Help a NYer with a rifle purchase.

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Shopping A Round

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Living in Buffalo NY, my options are pretty limited in terms of AR's because of our Assault Weapons ban of 1994 that has no expiration date. However, the Ruger Mini 14 seems to be a good alternative that is still legal to own.

Dick's has a wooden stock Mini for $680 which will come out to $740 with tax. They do not usually carry Mini's so they can't order out.

Buffalo Gun Center has the aluminum stock version for $750 which comes out to $815 about with tax.

My questions are:
Are there any other auto-loading rifles similar to the Ruger Mini 14?

How are the above mentioned prices?
 
Help a NYer with a rifle purchase.
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My best advice, elect new office holders until you come up with leaders that have some common sense. Any gun owner (and this is no indictment against you personally; I don't know how active you are politically) who lives in gun-hostile territory and isn't politically active needs to get up and moving.

That said, the Saiga carbines built off AK receivers, but with conventional stocks MIGHT pass the local stink test, but not knowing New York laws I'm only guessing.

KR
 
The prices seem fair, neither are steals but those are hard to come by retail.

I have no idea whats legal up there but I really like the wood and blue mini. The AR's, Mini's and Saiga's all have their pros and cons but I think the mini's are as good as any for general use. In my opinion for a tough iron sights rifle the mini wins of the 3. If you want optics/pin point accuracy the AR's are better. Saigas are great deals if you want something cheaper, although most Saigas end up costing more than $1000 when they are finished.
 
You can still buy an AR. Just can't have bayonet lug or a flash hider and has to have a fixed stock. Stag Arms makes a version that fits the requirements and it uses a muzzle brake instread of a flash hider. Other companies might also, but I'm not familiar with all of them.
 
Check next gunshow, last one I visited in Syracuse had AR, AK, Saigas, Minis as well, the post above is correct you can buy them as long as they have 16" barrel straight stock and semiautomatic, I bought saiga in 308 back then, was like $470 which I sold not long time ago, just didn't want invest more money in to it...
 
You can have whatever you want really. I live in brockport and have a converted saiga. There are plenty of ways to get around the ban and still have a legal rifle. If you want more info feel free to PM me.

We can also go shoot sometime!
 
There is a big gun show this weekend at the Rochester Dome Expo center. There will be lots of AR's, saiga's, ak' and sks'. I like rugers, but for $740 you can buy a complete Del-ton upper and lower (post ban), have it shipped and do the FFL transfer for less!
 
Stole this from someone in the WTS section (sorry!) but a gun like this, in .308 as it is or similar in .223 would be perfectly legal.

IMG_5197.jpg
 
last time i was in buffalo gun center, they had a big stock of 20 round preban mags too, and the prices were not that bad.

nyfirearms.com has a decent forum, and a LOT of discussion on what is legal, and a lot of people show their builds so you might get a better idea of exactly what you can get.


you could still get a preban for a not horrible price if you shop around, maybe a nice SP1?
 
Used to be a New Yorker myself. Shop around for a pre-ban rifle. Build whatever you want on the lower. Sell whatever parts you didn't use ... and you're good to go. I built a nice carbine with bayonet lug, flash hider, collapsible stock, etc., on the lower from a pre-ban Colt Match HBAR. You could do the same, if you really want the pre-ban features. But if they're not critical to your needs, there are plenty of guns in post-ban configuration available.

I had a Mini-14 once. It functioned flawlessly, but I couldn't get it to group less than three inches at 100 yards, which I found unacceptable. Sold it to fund the AR build. Never looked back.
 
another option to the mini would be a keltec, as long as you dont mind plastic. It takes ar mags, is real light, and looks sort of neat when the front forend is unfolded into a bipod. Folds in half too, and when unfolded, stores mags in the stock(I think, maybe its only certain guns that do this).
 
True about the Pre-Ban AR, they are still around albeit at premium prices. But there are quite a few choices in Post Ban AR configurations. Bushmaster makes the AK Shorty series, basically a M4 with an AK muzzle brake and no bayonet lug. DPMS has the basic Low Pro Classic(have one) that will out shoot any Min14. It is a bull barrel target crowned upper. Price on those are generally very reasonable. DPMS has another version that uses a Miculek compensator. Those are just a few, I know most makers offer something.

A couple of NY points. The rifle has to not have a bayonet lug, flash hider (muzzle brake OK) or a collapsible stock. Nothing that is deleted effects the performance of the rifle except maybe the muzzle brakes which tend to make the gun loud.

Magazines! Plenty of Pre-Ban Mags for the AR at prices less than the basic Ruger 20 rounder. Also I don't think you are gonna find too many Ruger pre-ban mags at any price let alone reasonable so you will be stuck with 5 & 10's. It is OK to put a pre-ban mag in a post ban gun, no legal issues there.

Good luck and do some research, plenty of AR options out there. The price maybe a little greater than the Ruger but I think you will make up for it with the price of mags. Also, if it works for you definately check out the DPMS Low-Pro. Mine is an absolute tack driver with one of the best factory AR triggers I have felt. Bill
 
I have to add that NYS has no ban on forward vertical grips. So you can put one of those on your gun, just no collapsible stock.
 
Thanks for all of the help everyone. I think the Bushmaster and Remington rifles with the fixed stocks look pretty enticing. The Bushmaster gets the nod because of the all black color.

I am a little confused about the magazines. Do you think the Mini's or the AR's pre ban magazines will be cheaper?
 
AR for sure, pre-ban can still be had around for around $25 new. Cheapest Ruger mag I have seen is around $30 for new post ban, pre-ban are more. Take a look over at Gunbroker.com and search for pre-ban mags to get an idea. I seldom see Ruger pre-ban mags at all. Bill
 
Keep in mind that there is a pretty substantial difference in accuracy between the average Mini and the average AR. The Mini (even the the newer ones) are nowhere near as accurate as the AR and there are many, many more options available fo the AR. I bwelieve in the long run you would be more satisfied with an AR.
 
I did as you said and found a batch of 10 preban Colt AR15 mags on gunbroker for $200.

What is the guarantee that they are preban?
 
The OP didn't really state the characteristics they were looking for in a rifle, but I believe that I saw some SKSs for sale in a NY state gunshop. Not as accurate, but if it is a SHTF type of rifle that is desired, that would be an excellent non-neutered choice.
 
When Cuomo and Levy and Pallatino come your way you make sure n ask them each their opinions on repealing the Assault Weapons Ban there.
Al
 
I live in Chemung county in the state of NY, this is one of the few counties which allows rifles during hunting season, so this county and few other neighboring counties never voted for who is in charge in this state, it really doesn't matter what we vote for, since NYC represent the whole state, because majority of votes are coming from them. Looking at the handguns issue, where I have to apply for pistol permit even if keep gun at home, so if its for home only it has to reside in the house, even with black powder pistols, I can have one without permit, but if I have powder and bullets for it I got to get permit for it, I think one of this days I will immigrate across the border to Pennsylvania :D
 
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