Evaluating new Mini-14 versus AR-15

[RedlegM109A1]

I am thinking about picking up a new .223 caliber rifle and I would like to get opinions about the Mini-14 versus an AR-15. I would want to mount a scope or red-dot sight on the rifle. The AR-15s sure look cool, but I have always liked the simplicity and ruggedness of the Mini-14 design. I understand that the new Mini-14s have an integral weaver scope mount and that the barrels have been improved for accuracy over the old 182 SN series.

Comments and comparisons?

 

[blume357]

Yep, the new ones are much better.

Your location may dictate your choice more than anything... in that I'm pretty sure you can't get the standard AR-15 semi-auto in CA and not sure about the Mini-14. It has to do not only with detachable magazine capacity but also the flash suppressor.

one way to look at it either way.... with the AR-15, for good or bad, you can choose from an almost infinite number of manufactures, and thus can buy good or bad and when you do the research on line you'll get just about as many opinions on each. Quite confusing.

For 'good or bad', One company makes the mini-14.

 

[clayflingythingy]

Ergonomics of the AR beat the Mini every day of the week. I much prefer the safety on the AR. Reliable AR magazines are everywhere (there are some to avoid). The Mini is dependent upon Ruger factory mags. A trained monkey can work on an AR.


I'm not up on what's available in the People's Republic, but I would go AR.

YMMV

 

[mattsbox99]

Can't beat the Mini for sheer reliability and ruggedness. I never cared for the bulkiness of the AR, I've had a few and sold them.

 

[blume357]

. A trained monkey can work on an AR.

YMMV

That statement being true, it actually does not recommend the AR that much if you think about it.

 

[Snubshooter]

For cost and plain user ease , in the PRK, the Mini is a better choice. ARs need a Bullet Button to change mags,
AR low cap mags cost 3xs what normal cap mags do.
Even entry level ARs cost several hundred more $s in the PRK than in FREE AMERICA.

 

[gatling]

I've had both and I prefer the Mini. You can buy the Mini 14 all day long in California; you just can't legally own one with a flash suppressor. I've found mine to be a lot more accurate than some people say they are; I suspect many of the detractors just can't shoot straight.

 

[Beachbum]

Now that the new Mini 14 has laid to rest the accuracy issues vs the AR 15, the only real difference is the advantage of the AR's modular design. Different uppers with different barrel lengths or calibers can be swapped onto an AR 15. That is the only real advantage unless you want to get into the direct impingement gas system on most AR 15s. Nowadays there is no reason to not buy a piston driven AR. One other advantage of the Mini as a fighting gun is that it is ambidexterous. Unlike the AR it can be fired just as easily with the left or right hand. This is critical in a fighting gun in the event your strong side hand is injured in the fight.

 

[robertkirksey]

One thing the AR-15 can never be is short. My Mini 14 Tactical with it's 16" barrel plus flash hider is 27 1/4" long when it's Choate stock is folded. Considering the (factory) flash supressor adds 1 1/4" to the barrel, a Mini with a legal 16" barrel would be 26" folded.

Due to the AR design it cannot be folded and can never be as handy in a short duffel, trunk or backpack as a Mini.

John Garand was inspired when he came up with the safety placement. Taking the rifle off safety is intuitive and lightning quick and involves only the trigger finger which you are about to use anyway (maybe that is why it is so intuitive).

The Mini does have an integral scope mount, but it is not Weaver, it accepts the Ruger rings. However at least one manufacturer offers a Weaver rail that attaches to the receiver using the Ruger attachment points integral with the receiver.

 

[Skalkaho Slim]

Gatling, I never get sick of that picture!

I've owned a few AR's and franky they never did anything for me. I guess I just got over the whole tactical thing back in the service.

I'll take a mini over an AR any day.

 

[gatling]

Gatling, I never get sick of that picture!

I've owned a few AR's and franky they never did anything for me. I guess I just got over the whole tactical thing back in the service.

