Should I sell it?

[AKMtnRunner]

Ruger Mini 14 chambered in 6.8 SPC, along with complete reloading tools, brass, and bullets.

Reasons I can think of to sell:
- Since buying it, I've grown to love ARs in 5.56. My AR15 is cheaper to shoot, easier for family members to shoot, and will fit the role of home defense just as well.
- I'm in Alaska and game is either small or large and I don't need to take care of varmints.
- I need to finance a real hunting rifle for this fall

Reasons I can think of to keep it:
- It's just a super cool rifle. Significantly more powerful than a 5.56 (and still more than 7.62x39) but significantly smaller than semi-auto 308 (though maybe this is becoming untrue?).
- It's discontinued, so even more cool and perhaps appreciating value.
- It's still a great weapon to have when a carbine is the right tool for the job.

Thoughts?

 

[Schwing]

I don't sell much. The only regrets I have ever had are the things I parted with and the things I DIDN'T buy.

 

[Jackal]

Sell the bugger. Its just a Mini, if you ever want one again, you can buy another.

 

[back40]

In Alaska without a proper hunting rifle? I'd sell it.

 

[Ranger Roberts]

If you need a new hunting rifle and selling a rifle that you don't use much will help finance it, I'd say sell it.

 

[jmr40]

Sell it. I don't keep stuff I don't use.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

Minis are a dime a dozen. I'd sell it.

 

[Legionnaire]

It's a tool. Sell the tool you don't need for the one you do ... unless you can afford to treat rifles the way some people treat screwdrivers, and just toss the one you don't need in the tool box.

 

[Gtscotty]

I'd sell it, coolness alone is not enough reason for me to keep a rifle. If I don't use a gun and find something I want more, I sell it off.

 

[swampcrawler]

I regret nearly every gun I've ever sold. But sometimes the not so beloved ones gots to go.

 

[cowpoke]

Im pretty sure ruger stop making the mini 14 in 6.8. That said , never sell !

 

[CLP]

you have two lists, one to sell and one to keep

of the two lists, only one has a "need"- id go with what you need

 

[CornCod]

Swampcrawler is right. I do regret selling most of the guns I sold off. The Ruger Mk II, the Marlin .357 Carbine and worst of all, the Colt Trooper Mk III in electroless nickel and cool grips. What was I thinking?

 

[rbernie]

I love mine, and the Promag magazines for it have been flawless.

 

[sappyg]

Sell it. I have one rule when I sell a gun. I have to buy another to replace it.

 

[bannockburn]

Sell it if you need the money to finance a large caliber hunting rifle. If you like the 6.8 cartridge you can always get an upper in that chambering for your AR15.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Hmmm this was a tough one.

Before I read that you had reloading tools for it, I would have said "sell". Since you can reload for it, that's a big plus IMHO because I haven't seen much 6.8 around these parts and it's generally more expensive than 5.56/.223 in my area when you can find it. Sounds like you've alleviated both of those issues since you reload.

Mini-14s and very cool in general and I think they look much better than an AR-15, and you have a discontinued model so for the mean team I would hold on to it, use it, reload for it, it's a good gun/cartridge combination and if somehweres down the road you DO decide to sell it, the value will only have gotten higher.

JMHO.

YMMV.

 

[Revoliver]

Very tough decision!

Couple more questions before I vote though. What other rifles/calibers/chamberings do you have (if any)? Also, what do you intend to hunt?

FYI you can have the mini reamed to spcII (ruger only offered the original saami spc for their 6.8s that remington submitted the wrong info for) to give you more potential for the round and it is quite capable of hunting/taking Elk sized game on down out to say 350 or so.

 

[mdauben]

The only gun I've ever sold, I regretted doing so for years. Unless you desperately need the money, I would keep it.

 

[420Stainless]

If you think you can use something better then sell it. Like others have said, it is a tool. If it is not the tool you need at the moment then get the right one.

As for me, the Mini 6.8 would be the last rifle I'd get rid of. I think it is the handiest and most versatile of my rifles and prefer it to the AR. Game is not as big or as mean in MS as it is in your neck of the woods though.

 

[M1key]

How does it shoot? How much ammo do you have stored up? How many functioning mags? Is there something that would fill that niche better? Like an AR upper in that caliber.

If I owned it, the first thing I might consider is recutting the chamber to proper SPC II dimensions. Then reevaluate. Will the old ammo still work? Is it any more accurate or fun or cheaper (or expensive) to shoot?

FWIW, some folks on the Mini forums are cutting and keeping them and some are selling...

M

 

[chicharrones]

If I was already knee deep into the investment of reloading equipment and having quantities of 6.8 in your inventory, I'd keep that particular Mini.

Somehow, it seems I can sell a gun easier than I can the ammo. Especially if I am trying to get rid of a caliber that I will never use without the gun.

 

[silvermane_1]

i voted keep it, those 6.8 Minis aren't something you see every day, and you have the reloading set-up for it, that's the icing on the cake IMHO.

 

[Corn-Picker]

How long has it been since you last used it?

Personally, if I don't use something in two years it goes on ebay, craigslist, or gunbroker in this case. Tools, a bicycle, firearms, golf clubs, whatever... I figure if I don't use it in two years I'm not going to. If I'm wrong I'll go on ebay or gunbroker and buy another one once I need it.

So far after 50+ ebay transactions I haven't had to buy back anything I sold, I made $10,000 selling stuff I don't use anymore, and my house is less cluttered.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Reasons I can think of to keep it:

- It's discontinued, so even more cool and perhaps appreciating value.

Never sound logic, IMO. Things are discontinued for a reason. Sometimes it's largely due to high production cost making the item too expensive for the market, but usually it's a lack of consumer interest in the product for any number of reasons. Bottom line, companies do not discontinue items that are selling well with a respectable profit margin. Margin becomes too slim or sales are low, the product usually goes bye-bye.

Minis don't appreciate-especially not from their current (over) pricing. My feeling is that in all liklihood, you'd have a harder time selling the 6.8 version than the standard 5.56. I know if I was looking at both at the same price, I'd never even consider the 6.8 variant due to ammunition cost & availability.