Opinions? Worth it?

I still can not for the life of me understand why Ruger does not make a Mini-14 that will take AR-15 magazines.

Anyway, Buy or Pass?

pass!

Didnt somebody make a mag that would work in both?

I wouldn't waste $450 on a new one if I could get an AK for less.

Pass

Quoted: Didnt somebody make a mag that would work in both?

YES... And it didn't work in either...

Pass. How much more would you have to save for an AR? There's no contest between the two.

Edit: Even an AK is much better in my very humble opinion.

it's a shit-kicker. i wouldn't pay too much for one. accuracy may vary. widely.

I had one and sold it,because I couldn't hit jack with it.  My dad has one that is pretty accurate.  I would pass and build an AR.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I wouldn't waste $450 on a new one if I could get an AK for less. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

+1

but if you can get it for cheap....

Pass- Save up Get a M1A

PASS...I have one,its not very accurate...I'm gonna sell mine and get an AR.(another AR that is!).

Buy it, one more for the collection but you can expect 3" at 50y if you are lucky.

where's that 'not this shit again' pic (for the mini-14 bashers).

Posting on the wrong forum to be asking about Mini-14s. - Go read a little here - www.perfectunion.com/forums/index.php?showforum=55

Pass

Here's the deal with Mini-14s.  

First problem:  the barrel, accuracy

Pencil-thin barrel that also happens to be at a length that is a harmonic for the .223 round.  Also, there are a lot of people that swear the last two inches of barrel are really crappy for some reason.


Second problem:  The magazine area of the gun, reliability

The dimensions for the mag catch are ALL OVER THE PLACE, and there is a good possibility that other stuff varies too.  There was an article floating around the net written by a 'smith who was doing some mini-14 work and discovered that the mag-catch dimensions varried widely.  He ordered 7 or so mag catches from brownells and measured them, finding large discrepancies.  Whatever the problem, I have mags that I have tweaked to work in my mini, that didn't work when I tried them in a different mini!  Where is the quality control at?  For a variety of reasons the mini-14 has a major weakness and reliability problems with respects to magazines.

I'd pass and get an SKS or AK.  They'll still probably beat the mini in accuracy too.  When I get outta Kali, first thing I'll do is sell my mini and get something better.

Ruger really has their head up their ass on this one.  If they made a QUALITY mini-14 with a few minor upgrades/chagnes...say selling for 700-800, everyone and their brother would rush down to the fun-store to buy one

I would say only if it is cheap...think Choate folder btw...

run, don't walk, away from the mini,

Let's see...$450 for an inaccurate, unreliable rifle with absolutely no military heritage, produced by a company with dubious RKBA policies...

I'd pass, especially when the same money would get you 3 or 4 like-new Yugo SKS rifles.

pass. Build an AR instead.

Quoted: it's a shit-kicker. i wouldn't pay too much for one. accuracy may vary. widely.

Yeah, like "Minute of Barn" widely.

Quoted: Opinions? Worth it? I still can not for the life of me understand why Ruger does not make a Mini-14 that will take AR-15 magazines. Anyway, Buy or Pass?

I don't buy garbage guns, you shouldn't either.



Zen






"This is my rifle, there are many like it, but this one is mine"

you'll have to look at the big pitcure and the price of magazines.

Ruger Magazines are not cheap, PMI's are hard to come by at a decent price

I will pass. I had no idea they were that crappy!

What happened to the ol' Arfcom spirit?  You know, buy 'em all, get one of each, get both 'em.  Who cares what it costs, it's a gun, dammit.

Quoted: I will pass. I had no idea they were that crappy!

What do you want it for? Just a deal that came along?

...for that kind of green, you could get a decent CMP M1 Garand.

If you just want a good working semi auto, get the SKS or the AK.

If you like the hi cap and gotta have American, go with building an AR, or a FAL (Is it still legal to build FAL's?)

If you just gotta have this gun...get it.

Good luck

I have one, but I won't be getting another unless it was priced so low that I couldn't refuse...

My experience with my Mini-14. This was my first firearm. I put a scope on my mini and I could not zero the rifle! It has a wandering zero. Magazines are crap! Only good ones are really expensive. I bought a Sar-1 for plinking and a Savage 10fp for accuracy and dumped my mini. I don't miss it one bit! For plinking I suggest getting an SKS/AK series rifle, or spend a little more and get an AR-15, scope options are much better.

