[Deb Mc]

I saw a sweet Ruger for sale today and am *very* interested in it. Carbine, stainless steel with wood stock, .223 caliber. Expensive, but looks "nice"!

Any gripes, tips, pros/cons, please?

Thanks!

[Tom S.]

The biggest gripe I hear with Mini-14s is poor accuracy. My experience with a friend's tends to confirm that. If you'll be satisfied with a rifle that at best will barely stay on a 10" paper plate at 100 yards, you'll probably like it.
I tend to get twitchy when the 100 yard groups are over 3/4", myself... :D
Tom

[Baba Louie]

Had one years ago. Not too bad, not too good. Traded it for something or other. Have shot a couple of others since (owned by friends) and always have a blast guessing where the holes will appear on the targets. Depends on the load, wind and general cleanliness of the bore, I reckon. It makes me wonder why?

I do own a Mini-30 (7.62x39) that has taken several deer over the years and I equate it to my Winchester 94 (30-30). I guess the minute of deer (MOD?) is adequate. It has always put meat on the table when called upon.

So... why do you lust after such a cute and sexy gun? Target shooting? Meat? Farm implement (dogs cats and such)? Plinking? $450 -up is a good sized investment for what some call a "Boat Anchor" disguised as a rifle (WalterGA in GlockTalk).

Others swear by theirs.

Its a personal thing, I gather.

If I had the cashola and the desire, I'd do it in a second. My old Pa used to say that,"You can never have too many guns or fishing poles. Just don't tell your Mom. She wouldn't understand".

Adios Qweeksdraw

[Cliff C]

Stu? Oh, Stuuuuuuuuu? Check into the Rifle Forum, please. :)

Deb - I don't own a Mini-14, but I believe it to be a good, solid gun.

The action is based upon the well-proven M-1, M-14 design. The chamber is such that it should most happily digest most any .223 ammo, including the inexpensive Wolf laquer coated steel cased stuff.

It's not going to shoot sub 1 MOA accuracy, but it wasn't designed to either.

Finding reliable hicap mags (hicap=20 rounds or more) may be your biggest challenge.

If you're looking for a reliable SHTF .223 rifle, the Ruger is a good choice. If you want a target rifle, you may want to look elsewhere.

Cliff

[Carston]

Geez....Stu missed this chance to promo the Mini but I wont bash it too bad.
Deb the mags are pricey unless you know Stu and work something out...he has the market covered there.
As for reliablity...I wont say cause I have never held one but a 4-10 inch group is just no good to me.
I shoot a 1 inch and less group when I THINK...But if I want to just empty a 20 rnd mag I get 2 inch group at 100 yards.....Save a few more bucks and buy a Bushmaster Dissapator AR15...Heavy barrel, full 20 inch sight radius, mil spec, chrome chamber and bore and it is chambered for 5.56 rather than .223 commercail stuff....there is a difference.

Get you an AR if you can
http://photoasa.com/disk2/3063/57191_Dissmags.jpeg

Carston

[ 09-16-2001: Message edited by: Carston ]

[Bear One]

I have a Mini 14 stainless Ranch rifle. The Ranch rifle is just a little different from the regular Mini 14. I love mine. It is a preban. All I have added is a muzzle brake (flash supressor) and an extended butt pad. I have mounted a 4X Simmons scope. I have several 30-40 round mags. My Ruger has performed well for me. I use it on ground hogs. I hope to get a few coyotes soon.

Buy the Mini. You'll probably love it. ;)

[Deb Mc]

Everyone,

Thank you all very much, I really do appreciate it!

Well, I went ahead and bought it, she's a *really* nice rifle!

I looke at a few other options, but the choice was *very* low (there's been a run on pistols and rifles lately) and the next choice was an AK-47 at $1,500, which was well out of my price range. I looked at an SKS, but they're too heavy and too big of a gun for me - very awkward to try to shoot with. That's what was so nice about the Ruger, it's a carbine style and lighter, so it's much more comfortable for me to use and carry.

Anyway, I bought it as a SHTF rifle, considering the number of freeking terrorists that are supposed to be running around here. (OSU has to have more than a few imposter students on their rolls...) "Better to have and not need than to need and not have" as my brother says.

I don't have any plans to enter target-shooting matches with it, so the looser pattern isn't as much of a concern - as long as I can "sweep" with it, that's what counts. After this mess is all over, it'll be used for coyote and groundhog control.

P.S. I've also heard that it's being considered for a ban, so if you have one, stock up on .223 ammo asap. This is coming from a pretty reliable source...

