New Mini's from ruger? Target and 6.8SPC model.

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I believe Pat Rogers has commented that he has never seen a Mini-14 finish the five-day carbine course at Gunsite. They all die prior to the end of class.

On the other side of that, SWAT magazine took a Mini-14 out and ran 1,500 rounds through it over three days IIRC and it held up just fine.

My personal experience with Minis is limited; but the ones I've seen seem to suffer a fair amount of broken internal parts in heavy use. Maybe that has changed recently and Ruger is using a higher quality of parts now that they are also slapping a suggested retail price of $809 on even a basic Mini-14.
 
The real price in from $599-$659 and thats at gander Mountain. You can do better online or at a gunshow. How do the mini's compare to the Kel Tec SU-16?
 
El T, it was within the last year or so. I think Denny Hansen was the author so you should be able to Google it since the PDF is up on the SWAT website by now.


Click Click Boom said:
The real price in from $599-$659 and thats at gander Mountain.
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Yes, I think that is part of the problem. You can buy any number of rifles that do what the Mini does for less money or buy rifles that are superior to the Mini for the same money.
 
Have I read correctly that the Mini-14 trigger group and some of the piston assembly are based on the M-1 Garand design? If true Ruger should NOT innovate away from one of the greatest, most reliable and easiest to manufacture firearm designs in history.
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Although the following comments are off-topic, the above inaccurate statement warrants correction.

The M1 Garand IS, by most measures, one the greatest and most reliable rifles ever invented.

However.............it is NOT, by any stretch, a rifle that is easy to manufacture. It was and is considered a b***h to make many of the parts for the rifle, and our ability to turn them out by the boxcar loads during WWII goes to the inventor of the rifle, as he was able to devise tooling that allowed consistent volume production.

Because the M1 is so difficult to manufacture, it's kept commercial copies from being made in volume (along with the until recent low prices for used GI rifles).

An M1 made today, using the METHODS and PRACTICES employed in WWII, would probably cost over $2000 per unit in standard issue form.
 
The real price in from $599-$659 and thats at gander Mountain. You can do better online or at a gunshow. How do the mini's compare to the Kel Tec SU-16?
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I'll take an SU-16 anyday. I just love the AR mag compatability and feather weight. Accurate, and durable.

As for this new and improved Mini, I bet you it's going to be <$900. Wouldn't you rather buy an AR? :uhoh:
 
The Mini's from Ruger were the least accurate rifles I've ever owned. Sold them and was glad to see them go. If Ruger gave me one I'd sell it before I opened the box and if it wouldn't sell I'd weld the action and toss it over the side. If I was Ruger I'd roll-stamp it with some other brand name.
 
Walmart is pricing minis at around 540. I talked a friend into getting a SU-16C (partially because I wanted to test drive one to see if I wanted one too) and have shot it quite a bit. I have mixed feelings about it, and because of those feelings ended up getting a new mini to replace my old one.

For me, the SU-16C was way too light and the front sight is mounted way too far back for my 57 year old eyes (ARs have a similar sighting challenge for us old folks). The SU-16A model has a better sight radius. (A scope was eventually mounted on the SR-16, but I still want usable irons). My friend's SU-16 jammed extensively with several brands of ammo and magazine combinations, until he found a combo that works 'most of the time'. The C model has a stock design that feels good standing, but is almost impossible for me to shoot well off a bench. While I believe it may be more inherently accurate than a mini, I found it hard to prove because of its shootability (for me). Again, the A model stock looks like it might be better for bench shooting.

I got rid of my old mini thinking I would certainly find something I'd like better. Didn't work.
 
Someone earlier said it best by stating that the Mini 14 is a rifle I'd love to love. I am a huge fan of the M1A and it's predecessor the M1.
Ruger has continued to frustrate me because they have ignored fairly obvious variations to their designs which would make them guns I'd actually buy. Why they can offer a host of barrel's and stocks for the 10-22 but it takes them what 14 years to put a halfway normal barrel on the Mini 14?!?

Yeah yeah I know how the "truck" gun crowd loves that light weight. What never ceases to amaze me is why someone with a rifle in their truck is whining about the friggin weight! Maybe your collective notion of a truck differs from mine but a Geo can move a Bazooka... so why do you need a lighter gun?

Back on topic, the decent barrel although a landmark shift in Ruger's M.O. only addressess one aspect of an "almost there" situation. If they would just offer a match trigger and AR mag compatibility they would have a rifle that truly could serve as a scaled down M1A for the masses.

