mini 14 vs. socom 16

[RatDrall]

When RatDrall? If it was in the last month it's a stupendous deal!

The mad rush on “Assault rifles” it's pretty hard to find anything for bellow MSRP.

$670 is considerably lower than the very lowest model's current MSRP of $872.00.

But it depends how many a dealer bought and how long ago.

I've seen Mini-14s at numerous shops for $700 or a bit lower in the past few weeks.

 

[FiveBillionAcres]

Regardless, I still wouldn't buy one right now, I think it's less likely to get banned because it doesn't have scary features. Well, aside from being semi-automatic… and I doubt they'll ban all semi-autos. Canada will, but the US won't for a long time.

 

[Dan Crocker]

I'd buy 3 SKSs and a ton of ammo.

 

[dougiefreshhh]

i've never shot a socom, but i do have a mini-14.

Picked one up new, (stainless, with composite stock) for $650 out the door.

Add 2x20round mags for $60, $350 for 1000 rounds of cheap .223 ammo (which the mini will kindly gobble up), and you are on the ground running for ~$1000.

I was on the fence looking at an AR-15 as well, but several things tipped the scales for the mini:

1.) I was not looking to make 1" groupings at 150 yards...I'm sticking with iron sights, non bench shooting.
2.) Ease of ownership - (i.e. no excessive cleaing, complicated field stripping)
3.) Availablity -
4.) Purchase Price
5.) Cost of ownership (i.e. i got the impression you need to run higher quality, more expensive ammo in an AR...i.e. no coated steel Wolf ammo).
When you
6.) Low "profile" -

Don't get me wrong - I hope to someday own an AR-15 because i LOVE the ability to swap out uppers, but for my first .223, the mini was the logical choice for me.

Just my $0.02...not that its worth a lot.

 

[wally]

Bridge the gap! Get a Mini-30 in 7.62x39. It's a good in moderator

Love the gun but the general lack of 20 0r 30 round mags that work really hold it back!

Unfortunately, so far it seems only the 5 round factory and the 10 round ProMag can you expect to actually work

I suspect Ruger could sell a lot more if they made a 20 round mag for it.

--wally.

 

[Kaptin]

I think it boils down to what you want to do with it, the 308 has longer range than the 223. The Mini is the best choice for most people. The 5.56 will do a fine job taking deer, and perfectly legal in Texas. Great home defender. The mini is half the price of the SA. If it is good enough for the Texas Rangers its good enough for me. I have 2 of the newer mini-14 rifles and both come with 2, 20 round mags, they cost me about the same price as a single SA, they both shoot 1.5 inch groups with Wolf ammo at 150 yards. The Mini-14 is a damn fine rifle

 

[ReelFaith]

There really isn't a choice if you choose to only get one. I have both, but if I had to choose only one it would be my SOCOM. Clearly a much better product and serious durability, strong 308 round, proven technology, more reliable. The SOCOM is not that heavy. With a 3 point sling it is perfect for any use with quick action and easy carry. I really like my minis, I have 3, but the SOCOM is far a more serious product.

 

[dougiefreshhh]

roger that Kaptin. are you using optics to get 1.5 inch groups at 150yards with your mini? If so, what setup are you using?

 

[Maverick223]

What about a M1 Carbine, they are relatively cheap, have decent power, are light, and built on the proven action of the M1, M14, Mini-14, etc. just scaled down for the cartridge. They are fun guns too.

 

[mgregg85]

If you are going to be walking and carrying get the Mini-14.

If you are just gonna be driving get the SOCOM-16.

 

[MTMilitiaman]

I'd get a Scout before I got a SOCOM. The quad-rail on the SOCOM II makes it very front heavy, so if I went with the SOCOM, I'd go for the original SOCOM 16. The Scouts I've handled are much better balanced, IMO.

I would however get the SOCOM long before I got a Mini-14, regardless of price differences. I've handled and shot several Minis ranging from pre-Ranch to one of the quasi-new Ranch Rifles. None of them were as reliable as my M1A Loaded nor built with anywhere resembling the same quality. So it is no surprise that none of them could hold a candle to my M1A in terms of accuracy either. So if the M1A costs twice as much, it's to be expected. It's still a comparative bargain in terms of the rifle you get.

And I think the 7.62x51 makes more sense for civilian applications than the 5.56. You can still take out pests and predators (better in fact because the M1A is likely to be much more accurate as well as more powerful), but can also take medium and large game. And for defensive purposes, few things out there can combine the firepower and overall effectiveness as a 7.62mm carbine loaded with something like Hornady TAP.

