Should I buy a ruger mini-14??? - Page 2

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Should I buy a ruger mini-14??? (Page 2 of 2)

Posted: 2/13/2006 12:08:05 PM EDT

[#1]

Quoted:
I voted yes, but only if it's a GB IMHO. Ruger used select parts and barrels and trued the action to make them more accurate.

Interesting statement. Where did you learn this? Just curious.

My Mini GB has always been reliable and it is certainly simple and light. I scoped it once to test accuracy and handloads generally went into 1.5" groups. The scope made handling it rather awkward, so it only wears the issue irons. Aperture rear sight has some slop which is a bit frustrating. I'd love to be able to find a source of PMI mags. The rifle is "minute of two-legged urban pest" accurate to at least 100 yards and plinking is fun if somewhat expensive.

That said, I'd recommend a AR over a Mini-14 if you can afford the AR. The AR platform is more flexible and durable. Spare parts and mags can be found nearly everywhere.

Jeff

Posted: 2/13/2006 7:37:54 PM EDT

[#2]

Okay Like I said both rifles have their places. I have used my mini and ar for police work for a good while now. The only thing I dont like about the mini is the price of the mags other than that I love it. I have been to alot of shooting classes and have seen a couple of other guys bring minis. During the classes I have yet to see a mini fail. The ar 15 on the other hand I have seen guys have problems with. I have never had a problem with my ar15 though. Alot of the problems with the ar is user maintance. No matter what you are shooting if you dont take care of it it will fail you when you need it most. You have to clean your weapons. I have seen alot of guys who never clean their rifles. How dumd is that. In my opion get both. Hell the liberals will try to ban them and then you wont have either. At least you can say you have one of each

Posted: 2/13/2006 8:57:10 PM EDT

[#3]

TEXAS Dept. of Public Saftey is going to start selling off all there Mini's cause the are gonna get new AR-15's!!! i think they will sell them for $275.00 to their Troopers

Posted: 2/24/2006 9:19:27 PM EDT

[#4]

The thing to remember is this(and I heard it first here) there are two days that are the most joyfull!

One is the day you buy your Mini 14,and the secoud is the day you sell your mini-14!!!!

Bob

Posted: 2/25/2006 3:41:38 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
The thing to remember is this(and I heard it first here) there are two days that are the most joyfull!
One is the day you buy your Mini 14,and the secoud is the day you sell your mini-14!!!!
Bob

What an interesting and coincidental saying! That's exactly how I felt about my AR!...

Tomac

Posted: 3/2/2006 8:09:44 PM EDT

[#6]

The Ruger magazine issue is enough for me to recommend against the Mini-14. WTF is Ruger doing Feinswine's job for?

Ruger says it makes firearms for "responsible sportsmen". I suppose they think only "irresponsible maniacs" would want 20 round factory mags.

Posted: 3/2/2006 10:25:14 PM EDT

[#7]

I bought a Mini-14, but only because in the PRK, at the time it was the only .223 rifle that was legal to buy. Having said that, it has proven to be stone axe reliable and I don't have any grandiose expectations for turning it into something it is not. I was not aware of B. Ruger's idiotic statements at the time or I probably would have passed on the purchase.

Posted: 3/3/2006 6:55:31 AM EDT

[#8]

Cals Sporting Armory has mag for sale ar 29.95 a piece. You can get mags it is that they cost $30 dollars a piece. i buy one every paycheck. never know what the liberals will try to pull. Better to have the mags than not. The only mags I will use is factory ruger.

Posted: 3/5/2006 3:16:55 PM EDT

[#9]

My experiance with the Mini-14 is limited to two samples. A blue and wood Mini-14 bought new for $298.00 and a Stainless synthetic ranch ridle bought new for $349.99.

Of the two the Mini-14 was more accurate than the Ranch Rifle and i preferred the traditional looks. so i kept the Mini and sold the Ranch. Its been 100% reliable and accurate enough to ring a 12" gong at 200 yards all day long.

Due to its reliability, low sight to bore radius, light weight and PC appearance it's my go to rifle for home defense. I added a Surefire UTL and use thermold mags exclusively. If it gets seized as evidence following a self defense shooting I simply will not care. The same cannot be said for one of my irreplaceable Colt Sporters.

Posted: 3/5/2006 7:34:11 PM EDT

[#10]

I got a Mini 14 Ranch Rifle.

6 months later I got an AR-15. The AR is far superior in every way: more accurate, easier to accessorize, etc. And the mags are cheaper.
My advice: If you have the $500 or more for a Mini, save a few more bux and buy an AR!

Don't get me wrong, the Mini-14 is a FUN gun to shoot. But it's not up to the accuracy standards fo the AR. (Bushmaster 20" Varmint rifle)

I just may put a collapsible or bullpup stock on my Mini and use it for house protection.

Posted: 3/5/2006 9:48:47 PM EDT

[#11]

I guess the Mini fills a void but I refuse to buy a RUGER PRODUCT! Ill let someone who does not know lookup hop ruger helped with the AWB.

$40 for a magazine is a joke.

Posted: 3/5/2006 9:54:59 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
I would save up and buy an AR

-Much more accurate
-Decent magazines are much easier to come by

He said it.

Posted: 3/5/2006 10:19:06 PM EDT

[#13]

if you look at it you can buy an AR for the same price as a mini...... I still want one though.

Posted: 3/5/2006 10:32:26 PM EDT

[#14]

I've been happy with my GB... never had issues with, ate everything I feed it. I only have two reason for owning a GB:

1) It was used by the A-Team.

