New Mini 14 Target Rifle

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I read a Guns and Ammo artical on them. Basicly, standard heavy barrel. A movable barrel weight. Trigger work done. New thumb-hole stock. It weighs ten pounds and is .223 caliber. Thats where I stoped reading. An AR weights couple pounds less then that and will be FAR more accurate. Even with all the stuff they did to it.
 
Thing was I guess there was some competition that Ruger employees went to and they ended up shooting their bolt action rifles instead of Mini 14s cause they were just not accurate enough. Even though they knew the bolts shot to slow for the compitation. So Ruger company being embarrassed by this poor showing of their hardware decided they needed to do something. Thus this heavy weight Mini 14.

edited for spelling.... Thanks Bigfoot.....
 
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Wow. So basically nothing that the current mini is (a lightweight, handy rifle in .223 or 7.62x39).
 
Honestly I have never figured out why the Mini 14 is such a horrible gun. It is after all just a scaled down M1A (which I have never heard anybody call inaccurate). How did Ruger screw this gun up so bad, where did they go wrong, and why do people still buy them?
 
I know. You would figure you could get 2.5" groups at 100 yards, but from everything I have read it is a 5 MOA gun. Not awful, fine for shooting 'chucks and whatnot out on the farm but there are other guns (like the AR pattern) that offer better accuracy and a legitimate capacity of 30 rounds.

I have heard better things about the SU-16.

I will admit that I have never actually shot a Mini-14, AR-15 or SU-16...
 
My Ruger Mini was not that bad. It shot well, maybe 3" @100 yds. A good gun for $300 or so, better than any M1 Carbine I ever had. It was just not a great gun. Once I bought my AR, I never looked back. JMHO Bill
 
A good gun for $300 or so,
Click to expand...

And that explains the general lack of enthusiasm for the mini, which I've heard described as a "great $300 gun for $700".

The plus on the mini is that its design is damned reliable, it's reasonably tough, and not particularly heavy.

The downside is the price, 5 MOA, and Ruger's bad attitude towards civilian posession of high capacity magazines, which leaves one with poor choices in that regards.
 
Nice, but it's no M1A "loaded" or AR15 Varmint

Looks like Ruger is feeling pressure.
 
If Ruger would sell the improved thing for the current Mini 14 price it might be worth owning. Sadly they seem to think that there's a market for gold plated turds...
 
I think the "Mini-14 pile on" has begun.

Look, I used to have one, and sold it for many of the same you guys are complaining about. Not accurate enough. No decent aftermarket mags. Bill Ruger politics. Whatever.

The truth is, that it's a classy little rifle, easy to handle and carry, reliable, and quality made. Maybe could be better engineered, but quality made. Offhand shooting was accurate enough. They don't have shooting benches win you climb out of a tractor to take a potshot at a 'yote. And they've been making and selling them for how long now? Yea, they seem to be a popular little carbine, whether any of us "serious" shooters like it or not. I've badmouthed 'em too, but it is what it is...

The AR that I ALSO sold, seemed to be awkward to handle, the safety wasn't in a natural position for me, and it wouldn't "carry" well in the tractor or the pickup. (Cramped vehicles, rough handling, etc)

Opinions will vary, but I'd take that Mini back in a heartbeat
 
Don't get me wrong. I like my mini. But for $995 there are many other (and perhaps better) options.

You could probably buy a 30-30 lever rifle, an SKS, a shotgun and ammo for all three for less money.
 
Jame, I thnk you are compleatly right. It is a neat little carbine. Its plenty good for what it needs to do. If they went for $300 or so I probaly would own one. I love my 10/22. Its just that I think they are trying to make it into something its not. Good handy rifle yes, tack driver no.
 
Tell me that you people aren't seriously looking at the MSRP. Heck the regular Mini-14 is listed from 775-835 on their website; they of course sell for significantly less in the real world. :rolleyes:

That said, Ruger is going to have some major trouble dethroning the current AR market (if that's even their goal), but it's nice to see them doing something to improve the Mini's poor accuracy reputation.
 
Just FYI....the mini is based on the Garand action...another rifle that is more than capable of outshooting a mini
 
180 series Mini. This is not a fluke. Can't speak for
more recent products. Like to went nuts solving
this one. Also did'nt care for Mr. Ruger's govt
suck-up problem. Did they have something on him?
 

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I've had four Minis; two blued, two stainless. All from before 1981 manufacture.

With a Weaver K4 I always reliably got three-shot groups of 1.5 MOA starting with a cold barrel.

The first shot or two from a cold barrel will always go to the same POI as last week or last year, which is pretty much as good as any custom bolt-action hunting rifle.

With what's known about the skinny-barrel problem and group sizes, I don't see why anybody worries about them. If you don't hunt, don't buy a Mini. If you hunt but don't sit at the bench burning ammo, they're great for the purpose.

My gripe is that to me, they're overpriced. But, so are ARs, for that matter...

Art
 
I got rid of a stainless mini last year, only to buy a new 580 series this year. The old one served as a truck/farm/security gun. The new 580 shoots much more accurately and I will keep this one. The iron sights are MUCH better than on old the older minis. My 580 series shoots 2 1/2 inch or less five-shot groups at 100 yards using cheap WW 45 grain hollow points from Wal-Mart, using a 4x Burris scope. Not near as accurate as my bolt action .223 (sub moa), but plenty good enough for its intended purpose. Both minis are/were totally reliable. I have never experienced a jam with any ammo or any magazine, ever. And coyotes seem to die when shot with them.

Some of us just don't care for the AR platform. I don't. I definitely respect it, but it is not for me. It doesn't fit me (45 years of shooting with sporting stocks, I guess) and I know my farmer friends would much rather see my bolt .223 or my mini in my truck when I visit with them. And their feelings have 'everything' to do with whether or not I get to hunt on their farms. Other folks can't buy ARs because of local/state laws.

With my 580 scoped, it will take care of any varmint I come across in my travels on my property or that of others with a couple of hundred yards. With the scope off and the new sights, it comes up like a 20 gauge quail gun. Fun, fast, and effective for whatever. When I want to shoot groups or shoot coyotes at long range, my Sako .223 goes along. Choice is nice.
 
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