I'll take a mini over an AR any day.

Slim, I agree completely with all three of your points (great minds think alike?).

I love that photo, too. My preferred load of late is 26.2 gr of 748 with a 55 gr FMJ BT. I'll have to shoot another target and set up another photo like that one above. Some closeups of the Circassian stock on mine....

And your last point is my sentiment exactly. I carried an M-16 in the Army and never got over wishing I still had an M-14. It's not that I didn't like the .223; I just wanted a real rifle, not a plastic toy. I found myself wishing the Army had a smaller version of the M-14 in the new .223 round. Something like, well, what ultimately came out as the Mini 14. Like has been said many times...if Uncle Bill had come out with the Mini a few years earlier, there probably would have never been an M-16.

 

[gunman42782]

I own both a AR and a newer Mini. I love them both. Although the new Mini is heads and shoulders above the older ones (this is my 5th one I have owned!), the AR is still more accurate. But, I really, really enjoy shooting my Mini 14. As I am not gonna shell out $1500 for a M1A, the Mini 14 is as close as I will ever get to owning a M14!

 

[FergusonTO35]

Around here, you can get a brand new Mini for $600.00. The cheapest AR is $750.00. I think that the Mini is a screamin' deal in terms of construction, where else are you going to get an all steel .223 autoloader for that price?

 

[UmpquaCharlie]

I was in Nam in 68-69 and have never owned an AR. Still have a bunch of Mini-14s. The AR's I used to fire were tricky...I know they are okay today as my kids own them...but the sour taste in my mouth will not go away even after 44 years.

 

[Quarterbore]

Very different tools. I had a mini-14 years ago and it would shoot about 3-4 inch groups at 100-yards (with a scope at that). I got into ARs and most factory ARs will shoot near MOA out of the box.

The AR-15 mags are cheaper and it is easy to replace any part of an AR-15 with very simple tools and very little required skill. The AR-15 is a modular weapon system so you can use different stocks, grips, forends, barrels, triggers, optics, calibers, sights, with one basic gun.

I will never not own at least a couple ARs but I have no interest in ever owning a mini-14 again. The AR-15 is like a swiss army knife where the mini-14 is like a pocket knife. Both will shoot ammo but once can do so in many different ways and that one isn't the mini-14.

This site is a bit biased, try asking the same question at AR15.com and see what the opposite side of the bias says!

 

[russ69]

If you are going to mount a scope, the AR is a much better platform. I love my Minis but for scope use the AR has better mounting and more options. It is also side eject, no brass will ever hit your scope.
They are completely different guns, buy the one that you think you like and you'll be happy.

 

[mdewitt71]

I carried a M4 or M16 for over 21 years, I own a Mini14.
Not that the Mini performs better but, I do like it.
With a gas block/ ring upgrade and a better barrel the mini can be just as good as that dirty gas powered AR.

 

[Calthrop]

A man today at the GS passed on an Alaskan because of the shoddy manner of its assembly. I discussed with him the simple upgrades and he agreed with me. Yet, his mind was set. Why should he finish the job that the factory should had done in the first place. He said. "That gun would have never left the factory if Bill had still been with us." "Those damn bean counters will let anything be stamped with the Ruger name. It is a shame."

I agree with the above that early AR's were finicky and I think the Mini-14 gas system is a week point. Whether you return it to Ruger or do an aftermarket up grade.
If I were in California and wanted a reliable .223 rifle I'd be looking for a Remmington 7615 and stocking up on spares. All you need to know is get a muzzle guide for the cleaning rod to protect the crown.

 

[countryboy]

I have also been trying to decide between the two lately. For years I have looked at the Mini 14 and I've always wanted one but would end up spending my money on something else. For the most part I have always read good things about the mini other than the accuracy issues on the older models.

I have owned two ARs in the past and both were great rifles but I ended up getting rid of them. I just never warmed up to them for lack of a better word. On the other hand, although I had never owned one, something about the Mini has always appealed to me.

