Would an SKS or Mini 14 be a good temporary buy?

[MechAg94]

I think various guns are back in stock in most places now. I wouldn't waste money on an SKS or Mini-14 unless you really want those guns. For the price of a Mini-14, you can get a pretty good AR or AK. I think those are better rifles and accessories and parts are much easier to get.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

Can you still pull the trigger with a light in your eyes, oh wise one, or does it paralyze the trigger finger? Your rifles do not look overly gizzmo'd, or overly doo-dadded.

You certainly have lots of confidence. I have had very bright flash lights and weapons pointed at me at night. How can you say I never have? However, at the time I was not armed, and so had to comply. So I suppose lights are great if your adversary is un-armed. But if a light can disable one's trigger finger, I want to know more about that!

I don't dislike the AR platform. Another assumption that carries a bit too much confidence. I just like it clean, and your rifles look clean enough for me.

You need to read more carefully. I said nothing about you not being able to pull the trigger on a gun when a weapon light is shined in your eyes. You just can’t see what you’re shouting at.
And I have a lot of experience in dealing with armed suspects at night. I just retired after 20 years as a police officer. I also served 20 years in the Corps.
The OP will most likely use his new rifle for home defense, if so, a weapon light is a big advantage. There are many nice low profile lights on the market. Most of the cheap ones are bulky and should be avoided.

 

[DukeConnor]

Lots of good tactical stuff out there

https://palmettostatearmory.com/spr...10728&utm_term=morning&utm_content=5165493069

 

[Beck]

7.62x39 is a great cartridge. Split the difference and buy a Ruger Mini-30. I bought one nearly 32 years ago, so nothing temporary about it. You might just want to keep it. If I could only keep one gun it would be my Mini-30.

 

[CraigC]

As far as the doo-dads, (and gizmos) for me, they just add weight, interfere with carrying and handling the rifle, and are just things to catch on other things, break, or fail. I like a "clean", well balanced and as light as possible rifle, (but I love the M1) and I know that's just me, and I am far in the minority as to my preferences. Lights on a rifle sure make for a nice aiming point for your adversary. A bullet magnet. !!! I know that someone putting a light on me would be an invitation to open fire, on that light.

So, I hear ya. But you can have all the doo-dads, I'll keep my rifle clean. May we both survive!

I like a clean rifle too. I would love to be able to do everything I need to do without attaching anything extraneous to the rifle but that ain't reality. In the real world, "it" happens and "it" usually goes down at night. I like being able to identify and 'hit' my target. Can't do that at night without a light. I find that a tapeswitch mounted over the top of the forend works better than any other option. Can't do that on an AK either, that's where the gas system is and your thumb will block your sights. This further complicates things when you go to mount a modern tactical sling. The limited real estate on the AK's forend and issues with using the top rail makes it difficult to get everything to work together. A foregrip or hand stop also puts your support hand in a better position to run the light, have better control and for many, it's more comfortable. Problem there is that the AK's forend is so short, things become cramped and a vertical foregrip can interfere with the 30rd magazines.

As far as creating a "bullet magnet", that's utter nonsense. I guess folks have seen too many movies where guys just turn their lights on and move about. They have momentary switches for a reason.

I think you will find that if your eyes have acclimated to the darkness and someone points 1000 lumen weaponlight in your face, you can't see. You have a direction but you do not have a "target", while your target has you dead to rights. I've never heard an argument against weaponlights that withstood the slightest scrutiny.

With all that said, I never said one can't be effective with an AK. I never said you can't mount all those things to an AK. I said that the platform is less than ideal for running fast or the effective use of "doodads". You're having to work against inherent design issues. Not to even get into the aspect of shooting suppressed.

You're right about one thing, the same arguments also apply to the M1A and Garand as they do to the SKS. The AK is at least a step up from any of those.

Here's how I setup a defensive AR. Either as a braced pistol:



Or as a carbine:

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Great posts guys, let's move on.

 

[joneb]

With open sights I can shoot smaller groups with a SKS than I can with a Mini 14

 

[CoalTrain49]

Oh boy, where to start. Mini's are running 1K new. Nobody is selling a used one for under $750. Don't listen to those who have never owned a 580 series, those are good rifles. Does it work? Does a Garand, M1 carbine or M-14 work? You can put a scope or red dot on a Mini-14. I have one with a Vortex Spitfire on
it.

Now isn't the time to be dabbling in the used market thinking about not losing money on a trade down the road. You'll lose amigo.