PASS!!!!!!!!!! PASS!!!!!!!!!!      PASS!!!!!  AK variants are cheaper, just as accurate, have more and better accessories and are more reliable!!!!!!!!!!!  ONCE AGAIN PASS!!!!!!!!!!!

I've had a Mini-14 since last summer.  We had some foxes (not the lady type) hanging around during the daytime.  So the fam felt it neccessary to get a foxinator.  Went to the local gunstore and put down the money for a used Ranch, Simmons 3x9 scope, and some 223.  Needless to say, the foxes decided to leave on their own accord.  

It did get some use this summer however on some raccoons that dared to come out during the day.  The one we got was either rabid... or drunk.  I'm guessing rabid.  It's good to live in a Town where the dispatchers only comments are "do you have the means?"

Back to accuracy.  I wasn't impressed with it last summer.  I couldn't zero it even with the scope.  However, after coming home from my 3 month oasis to Georgia this spring, I sat down with it and decided that I was going to zero it, or trade it back in.  

So there I sat, with the rifle comfortably slumped on an army issue cold weather sleeping back, which was in turn, comfortably slumped on a picnic bench.  And so I shot.  And to my surprise, I could actually see where the bullet had gone through my particle board target.  I shot some more, adjusted the scope, and shot again.  Three rounds at a time.

Well, I'm happy to say that the Mini is zeroed.  I wouldn't even attempt to take off the scope and try it with the iron sights.  Tried it last summer to no avail.  Probably paid to much for it in hindsight.  But now I'm not one to sell any firearms,  so the mini stays.

I was even contemplating sending it to Accuracy Systems for an overhaul.  From what their webpage tells me, they can turn a Mini into a real tack driver.  Although, I have yet to hear a third party tell me about them, and putting even more money into a plinker seems not so fiscally responsible.

That's why I'm going on now with 3 Pre "NY" Ban AR15's, 2 SARs (1,2), and my Remington Rangemaster (22LR) which incidently, I can put rounds though rounds

My advice.  Get a Mini if you really want a Mini.  If you can find a cheaper alternative and aren't hell bent on a certain rifle, then skip it.

pass

get an AR bushy

it takes obtainable mags, reliable, ACCURATE, and nice looking

Pass.  Get an AK instead.

Had 2 over the years. Sold or traded both very quickly. I would agree with what others have said. Accuracy is non existent. Get and AR or AK depending on what your needs are. If you could get one for about 150 for a truck gun or to leave at camp type thing fine. Otherwise pass.

Quoted: Quoted: I will pass. I had no idea they were that crappy! Point is some are some aren't.  I've yet to run into an early model 180 or 181 that was a piece of crap.  I guess the tooling was still new.  In those days, early 80's I actually knew SWAT members that traded their more expensive ARs for mini's to save on cash and get a rifle as acuarate as the AR at the time with fewer jam issues.   Now along comes the later models and tools begin to wear at the same time volume production picks up.  Process variability becomes an issue and sub 2" MOAs drop to sub 3" MOAs.  Along comes Clinton's ban and the cheap mag becomes expensive. Tj

I, too, suspect this is the case.

It's more like 4-6 MOA these days.  3 MOA is the exception.  It's pretty bad when a sloppy, shot-out AK with crappy russian ammo can produce as good, or better results.  The really sad thing is, all ruger would have to do wold be to ship them out with a different barrel and you'd solve the problem.

Pass. Get a SKS or save up and buy an AR.

If you can pick up a used one for a few a little outlay, pick it up.

I picked up a stainless folder with 5 factory mags for $250. It's a fun gun. I wouldn't use it but for a range plinker.

Depends on the asking price and what you want it for. I bought one about 5 years ago as a fun gun and paid $425. It's a neat little carbine that's been absolutely reliable and I've tweaked cheap, crappy "Triple K" mags to the point where the haven't had a failure in all that time. I can kill clay pigeons all day out to about 40-50 yards, stay on paper to roughly 100 and can hit a torso-sized target at 200 maybe about 80% of the time. Prints a shotgun pattern at that distance but it's still a hit. It's light and pretty compact now that I've put a Butler Creek folder on it. Plus, the wife likes it and is equally good with it.

If I was going to own only one semi-auto .223, I'd pass and save up for an AR or look at an AK (esp Robinson's VEPRs). If you can dicker on the price and want something that's "adequate" and fun, go for it. For that matter, you could look at the KelTec SU16 - it takes AR mags - but I thought it felt like a flimsy POS.

Good luck!

PASS