I have always liked the look and Garand style of the Mini 14 rifle but have never had one. Last year I got really close to getting one but went in the AR15 direction. Now that I have my AR, I'm drawn to the Mini again. Is this a good rifle to get. I have heard horror stories of bad reliability and accuracy. I don't know much about them so all info and advice is welcome. Thank you.

Mini 14 myths are some what exaggerated. True they are not precision rifles but the new tactical models have 16" barrels rather than the pencil thin 18" of the maligned Ranch models. Also the newer rifles are made on new tooling. Good enough for San Bernardino Sheriffs Dept.

The above picture is the old style of Mini. It does struggle with accuracy once warm. Accuracy improves with a barrel strut.

The newer Minis, since Ruger retooled the rifle, have improved accuracy. The tapered barrels are a huge improvement on the tactical and ranch models.

Get a newer Mini and have some fun. I have more ARs than Minis, but I'll never sell that Ruger.  

Buy only Ruger magazines. All others are a waste.

While I've got 3 ARs, I've never been a fan of the bulky receiver and plastic feel of them.  In fact, my long range 'apple shooter' RRA AR A4 wears a real walnut stock, hanguard and custom made walnut pistol grip. I'm a long time irons shooter (over 50 years) and have some M1 Garands, M1 Carbines, and an M1A so I've always liked the look and feel of the Mini-14; just not the accuracy of the older 'pencil barreled' versions (18x & 19x Series).   When I found out that the newer 58x series have a thicker barrel and significantly better grouping, I decided to give one a try so last March I bought a NIB 583 series Ranch Rifle (wood stock, 18" barrel, no flashhider) and after a few tweaks I learned from reading about them on PerfectUnion.com's Mini 14 and Mini 30 section, it's a great little carbine.  
I swapped out the Ruger HG for a Choate HG ($14) for much better cooling, added a SOCOM Accu-Strut ($70) mostly for looks with the 583 Series (needed badly with pencil barreled Minis) but also as a heat sink, lightly smoothed the sears, added two Wilson 1911 bushings (yep 45 pistol $7), one to the gas pipe and one to the op rod spring to avoid metal-to-metal contact during cycling, swapped out the larger (.100") gas bushing inside the gas block with a smaller one ($20) to reduce the cycling action, (Rugers are dramatically over gassed to account for weak, junk Commie ammo.) and when reassembling the gas block, I torqued the gas block screws evenly to 30 in/lbs, and finally swapped out the stock rear sight with a Tech Sights Mini200 iron sight ($60) as it is easier to adjust at the bench than Ruger's stock unit.  
I use Ruger brand 20rd mags and only shoot good quality ammo (no cheap Commie steel junk) and my Mini shoots MOA . . . . . with irons!  At 200yds, my Mini knocks down bowling pins and blasts clay pigeons all day long.  At 300yds it's a challenge to hit them but it's not my Mini's issue . . . . . . . it's my 68 yr old body and eyes.  I'm as accurate with my Mini as I am with both my Criterion barreled M1 Garand or my NM sighted M1A and it's considerably accurate than my M1 Carbines.  All in all it's a fun carbine and has quickly relegated my AR mid-length carbines to near safe queen status.
Yes, I spent some money on my Ranch Rifle getting it the way I wanted it, but heck, this is AR15.com and we all tweak our ARs to get them 'just right'.  It's what we do! My Ruger is a ton of fun to shoot, compact, reliable as sin, accurate, and bragging a bit, I think it looks great!!

Recently, I swapped out the Mini200's rear post for their 'swappable aperture' post and added a smaller .042" aperture ($14) to give me a finer sight aperture to increase the Depth of Field one gets by looking through a tiny aperture held close to one's eye.  As I've got older eyes, I can use all the help I can get to see the front sight more clearly.  I plan to also thin the .077" wide front sight blade down to about .050-.055" wide to give me an even finer sight picture so maybe those 300yd bowling pins will get easier.  All the things I've done to my Mini a pretty straightforward and anyone can do them.  They all have been enjoyable as I like working on firearms almost as much as shooting them.  With over 1,000rds through it so far, I couldn't be happier.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 

Thanks for all the info. Man, that's a fine looking Mini there!

Thanks, it goes well with my M1A.  Sure is fun to shoot too, however, now I feel a bit guilty as I've only taken my AR middy out once since I bought it and I wished I had the Ranch Rifle instead.

I'm pretty set on getting the Tactical model 5847 now. It might be awhile before I get the funds so my mind might change a few times.

