Mini 14 as emergency battle rifle

[Lobotomy Boy]

With the availability of folding stocks and non-restricted mags, I've been thinking about picking up a cheap Mini 14 as a rifle to have on hand in case of an emergency situation. I know they aren't tack drivers, but neither is an AK47, and the AK47 has a pretty solid history as a rugged, reliable, and effective battle rifle.

I've been thinking about picking up a .223 caliber rifle for a SHTF situation. I don't need it for hunting--I'll use a 22-250 for that--and it will spend most of its life in the safe. Because of that, I hate to drop huge dollars on an AR-15. I want something that will not cost a lot to put in the safe, but that will work reliably should I need it. I want one that needs minimum maintenance, and that will prove rugged in adverse conditions. The Ruger seems to fit the bill. I can find solid used examples for under $400, pick up a folding stock for $60-70 bucks, and get some reliable 30-round mags, and about half the money invested that I would have if I bought a good AR.

Any major flaws in the Mini 14 that might make my plan backfire?

 

[Pilgrim]

I suppose that as long as you don't get the urge to make it a tack driver, your economy argument makes sense.

Pilgrim

 

[telcom911]

Accuracy

after the first half dozen rnds is the only down side to the mini-14. It is a reliable kick-around-the-truck-bed-drop-in-the-mud shooter. I have a ranch rifle model and it is a good little rifle. Pleanty accurate to take the heads off praire dogs at 75-100 yds, well at least for the first few rounds, if it gets hot the groups open up to about 4 inches. Still pleanty accurate for what you want it for. The mini gets a bad rap from AR snobs. The gun was never meant to be a range tack driver/competion rifle, its a working gun.

As a SHTF/truck gun, it's hard to beat.

 

[Bwana John]

I used to have 4 different minis for let it rust in the truck gun kind of guns. I now have a SKS for the same thing. Same accuracy and precision as the mini, with a chrome lined barrel and chamber. 1/3 the price of a new mini, in a caliber sutible for deer sized game. Less expensive ammo. No s#itty mags to worry about, just a bandoleer full of stripper clips. My experances with SKSs have shown them to be dependable, while one of my minis was not. I have nothing against Ruger, or the basic platform that the Mini copys. I do like to use the best tool for the job, which for me in truck guns is the SKS. For you guys in Kali, how long before the powers that be (Di Fi, Barb Box, ect...) figure out that a mini has a detachable hi-cap mag, just like the less PC AKs, and ARs and is banned also. The SKS with its fixed 10 shot mag dosent have that problem, and I find stripper clip reloads actually faster in the long run than reloading empty mags.

 

[rbernie]

It's a good idea if you can find one for cheap. That seems to be the big issue - finding one used for less than $400 seems to be well neigh impossible, and new ones are commanding at least $550.

The SKS in 7.62x39 is a good alternative, as is the Saiga (which can be had chambered in either 7.62x39 or .223). The Saiga has crappier ergonomics than the Ruger, but you can get it for half the price of the Ruger and spend the delta paying for the folding stock and other such farkles.

 

[308win]

Reliable hicap mags for the mini are a hit/miss proposition unless you can find factory mags and are willing to pay the big bucks they command. Were it me, I would get a quality AK derivitive. I have owned a mini ranch for four or so years now and don't use it much. Not sure why I bought it to be honest. Not a lot of value for what you pay for it IMHO. I use Masen 10rd mags and have found them to be reliable.

 

[glocksman]

and get some reliable 30-round mags

Do these mythical creatures really exist?

I got rid of my Mini years ago (1992-93) precisely because I couldn't find any reliable aftermarket hicap mags and Bill Ruger believed that civilians didn't need any more than 5 rounds.

I wound up taking a $200 loss on the weapon, repro Ruger factory folding stock, and mags after I sold it and bought an AR.

For a cheap .223 rifle, I'd pick up a Romanian SAR AK clone before I'd get a Mini-14.

 

[mustanger98]

I suppose that as long as you don't get the urge to make it a tack driver, your economy argument makes sense.