So to wrap this up, the M1A is the better overall rifle and is chambered for a better overall cartridge. The cost increase associated with both is unfortunate, but well worth it considering the performance they offer. And if I was to get a poodle shooter, it wouldn't be a Mini or even an AR but rather an XCR or a SIG 556.

 

[Eightball]

A coworker was in your situation numerous times. Did the Mini14 thing, didn't work out so well, not the optimal platform for his range and targets (species of critter local to his farm). Thought about going the "cheap" route, did up an SKS--too heavy, not accurate enough. His Springfield Armory (forget the specific model) is very heavy, and often left behind, especially in the heat of summer. Just got an AR, as it's lightweight AND accurate AND handy, so it doesn't get left behind, and does what he needs it to do. He would've done the M1 Carbine thing for it, but he uses his new AR for more purposes than just farm work, and the AR's adaptability is more useful for his classes training new shooters (with the added benefit that they think of an AR as "just another rifle" rather than a "military weapon").

YMMV.

 

[MTMilitiaman]

How does the weight really matter that much?

My brother and I hike around my grandparent's property all the time during the summer. Since I've owned it, I rarely am accompanied by anything other than my M1A on these marches. Lacking IBA + ruck + hundreds of rounds of ammo + radios and other misc gear, I don't see how the weight of a rifle and a couple mags should make that much difference to a grown man. We are talking about a difference of 2 or 3 pounds at the most in the rifle, maybe 4 pounds total when loaded. I don't see how an adult could really consider 4 pounds that much of a difference. Heck, I am out of shape and it is still a complete non-issue for me.

 

[Kaptin]

IMO There is NO difference in quality between the SA M1A and the Ruger Mini-14. They are both very good quality rifles that are vary reliable. The Mini-14 has been trusted by law enforcement and civilians for years, it is an ultra-reliable and dependable rifle that will not let you down.

I feel the 5.56 is a better round for self defense because it will get the job done and wont pass through a city block of houses before it comes to rest. I for one do not want to kill my neighbors kid after the bullet passes through a bad guy and goes through 2 more houses.

IMO The Mini-14 is just as good as the M1A when quality is concerned. The 308 is not a BETTER round, it is a larger more powerful round that is better for long range kills or shooting through barriers.

dougiefreshhh, I have one of my Mini-14 topped with a Nikon 4X scope, the other is open sights right now. I have had scopes on both though at one time.

 

[BHP FAN]

''I'd buy 3 SKS's and a ton of ammo...''
the best answer yet.I have a mini-14,and an SKS,and for the price,I could buy another of each,before I could put my mitts on a SOCOM.
If I were an ''operator'',or in the SEALS,I'd go with the SOCOM,but if it's a good ranch rifle I needed,and not something to fuel my Rambo inspired Walter Mitty like fantasys,I'd do fine with the rifles I have.

 

[MTMilitiaman]

IMO There is NO difference in quality between the SA M1A and the Ruger Mini-14. They are both very good quality rifles that are vary reliable. The Mini-14 has been trusted by law enforcement and civilians for years, it is an ultra-reliable and dependable rifle that will not let you down.

I feel the 5.56 is a better round for self defense because it will get the job done and wont pass through a city block of houses before it comes to rest. I for one do not want to kill my neighbors kid after the bullet passes through a bad guy and goes through 2 more houses.

IMO The Mini-14 is just as good as the M1A when quality is concerned. The 308 is not a BETTER round, it is a larger more powerful round that is better for long range kills or shooting through barriers.

My experience leads me to believe you are wrong on all accounts.

The most accurate Mini I've ever seen was a Ranch Rifle my uncle owned. It has a 3-9 scope on it and would do 3 to 4 inches from the bench. It would also ding brass up and throw them 50 feet from the rifle, and would malfunction on a regular basis. My dad has a pre-Ranch that has trouble doing better than 4 inches with anything from iron sights. He's handloaded for that rifle for years but never found a combination that does any better. Meanwhile, I can take cheap 147 gr FMJ from S&B or WWB and easily hold groups of half the size with a bone stock M1A Loaded and iron sights. My M1A has been smoother and much more reliable than any Mini I've ever handled or shot. Heck, I can get Mini-14 accuracy from a Romanian AK I bought new for $279. I have a Yugo SKS that aside from being more reliable than any Mini-14, also groups inside 2 MOA with Wolf ammo.

Likewise, while the .308 is a better round for long range applications as well as for barrier penetration, as stated, it is also capable of being loaded much better for defensive applications. Consider that the 155 gr Hornady TAP displays near perfect penetration for defensive applications while offering cavitation and tissue displacement about 70% of the standard 12 gauge buckshot load. It has less recoil and much greater capacity than any shotgun at much greater terminal effectiveness than any 5.56 load existent. It will be loud, but then, the 5.56 indoors isn't pleasant either.

