Thinking of getting RUGER Mini-14 .223
- Thread starter Pietro Beretta
- Start date
Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
Don't do it! I have a mini 14 stainless ranch rifle. They cost about $900. Worst trigger I've ever seen on any rifle and not accurate either. Go buy an SKS and put a scope and a synthetic stock on it and then take the extra $400 you have left over and buy ammo.
Pietro Beretta said:If I get the Ruger Mini-14, it will be used as a non-restricted .223 semi-auto plinker I can take up north in the summer and go nutz with at Beer cans/targets at 200 yards
200 yards?
Good luck with that.
Mini -14 a good idea?
After owing no less tha 5 different mini-14s over the years I decided to purchase one like you desire a stainless synthetic model. I purchased and started shooting and using it as my main coyote gun.At the range one day and about 300 rounds into its life I pulled the trigger and nothing.After several attempts I discovered that the firing pin wasnt striking the primer as the tip had broken off.After ordering and replacing it I discovered reading mini-14 forums that this and ejector breakage is common especially in the stainless models as stainless can be tricky to heat treat.I have the greatest respect for Bill Ruger and all of the fine firearms that he has designed and manufactured but remenber that the mini is basically a scaled down copy of the Garand M1 action and parts especially in the bolt group are smaller and tiny as in the caes of the extractor and spring and therefore possibly more prone to breakage.The last thing I needed is to set out hunting and have a coyote show up and pull the trigger to hear nothing.I would still like to buy and own one of the new target/varmit models that have just come out.Thats my two cents!---Thanks Dieseldog! (P.S. replaced with a AR180B)
After owing no less tha 5 different mini-14s over the years I decided to purchase one like you desire a stainless synthetic model. I purchased and started shooting and using it as my main coyote gun.At the range one day and about 300 rounds into its life I pulled the trigger and nothing.After several attempts I discovered that the firing pin wasnt striking the primer as the tip had broken off.After ordering and replacing it I discovered reading mini-14 forums that this and ejector breakage is common especially in the stainless models as stainless can be tricky to heat treat.I have the greatest respect for Bill Ruger and all of the fine firearms that he has designed and manufactured but remenber that the mini is basically a scaled down copy of the Garand M1 action and parts especially in the bolt group are smaller and tiny as in the caes of the extractor and spring and therefore possibly more prone to breakage.The last thing I needed is to set out hunting and have a coyote show up and pull the trigger to hear nothing.I would still like to buy and own one of the new target/varmit models that have just come out.Thats my two cents!---Thanks Dieseldog! (P.S. replaced with a AR180B)
hfp75 said:
No worries, I'm sure you printed a copy of the thread and have it catologed in your scrap book of great accomplishments right next to all the other great "Internet Burns" I'm sure you've had over your meaningless years online.
hfp75 said:
But to post something relevant, don't buy a Mini unless you don't plan to be shooting anything over 100 yards and you don't plan on tac driving even at that range. I must admit that I got my old Mini to shoot fairly good at 100 yards, but only after the instalation of a very long and expencive muzzle brake and it still didn't shoot that well over 100 yards.
And for thoes of you who are wondering about my "lie", the ad I posted (which is LONG deleted as it was a LONG time ago, said: "I have just installed a new muzzle break/front site on this rifle and it is dead on at 100 yards. Which it was, with the muzzle break, which I included along with a folding stock and three 5/30 mags (I think I included the mags, as I said it was a long time ago) for $600 when I payed over $700 for the NEW stock rifle less than a year eariler. The BUYER has YET to complain, but for some reason Mr.Hfp75 is unpleased with my business pratice and feels ofended for him or for the Mini 14 I so blatantly dis every stinkin' chance I get.
Anyhoo, Mini 14 rifles, IMO, SUCK......ROYALY. Anyone considering them should consider this: The A-Team used Mini 14 rifles almost exclusively....and do you remember ANY of them EVER hitting ANYONE?!?!....I rest my case.
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Northman999 said:
I have a different opinion, do not buy an SKS go with the Mini 14, it is very reliable however obviously not as accurate as my Colt 6920, but lots of unrestricted fun and at less money than the Colt.The SKS is crap, I sold mine after 50 rounds. Or just buy the CZ 858, cheap and pretty accurate for what it is. Trust me, forget about the SKS.
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I have had three mini 14's and two mini 30's. One of the mini 14's out of the three was quite accurate (minute of coyote out to 200 yards - easy). I regularly shot beavers with it out to 100 hundred yards with just their heads showing in the water. The other two mini's I owned were poor accuracy, especially with a warm barrel. One of my mini 30's was exceptional in the accuracy dept. but the other stunk. One thing I can say of all of these guns is that they are tough little guns. There is also a few minor things that one can do without a gunsmith to dramatically improve the accuracy thing. The new mini 14 (580) series is also a much improved rifle that is made on new and improved tooling. It is much more accurate and has exceptional sights. Lots of people like to bash the mini 14, but most of them have never fired one, they like to relay their buddies misfortune that may never be confirmed or true. A new model mini 14 is an excellent gun and I would not hesitate buying one. New stainless 5/30's are rare. Alberta Tactical Rifle has new blued 5/30's and 5/20's, but are expensive.