Well, actually, there's a gunsmith- http://www.greatwestgunsmithing.com/welcome.htm - who does Mini-14 and there trigger jobs are just $45 inluding return shipping. Their price for the Choate flash suppressor (w/ front sight) is also $45 (those may be had cheaper) and the flash suppressor will change the barrel harmonics. and from what I understand from some guys who did this, it does tighten up the groups. If you add a recoil buffer- you can do that one yourself; it goes right in front of the receiver and just keeps the op rod from pounding on that point- that's another cheap improvement.

From what I've heard, an AR can be like a Swiss Army knife and it's said to be a great match rifle. But the Mini-14 is the one to have when you'll be away from your toolbox a while.

I've heard a lot of good about SKS too, but in a SHTF scenario, you better have something that'll shoot what they issue. IIRC, but I could be confusing with something else, I'm thinking you can get stripper clip guides for Mini-14 mags too; I know they have 'em for M16 and AK mags. One thing I thought of a good while back is if I have to use the enemy's ammo, I'll probably have his weapon too. But, when you get out of that situation, it'd be nice to have your own preferred weapon in that caliber.

Thing about all this talk about SHTF, we really don't yet know which way it'll come from so I'd say just get something in the different calibers and buy plenty of ammo. Then when/if it hits, you have some to carry you till you see how it's going.

 

[Wildalaska]

Mini 14s, simply because they are reliable, are verypopular in Bush Alaska.


WildastorugerspoliticsileavethattoothersAlaska

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

if you bed the rifle and put a flash hider/muzzle brake on it, it'll be plenty accurate enough, and you won't spend much in the way of money on it.

 

[Fiero]

I'm with Glocksman on this one. I guess you could say I'm a AR snob.

I own two mini-14's and a mini thirty.

Good hi-cap magazine availability is crappy. The method and implementation of mag retention that Ruger is using does not help.

I would NEVER rely on my mini's for an emergency battle rifle. They are a strictly "one shot already in the chamber, better make it count" rifle. All follow-up shots degrade in accuracy and feed reliability on any aftermarket hi cap mags, is relatively speaking, abysmal. Magazine switching is awful as well.

I can't see rating a gun that has all these downsides as a good "emergency battle rifle".

If you are top notch at unjamming, and dealing with a lousy mag retention implementation, ruger style, then go for it.

If you like a mini, you'll love an M1 Carbine. It has none of the deficiencies of the Ruger. A true emergency battle rifle.

 

[Preacherman]

I agree with Bwana John on the superiority of the 7.62x39mm. round for a general-purpose knock-about rifle. However, instead of the SKS, I'd strongly recommend a Saiga rifle in that caliber. They retail for under $200, come with a 10-round magazine, and EAA is now importing high-capacity magazines for them, so that soon you'll be able to have a 20- or 30-round mag (or simply convert the Saiga's to handle standard AK-47 magazines, which is very easy to do).

The Saiga's are at least as accurate as the Mini-14, come in a decent caliber (and you can get one in .223 if you want one), and have all the legendary reliability of the AK-47. They cost less (new) than half the price of a (used) Mini-14. What's not to like?

 

[4v50 Gary]

SKS - cheaper $ and no magazines to buy.

If you must go Ruger, find a source for PMI 20-30 round magazines. Shorten the barrel to 16 1/2" to make it more rigid (and accurate).

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

the reliability problems are a magazine catch issue. ruger changed the height of the magazine catch, seating the magazine lower.

with the death of the AWB, magazines should fall in price some.

 

[PAC 762]

Another vote for an AK or SKS variant....

 

[dave3006]

Cut the barrel down to 16". No POI drift and 2-3 MOA accuracy. Buy PMI mags.

The Mini will perform fine.

 

[JShirley]

I know they aren't tack drivers, but neither is an AK47, and the AK47 has a pretty solid history as a rugged, reliable, and effective battle rifle.

Okay, AKs are not tack drivers, but are reliable. Agreed. However, just because a Mini is also not a tack driver, does not mean it is automatically as rugged as an AK!

AK...as rugged and reliable as an AK.

John

 

[benEzra]

Do these mythical creatures really exist?

Yes. I've had flawless feeding from a preban Triple K metal thirty-rounder, as well as from Ram-Line 30-round polymer "combo mags" (also fit AR-15 and AR-180). The Ram-Lines may be on the fragile side, though; I've never broken one, but I've never dropped the rifle on one, either.

