I happen to think Mini 14's are fun as hell, especially if you can get them in class three form. Get your hands on ruger factory mags and you will never have a problem. The mini 14 is very good at spraying ammo and clearing a room, and you can get a class 3 gun for under 7k-8k usually

The question was asked about sights, which brings up one of the worst flaws of the original design.
With the Ranch model, the rear sight is crappy, but scope mount is built in.

With the Standard model, the rear sight is robust and adequate, but adding a good scope mount is an expensive proposition.
The newest Mini, (I think) has a good sight, and a built-in scope rail.

I've had 3 Minis.
With my last one, I bedded the action. I had the barrel shortened to 16".
I installed a smaller gas port, and sent the trigger off for a trigger job.
Still never shot less than a 4" group at 100 yards.

I would say they are reliable, and minute-of-badguy accurate, but it's still a pain to get good mags.

With my current (cheap kit gun) AR, the first time I sat at a bench with iron sights, and mil. ammo, I shot a <2" group!

And, I seem to like to "accessorize" my rifles.
There's just not much you can do to a Mini, compared to an AR.

That last Mini got the gun out of my system.
I'm totally sold on the AR from this point on.

The Mini is an ok rifle. I had one for 6 years. I still have the Ruger mags but I sold the mini a long time ago as I was disappointed in the accuracy.  I have 3 ARs now but I still keep looking at the Ruger and might want to try another one again. However the new Rugers msrp is right up there with the low end of the ARs.

I hate mini-14's.  

I guess I would like my Mini-14 better if I ever found magazines that would feed properly.  Since I joined this board, I heard that PMI are the best for Minis but I never bought any to try.  Why waist my money buying mags for the Mini when I have ARs!!!

I don't think there is any comarison to a AR.  The AR smokes the Mini every day.


If price is your problem with ARs then maybe a Mini or a AK is for you........

I use PMI 40s

Here's A-team.....it throws a 3-foot ball of fire in day light.

Oh, and you can usually get your money back when you sell an AR.

I've taken a beating on the 3 Minis I've had.

Genius.

Some of the advantages of the mini over the AR is the low sight over bore radius where POA nearly equals POI for ranges up to 50 feet.  Also the look of the Mini is not as "scarry assult rifleish" (which has its advantages for certain aplications).  Finally, here in Hawaii, we have a ban on magazines that hold more than 10 rounds which can fit into a handgun.  So unlike the mini's,  we are limited to 10 round AR mags.  However, you can not beat the accessories and way coolness of the AR type of rifle over the mini.  I myself have both, with my mini being a mini-30 shooting 7.62x39 ammo.  So I have a more rounded selection of rifles in operating systems and calibers.

Here is my mini, I only bought it because I live in California, and I got a GREAT deal on it. However the mini's biggest problem is its mags, they  jam a lot. Ruger won’t sell any hi-cap factory mags to the public, and until the mag problem is solved the mini will never compare to an AR.

I got my mini to be pretty accurate, reliable, and fun but, once again it does not compare to an AR.  I got a job out of state and I am selling my Mini this weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hello freedom in Arizona.

http://pic15.picturetrail.com/VOL572/3465896/7122572/123550139.jpg

AZ is a pretty good place, even if it is slowly being Californicated.

How can anyone not like a place that has open carry?

Quoted: the kit gun kinda scares me..i saw an fn kit gun explode.....it was undoubtedly due to the shit ammo....but it is just freaky to see a fn fal blow in half right in front of you after you just shot it.

Who sold the kit? Did they use high quality parts, or shit parts that were cheap? Gunshow parts of unknown origin? Did whoever put the gun together check headspace to ensure it was safe? What ammo was used? Was there perhaps an bore obstruction?

There's kits, and then there's KITS. High quality parts like a Bushmaster parts kit (don't know if they still sell them, but they used to), or mystery parts of unknown origin sold by some shyster in Shot Gun news? You get the idea.

As for the Mini, I owned one. Biggest piece of crap I ever had the misfortune of buying. VERY inaccurate, hard to see or adjust sights, about impossible to find preban FACTORY 30-rd mags for under about $100 (this was the mid-90s, mind you). The aftermarket mags were shit.

I wouldn't have a Mini-14 if you gave it to me free.

Quoted: I hate mini-14's.

I don't

Quoted: Here is my mini, I only bought it because I live in California, and I got a GREAT deal on it. However the mini's biggest problem is its mags, they  jam a lot. Ruger won’t sell any hi-cap factory mags to the public, and until the mag problem is solved the mini will never compare to an AR. I got my mini to be pretty accurate, reliable, and fun but, once again it does not compare to an AR.  I got a job out of state and I am selling my Mini this weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hello freedom in Arizona. pic15.picturetrail.com/VOL572/3465896/7122572/123550139.jpg

Actually, there are Ruger original 20rd mags available now (not cheap).  The ones I bought (CTD) were marked LEO, but what the... They work just fine.  Most others brands and especially the 30-40 rdrs are crap.  May have to change mags more often, but the barrel needs arest anyway.

I was qualified with a Mini 14 in my PD.  I liked the weapon alot, except hated trying to remove the bolt from the receiver. This weapon could really be a pain to assemble/disassemble.
I now own 4 ARs.  Stick with the AR.

I have to admit, I regret selling my AC556 perhaps as much as any gun I ever got rid of...

of course, selling it for $450.00 bucks really hurts now

I have 2 mini-14's right now and 5 AR's.  I prefer the mini for somethings and my advice would be to have both but if I had to get one or the other it would be an AR due to the add on parts available.

