Mini 14 Series Question

[flashhole]

Can't buy an AR worth buying here in NY.

I bought a Mini 14 and am very happy with it. No experience with an AR so I can't compare.

[Gunplummer]

^^^^^

You did the right thing. I don't care how much money you pour into the black gun hole, it is gone. The auctions are full of "Tricked out" ARs and they just sit there. You can follow the money on gun forums. Notice how nobody is ranting about their Russian bolt guns anymore? No more cheap guns or ammo. The rage now seems to be the cheapest lever action that shoots the cheapest ammo. The only difference there is in 20 years they may still bring a good price.

[Bamashooter]

I have 3 AR-15's and a skinny barrel 580 Mini-14 with an Accustrut added along with a trigger job and 1911 buffers. The Mini-14 isnt as accurate but it will shoot under 2" groups at 100yrds with good factory ammo or handloads. The mini is a cool rifle that is built like a tank and very reliable. My best group with the Mini is 1.25"@ 100yrds with 60gr Sierra handloads. Good enough for me and since its a good looking rifle and was a gift from my wife it will always be in the safe and shot periodically like every thing else. As far as handloads go it shoots 55, 60, 65, and 69gr Sierra bullets very well. They are better rifles than people give them credit for in my opinion. They arent tack drivers but they are accurate and reliable. Are they worth the price? Thats something you have to decide for yourself.

[flashhole]

Try the Sierra 63 grain Semi Point. In my opinion this is one of the best bullets Sierra makes in 22 cal but not many people shoot it.

[flashhole]

Can you post a pic of the skinny barrel 580?

My understanding is all 580 series Mini's have the heavier barrel.

[rickyrick]

581 are all tapered barrels as far as I know.

The 580 series were not all tapered barrels. The 580 series was after the retooling at ruger.

[jetinteriorguy]

I picked up a Mini 30 when they very first came and used it for deer hunting. I did some work on the trigger and worked up a nice handload for it so it would consistently shoot under 1 3/4" at 100 yds and sometimes just over MOA. I ate a lot of venison thanks to that rifle. The early production Mini 30's were a .308 caliber, I learned this after running some steel commie ammo through it and noticed quite a little more recoil. This is how I first learned that my AK47 and it's
ammo was actually .311 caliber.

[44 AMP]

I'm not sure how Mini14s ever became confused with an AR15.
They have absolutely nothing in common except you can hang a big-ole-magazine under it.

probably because they both are chambered in .223

Few people remember, today, (or never knew) that the original Mini-14 was never intended to compete against the AR-15. Ruger made it to compete against the M1 Carbine. A "more modern" rifle with a proven action design, in a better caliber than .30 Carbine, aimed at the prison guard & police market.

Likewise, its seldom remembered that the original AR-15s & M16s weren't exactly tack drivers, either. The AR design allowed for easier, and greater improvement than the Mini 14, and there was a significant "push" to improve the AR (M16) that simply wasn't there for the Mini.

Both rifles as made today are quite different in some aspects from the rifles made in the 70s. One could say the AR improved further, faster, I won't argue that.

The way I look at it, you can have a Mustang with a 351 engine, and you can have a pickup with a 351 engine. Both are excellent at what they are designed to do. Expect one to be the same as the other because they have the same engine (caliber) and you will be disappointed.

[Gunplummer]

Yeah, M16's were kind of cheap, disposable weapons when they first came out. I know you were the same MOS and worked on thousands of them. These kids just do not know any better. I believe the AR-10 plat form came out first. It had so many bugs in it only a couple 3rd world countries bought into them.

[44 AMP]

The AR-10 was first, in .308, and you're right it was not very successful. Design features (and not all of them) from the AR 10 were used in the AR 15, to much greater success.

The AR-10 of today is NOT the same rifle as the original AR-10. Today's AR-10 is more of a scaled up AR-15 than anything else.

[Skans]

A Mini-14 will hold it's value. The value of an AR is much more volatile and dependent on brand, receivers, barrel, fire control parts, sights, stocks, etc. There is nothing wrong with buying a Mini-14 - it's a very enjoyable rifle that will last a lifetime. Nothing wrong with AR's either.

To me, if you are choosing one over the other (I have AR's and an AC665-select fire mini14), then I would go with your gut and choose the one that just feels right for you! There's nothing an AR can do that a Mini-14 can't - with a little bit of money. With a lot of money, Accuracy Systems can put a Mini-14 together that will put many AR's to shame.

[ThomasT]

One of the complaints about the mini is there are not many parts to be had in case it breaks. Well for the most part they don't break. Some point out that if you break a firing pin the only way to get a good one is to send it back to Ruger. And they will not sell you a spare. And if the world is coming to the end and it breaks I am out of a rifle. If the world is coming to an end you have bigger problems than a broke rifle. And why do you only have one gun? Well here ya go. A brand new CNC machined one piece firing pin for the mini. Buy a couple and fit them using the factory FP as a guide and worry no more.

http://firingpins.com/ruger-mini-14-firing-pin/

I stated earlier that I have both a 580 series mini and an AR from DPMS. My preference is for the mini but I have no plans to sell the AR either. I don't have any spare parts for my mini. I don't have any spare parts for the AR either. But I don't expect either one to break under normal use.

[Ibmikey]

Ratshooter, You are quite correct in not expecting either to fail on you, however, things happen..... I have had a firing pin break in an AR, dropped in a spare and went on shooting. Had an extractor break on the first shot from a Mini, weapon sent back to Ruger for repairs.
I still have a Tactical Mini in the rack, I have 38 AR's of various styles barrel lengths etc. I shoot all and enjoy which ever I have at that time.

[silvermane_1]

another consideration that the mini-14 is still going strong is that they're AOK in states that don't allow you to own a AR.