Mini 14 as militia weapon

[dougader]

In the 80's I bought a blued Mini 14 for $299 as I recall. It would feed anything, including re-manufactured ammo loaded up with 52 grain hollow points. It also fed 100% with the cheap USA brand 30-round magazines.

I made the mistake of touch the barrel once after I had emptied a 30-round mag as fast as I could. Ye-ouch!

I wish I had never sold it. It was a really fun gun. But after I tried to shoot a practical rifle course at a local gun club I was really disappointed in the accuracy. I couldn't consistently hit 10-inch steel plates at 200 yards and that bothered me.

 

[blume357]

As I think about this... using your mini as a militia rifle would be no different than your civilian AR.... it would be used for one thing.... to use until you can pick up a better rifle... this is not putting the mini down... but I would use mine until I could pick up a select fire rifle and an adequate number of mags and ammo for it.

 

[dfletcher]

I am not sure that I buy the "Its not a reliable rifle" bit. Mine works well. And on the plus side, it feeds and shoots ammo that will make an AR gag. Steel-case? No Problem. Reloads? Sure! When my shooting buddy cooks up a batch of crappy reloads that jam in his AR (Smith&Wesson) he gives them to me to feed the Mini. they dont always eject but they dont jam in the gun.

Magazines? Yes the Ruger Brand mags are expensive. But, the square 20rd mags made by TripleK with the green followers are cheap and they fit-feed-and hold the bolt open on my mini. Zero problems and they actually fit in the mag-well better than Ruger Brand mags. In my opinion and experience they are higher quality than Ruger mags.

My brother put me on to these. I haven't tried the 30rd ones yet, but if they are as good as the 20rd mags I have (I have three so far, all excellent) then they are well worth the 14.99$ price tag. http://www.cdnninvestments.com/mi220prblmag.html

I have 5 ARs of varying configuration and don't run crappy ammo through the ones that are of "run & shoot" type - although I don't run & shoot so much as I sit & chat. I'll put pretty much anything through my Mini and it has always worked well. I have a bunch of those CDNN mags and Ruger factory hi caps as well, the CDNNs are very well made and work fine. I've often wondered if Ruger, during their "no hi cap" years made them but sold to wholesalers as generic types.

 

[dsmithla]

If I remember correctly the Ruger Ranch rifle version was actually developed so that Ruger could get a contract with the French Government. I think they also did get the contract, so they were used out there and probably still are.

OK now no jokes about the French Army LOL

Used Rifle, Good Condition, Never Fired, Only Dropped Once.

 

[Oh Shoot]

...

Now - ammo. The Mini14 is chambered for the .223 - not the 5.56mm.

Well, that's wrong (except for the target version only).

- OS

 

[sargents1]

I am not sure that I buy the "Its not a reliable rifle" bit. Mine works well. And on the plus side, it feeds and shoots ammo that will make an AR gag. Steel-case? No Problem. Reloads? Sure! When my shooting buddy cooks up a batch of crappy reloads that jam in his AR (Smith&Wesson) he gives them to me to feed the Mini. they dont always eject but they dont jam in the gun.

Magazines? Yes the Ruger Brand mags are expensive. But, the square 20rd mags made by TripleK with the green followers are cheap and they fit-feed-and hold the bolt open on my mini. Zero problems and they actually fit in the mag-well better than Ruger Brand mags. In my opinion and experience they are higher quality than Ruger mags.

My brother put me on to these. I haven't tried the 30rd ones yet, but if they are as good as the 20rd mags I have (I have three so far, all excellent) then they are well worth the 14.99$ price tag. http://www.cdnninvestments.com/mi220prblmag.html

I have 5 ARs of varying configuration and don't run crappy ammo through the ones that are of "run & shoot" type - although I don't run & shoot so much as I sit & chat. I'll put pretty much anything through my Mini and it has always worked well. I have a bunch of those CDNN mags and Ruger factory hi caps as well, the CDNNs are very well made and work fine. I've often wondered if Ruger, during their "no hi cap" years made them but sold to wholesalers as generic types.

I am pretty sure that the ones I got from CDNN were made by TripleK. They look like they are put together differently too. I still need to try out the Promag polymer mag that I got recently. If that works it would be a good deal at 9.99$/mag.

 

[Merle1948]

Merle, You, me and millons of others who love this great country. You defend what you love.