Who knows, the whole "truck gun" group might actually come to understand what they'd have to gain if only they held it in their hands. Sometimes I think that Mini 14 fans actually enjoy knowing that their rifles are falling short of a huge market segments hopes.

It just gets me that even the Remington Rolling blocks were improved for accuracy yet Mini 14 fans continue to bray that "it serves my purpose". With 3-5 MOA you're more likely to miss than hit, seriously that's handgun accuracy. Why not just get a handgun? It'd cost less, weigh less, and there'd be no reason to leave it in your precious truck!

In all seriousness I'd love it if the new Mini-14's are as accurate as they deserve to be. Should that hurdle be surmounted, I'd really consider buying one. That said I might still be tempted to wait another 14-15 years for the AR mag compatibility...
 
rockstar,

Since we are buddies in real life, I will save my non-high road commentary for Sunday at the range.

Look, as I see it, the Mini was never designed to be a long range gun. Instead, it was meant to be a 100 yard zapper, and I think it works just fine in that mode. You say you would miss more often than not withn 5 moa accuracy, yet our mutual friend was regularly pinging your target at 211 yds, with an SKS. My guess is that the accuracy of that SKS and the accuracy of the Mini are about on par. Are there some improvements that would suit me? Sure. I would like better sights, and I can't think of a good reason why the sights on my mini don't have protective wings. Also, after my gas piston issue, I would like to see some improvements made there. But, on the whole, I am satisfied with the rifle. It doesn't do everything my Model 70 or my Bushmaster can do in terms of accuracy at longer ranges, but it also wasn't meant to do those things, so I don't think it's fair to judge it by those standards. Just admit it, man.... You are a Rugerphobe, pure and simple.

On a different note, I will be ditching mine almost immediatly if the target models aren't outrageously expensive, because I like the cut of thier jib. Personally, I will stick with the .223. You know how bad my shoulder has gotten recently, and the decidedly mild recoil of a .223 is very pleasant for me. Not that I think the 6.8 is a mule or anything, but if I want to keep shooting my mil-surps, I need to cut out recoil anywhere else that I can.
 
I'm no expert..

Doesn't the thumbhole stock (coupled with the detachable mags) on the new Ruger make it fall under the "assault rifle" catagory? And, not legal in some places- like California??
 
awesome

I think I may get one of these!!!! Now, 223 or 6.8?

I have always wanted one, but I didn't like the accuracy.
 
Not only is the Mini-14 inaccurate it does not run.
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Wow, that's dumb.
Maybe you should put a Mini-14 and an AR-15 in a torture test. I'd like to see you're face after that.
 
Squidward said:
Doesn't the thumbhole stock (coupled with the detachable mags) on the new Ruger make it fall under the "assault rifle" catagory? And, not legal in some places- like California??
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Yup, thumbhole stock makes it illegal in California.
 
I am with others. My Dad has a Mini14 that we always used to shoot with his M14. The only barrier to accuracy was the sights weren't as good as the M14. It is a good rifle though. His older 20 round Ruger mags work just fine.

I doubt I will buy a mini unless I just find a good deal. I have other guns to shoot and am not really looking to invest in a new rifle with new mags just now.
 
to each his own

just for the record, i own a mini 14 in .223, an ar (same), and an sks (59/66,7.62x39)while i love them all my mini is my favorite. my uncle was a deputy sheriff and had one when i was very young. and yes i also watched the a-team. my mini is capable of 2 moa when i do my part and i know i have personally given it a very hard life. i've had it 4 years and have probably put 10000 rounds down range with it. most of them at a high rate of speed thru a 40 rd mag. never a hiccup. my only complaint is i can never recover much of my brass because of its vigorous ejection. the only rifles ive owned with less trouble are my sks and my ak. and we all know about those. i personally risked life and limb just the other night to explain to my wife why i HAD to get a new mini in 6.8 spc. (she's 8 months pregnant). i have been considering converting my ar to 6.8 because i already own a great 223. by the way i also own a total of 7 other rugers and will always be interested in buying more.
 
From what I have read Ruger is thinking about making the Mini in 6.8 SPC. Who knows if this will ever happen. I really like the 6.8 SPC round and think it would make a nice addition to the Mini family of rifles.
 
called Ruger....

I called Ruger a few days ago. They say the MSRP is about 990, and the gun has been release for sale. However, we may not see it on the shelves until January sometime. I can't wait!!!!!
 
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