mini 14 opinions

[benEzra]

I had one for years and then found a guy who wanted it and gave me 1k for it so I let it go.

If he wants to buy a second mini for a thousand bucks, let me know!!!!!

the mini-14 is rumored to have a 2-4" group at 100 yards, the sks gets 5-10" groups at 100 yards.

The best group I've ever gotten out of my mini is 5.5" at 100 yards, from sandbags, with Winchester white box (of all things!). I've tried different ammo (even Winchester 69-grain premium match, no improvement), different stocks, and a scope.

Attached is the target for my mini's best-ever 100 yard group.

 

[carlrodd]

http://www.accustrut.com/

The one add-on that every mini needs. Tunes them up very well. It is basicly a pipe that is clamped onto the mini barrel. A simple solution that works and it is cheap as well.

i looked at that site. two questions. is this for sale anywhere, or not yet? and is this seriously recommended?....just seems that, no matter how substandard an original design might be for certain uses, it is still the original, intended design, and fiddling with it might cause problems that would never have arisen if it was left alone.

 

[Buckskinner]

I added stuff to my stainless ranch right from the Cabela's catalog and it really improved the look (IMO) and accuracy. I added the Eagle HK type sight/flash hider combo, and the ventilated barrel shroud, which stiffens the barrel and keeps your hands from getting burnt. Also the Williams rear peep (which I hate, and can't wait to put an M1 carbine type sight on).

I just added the Amega scout scope mount, but haven't set up optics yet.

With the HK type front sight, and new peep rear, the best ammo is Hornady TAP. Although expensive, it will give me less than 2 MOA. In other words, I can shoot off hand and nail beer cans, pie plates and pine cones no problems.

If you are shooting at Eurasian invaders or Ivan the Terrible, you've got other problems.

Rule #1 in any fight for me is MAKE DISTANCE!!!!!!

 

[Buckskinner]

one more thing:

http://www.accustrut.com/
Even if they're not for sale yet, his "Accurizing Tips" page has lots of good info for Mini owners.

I had a trigger job done by Mike Knifong, and got his accurizing kit. Trigger was great, but I'm happy with 1.5" moa +/-.

 

[f4t9r]

I have had 2 mini 14's and just like the AR15 alot better.
For you since you cant stand the M16 then the mini is a good option both of mine worked fine. It is a nice option to get one with the scope rings.

 

[carlrodd]

If you are shooting at Eurasian invaders or Ivan the Terrible, you've got other problems.

Rule #1 in any fight for me is MAKE DISTANCE!!!!!!

i've got other tools for reaching out and touching someone. a fella needs all sorts of tools though.

 

[AZ Jeff]

In which case, the foreign counterpart will probably serve you better!

Actually, it becomes a trade-off in features. Your typical AK or SKS will have similar accuracy to a Mini-14, at a lower price, without a doubt.

However...........the Mini-14 will have better sights, and a better trigger (and the trigger can be further improved easily.)

So.....spending the extra cash for the Mini will get you some features you won't have with the Combloc rifles.

 

[zahc]

Pleaes elaborate on this gem of wisdom.

If you can't afford an AR, get an AK or nice SKS. Mini-14s are decent rifles, they just fill no niche IMO.

I have two rifles that won't hit the broad side of a barn, work every time, appear somewhat PC, and are fun to shoot. One of them was $100 and one was much more.

 

[MechAg94]

My Dad has had an Mini14 for years since I was a kid. I like the feel and handling of the gun and it is pretty accurate. I wouldn't mind having one, but really have little place for one in my inventory and can't justify spending the money right now especially with the magazine issue. I would like to get another .223 one of these days, but would likely get another AR or an SU-16 instead as they both would use the same mags I already have. I would probably get a 5.45 AK before a Mini-14.

I have a Yugo SKS with Tech Sights installed, but I think my Dad's mini-14 might a little easier to shoot accurately, but not much more. I was managing to hit some clay pigeons at 100 yards last weekend. (The Tech Sights really make that SKS fun to shoot.)