Do it....do it.

My Mini Tactical...one of my favorite rifles.

That looks nice. Is that a Specter sling? I just saw a model 5819 stainless tactical and kinda like it too. I just wish one of my local gun shops had a tactical in stock so I could see one in person.

Thread title is an oxymoron, I have a mini and its a pretty good gun, but with the  mag setup and lack of additional features I will never consider them "tactical".

He is not the one that gave it the name.  
Mini Tactical
Or are you just a troll?

Ruger Mini 14 Tactical Rifle

So, you don't think the M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, or M14 were 'tactical' either?  Tens of millions of soldiers would disagree with you. Did you know that M-14's mag engagement (rocking to insert) and mag release (lever behind the mag) is the same as the Mini's?  I've never seen a stock M-16, M-4 or AK-47 come with a light or railed handguard?  The average POPO doesn't engage with a lazer or night vision and most don't even have a light on their weapons but I guess you don't think that they are tactical either.



 

Yes it is a Specter sling.  I also have the Specter butt stock mag pouch as well (not on pic).  Highly recommended.

So I hear you better stick with Factory Ruger magazines for reliability. I haven't seen any at my local shops. Are they very avaiable and if so where? I also heard that the Mini prefers the 20rd mag, ........any truths to this?

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

This.

If you get one of the newer guns, you don't need a strut, buffer, or any of the other stuff we used to have to do to turn the Mini into a decent gun.


I have had some luck with Thermold 30rd mags, and Promag 20rd, but that's a topic for another thread.



This one is a keeper.

Nice shoes!

Which Specter model is that? I'm looking at the Raider 2-point and the 3-point SOP.

Yes, the Ruger brand 20rd mags seem to give the best balance and for reliability Ruger brand mags are tops.  CDNN had a sale on them for $21.99 ea but it's over.  You just Google Ruger 20rd Mags and see who's got them for the best price but be sure you're buying Ruger brand, not something else.



 

It's the 3 point SOP sling  and the Butt stock pouch.

I too like the A2 FH better than Ruger's.  That combined with the SOCOM Accu-Strut gives it a great look.



 

I've noticed several times on news stories involving county sheriffs in California that they use Mini 14s.
I think I did see some with the new Ruger "tactical" folding stock when they were looking for the ex-cop that murdered some people a while back, but it's usually the ranch style stock.

I wonder if they use the Minis because they don't look as "evil" as the AR15?

That's my guess.  LA's Sheriffs Dept seems to be the main user and it figures that they'd be less 'tactical' in their long gun selection much like they are less 'tactical' in their selection of uniforms. The tan and green looks more like a park ranger than the PoPo's typical dark blue/black look.



 

Back in the mid-1990's there was a trend for PD's to stray away from the politically incorrect AR platform.  I recall that being part of the marketing behind the Remington 7615.  Ruger was also selling the pistol caliber variant of the Mini (PC9, PC40.)  They remind me of the M1 carbine.

And here she is. So far all I have done is add a Magpul MS1 sling, (might later get a Specter), Brimstone trigger job, and I have some Tech Sights on the way. I shot it about 100rds at the indoor range and only managed to save about 4 cases! They are right about it being over gassed. Plan on putting in a new gas bushing.

nice!
Here's an easy way to calm things down a bit:  Wilson Combat buffers
Place one at the end of the guid rod and spring, going into the reciever buffer.  You can also push one over the gas block.  I found my groupings opened up with one on the gas block, but the receiver end helped alot.

Can any of you post a picture of the thread shoulder (flash hider and crush washer removed) from your Mini 14 Tactical?  I'm wondering if it is like my 582 series Mini 30 Tactical which has a tapered shoulder that is not suitable for suppressor mounting.