I would say get both.  I have shot over 5000 rounds in my Mini-14 without a malfunction.  My AR  jammed so bad on my last outing, I needed tools to fix it.  I trust the Mini more.  But, I like shooting the AR better.

I'm a pretty good shot, but not a great one. I like my mini-14, but I'm not all warm and fuzzy about a gun that can't shoot as good as me. If I could dial it in without spending all of my allowance I would like the mini even more.

oh god,,,not even close all around,,just my expert opinion,,Semper Fi

Quoted: The M-4 is better in every way. In keeping with the traditions of many at AR15.com, I will now leave the discussion, stating only my opinion and offering no explanation whatsoever.....

actually the true spirit of AR15.com would be "get both"

I've had 2 Mini 14s.  One was a Stainless GB and the other was a Rancher.  (If that's the one w/ the scope mounts) I used the GB for a while as I couldn't afford a pre-ban AR and didn't care to have a neutered AR @ the time so figured "why not"?  After a few weeks I knew why not:

1) Mags, are either shit or too expensive for proper functioning types.
2) Accuracy- not even close.  Mini 14s in my experience are as "accurate" as my Aks @ equal or more cost w/ requiring more expensive ammo than 7.62 x 39.
3) Useable design.  Taking down the Mini 14, even w/ it's fewer parts was never on my list of "fun things to do"
4) Optics platform was purely an afterthought for the Mini-14.
5) Iron sights were obviously an "underthought" for Ruger while designing the Mini-14.
6) Accessories for the Mini-14 are either the hinkiest things on earth or do not add to the versatility of the weapon itself.
7) Brass-  the mini-14 flings empty brass up to 20 YARDS.  What a joke.
8) Ergonomics, the mini-14 uses the rock-to-lock mag catch.  This is as natural as wiping one's ass via their armpit. Don't care for the standard wood stocks fit either.
9) Politics- Ruger's PC approach to my 2nd Amendment leaves me steaming.  Aside from the 10/22 I haven't found a Ruger weapon that comes close to even an imported alternative.

Not only do I hate the Mini-14, I hate Ruger. That is to say if it came down to a "take it or leave it" scenario, Bill Ruger could have his 10/22 back and a gallon of Tijuana toothpaste to choke on.

Not that I'm really overly opinionated about Ruger & his damn Mini-14 at all...

Sly

so you're saying your a huge fan?

With plenty of factory Ruger 20Rd mags available now, I feel the Mini 14 is a decent and reliable gun for the money. Lots of cheap used mini 14s out there also.  As for a comparison between the Mini and the M4. it's the M4 all the way. Of course it's also more$$ and should be better.

I'm going to get one one day...

just remember the mini is a terribly inaccurate weapon..

Need proof?  Take the single most elite military unit in the history of the world... Give them mini-14s and start filminga TV show... Hundreds of thousands of rounds fired and they nevre hit anybody....
/cues up A-Team music/

and remember when shopping for a good quality factory gun

"Shop smart, shop S Mart"

The mini 14 is 5.56. It is in the manual. The receiver saying .223 is one of its oddities. Masen and PMI/Fed Ord mags work 100% if you install ruger factory followers. The Masen 30 is an almost exact copy of a factory 30 except painted, not blued. The skinny barrel will heat up when dumping mags, therefore with a stock barrel is adequate for anything but military use. Mini 14's are very reliable, but definately lack accuracy as I've had stock ones that would shoot 1.5 MOA and others 6 MOA. I haven't yet purchased a New design mini. The older standard model has a rear sight which wobbles but can be replaced with a Williams M1 carbine rear site w/ mods. Parts for a mini are nearly unavailable but they do have a lifetime warranty. I have never broken a mini 14 but I can't say that about an AR. Mags, given my advice, is less of an issue.  And I LIKE the Mini's safety as I don't have sausage links for fingers. I can see someone with fat fingers not liking it.  For security/home defense/SHTF purposes, the mini is a perfect weapon. When accuracy is necessary and must be used for a prolonged conflict, I'd go with the AR (PROVIDED IT IS A QUALITY AR). 3 minis to 4 ARs is my current ratio.

I've owned both, I bought the mini 14 when I was on a tight budget. I whole time I owned it I wish I had a AR. the felt cheap, lots of plastic and laminated wood. Then took the look of a great rifle like the M1 Garand and the M-14 and used it as a ploy to sell a substandard rifle.

Yeah the AR has a lot of plastic too, but I know it the toughest stuff the sientists can offer.

Quoted: I own both, I like both. Quality mags are cheaper for the AR15.

+1

I guess with 4 pages this actually is a serious question.

Quoted: I guess with 4 pages this actually is a serious question.

For an AR15 board, I expected more bashing.

There's actually been some good information shared here.

Quoted: Quoted: I guess with 4 pages this actually is a serious question. For an AR15 board, I expected more bashing. There's actually been some good information shared here.

There actually has been a lot of good info and a surprising lack of asshattery.
BTW-watch out, you're approaching #556.

In the spirit of ARFCOM, I own both.  But I haven't taken the Mini out of the safe in a long time.  Am I getting ready to sell it?  Hell no!  Prices on them at gun shows just keep creeping up, so it looks like recovering my "investment' won't be a problem when and if I do decide to sell it.

I like the Mini 14 for what it is: a plinker.  I do not think I'll ever be able to reliably hit targets beyond 100 yards with it, though I PLAN to be capable of reliably hitting targets at 300 yards and farther with my AR.  It's fun to shoot, not too much trouble to clean (I also have an M1 Garand and an M1 Carbine, so stripping a Mini 14 is no big deal), and my stainless model ranch rifle is nice and solid.

i think when you weigh what you get vs. what you paid, an AK is a much better investment.