[stu]

Deb- Sorry, I don't have a mini14... I have 5 of them. :D Sorry I didn't see this thread, I've been busy at work, and baby sitting over at TB. As has already been pointed out there are two problems with the mini14, unlike the many many problems with the AR15. They are accuracy and hi cap mags. The accuracy problem can be easily made better simply by using 62gr bullets. The mini14 has a 1 in 9" barrel twist and needs a heavier bullet to get a correct spin. I've found that at 100 yards a 55gr bullet will do a 4" group, while a 62gr will be well under 3". But the thing to remember is that in actual combat the rifle is usually used at ranges under 25 yards. A big advantage the mini14 has over the AR is that it can use the cheap lacquer coated steel cased ammo like the Russian Wolf ammo. The chamber on an AR will get coated, and not feed after a few hundred rounds of the Wolf, while your mini14 will eat it up and beg for more. That and the mini14 is one of the most reliable 223 rifles on the market, another reason that it makes a great SHTF combat rifle. :)

Hi cap mags are the biggest bitch for the mini14. There are only 3 manufactures of hi cap mags that are 100% reliable. There Ruger Factory, which are rare and real spendy i.e. $80-$125each. Thermold, also spendy $80. And PMI or Precision Machine Inc. The PMI can be found at around $35 or so if you look around. The cheap mags that you see advertised for $20-25 are crap. They can be made to work, if you have a machine shop, but other wise forget them. If you want a couple of reliable hi cap mags at a good price, email or PM me and Ill see what I can do. Unfortunately trading mags for limes wont work. :D (sorry guys inside joke)

[Deb Mc]

Dang, Stu, you drive a hard bargain!

Will be contacting you shortly, I definitely have a want list for this little gal...

Btw, I just got back from target shooting at my Dad's place. Stood out at 10-15 yards, vaporized pop cans and sent off a 6" diameter tree. Not bad! :)

Anyway, also heard from my Dad that this puppy will need to stripped down and given a thorough cleaning (not just the barrel, but the inner workings as well) ever 3 months, to prevent gum-up. True?

I LOVE THIS GUN! It is really fun to shoot, especially for a short gal like yours truly. :D

[stu]

Deb- With all due respect to your father. He doesn't know what he's talking about! Let me put this in a fairly simple manor. What is going to get into the inner workings of any firearm in three months that will gum it up? Unless it eats a steady diet of peanut butter samiches, I don't see this happening, even to Carston's beloved ARs.

As a reliability test to my first mini14, I put almost 5000 rounds through it in 6 months without cleaning it. There were no feed or jamming problems what so ever. It just kept shooting and shooting etc. Yes the the accuracy suffered after about 3000 rounds, but that was it, and after cleaning it, the accuracy was right back where it started at. That mini14 has close to 25,000 rounds through it now, and it performs like the first day I bought it. The photo below is of it. The only thing different is that it now has a real tactical sling on it instead of that crappie thing in the picture.


http://photoasa.com/disk1/330/3475_mini14.jpg

[Deb Mc]

Stu,

Thanks! (Nice "folder" by the way!) Dad's expertise is in shotguns, not rifles. I'll be sure to pass along the info to him. What kind of ammo were you putting through it during this test? Did you stay with one brand or was it a mixture?

Are you SURE I can't shoot samichs through it? ;)

Thanks!

P.S. E-mail coming your way...

[stu]

Deb- That's not a folding stock. I would be if the rifle were a pre ban, so for now its locked open. But should TPTB ever pull there heads out, its a matter of removing a plastic disk to make it fold. :D In the eyes of the ATF having a folding stock on a post ban rifle would make it evil. The other 4 mini14s I have are all pre bans, and there aint much that can be done to them that would get me in trouble. :)

The ammo I ran through it was mostly S&B steel cased 223, because at the time it was dirt cheap. There was maybe 1000 rounds of brass cased ammo that I bought from a commercial reloader put through it as well.

[Deb Mc]

Stu,

Thanks! One more question, please? Do you think it would be better to go with new steel or reloaded brass casings? Will either really make a difference in mine?

Thanks again!

[stu]

Deb- Im reluctant to recommend reloaded ammo for a SHTF situation, unless it thoroughly tested, or you loaded it and again have thoroughly tested it. I've been loading for quite a few years now, and test any and all ammo that I might have to defend life with. Right now might not be a good time to buy re manufactured ammo, a there cranking it out in a hurry due to demand, and quality control might not be where it usually is. If you shop around a little, even on line there are some great deal on factory 223 out there. But since your shooting it through a mini14, the lacquer coated steel cases Wolf ammo will work just fine. However, that ammo does burn fairly dirty, so cleaning will have to be done a bit more often then with other ammo out there. When S&B made there steel cased ammo, it wa some of the cleanest burning 223 on the market, but the same isn't true with the Wolf. The Wolf ammo wont gum your rifle up as bad as a peanut butter samich, but it is fairly dirty. I have run 1000 rounds through one of my mini14s without a problem at all, if that tell you anything about the rifle. Ya gotta remember that I work part time at a gun hop and haven't taken home a pay check from there in over 3 year. :) So I do get a lot of ammo to play with, and being a doomer, I wanna make sure that any ammo that might be used to defend life will work in my weapons, and how it will perform.

So after all of that. Id go with the Wolf ammo, due to cost. I know that your stock piling it, and the cost factor makes it a good bet.

[Deb Mc]

Stu,

Thank you very much! It's difficult trying to learn to handle a new gun and other pertinent info in such a short time.