 

[ArmedBear]

If you can't afford an AR, get an AK or nice SKS. Mini-14s are decent rifles, they just fill no niche IMO.

The Mini 14 is a much better-handling little gun than either of the commie guns.

I own a Mini and an SKS, and I like shooting a friend's old pre-ban (pre-various-bans, as it's 100% imported) AK. The Mini is a lighter, more compact, better-handling rifle, hands down.

But it doesn't fill much of a real niche. Neither does the AR, in the civilian world. If the SHTF, the last thing I'd want is a finicky high-maint gun like an AR or a pea-shooter like a .223 in general. There's a lot to be said for a M14/M1A or a FAL, or a Marlin 336. And a good .22LR.

 

[rem870]

I personally like the mini14. I have a 181 series gb. It is fun for plinking and I like how light the gun is and how it handles. I think it is a better alternative for a small carbine than an sks.

 

[rangerruck]

get one made after jan 2005 , they changed all their specs, pours, tooling, electronics, etc. you may and i stress may get an moa one now, if you are lucky, even their avg ones now , they say will do 2 to 2.5 in at 100 yds. way better than the old ones.

 

[adaman04]

I originally was looking at an AK in a local newspaper. Somehow I ended up buying a new Mini-14. I like the .223 round and the versatility of the gun. No, it isn't a tack driver, no I wouldn't trade it for an AR, etc. I have some very minor modifications done on mine, and it shoots fair I guess. If you want bolt gun accuracy, you should go with a bolt gun. The AR is more accurate, but for a general purpose rifle, I think the Mini is a good choice.

www.perfectunion.com has lots of Mini info. Kkina is the creator of the accu-strut. He is a member there as well.

 

[MK11]

I buck the trend because I neither hate nor love my Mini-14 (first firearm I ever bought). I think the Mini 14 would do nicely as a truck gun or in any other close range self defense scenario except for the tiny pinprick of a rear sight. How are you supposed to quickly pick up something moving with that thing?

The price gap between the Mini and the AR-15 has narrowed to the point that the AR is much more gun for not that much more money.

 

[doc tc]

the new mini's do shoot much better out of the box. slip one into a hogue stock, install a decent sling and de-tune the recoil violence out of it (reduce the gas pressure by re-bushing the block or instal one of the new adjustable gas blocks and this little carbine (2005 and later) is adequate out to 300 meters). adequate for means capable of hitting dinner plates with iron sights from a bag at 300 meters.

no, dorothy, it is not a machine gun. during rapid fire it will get hot and it will get wild so if you are in an "oh god we are all gonna' die" sort of scenario maybe the mini is not your best choice. but that is not what you are supposed to do with it anyway. 5 rounds are enough if you keep your head together. 30 rounds aren't enough if you can't. besides, if you are in an "oh god we are all gonna' die" frame of mind you probably won't survive your fear so what gun you are waving around really won't make a helluva lot of difference.

so yeah. i like the mini. but then i have to as i live in california and here you just don't get to have an AR. actually, i don't want an AR. had one in 'nam and though it was ok, i greatly preferred the m14. now there was a rifle! yessir, nothing like humping the boonies lugging around a 10-12 pound rifle, 100% humidity, 110 degrees hot and sweating so hard you can't even see.

like the man says, you want to make 1" ragged holes in stuff at 100 meters go buy a bolt rifle. you want a "beater" to bounce beer cans at that distance, buy a mini.

just have some fun. life is too short.

doc

 

[StrikeEagle]

After that you get into piddling little annoyances like mags you have to rock in instead of slam home...

I have one of the original Mini's from when they first came out... it may be the very first one I saw for sale. It's a plinker, and doesn't really deliver what I'd call 'groups' at 100 yards.