BattleRife
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- of No Fixed Address
Mini-14's are fun, handy, lightweight, reliable shooters that almost everyone enjoys blasting with.
They are also possibly the least accurate rifle produced in the western world, post WWII. Though apparently a bedding job and something like a flash hider on the muzzle goes a long way to curing that.
They also take proprietary mags that are only common in 5 round sizes, and aftermarket clones haven't traditionally worked well. Since the mag ban expired in the US, I understand this situation is improving, as well.
The Mini-14 is an excellent $400 rifle. I question if it is a good $850 rifle.
They are also possibly the least accurate rifle produced in the western world, post WWII. Though apparently a bedding job and something like a flash hider on the muzzle goes a long way to curing that.
They also take proprietary mags that are only common in 5 round sizes, and aftermarket clones haven't traditionally worked well. Since the mag ban expired in the US, I understand this situation is improving, as well.
The Mini-14 is an excellent $400 rifle. I question if it is a good $850 rifle.
stormbringer
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- S.W. Ontario
Every Mini 14 or Mini 30 I have ever seen run in an IPSC match has been a jamo matic.
Oh and CZ-858 can have a non LER scope.
Oh and CZ-858 can have a non LER scope.
Well, I don't want to get into a big flaming "war of the experts" here, but my girlfriend and I have one of the new style stainless Mini-14's, and we really like it. I have a Bushnell 3-9x40 scope on it. I have 2 factory 5 round mags and 3 stainless 30/5 round mags that I bought from someone on CGN for $50 each.
The gun will never compete with any bolt action rifle for accuracy, but I have found the accuracy on the "new" models to be much better than I was expecting it to be, and acceptable for the design. The fact that you have this big M1/M14-style bolt that blows back on every round means that you have too much movement in the gun for pinpoint accuracy, but I find the Mini to be acceptable out to 100m. I agree that 200m is a stretch for this gun. We do most of our shooting with it at 25/50/100 metre berms at the range (which is what most of the people I see shoot their AR's, SIG's, etc. at. Hell lots of people shoot their .223 AR at pistol stand-up targets ), and it is fine at those ranges. I have family with farms in Saskatchewan, and I'd love to get it out on the flatlands.
Mine has never jammed, with either factory or aftermarket mags.
I think it's a fine $800 semi-auto varmit-type rifle. I find that most of the #####ing about specific models of guns comes from people being totally unrealistic about the limits of the firearm. this thing was never designed to be a sniper rifle.
This is my girlfriend shooting the Mini. Despite her diminutive stature, she shoots this rifle very well.
The gun will never compete with any bolt action rifle for accuracy, but I have found the accuracy on the "new" models to be much better than I was expecting it to be, and acceptable for the design. The fact that you have this big M1/M14-style bolt that blows back on every round means that you have too much movement in the gun for pinpoint accuracy, but I find the Mini to be acceptable out to 100m. I agree that 200m is a stretch for this gun. We do most of our shooting with it at 25/50/100 metre berms at the range (which is what most of the people I see shoot their AR's, SIG's, etc. at. Hell lots of people shoot their .223 AR at pistol stand-up targets
), and it is fine at those ranges. I have family with farms in Saskatchewan, and I'd love to get it out on the flatlands. Mine has never jammed, with either factory or aftermarket mags.
I think it's a fine $800 semi-auto varmit-type rifle. I find that most of the #####ing about specific models of guns comes from people being totally unrealistic about the limits of the firearm. this thing was never designed to be a sniper rifle.
This is my girlfriend shooting the Mini. Despite her diminutive stature, she shoots this rifle very well.
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I have a fancy PE90 but have always fancied a Mini...It is a utility rifle after all. That being said (I hope I am not repeating myself,) I have shot a damn accurate on out of that very same bay! It was 'worked' on but damn freeking accurate and fun as hell to shoot. The guy quoted about $1500 into it...A slight bit more friendly than the $5kish my total Blk Spec. kit would retail for.
I think the Ruger mini's are DEAD ###Y, and I always have. I was more than satisfied with both the Mini 14 and the Mini 30 I owned...I will be buying another when the right deal comes along - coinciding with my having some money in my pocket at the time.
Jeff/1911.
Jeff/1911.
IchBinEinSniper
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brockvegas
If I had any clue how to add pictures, I would post pics of my Target Mini... why can't I just drop a picture in from my computers directory?
IchBinEinSniper said:
Because it's not uploaded to the internet...
www.imageshack.us
Click the link, upload it there and then paste the link in the image tags
IchBinEinSniper
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brockvegas
OK lets see...
IchBinEinSniper
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brockvegas
It worked, my Target Mini is here...
- Location
- Houston, TX
Wow, that looks great. Now the important part - how well does your Target Mini-14 shoot? Have you done a benchrest test at 100 yards?
Thanks,
Eric
Thanks,
Eric