Gang,

You all have been a wonderful help to me - I'd be in a world of hurts without ya! Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

[Cliff C]

Deb - Congrats on your new Mini-14! I'm sure that it will serve you well. :)

As for the ammo thing, if you find yourself wanting to go with commercial stuff, Federal red box (American Eagle) is reasonably priced and performs well.

A good online ammo source is AmmoMan (http://www.ammoman.com).

A case (500 rounds) of the Federal .223 55gr FMJ costs $109.00 - that *includes* shipping.

Enjoy your new gun!

Cliff

[Deb Mc]

Cliff,

Thanks for the heads-up. One question though - Have you bought from those folks recently? When I tried your link, it wasn't able to pull up the site...

[Cliff C]

Deb - I have bought from them recently - in fact, today I just received email notification that the thousand rounds of this 'n that I had ordered from them Monday just shipped.

Their website IS down right now... maybe they got whapped by the latest virus / worm thingie that's going around.

I'd suggest you try the site later. They are a reputable outfit, not some "fly by night" if that's what you're worried about.

Cliff

[stu]

Deb- I've also ordered from the ammoman. Eric, the owner, will probably be the one that answers the phone if you call. He's a real nice guy to deal with. :)

Here's another mini14. This one has a Choate fixed stock w/pistol grip, and a tack sling.


http://photoasa.com/disk2/330/94185_mini1.JPG

[PreserveFreedom]

How did I miss this thread? I bought my stainless preban Mini 14 almost two years ago as a SHTF rifle. I was told that it used to belong to the Oklahoma State Police. It has a flash supressor and a lug for a grenade launcher. I have never been disappointed. I don't punch paper. I punch rabbits and junk in the desert. It does great for that stuff, just as it will do great for enemy troops. Stu knows what he is talking about! If you want to get some 62 Grain ammo, you might as well grab some of the SS109 that is floating around. It has a steel core so it can punch through light armor. To clear up any confusion before it starts, armor piercing rounds are only illegal for handguns, not for rifles. As little as 100 rounds or so can give you more peace of mind than you can imagine. Then get a good stock of regular FMJ to supplement it. I am not sure if they still have it, but I got my SS109 from http://www.sportsmansguide.com It came in boxes of 30 and was Isreali surplus. It also has a green tip so you can tell it from your other loose ammo. Have fun and enjoy! :)

[Deb Mc]

Cliff,

Thanks! I've got the site bookmarked and will be giving them a shout when I get my next paycheck. I'll definitely be visiting the site again soon.


Stu,

Nice pic! How difficult was it to switch to the new stock? (That is something I know *nothing* about.)


Preserve Freedom,

That sounds like my perfect rifle too! She's handled like a dream during the target practice. I could get addicted to Mini's *really* easy... :D


Ok, one last question all: If you could (or have) make modifications to your Mini, what would you do? What would you recommend a person do? I love my Mini and would like to spruce her up, whenever the cash is available (heh, I know, 400 years from now...). ;)

Thanks again!

[PreserveFreedom]

Modifications

IMHO, there are very few things you need to do to a Mini 14 to make it perfect.

1) Get a flash supressor

2) Get some high-capacity mags

3) Get a sling

4) Stock up on ammo (SS109 if you can)

[stu]

Deb- The stocks are fairly easy to change out. The only tool you need is a screw driver. As for accessories, much of that is a personal thing. I like pistol grips, and to that end most of my rifles have either a PG of similar. A flash suppresser is a good idea. BUT since your mini14 is a post ban, you cant have a pistol grip on it if you have a flash suppresser. Its a crime bill thing. A word of caution about flash suppressers for the mini14. Most on the market don't work very well, granted some suppression is better then none, but still. If you have the money, Id have the end of the barrel threaded and have an AR15 flash suppresser permanently attached. Due to the crime bill again, you can either have a threaded barrel or the flash suppresser, so you'd need to have it welded in place.

If I ever get it back from being Bear Coated, Ill post a picture of the mini14 that's being turned into the ultimate closed quarters battle weapon. It started life as a pre ban mini14. The barrel has been cut back to 14 1/2" 2" less then legal. The end of the barrel has had a target crown cut into it, then threaded for a Bushmaster Phantom flash suppresser that's been permanently affixed in place giving the barrel an over all length of 16.3" Barely over the legal minimum, but still legal. The rifle sits in a Butler Creek folding stock with a Tac-Star tactical sling. Its currently being Bear Coated, and when that's done, Ill be installing a forward mounted red dot or similar site. Its been 6b months in the making so far, but when its done will be near perfect for home rural defense.

[Deb Mc]

Preserve Freedom & Stu,

Thanks! Have the sling, working on the bullets now. Will have to save up some cash for the flash suppressor...

Stu,

Looking forward to the pics!

[PreserveFreedom]

If you want to build a cheap stockpile fast, here is what I do...

Buy some cheap ammo like Wolf. Then when you feel like plinking, buy some better ammo and rotate it (ie: shoot the wolf and save the premium ammo). Pretty slick, huh? ;)

[Deb Mc]

Preserve Freedom,

Thanks - good idea! I've been buying whatever's been available (and I can afford) - trying to get a few necessary accessories together, just in case. Right now, anything is better than nothing...