The thing that really drives me up a wall though is removing the magazines from the gun. I have high cap Ruger mags, but for some reason it seems to take like... 3 hands to do the job. And a lot of smacking with the heel of my hand.

It's kind of nightmarish, actually.

I have owned and fired numerous rifles with box magazine over the last 35 years or so... and this is the ONLY one that offers any problems at all in this way. I'm not sure if I like it more than the SKS or not...

StrikeEagle

 

[TexasRifleman]

Well always remember that if your Mini breaks (which is rare to be sure) all you have to do is return it to Ruger for repair.

Where do you send your SKSs for warranty work?

My Mini has been used and abused beyond belief. It spent most of it's life in the floorboard of a pickup, it's killed countless varmints, and it's never failed once.

It's nice to know that if it DID break I'm a Post Office away from a lifetime warranty.

 

[IrvJr]

New Mini Ranch

I recently picked up a newer style Mini 14 Ranch rifle in .223/5.56. I have a stainless one with a wood stock. The newer style has a garand type of front site and an adjustable rear peep sight. I really like it. I have only shot it at 100 and 50 yards so far using the factory iron sights. It's accurate enough for my needs - using the iron sights I could keep all of my shots within an 8" Shoot N C target at 100 yards. I estimate that my average groups were around 6", and if I only shoot 3 rounds per group, I usually can get much better groups.

I like the sight picture with the newer style rifles a lot. they're quick to acquire, yet accurate enough for medium distance (100 or so yard) shots.

I think that if you're looking for a reliable plinker / SHTF rifle, the Mini is a good candidate. It's a blast to shoot and it's easy to disassembly, clean and maintain. Plus you can do a lot of customization of these guns (checkout http://www.perfectunion.com for a good Mini 14 forum).

 

[Buckskinner]

I like that "oh god we're gonna die" post!
If you've ever shot at, say, a running deer after suffering a little buck fever, that comment will really speak to your trigger control. Makes "round counting" quite a joke!

I've shot running squirrels with my 10/22, and that was a blast. Even though my 10/22 is very accurate (I compete in RF silhouette with it), at 100 yards or so, you really have to walk the rounds in. I expect when shooting at the MNZB (mutant ninja zombie bears), the same technique will work fine, no matter what .223 self loading rifle you're shootin'!

BTW, whoever heard of shootin' .223 at MNZB's? Maybe it makes a difference if they're Asian or European...hmmmm, have to try it out....

 

[KriegHund]

I have a stainless rancher.

Simple, reliable. Easy to clean, and you can get picatinny and weaver adapters for the scope mounts. Mags are cheap.
http://www.crankyfarmer.com/mounts.html

Lower on the page.

 

[Skipper]

Had Mini 14 and Mini 30 and liked them both. Liked the Mini 30 best. For MY purposes, I'd rather have my AR's, but if your heart is set on the Mini you'll be just fine with it. Go out on your lunch hour tomorrow and buy it you'll be a satisfied,happy man tomorrow night!
SKIP

 

[benEzra]

Well always remember that if your Mini breaks (which is rare to be sure) all you have to do is return it to Ruger for repair.

Where do you send your SKSs for warranty work?

With an SKS, you can buy the parts for a song from Tapco and fix it yourself (or have a local gunsmith do so), instead of having to ship it halfway across the country.

Ruger refuses to sell you many of the parts for the mini-14. Want an extra firing pin in case yours breaks? Sorry, you're out of luck; the only way that Ruger will condescend to grant you or your gunsmith a new firing pin is if you remove the firing pin from your current bolt, and ship the pin-less kit and caboodle to Ruger so THEY can install a new one for you. At least that's the way it was a decade ago, and I don't imagine they've changed.

Meanwhile, you can buy every SKS part but the receiver from Tapco, and have it delivered straight to your mailbox. Or, for the price of a mini, you could buy three SKS's and keep two for spare parts...

IMHO (as a mini owner), I'd have to say that "ease of repair" is actually one of the mini's downsides...