Sell a Mini-14 for kelTec SU-16?

cote_b

cote_b

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So I've had a mini-14 for a few years now, and while I do like it, the accuracy is not great and it wont take AR mags. I also have an AR, but as I live a fairly transient lifestyle, rarely find myself around 'home' where my retricteds are stored and where my home range is, so it seldom gets used. Lately I've been thinking about selling my AR and Mini, and buying an SU-16 and pocketing a few hundred bucks. NR status and AR mags. Just wondering what people think of the SU-16? I heard there was once trouble with the receiver cracking. Is this still an issue on recent production ones? Hows the accuracy? Overall is it worth buying, as a compromise between my AR and Mini-14?
Any thoughts are appreciated!
 
Keep the rifles you have now and save some money, once you have $1000 or more (I don't know how much your AR is worth) sell the mini and the AR and buy a Tavor, ACR, Swiss Arms, XCR (XCR barely makes the list but it's better than a mini14 or SU16).
I've played with 3 SU-16's now and only one of them was half decently accurate. You will be much happier saving up for a quality NR rifle than bouncing from one cheap one to the next. I hated my mini-14, I love my AR's, I love my NR ACR, I can't imagine selling my rifles and only having an SU16.
 
cr5 said:
Keep the rifles you have now and save some money, once you have $1000 or more (I don't know how much your AR is worth) sell the mini and the AR and buy a Tavor, ACR, Swiss Arms, XCR (XCR barely makes the list but it's better than a mini14 or SU16).
I've played with 3 SU-16's now and only one of them was half decently accurate. You will be much happier saving up for a quality NR rifle than bouncing from one cheap one to the next. I hated my mini-14, I love my AR's, I love my NR ACR, I can't imagine selling my rifles and only having an SU16.
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What's ur technical definition of half decently accurate?
 
I've owned two SU 16 and an XCR. I've gotten 1 MOA out of the XCR and 1 1/4 MOA out of the SU. All gone now and am waiting on a MV.
My shooting buddy just bought a used SU 16 . This past weekend he had 3 different powders and 55 g vmax tips , and the best he got was 1 1/8 group. Everything else was 2 MOA or higher. He's going back soon to see if it's repeatable or a one time only thing.
 
Can't count the number of times I've impulse-added, then deleted, an SU-16 from my shopping cart.

It's one of those handy sounding rifles (small, lightweight, takes AR mags, folds up with Keltec storability) that always seems to fall just short of closing the deal.

I don't know. After fully breaking down my sub2K, and getting a first-hand view at all the plastic; I'm not really sure that the SU16 is really any better. If you've got a grand to spare on a truck gun, that just gets stored and rarely used (and if you never train with it, what good would it be to you if you ever NEEDED it?). Yeah, Tavor or NR ACR would be so sweet! 3G's though. That buys an awful lot of ammo..
 
warrenlikesboats said:
What's ur technical definition of half decently accurate?
Click to expand...

For this type of firearm shooting better than 4 moa would be considered half decent accuracy in my opinion. The last one I played with was shooting around 1.5 inches off of sandbags at 25 yards and the one before it we tried quite a few different types of ammo and at 100 yards, all of them looked like someone unloaded a 12ga at the target. Most weren't even close enough to bother trying to measure. That rifle had a new vortex scope on it so it should have been able to do a lot better. It was sold for a loss shortly after.
The SU is also a terrible design if you like cleaning your rifles with anything other than a boresnake.

And to respond to your next statement/question, yes I can shoot and so can my buddy who had the one that shot like a 12ga. Both of us regularly print sub moa groups when shooting quality firearms.

The SU is a decent rifle if you just want something under $1000 and non restricted to make noise with but don't buy one if you want a quality firearm.
 
I've owned a mini 14 and 2 su-16's. They are comparable in accuracy in my opinion. I never had any issues with the keltec receivers, just had some ftf issues with one su.
I would buy another su if I had cash to play with. The forend is ALMOST unbearable in my opinion. The rest is what you pay for.
 
Going from a Mini to an SU-16 would be a step down. I own a Mini (580 series) and I used to own an SU-16. The SU-16 is almost all plastic and it feels cheap to hold. I rarely ever used the fore-end bipod feature because it was totally unstable and I was afraid of breaking the plastic.
 
I`ve never owned an Su-16 and don`t think I would want that ugly POS (although it may shoot well ,but still a scrag)

Mini 14s ,while they may not shoot any better,and that I doubt, are classic ranch rifles ,trouble free ,eat anything and do what they were made to do.

One of mine has a GG&G rail and a red dot......total hoot to shoot.

Love the classic look ,the feel and handling........and that`s what it was made for.

I would never sell my Minis

Paul T
 
Every Mini 14 ive witnessed at a range, competition, or hunting has left me generally un impressed.

Regarding a SU 16 on the otherhand.....

My one buddy is getting into tactical firearms.... Although we agree that a AR 15 is by far the best bang for your buck, NR status is a must..... He wants a gun for plinking, and something he can use in beginner/amature 3 gun.

Its a hard decision, the SU 16 tactical feels SO LIGHT, and well balanced, despite the lack of a bolt release; the ergos seem more than fine aswell. But I agree, it does feel fairly plastic'y (which it mostly is). Unlike me, accuracy isnt a huge deal for my buddy.... as long as the gun shoots like, or better than a SKS rifle, he'd be happy.

Im sort of pushing him to go far a .223 rifle, since good .223 ammo will always be available and reasonably priced.
On the otherhand, he is interested in 7.62x39 since super cheap plinking ammo can easily be had. But my concern is good 3 gun competition legal 7.62x39 may become more and more harder to come by......


He is also interested in a used XCR, but a used XCR would be pushing his current budget.... but it may also be a far superior firearm with ergos and durability in mind.

For the price of a basic used XCR.... he could have a NEW SU 16 tactical, a new scope, rings, a bunch of 10rnd mags and a 1000rnds of .223..... and possibly even squeese a SKS in there to fill his cheap 7.62x39 plinker needs.
 
Thanks for your thoughs guys! what about the benelli MR-1? I don't think I'll ever be able to fork out enough money for a SA or XCR, but a used MR-1 may be attainable.Hows the accuracy, reliability and build quality of these? Would this be worth selling a Mini-14 and AR for?
 
cote_b said:
Thanks for your thoughs guys! what about the benelli MR-1? I don't think I'll ever be able to fork out enough money for a SA or XCR, but a used MR-1 may be attainable.Hows the accuracy, reliability and build quality of these? Would this be worth selling a Mini-14 and AR for?
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Not unless you already have a pile of mags for the AR or plan to keep the AR. You would have to seriously love the aesthetics of the MR1 to pay 800$ on top of what your Mini is worth for the same accuracy.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlxph5UvtBQ
Heres Nutnfancies take on it. Pretty interesting I think.
I bought a SU16 as sson as they became available in canada. It wears a Bushnell TR1 and is lightweight, accurate and 100% reliable even after a couple of thousand rounds.
For a recreational gun that fits in your luggage it cant be beat.
I've worked up some loads for it that are quite accurate (2 MOA with a reddot is about as good as I can do), as well as some cheaper ball M193 loads that are accurate enough.
 
I've had both a mini 14 and an su16. The mini was garbage. Constant failure to feed, 5 rounds max and if you put it in the Sparta stock, one hefty pig of a rifle.

I've owned the su16 3 years now. Fed it nothing but norinco and it hasn't had a single failure. I've replaced the forend with magpul, got the ar15 style grip and but stock and added my own bolt release tab.

It and the sub2000 always make the trip to the crown land. Other guns not so much.
 
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