The only thing the 5.56 does better than the 7.62 is the dedicated varmint rifle, and for that role, the Mini-14 is about the least logical choice that can be made. I am not an AR advocate, far from it in fact, but the AR is the better rifle--much more accurate and probably more reliable than the Mini. The SIG and XCR, the AUG clones, even the AK clones--all of them are likely to be both more reliable and more accurate than a Mini-14. Ruger can give away all the 20 round mags it wants. The simple fact of the matter is that the Mini-14 is a bastard abomination of a rifle that somehow manages to take a platform known for its reliability and accuracy and turn it into a rifle known for its lack of both. So cartridge debate aside, even if the OP decided on a 5.56, the Mini-14 should be on the very bottom of his list.

 

[BillCh]

My new KMini SS was right around $675 as of three weeks ago from my local gun store. It came with one 20 round mag. I bought two more factory mags for 39.99 ea.
For that price I could buy three of them for what a Springfield M1A Scout or SOCOM is going for on Gun Broker.
Even so, not an apples-to-apples comparison.

 

[Kaptin]

Sorry MTMilitiaman, but me thinks you are full of Mini-14 hate, and slightly full of crap. But you are welcome to your opinion.

 

[a-sheepdog]

I would not get a socom but would instead look at the Bush rifle. The socom does not have aftermarket/GI front sights or flash hider capabilities.

 

[Eightball]

Sorry MTMilitiaman, but me thinks you are full of Mini-14 hate, and slightly full of crap. But you are welcome to your opinion.

Run a search or two on this board, and on the internet in general. Most of the hard evidence backs up his assertions.

As to address the "weight" issue.....it's a frustrating irritant to have extra weight that isn't serving a particular useful function, especially when my coworker is into and out-of all manner of farm implements, houses, trees, ridges, etc. After futzing with the rifle in all manners, he just decided that he doesn't want to deal with excess weight--especially when dealing with the climate on his farm. Plus, he uses his AR to help train young/new shooters, and the weight savings is of serious value there--it also trains new shooters to think of an AR as a fun, yet useful rifle, as opposed to a military rifle that only "right wing extremists" (to quote DHS) use.

 

[Red Tornado]

Both are great rifles and I won't say anything bad about either. (In fact I'd love both.) However, if the primary role is 'ranch rifle' get the original, a lever action 30/30. Win 94 or Marlin 336, your choice. Find one for $300 and use it until you decide what semi-auto you want. Obviously I'm no operator, but the old school still works.
RT

 

[MTMilitiaman]

Sorry MTMilitiaman, but me thinks you are full of Mini-14 hate, and slightly full of crap. But you are welcome to your opinion.

No need to apologize. You're finally right about something--I do hate the Mini-14. But it is a hate born from my experience with the rifle. Simply put, the design fully earned my hate and had to work hard to do so, too. My first deer was taken at about 40 yards with a Mini-14. The rifle a boy takes his first deer rifle with is supposed to occupy a sacred spot in his heart and at first the rifle did. But the more I shot it alongside other designs, the more I grew to despise it. It takes a lot to get me to hate something more than I hate the AR, but Ruger somehow managed.

 

[RatDrall]

Mini-14s are extremely reliable.

The only way I ever found to cause a malfunction was with terrible reloads and crappy off-brand magazines.

With factory magazines and brass cased ammunition, a Mini-14 should be as reliable as a hammer.

 

[Maverick223]

a Mini-14 should be as reliable as a hammer

Has been my experience with them, and accuracy wasn't that bad but far from good. It could definitely use a better barrel.

 

[Candiru]

It's too bad the prior versions of the Mini garnered such a negative reputation, because the new models appear to be much better than people's printed experiences. I've shot two: my dad's 18" Ranch Rifle and my own Mini-14 Tactical, purchased soon after shooting my dad's convinced me I had to have one for myself. Again, these were both 580-series Mini-14s, so they include the recent design revisions Ruger introduced. The finishing work is not as good as the M1A, and the overall design is somewhat cheaper and cruder; however, I found them to be quite reliable and shoot 2 MOA or better using Prvi Partisan XM193-alike ammo. I got an offhand 3" 4-shot group at 100 yards using the coarse irons.

I'd like Minis more if they were less overgassed and replaced the fixed ejecter with an in-bolt ejecter; both would make it easier to retrieve brass. For its intended home defense purpose, though, it's an ideal companion to the M1A, in that it's smaller and lighter but all the controls are in the right place.

Here is the review I wrote on my Mini-14. It has more details and compares some of its features to those found in an M1 Carbine.