clean mine when I bloody well feel like it. Never had problems feeding, firing, cycling, whatever.

Personally, I like the ergonomics of the little carbine in synthetic a good deal better than the AR platform. That's not to put down the AR or claim the Mini is a better rifle; I just like the way the little Mini holds and points -- which is interesting because I lean towards full-sized rifles generally.

It's no long-range MOA paper puncher (I have the older model, c. 2005). In a Katrina situation, though, I'd grab the Mini-14 first and foremost, because like my 870, it's the gun I'd trust to fire whenever I pulled the trigger, come hell or high water.

 

[benEzra]

The old ones were often characterized by bad accuracy (my 188-series Ranch Rifle, ~6-inch groups with match ammo at 100 yards). The newer ones are reportedly better.

Stainless is much lower maintenance than blued. I lived in Florida for years, and never had any problems with rust on my stainless Ranch Rifle (worst was a tiny bit of surface rust on the barrel after the rifle spent a few days in the trunk of my car after a hurricane, in 100 degrees and 100% humidity).

In 20 years, I've never experienced a single jam when using factory ammunition and decent magazines. Reliability was 100%. Ergonomics weren't bad, though I disliked the straight stock and put a pistol grip stock (and eventually a folder) on mine.

Downsides: lousy accuracy for late '80s and 1990s production (reportedly better with the new ones); cost relative to imported guns (a nice mini costs nearly as much as an AR, and if you want a pistol grip stock on the mini then the mini/AR price is close to even); and magazine availability (good mags are out there, but are less common than AR mags, and you have to find good ones by trial and error).

BTW, if you ever intend to scope the mini-14, you will want the Ranch Rifle variant, which comes with built-in scope bases.

 

[Ranger J]

Never had any trouble getting mine to function. Accuracy was something else. SKS and Saiga were much better. Mini-30 now gone, don't miss it.
RJ

 

[bhk]

I have a newer 580 series mini and love it for what I use it for. It shoots under 2 1/2 inch 100 yard groups with cheap WW White Box or Remington from WalMart with a 4x Burrris on it. The iron sights on the new series mini are great (same as Ashley sights) and mine has never jammed with any magazine I have put in it.

If I have a gripe with it (and an older mini I used to have), it is that changing bullet weights changes impact points very substantially. My bolt .223 rifle shoots most bullet weights to about the same point of aim.

 

[flinglead]

Mini 14, 30 ?

Dont Do it!
I had a 580 series. It would shoot 5" groups at 100yd. and ALWAYS produced random flyers 12" off center. Change ammo, and impact point of the whole gouping varied as much as 8". It wasnt me. Its that whippy barrel and poor execution of the gas block's attachement. I shoot a ton and do not have either such a problem with other equipment. If you look at a mini and read about how to accurize it, you'll realize just how sloppy ruger puts these together.

Ruger makes some nice stuff but mini is not one of those items. It has potential if you dont mind having $1000 or more in a custom gun. Dont buy that line about the 580 series being better. Mine sucked.

If money is a concern at all and you like the 7.62x39 cartridge get yourself a used norinco sks for a couple of hundred and a butler creek stock. For me this has proven to be more accurate by far, and alost 1/3 the total price.
two cents laid down. Have fun whatever you do.

 

[lathedog]

I've owned two different minis over the years and they were OK. Accuracy was not great, maybe 5 or 6 inches at 100 yds, and I have other rifles I can shoot better. I hear the new ones can cut that in half. The new target version looks like something an ape from the future would shoot at Chuck Heston with from horseback (or at Mark Wahlberg in the more recent version of the movie).

Mine worked perfect with factory 5 rd mags and quality commercial ammo. I got rid of them before all the recent Wolf ammo (steel case, etc) so have no comment on that. Factory reloaded ammo gave mine heartburn on more than one occasion. I had factory 20 rd mags that worked great.

I would kinda like to have one for casual plinking, but cannot justify the expense when an AR kit and stripped lower are about the same price, or a CMP Garand for that matter. The real show stopper for me is that I could buy an SKS for so much cheaper.

My buddy had a mini-30 and it was alright at best. Accuracy was minute of pie-plate at 50 yds. Non-factory mags were a waste of time and money. It locked up twice - gas block to op rod (or whatever Ruger calls that part - op rod, bolt carrier, I don't know). This was in a low humidity environment. Too much oil on the carrier might be the cause (?) - I think a rubber mallet would be a good accessory for your toolkit if you buy one.

The minis are the right look, right package, right cartridge, right feel and balance - but made to be cheap to manufacture and an overall compromise for the buyer. Depending on what you need the rifle for and what you expect it to do you might be very happy.

No decent hi-cap mags can be found to my knowledge - maybe that has changed. The issues discussed on THR about Bill Ruger and the current Ruger leadership and gun control can be debated endlessly - let's see Ruger market some decent 20 and 30 round factory mags that work and then I will stand down on my suspicions and feel better about the company.

They seem to hold value so if you buy one and don't like it, you can probably recoup much of your investment. I'd recommend trying a recent manufacture mini, and let us know what you think and how it works for you. Life is too short to agonize over a decison that is largely reversable.

 

[Eagle1899]

A friend of mine, who is a Ruger nut, has had 5 of them. He has sold all five due to the lack of accuracy. I had him shoot my AR last time I seen him. 60 rounds and easy 2" groups at 100 (peep and post) have gave him alot to think about. He couldn't get over how light it was. And loved the RRA two stage. I like the look of the Mini and how it "feels" but I won't buy one.