pros/cons of .223 (ruger mini 14)

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DevLcL

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Any thoughts on the Marlin 60 and the Ruger Mini 14? I own a Marlin 60 and was thinking of getting a mini 14 basically for it's greater plinking power. Also I really like the evil black and silver look. Would I be wasting my money on the mini 14 and .223 ammo, or would the greater kick give me a stisfaction that is worth it? I like the marlin but it just seems kinda...amature... the size of the .22 holes are about the same as my .17 pellet gun :confused: I want something that feels good in my hands, something to compliment my black 1911 .45 and black 1300 12ga.

Thanks
-Colin
 
Everyone either loves or hates the mini-14. An accuracy master it is not. But it is a hot shooting gun that doesnt mind eating cheap ammo all day. Loads of inexpensive fun and much more bang than a .22. Buy yourself some Triple-K or ProMag 10 round mags and you will be set. The gun can really take a lot of abuse. I owned one AR that could not keep up with it. My father-in-law calls it the wicked little you know what when I blast away with my 20 round Ruger mag. :)
 
Ummmm, .223 holes are .22 as well :)

I like my Mini-14, it's not so accurate but it is inexpensive.

If you're not tied to the .223/5.56 and you want cheap plinking, look
at an AK in 7.62x39; you'll find the ammo cheaper and in most cases
the rifle too.

Can't go wrong with a Mini though if that's what you decide.
 
Thanks tex, good point :D. Is the 7.62x39 really cheaper?... And where can I find an AK47?... I live in california.

-Colin
 
You living in CA is a big problem.


Basically, if you think a gun would be fun, you're not allowed to have it. ;)
 
Mini-30

the mini-14 chambered for 7.62x39. Don't know how the Ruger would deal with commie ammo. It is cheap, but can pose a problem for some western guns. I've never actually tried commie ammo (I should say mil-surp) in a mini-30 so I'm only going on my opinion.
 
Save yourself the time and trouble.


Get a Keltec SU-16 (also CA legal) which uses AR mags (10 shot mags widely available). It's already in tactical black, military green or funky tan, and folds in half for storage and keeps two 10 rounders in the stock.

The C variant has better sights,and it's generally a more accurate gun out of the box from all I've heard than any Mini, and costs less.
 
mini-14

mine is NOT a target-master but it is an excellent truck gun. it has been dependable. but again it is not the best choice for a target shooter.
Lee
 
You don't even have to shoot a SU-16 to know its a POS. I bet I could break those little handguard/bipod legs in about 3 seconds. Also they list $675 new, youcan buy used Mini's here all day for $450.

Mini-14 is a 3MOA gun outt a the box. This means you will still down coyotes at 300 yards. *** else do you expect for half the cost of an AR? Ramline 30 round mags (the same ones for M16/AR-15) work like a charm. And you can see how many rounds are left in it down to 5 or so. I have had a blue Mini w/ choate folder for 5 years or so, I shoot it every week.
 
"No honorable man would buy a Ruger."

I'd look at the SKS.
 
You don't even have to shoot a SU-16 to know its a POS. I bet I could break those little handguard/bipod legs in about 3 seconds. Also they list $675 new, youcan buy used Mini's here all day for $450.
Click to expand...

You've never actually shot one, have you?
 
You don't even have to shoot a SU-16 to know its a POS. I bet I could break those little handguard/bipod legs in about 3 seconds. Also they list $675 new, youcan buy used Mini's here all day for $450.
Click to expand...

SU-16's go for about $500 new here in Kali. I have one, and although it's no M1A, it's not a POS, either. I bet you could break parts off an AR in less than 3 seconds. Doesn't mean it's a POS. My SU-16 is more accurate than my Mini-14, costs less, and uses AR mags.

The guy's in Kali. Semi-auto rifles allowed here are limited. SU-16's look much better in that light. Plus, they also look plenty "evil and black."

I'd have to echo the SKS recommendations for a plinker, however. Cheap, rugged, cheap to feed, accurate enough. Put a metal handguard on it, and it, too, can look evil.
 
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I had a Mini 14 and 30. They are good for plinking, the only time I had any problems was when I used cheap high capacity mags.

Save yourself some money and buy the SKS. You could buy a Yugo SKS plus about 4 cases of ammo. :)
 
I would go with the Mini-14. The 2005 model of the Mini-14 Ranch has improved front and rear sights and the stock has been redesigned. The Mini is an excellent truck gun and even with about $75 worth of mods (all CA legal), you can get 2-3" groups at 100 years with them.

One thing about buying a Ruger as opposed to an SKS or some other milsurp rifle, is that if you ever have a problem with a Ruger, you can return it to Ruger for free warranty repair. Even if you buy a used Mini, Ruger will still fix it for you at no cost.

The .223 Remington is a great plinking/target caliber and will work for varmints. Not a lot of recoil either. The 7.62x39 is a cartidge that is powerful enough for small game like deer if the range is close enough. The 7.62x39 is cheap but there are some very accurate .223 factory rounds.

Guess it all depends what you want the rifle to do. People will bad-mouth Ruger firearms simply because of Bill Ruger's politics, but the Ruger product line is very good quality throughout and of course, they are all made in the USA.
 
I'll give the SKS another vote.... look around gun shops and gun shows you should be able to find one for a decent price ($100-$200). 7.62x39 ammo is dirt cheap.....

As for your original question, I know good 20 and 30 magazines can be hard to come by, you hear mixed reviews of the after market magazines here. The mini may be sturdier than an AR, but you can get 20 and 30 military surplus for not a whole lot of cash.
 
The C variant has better sights,and it's generally a more accurate gun out of the box from all I've heard than any Mini, and costs less.
Click to expand...

I was under the impression that the SU-16C was verboten in California because it has a folding stock (i.e. it can fire whilst folded).

Does Kel-Tec make a model with the Charlie sights but with the regular stock?
 
The C model kel-tec is a no go in cali. The regular A's and B's are ok. I know you can change out the plastic sights on the A's with the metal sights from the B's. Mark
 
Yup, just ordered a set of Bravo sights for my SU-16. About $50 for front and rear. Couldn't stand the plastic ones.
 
I kinda like the stock sights on my A model - very easy to pick up. I have a cheap BSA red dot, but I haven't had the time to sight it in yet. Might pick up a scope too - none of my rifles have any sort of optics on them (yet).
 
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