Mini 14 vs Ar-15 .223

Maybe I view the Mini world through rose-colored glasses because my first and only Mini is a 580 series.

 

when did the high road turn into AR15.com with all the mini bashing. this is supposed to be a friendly place where you dont talk down other peoples things. I haven't been here for all that long but it sure has gone down hill........
there is a reason I dont log in to AR15 and those snobs anymore....

 

i wont bash the mini really, but having owned more than one of both types, have gotta say, there is really no comparison.

the ar is a FAR FAR superior firearm.

its not bashing, its just reality.

i have never owned a mini that would shoot 6 inches at 100yds.

ive never owned an ar (colt and bushmaster) that wouldnt shoot 1 inch at 100yds.

accuracy is very important to me. if it werent i might feel differently.

 

I own both, 2 different types of rifles.

Ive owned a mini-14 for many years, Ive tried several scopes, scope mounts, ammo of all kinds, stocks, you name it. Its a fun rifle to shoot and not expect alot of accuracy. In fact with some real "accuracy nuts" helping me years ago we determined that in order to shoot decent groups with it you must have a very good powerful scope, and take about 1 shot every 10 minutes with perfect conditions at 100 meters.
There is no comparison between it and an AR-15 at all. The AR was designed as a civilian version of a precision shooting mil-spec battle rifle.
My AR is extremely accurate, at 100 meters with a 1X red dot scope I can make groups .5-1 inch easily, and can do it with rapid follow up shots, in fact the entire 30 rd mag can be fired easily into a 2 inch circle at 100 meters.
Other AR experience, with open A2 sights you can knock down human silouettes at 400 plus meters all day. With a 4X scope on that same AR you can knock down sillouettes at 650 meters.
The mini-14 is an inexpensive all purpose ranch rifle. Its accurate at 50 yards, I found it a waste of time to set the scope beyond that. The mini has a barrel length advantage over the AR carbine, but it doesnt make a bit of difference at all. My AR (I picked a 16" with a match heavy barrel) is great for follow up shots, Ive yet to heat the barrel up enough to really effect the accuracy.
The AR is lighter, more durable built, better durable design, far superior in quality and much more user friendly.

 

AR-15. Superior to the mini in every way and competitive in price.

 

For an objective review see:

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=315718

 

Unless you like to clean guns a lot (assuming you shoot them), my vote goes to the Mini for durability and nearly flawless operation. If you can hit a 8" paper plate at 100 yds. plenty accurate for me (for what it is).

 

Mine was a 188-series Ranch Rifle. I enjoyed it, and it was rock-solid reliable, but wouldn't shoot worth a darn.

Speaking for myself, I'm not bashing; the OP asked the mini-vs.-AR question, and as someone who owned a mini-14 (188-series Ranch Rifle) for over 15 years, I felt I was qualified to contribute my own experience.

My rifle was handy, reliable, and fit and finish were first-rate. But the accuracy was indeed quite poor, and being unable to properly sight in a shotgun scope due to POI shift as the barrel heated was the last straw.

 

I bought one of the very first Minis, new; and, later, a stainless. I traded into two others, through the years.

I always mounted a Weaver K4 on mine. I always got three-shot groups of, commonly, 1.5 to 2 MOA. The POI was constant, from week to week.

So: How much better could I want? I killed coyotes and jackrabbits to 150 and occasionally 200 yards. No problems. Did a "shoot" up in Nevada in 1981 during the big population explosion of jackrabbits. A buddy of mine and I used our Minis and killed over a hundred in a little more than an hour. Not many misses, either, with max ranges to maybe 125 yards or so. Made for lots of happy coyotes...

Magazines produced in the 1970s were as reliable as anybody could ever want, and not expensive. I even bought a silly 40-round mag, once, for giggles. It was quite reliable.

My first three ARs were about two MOA at best, but "irons is irons", even back before trifocals. I had a Bushmaster Match Target which was half-MOA all day long at 24X, but it wasn't exactly what I'd call a typical, run-of-the-mill AR. I now have a Colt, and it shoots pretty good groups--for iron sights and my old eyes.