I'm not saying that I would never have another AR but I prefer the look and feel of the Mini. You would probably be happy with either.

Anyway, I made my decision and picked up a new Mini today along with a case of ammo and a couple of spare mags. I haven't shot it yet but if it runs as good as it looks and feels, I'll have a keeper.

 

[J.R. Kennedy]

AFTER BILL REINTRODUCED THE 580 SERIES, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS STILL A DEBATE. AR15 DOESN'T LIKE DIRT, SAND, HUMIDITY.

 

[J.R. Kennedy]

AFTER BILL REINTRODUCED THE 580 SERIES, I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS ANY DEBATE. AR CAN NOT COMPARE TO THE NEW MINI. NOW IF BILL WOULD JUST DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE LC9 TRIGGER. DO I GET AN AMEN?

 

[Skalkaho Slim]

Wow, all caps and bold. Are you using a bullhorn? ;) :D

 

[mattsbox99]

Quarterbore,

The difference here is that when we compare the two - the AR15 gets credit for its positive features. On Arfcom, they bash the Mini with blatantly untrue statements.

 

[captainkirk]

Quarterbore,

The difference here is that when we compare the two - the AR15 gets credit for its positive features. On Arfcom, they bash the Mini with blatantly untrue statements.

I agree with you 100%. I spent quite a bit of time over there when I was building my AR some years back. I would say there is a far different crowd over there than the largely friendly group here at RF. RF is well run and mostly attended by those who intend to share and build up others rather than take pot shots. All in all, one of the highlights of the "web".

captainkirk

 

[Tslepebull]

I have both an old mini and a new AR. I like both of them. I also bought a Mini-30 today.

My 183 series Mini-14 will keep 5 round groups within 3" at 100 M using a handload of Winchester 55 gr FMJ and 25 gr of H335 using the peep sight. My AR will do slightly better with the same load and iron sights. Both get the job done quite well. Neither has ever malfunctioned in any way.

I am axious to try out the new 581 series Mini-30 to see if it will do substantionally better than the 183 series Mini-14, but I doubt it.

 

[gatling]

This is a friendly crowd. I enjoy visiting this board immensely. I don't think anyone has anything they think they have to prove here.

 

[Skalkaho Slim]

Quarterbore,

On Arfcom, they bash the Mini with blatantly untrue statements.

I would say there is a far different crowd over there than the largely friendly group here at RF. RF is well run and mostly attended by those who intend to share and build up others rather than take pot shots.

Precisely why I've never registered on Barfcom. Nothin' worse than a forum populated by mid-20 somethin' year old operator wannabes.

 

[welder]

Just picked up a second unfired 197 series Ranch Mini 14. I have another from that series, a plain Mini 14, both stainless synthetics. I have a model 5820 from the 580 series that I have yet to fire. The fitting is better on the 197 series by far. I have passed on several 580's due to the gas block and stock fitting. Way off. One had a trigger group that could not be removed for fear of bending/breaking it. I want to add a Mini Thirty but haven't seen one to evaluate in a good while. I hope the fitting is better on those?

 

[OldNavy]

Being an old Navy guy from the period when the shipboard armory was stocked with M-14s, I didn't have much contact with the M16. My one AR experience was on an Air Force range using the .22LR adapter. I spent 20 minutes qualifying and over an hour trying to clean the dirty @#*&$#!. I swore then that I'd never buy one of those garbage collectors.
I know that the "AR" state of art has evolved since then, but I'm still solidly in the Mini-14 camp. Maybe someday I'll take a look at one of the piston ARs--assuming that they ever come up with a standard piston design.

 

[xtratoy]

AFTER BILL REINTRODUCED THE 580 SERIES, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS STILL A DEBATE. AR15 DOESN'T LIKE DIRT, SAND, HUMIDITY.

It is hard to believe that there is a US Serviceman alive seeing that they have had to use the AR platform for the last 10 years in Iraq and Afghanistan.