What are your experiences with the Mini-14

Teapot

Teapot

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Hamilton, Ontario; the southern shore of Canada.
I'm thinking of buying a Mini-14. Do they have thicker barrels now? Have all the bugs been worked out?
Were I to buy a used rifle, what should I look for in terms of year of manufacture etc.?
Are parts easy to come by in Canada? The US has a lot of after-market stuff for this rifle but Canada has problems in that department. How available are twenty/5 or thirty/5 round mags?

Anyone hunt with theirs?
 
People here hate the Mini-14 platform. I personally quite like em. Read and read there is alot of info about the Mini-14 here on CGN.
 
The "bull barrel" is fake. It's only heavy where you can see it sticking out of the stock. the rest is pinner. the houge overmold stock is the same as the regular stock, just covered in rubber grippy stuff. Seems to just make it heavier. Don't buy the target model, better to juice up a regular mini 14.
 
I have a couple of them and I like them. One is in 6.8 SPC and the other is in .223. I am looking for a 7.62 x 39. There are a lot of aftermarket items out there that will change their looks and functions. That is fun to mess around with. You are buying a very sturdy, gun that will take a lot of abuse and keep on ticking. You aren't buying a moa gun. If you really get into it, and a lot of guys do, you can certainly improve on the accuracy. If you look at the money you spent to do that you probably could have bought a more expensive rig to begin with to get as good or better accuracy. For me, it is the messing around with the minis to get them to shoot better that is the most satisfying. Or you can just shoot them the way they are and have a lot of fun as well. Bottom line: Some people like them and are willing to put up with their idiosyncracies and others can't be bothered. Personally I don't think you can go wrong with one. I do hunt with the 6.8 SPC- not the .223 though except for varmints.
 
Two of my friends have mini-14's. They are loads of fun. Just not reliable with ALL types of ammo and only so-so accurate. Same goes for mini-30, but here ammo is even more important.
 
I havent done high round counts out of a Mini 14, only a few dozen rounds here and there out of a friends, but its a good little lightweight gun (IMO it was never meant to be a tack driver), im thinking of getting one for varminting and general outdoors/camping shooting since they are pretty inexpensive and non restricted, since AR180B's seem hard to come by.
 
hfp75 said:
People here hate the Mini-14 platform.
Click to expand...
Perhaps, but it's not like we don't have a reason..... :runaway:
Well, it functions okay; it was fairly reliable in my experiences with it; there are lots of accessories available for it; it's price is quite high by comparison; and all versions previous to the new "target" models shoot worse than something costing less than 1/3 of their retail cost. You were lucky to get anything less than 3-4" groups at 100yds with the older versions. (My $125 SKS shot more consistant groups than my mini!!)

I have owned at least one in each of the series, always hoping that maybe one of them would have some inherently better accuracy, but that never happened.

I don't like the target models, and won't buy one. I think they look funny with the harmonic dampener barrel thingie on. IMO, it really destroys the lines of the gun.....which is really what gets people interested in it to begin with.

If people hate it, it's because over the years they simply wish that the thing would do what it "looks like" it can, but really can't. The target one's are better, but then in my opinion...they look bfugly.

And really for the money, you'd be better to spend more and buy something based on either an AR platform, or non-restricted get something in a 180b.
 
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Is it just me, or wouldn't Mini-14 rifle discussions make more sense in the "hunting firearms" forum rather than "black rifles?" Aside from the A-Team and one or two third world police forces, I don't know of any frontline military unit that continues to use/has used the Mini-14 and most LE agencies now field AR-15 variants, etc...
 
Much as I hate to ask this question............I am not trying to steal the thread..........but if it came down to the Mini 14 and the M14 Norc....excluding the ammo cost, which would be better for the average/tinker a little bit/ shooter. Sorry but I saw the M14 may be no longer imported and if we gotta make a move.......
 
Mini's are excellent firearms provided you purchase one knowing what some of the limitations are. It probably won't be a tack driver, the trigger most likely won't be great, and it might have a rare function issue. It will be fun, accurate enough for "casual" use, is non-res, will most likely shoot forever with minimal maintenance, doesn't scare Libs (much) and can be added to and tinkered with extensively.

I've owned two, one older model and a new 580 series, and both delivered exactly what I wanted and expected. The new 580 was more than accurate enough for me, and didn't string shots after the barrel warmed up which was a huge improvement over the older models. The supplied rings and mounts were a nice addition also. With a wee bit of tinkering the new 580's will make for a very nice reliable, accurate, relatively inexpensive and most importantly for me...non-restricted .223 semi-auto.

IMO I'd only consider the 580 series unless an older model was significantly less expensive. Some aftermarket parts and bits don't fit across the series (yet), but the majority I've seen do.

Of course having said all this I don't currently own a Mini, having sold it to purchase an SL8 and a Tavor, but even money says there will be one in the safe again within a couple of years. :)
 
I kept mine because it is fun to shoot and it is nonres. I didn't get a good group but I'm not a good shot either :redface: so why blame the rifle. It is reliable for me and never had a jam even with rare cleaning. Parts seem hard to find in Canada but I'm sure if you dig hard enough you can find what you need....though I find mags are hard to get...
...but I still got an AR because you can pimp it up any way you want...and definitely more fun...try something in the AR platform
 
AR's are restricted, even the long barreled ones. Can't hunt with any AR in any barrel length or any caliber. Can't take the thing out of the house unless to the range and back. Not so versatile.

AR180B's are like the Unicorn; mythical for those that want to buy one.

It is just the $3000 rifles that are left non-restricted. $3,000 223 seems to be synonymous with any non-restricted 223 semi rifle.(who makes up that pricing anyway; seems like price-fixing among all the dealers).

I thought a Mini-14 or AR-180B. Even the used ones on the EE are the same cost as new. People value their own stuff so much but forget they are selling to people who will be getting a used product. Or is it that this is a Canadian thing where all firearms are over-priced?

Rant over.
 
I really like my mini-14 ,if theres a chance of getting together you can try mine ,(I'm in Brantford) .No it's not .5 MOA but it's to hell and back reliable,non-res and substantially cheaper than any other non-res .223.
 
I bought a used mini-14 about 3 weeks ago and love it. It's an older one from the 181 series, so she isn't terribly accurate. However, like other people say, it's a load of fun to shoot, so I can't complain. If you are looking for a cheaper price, your best bet would be to look around in your area, rather than on the EE, as I found mine in a little gun store that was about an hour's drive from my house for $495 before tax. Just keep an eye out, maybe try some smaller gun shops like I did, and you should be able to find a good deal.
 
Well, I watch the A-team .... :D They can't possibly be all that accurate, nobody ever gets shot.

:)
 
I think it is a good enough rifle for me. At least it will give me a rifle to shoot 223 which are plentiful and cheap.
I shoot at Silverdale. Great range. I've seen two Mini-14's there both being the target models with and without the thumb-hole stock.
I'd like to get the stainless steel version with the walnut stock. It is true they are a bit over-priced. In the US used ones go for $450-600 but they can't come over the border. I'll buy a new one as I want one with the somewhat thicker barrel.
 
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