The Mini 14 in 300 Blackout is on my short list

I don't get the attraction of the Mini 14 in 300 BO over the Mini 30.  The 300 BO is fine for an AR
platform, especially in sub-sonic form from short SBR length barrels,
but head to head, out of a rifle length barrel in any
other platform than the AR, it's firmly in second place ballistically
behind the 7.62x39. I'm not hating on the 300 BO, it's American and
designed for a specific purpose, sub-sonic from a short AR barrel, and
it does it very well. But American companies also make ammo for the
7.62x39 and everything you need to handload it. However, the 7.62x39's
larger case capacity and it's use of rifle vs pistol powder in it's
loads gives it a definite edge ballistically.
Commercial brass cased, boxer primed, quality reloadable ammo for both
the 300 BO and 7.62x39 can be found commercially from companies such as
PPU, PMC, S&B, Fiocchi, etc. Further, commercial sub-sonic ammo in
bullet weights up to 220grn is available for both calibers as well.
Cheap, blasting, non reloadable, Commie ammo is only available in
7.62x39 but honestly, why would you want to shoot it?
If you handload you can buy the components just as cheap for either
caliber. Yes, I know that you can make brass from cheap 5.56, but you
can also modify steel or find steel cased with boxer primers 7.62x39.
Commercial 300 BO brass and 7.62x39 brass cases are available as loaded
ammo from the ammo suppliers mentioned above so commercial brass in
either caliber is a push.
The most expensive non-reusable components are the bullets. The prices
of the 123-125grn commercial .311 are the same as .308 from what I can
find on the web. You can find pulled surplus 7.62x39 124grn bullets for
$140/K. In addition, pulled surplus 147grn .308 from M-80 ammo and
pulled surplus 147grn .311 from 7.62x54R are the same price. If you want
new or hunting bullets, you can always use .3105-.312 bullets made for
the 7.7 Jap that are available from Hornady, Barnes, Sierra, Speer,
etc., in weights of 123, 124, 125, 150, 174, 180, 200grn, etc., at the
same price as the same weights available for the 300 BO.
Last, primers and powder are a push cost wise, but not performance wise.
The 300 BO uses pistol powders like H110, 296, Lil'Gun, etc., with
charge weights in the 16-18grn range for a 125grn class bullet while the
7.62x39 use rifle powders like H335, BL-C(2), etc. in the 28-30grn
range for the same bullet weight. The slower burning, larger charge
weight 7.62x39 loads produce higher velocities in rifle and carbine
length barrels (as high as 2,408fps) than the 300 BO does (as high as
2,185fps) with 125grn bullets.
If quality ammo is the same price and sub-sonic and supersonic ammo is
available, handloading is the same price for similar bullet weights, and
both calibers are available in the Mini, what difference is there
between them? Simple, the 7.62x39 Mini produces higher velocities and if
you fell you must, you can also shoot cheap, junk, Commie surplus ammo
in it. So, unless you had another firearm of the same caliber, why would
you want a 300 BO Mini?


 
 

+1
300 BO is for SBR's.  I have a mini 30 tact, and a 300 SBR..  You are going to get way more accuracy out of a AR 300 BO.  I just chug Silver Bear for dirt cheap out of the mini 30.

If you use junk, commie ammo like Silver Bear that may be true, however, quality 7.62x39 commercial ammo or better yet, handloading it can produce rounds that are sub-MOA at 100yds.  Check out Perfect Union's Mini 14/30 forum and you'll see a number of owners who report sub-MOA handloads.  Sandog's Mini 30's have produced .7" groups at 100yds with his handloads.  Just like anything else, a bit of care will yield results.





 

Ive run some quality out of the mini, and it was about 2" at best.  Ive bedded, trigger job, and strut.  
In the end, I paid more for it than my 300 BO SBR, which was less than MOA the day I built it with factory hunting ammo.  And beats the mini with brass ammo that cost me just pennies more than silver bear.  
. Mags are way cheaper, the entire AR accesory market to choose from, and I can replace my own bolt and pin..
My mini is posted over there, I just stopped doing PU a while ago because the mods let jerks run amuck.
Ill never sell my Mini, I love it.  But if you want 300 BO, a mini isnt it.  Ill take a mini 30 over an AK anytime though.

I've always thought they were good-looking guns.

But with an AR's superior design and low cost, what does the Mini do that the AR won't, besides look badass in a different way?

When it's a Ranch model, it's made out of stainless steel.

Thats incorrect.

Yeah, my brand new Mini 14 300BLK is stamped Ranch Rifle and it's definitely not stainless.

Well my mini cycles subsonic 300BLK ammunition suppressed AND un-suppressed. never seen an AR do that.

Yep, 583 Series Mini in my post on page 1 of this thread is a Model 5816 Ranch Rifle.  It's a ton of fun to shoot and the OP's Tactical Mini should give him some rear good times.  
 
 




 

 
LA Sheriff's Office does not use Mini-14s. That's the San Bernardino Sheriff's Office.


In Florida, by law, the Sheriff's Offices across the state have to have a green uniform.

Thanks for the correction.



 

Of coarse it does.  Mini's are notoriously over gassed.  Thats why some people install smaller gas bushings in their mini.  If you want subs to run in an AR 300, just get a drill bit thats little bigger than the gas port...