2) It's a good beater rifle when I go camping in the backcountry, and for $200 (way back when they were cheap)... winner hands down.

As for others talking about parts... come on, it's a $200 cheap-ass gun (used). If you going to get it and start adding all kinds of garbage on it, than it's not the best of choice. For something to throw around... I still vote for it.

~rc

Posted: 3/6/2006 6:22:42 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
if you look at it you can buy an AR for the same price as a mini...... I still want one though.

I can find a used Mini-14 any day of the week for under $300.00. Hell my new one cost less than that.

Posted: 3/6/2006 8:25:44 AM EDT

[#16]

^^^^
really? damn, I've been looking around and I haven't seen them for less than at least 6, new ones are going for what, like 7?

Posted: 3/6/2006 9:40:09 PM EDT

[#17]

Check Shotgun News offen... every once in a while, a PD will release a batch out and it will flood the market. I seen Gunbroker with them in the $400 range every once in a while... but I doubt you will find GB in the $300 range.

Best I've seen lately is $400... with a folder, add another $100. $700 for a GB folder... not worth it.

~rc

Posted: 3/6/2006 10:59:29 PM EDT

[#18]

I sold A STAINLESS Ranch with factory 20 rd for $425.
I purchased it during the AWB for over $575

I took a loss on it but I got money to spend on other guns..

Posted: 3/7/2006 1:54:07 AM EDT

[#19]

I have a stainless Mini 14 185 series that has been totally reliable. They are cheaper than an AR but don't have the heavy barrels so they are less accurate. The factory mags cost more than ARs but I have several no name brands that were cheap and work just fine. Just remember that the Mini was intended as a Ranch Rifle not a Combat Rifle like the AR is.

Posted: 3/7/2006 3:10:24 AM EDT

[#20]

If you can find a Mini14 cheap then buy it. If your going to buy a new gun forget the mini.

Posted: 3/7/2006 9:11:41 PM EDT

[#21]

Wow. This debate's older than the one on Zombie Squad, but only three pages. Over there I've been slugging it out for twenty. Quite a bit of info tossed around over there.

Posted: 3/7/2006 10:41:16 PM EDT

[#22]

Get an AR, save to buy it or better yet do a little research and build an AR. Personally I would take one AR over two mini-14's.

Posted: 3/12/2006 4:31:01 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
My experiance with the Mini-14 is limited to two samples. A blue and wood Mini-14 bought new for $298.00 and a Stainless synthetic ranch ridle bought new for $349.99.

Of the two the Mini-14 was more accurate than the Ranch Rifle and i preferred the traditional looks. so i kept the Mini and sold the Ranch. Its been 100% reliable and accurate enough to ring a 12" gong at 200 yards all day long.

Due to its reliability, low sight to bore radius, light weight and PC appearance it's my go to rifle for home defense. I added a Surefire UTL and use thermold mags exclusively. If it gets seized as evidence following a self defense shooting I simply will not care. The same cannot be said for one of my irreplaceable Colt Sporters.

I agree with the above 100%!

One thing though, I bought nine 30 rounders from Federal Ordnance about 15 years ago, and had only great results with those magazines. Unfortunately, Fed Ord went out of business about 10-15 years ago, and no one else has been able to make reliable (aftermarket) mags for the Mini except for Ruger.

Here in the People's Republic of Kalifornia, if you want a .223/5/56 caliber rifle with a detachable mag, your best (if not only) choice is the Ruger Mini-14...

Posted: 3/12/2006 5:15:51 PM EDT

[#24]

They are pretty diffrent. For $650 Id get an AR. The Mini 14 gets hot like an MFer and hasnt been battle tested like the AR. Plus you might like the pistol grip more too.

Posted: 3/12/2006 5:37:04 PM EDT

[#25]

I love em!

I use mine for plinking (less than 50 yards). Very reliable.

Just want the prices as many dealers over price these items.

Posted: 3/12/2006 6:58:34 PM EDT

[#26]

Hell I picked up a nice used stainless with a butler creek folder, 8-9 30rd mags, a stainless mag, scope mount, and flash hider for $300 off the EE a couple of months ago.

Good rifle, eats crap ammo, fun to shoot and I have had zero problems since I bought mine.

Posted: 3/12/2006 7:14:30 PM EDT

[#27]

The Mini-14 is a great gun.

But you came to an AR-15 site to ask about it. Of course people are going to crap all over it. That's like going to a Mustang board to ask if you should buy a Camaro.

The mini-14 is a great gun, and an excellent value for its money. It's not a tack driver, but if you want a tack driver, then buy a bolt action. It doesn't have the aftermarket support, and a ton of high-speed low-drag goodies to bolt onto it, but it doesn't need one. And if you have the $$ to be spending on all those goodies, then you should just be buying a higher end gun out of the box.

I own a Mini-14, and it's a hell of a lot of fun, it's reliable, and it will shoot better than most people need. It will kill prarie-dogs and gophers all day long. And it's a classy looking gun that doesn't freak the sheeple out the way an AR15 does. It's also an EXCELLENT choice for people who live in locations where they can't have an AR.

Posted: 3/12/2006 7:40:09 PM EDT

[#28]

NO!

I have had two and find them lacking in accuracy.

My VEPR K in 7.62x39 is more accurate.

I traded them both off.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Should I buy a ruger mini-14??? (Page 2 of 2)

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