Just got a Butler Creek sidefolder for mine this week (been waiting ten years to get a folder--almost bought one in mid-'94 and didn't, and have been kicking myself ever since). Do be aware that while the folder is great for storing the gun in a relatively compact configuration, it's pretty much useless as a weapon with the stock folded; get one you can extend in a hurry. The Choate and Butler Creek sidefolders are both good in this regard, but I would avoid a 2-hinge folder like the Ruger factory model or the old Ram-Line folder; you can't just slap one of those open in one motion.

Another word of unsolicited advice--if you plan to scope one, get the Ranch Rifle (mine's a Ranch), but get a rugged fixed-power scope and not a cheap variable. Mini's really beat up scopes (probably that heavy op rod slamming around), and I tried for years to get a 3-9x Simmons to hold zero on my mini before finally ditching it and getting better groups with the factory iron sights.

As far as the mini for emergency use, mine (loaded with 40-grain JHP's) is my backup home-defense gun. It's never malfunctioned in somewhere between 2000 and 3000 rounds; I recently replaced the recoil spring for a Wolff spring (just because), but I've never had any real problems with it. Accuracy (10+ MOA after the first few shots) is not very good, but sufficient for most defensive/SHTF type situations I can think of. And with sufficiently fragile bullets (e.g., light JHP's), it actually penetrates less in building materials than a 9mm.

Having said all that, I also own a Romanian SAR-1. At 36" long, the SAR with a nonfolding stock is only 8" longer than the mini with the stock folded (28"). Magazines are dirt cheap ($10 for a like-new milsurp 30-rounder), 100% reliable, and built like tanks. Ammunition is cheaper than .223, slightly more powerful, and legal for deer (although it undoubtedly penetrates more in building materials). Reliability is flawless, and the SAR edges out the mini in "cool factor." And if the proverbial S ever looked as if it was going to actually H the F, I'd probably grab the SAR over the mini. Since the SAR is also about $300 cheaper than a new mini plus a new aftermarket folding stock, if I didn't own either and were going to buy a defensive rifle, it'd definitely be the SAR-1 (or a SAR-2 in 5.45x39). The price difference alone would buy you 3000 rounds (!) of 7.62x39, at 45$/500 for Wolf 122-gr JHP.

 

[Mannlicher]

its pretty evident who has used a Mini 14, and who just says they have. For anyone to go on about a Mini being unreliable, or jamming just shows that they have no expereince with one, and are most likely just blathering away with info form other bogus replys.
The Mini might not be the most accurate rifle out of the box, but it can easily and cheaply be made accurate, and they are rock solid reliable. Period
I shoot mine often, and have carried it around in the truck and car for many years. Never a problem.
With the availaibility of LEO mags now, even that old problem has been solved.

 

[JShirley]

I was merely pointing out a fallacy of logic.

 

[Domino]

The Mini-14 is a common choice for the purpose Lobotomy Boy was reffering to. When I was a boy, my father had several SKS rifles that he had bought and intended to use as truck guns, and has now decided to stick with a CZ 527 in 7.62X39 as his primary truck gun. I'm under the opinion that you could use virtually anything as a SHTF rifle because anything is better than nothing! But if you desired a .223 autoloader that was not overpriced I would encourage you to get one that accepts M16 magazines as well (do to reliability and availability in a SHTF scenerio). But I am not saying to not get the mini, it would be just fine for backup firepower. Enjoy!

 

[jeff-10]

Nothing at all wrong with a Mini. Reliable and plenty of punch in a small package. It may not be as refined or have as many accesories as the AR pattern rifles but it is none the less a fine carbine. Just one of those firearms that is often maligned on online forums.

 

[cracked butt]

For the $500 or so that you woul dspend on a mini, you could get a M1 Garand, a real battle rifle.

 

[jimmyp50]

How many countries have specified the Mini 14 as a battle weapon and equipped their troups with it? Does anyone know?? Zero is the number that pops into my head.....

 

[mustanger98]

I'm noticing a couple of posts that include derogatory references to the Mini-14's mags and mag release. It uses the same system as the full sized M-14. And I've never had a problem with mine.