Looking at a Ruger mini 14 Tactical, but

[WRGADog]

I have never owned a Ruger and am concerned with the reliability and accuracy of the Mini 14. Would appreciate experience and comments others have with this weapon.

 

[briansmithwins]

What do you want to do with the rifle?

I've been shooting AKs at local rifle matches. 4MOA gets me hits on 12" steel plate at 300 yards, which are the hardest targets I shoot. Of course, 4MOA would be useless for a Palma shooter.

BSW

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

I had one. (At the time - 2000 - it was not called "tactical.) It was 100% reliable with brass ammo and factory magazines. Aftermarket magazines that hold more than five rounds (the capacity at the time) are of very questionable quality. I did find one by Thermold that worked. The Mini-14 usually does not have much more than 4 MOA accuracy, but that is more than adequate to keep people's heads down at any distance you care to shoot at them, as well as medium game, e.g., coyotes.

 

[bkb0000]

i had a stainless/poly "all-weather" model from about 2000-2001 or so.. it was kind of fun, but .223/556 was readily available at less than $0.10 per round back then. you could easily afford to have "fun" with an inaccurate, inexpensive, less-reliable weapon system. nowadays, it would just be a total waste of ammo.

i got 6-4MOA, depending on ammo, and did have a broken extractor about 400 rounds into the weapon's life. aside from that, i never had any "jams" to speak of.. it would double-feed with KKK magazines, but KKK magazines- and anything else KKK makes- are complete and total pieces of hammered dog ****.

 

[1KPerDay]

There are a billion threads on this WRGADog, try a search and read to your heart's content.

the majority will say:
1. Minis are very reliable
2. Older (previous to the current generation) minis are not particularly accurate but can be helped with some simple adjustments
3. Most people have found the factory magazines to be the only ones that will work reliably, and they are relatively pricey.

the rest is up for grabs.

 

[stubbicatt]

Supposedly the 580 series has hammer forged barrels, and are reputed to do about 2 MOA, which is all the better that I can shoot these days from anything other than prone anyways. I really like these rifles, and may buy one some day soon... Just I don't really need another 223, as I rarely shoot the "tactical" rifle I have, and usually just shoot prairie dogs with my bolt rifle.

It is a quick pointing, rapid firing, extremely reliable rifle.

I am so over the pistol grip on a rifle. It doesn't help me at all. I much prefer the standard configuation such as the Mini, or the M1a. But YMMV.