I'm helping my buddy get into the AR world however he wants to sell his Mini 14 first for additional funds to be put towards that goal. He's definitely not a gun enthusiast.

The problem is there is rust on a half dozen locations on the barrel / receiver and some putting. Provided the interior of the barrel isn't fucked I'm trying to figure how to value it for sale - I figured it's probably only worth a couple hundred bucks at this point.

It's a standard blued fixed stock version. He has 3 ruger 30rd mags but even those have some rust.

It's a great time to be selling.  I wouldn't go to low on it...probably 400 in this market.

Here's a real crazy way to test the market

Put it for sale, and if it doesn't sell, lower it until it does.

Is it old or new ? Which serries is it , wood hand gaurd or plastc ?

If you can clean it to ...respectable ... and the bore is good ?

No less than 450 bucks . -

$350.

New ones are $700-800.  Remove some rust, clean it up, ask $600 and see if someone bites.  

90's maybe? The stock is wood. Haven't checked the bore yet.

I also did consider how chinavirus has changed the market and probably will make this easier to sell.

I sold a decent old one w/ one pre-AWB dual AR/Mini mag for $650; the $1k blued folder is sitting on the wall w/ one 40 rnd mag.

I had a Mini 14 and it sucked accuracy wise.

Yea , it sucks accuracy wise to an enthusiast ,  but they are good guns and 93% of the people would do well with one , myself included.

Something along these lines, maybe even ask $650 with the extra mags.  They seem to sell instantly on gunbroker for $550, so that seems to be the range ($550-$650)

...

If he was selling an AR, would you come in here and say, "hey, fellas. What's an AR-15 worth? I think it was made in the 90s and has a little rust." Like amy other rifle, mini 14s can vary a lot in price. You have to know what you hav first, and then go from there.

Look at the prefix for the serial number. If it starts with 180 it will be tough to sell to anyone unless they're a collector or have no idea what they're looking at. Parts are no longer made, stocks aren't necessarily compatible and even Ruger has basically disavowed it.

They went until 2004 or so and ended in the 197-ish serial numbers. That's when they started with the 580 prefix, and went up from there. The newer rifles are generally better, especially those with the flared barrels (as opposed to the older "pencil barrels" that were phased out around that time).

The original 181+ rifles had pretty decent iron sights but mounting a scope was an exercise in rube goldberg gunsmithing. The 197 Ranch Rifles were set up for scopes, but have abysmal folding "backup sights." The newer rifles have nice peep sights. There are tactical versions with shorter barrels, etc.

Then you have the older GB series, with the bayonet lugs, that are sought after and have a bit more value than the others.

If the mags are truly Ruger brand 30 rounders, (especially "pre ban") those may hold significant value - especially to anyone in a ban state.

I love mini 14s, but I got mine (a 197 Ranch) when they were around $350 and an AR was pushing $1000. As much as i love them, even I have to admit they are overpriced right now. Now is the time to sell. Get some more specifics about what rifle it is and you'll get a better answer.

LEO trade ins go around $4-600 around here.

With the rust and pitting, 350-400

Ended up selling it for 420. Used armslist and got a lot more interested parties than I anticipated.