I have only a few photos of my dad from his Ft Monroe service. He was transferred stateside when his brother went MIA in the Pacific. He served first at Ft Monroe, then at a similar 16" battery accross the bay from San Juan. He was trained as a radar operator and was 1st Sgt. at the end of the war. Those guns were radar-aimed and he swears you could hit a rowboat 15 miles away with one. Unfortunately, I have no pictures of the guns, as the emplacements were classified and no cameras were allowed in the area. The guns were well camouflaged and could only be seen when raised up to shoot. Most of the work they did there was guide patrol planes to the subs they detected with the radar.

Seems like living quarters were pretty good for the time, and they had a lot of recreation activities. All the photos are of him are related to boxing. He had been a weightlifter in college, and took up boxing at Ft Monroe. Ended up winning a lot of bouts as a middle-heavyweight.

BTW, my uncle was found after more than four months listed as MIA. He had been in a transport plane that crash landed in an island in Guadalcanal and it was only after the battle and the cleanup were all done that they were found and returned to their unit. He has never gotten into an airplane again. He just turned 92.

It's a shame to hear about that historic fort. I have always wished to visit it, but never had the chance.

Thanks for the info. It sounds as if your family has served well too!!!

 

[junglejim]

The Mini is certainly up to it but the AC556 gives you 3 round bust or full auto choices.......

Jim

 

[davebob]

Have heard/read that the high cap mags for both the 14 and 30 are worthless, or at best undepedible. Ruger really blew it by not making the guns compatible with AR-15 and AK mags. Somebody wasn't keeping up with the current interest for military type weapons.

 

[davebob]

Have heard/read that the high cap mags for both the 14 and 30 are worthless, or at best undepedible. Ruger really blew it by not making the guns compatible with AR-15 and AK mags. Somebody wasn't keeping up with the current interest for military type weapons.

 

[blume357]

as discussed, you now can get good quality high capacity mags for the 14 and 30 from Ruger... but you pay for them.

then again... if you go to AR.com you find out that bad mags are not soley limited to the mini's.. seems that a lot of folks with AR's had mag problems too... lots of discussions on how to fix bad feeding mags...

 

[craigcpa]

OK, to bring this discussion back on track, read this from the AWRM forum:

Now - ammo. The Mini14 is chambered for the .223 - not the 5.56mm.

Check out this link:
http://le.atk.com/pdf/223VS556.pdf

OR this one:
http://www.thegunzone.com/556v223.html

Or this one:
http://www.fulton-armory.com/556-vs-223-Chambers.htm

Ruger Mini14 - great plinker - NOT a fighting rifle.

cheers

tire iron

The entire thread can be found here:

http://www.awrm.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php? ... 000642;p=2

Funny, the specs for mine read that the caliber is "5.56mm NATO/.223 Rem." :shock:

 

[sargents1]

I am not sure that I buy the "Its not a reliable rifle" bit. Mine works well. And on the plus side, it feeds and shoots ammo that will make an AR gag. Steel-case? No Problem. Reloads? Sure! When my shooting buddy cooks up a batch of crappy reloads that jam in his AR (Smith&Wesson) he gives them to me to feed the Mini. they dont always eject but they dont jam in the gun.

Magazines? Yes the Ruger Brand mags are expensive. But, the square 20rd mags made by TripleK with the green followers are cheap and they fit-feed-and hold the bolt open on my mini. Zero problems and they actually fit in the mag-well better than Ruger Brand mags. In my opinion and experience they are higher quality than Ruger mags.

My brother put me on to these. I haven't tried the 30rd ones yet, but if they are as good as the 20rd mags I have (I have three so far, all excellent) then they are well worth the 14.99$ price tag. http://www.cdnninvestments.com/mi220prblmag.html

I have 5 ARs of varying configuration and don't run crappy ammo through the ones that are of "run & shoot" type - although I don't run & shoot so much as I sit & chat. I'll put pretty much anything through my Mini and it has always worked well. I have a bunch of those CDNN mags and Ruger factory hi caps as well, the CDNNs are very well made and work fine. I've often wondered if Ruger, during their "no hi cap" years made them but sold to wholesalers as generic types.

I am pretty sure that the ones I got from CDNN were made by TripleK. They look like they are put together differently too. I still need to try out the Promag polymer mag that I got recently. If that works it would be a good deal at 9.99$/mag.

Right, so I tried out that 9.99 ProMag at the range. Junk. When you load the magazine with cartridges, the sides of the mag bulge out a little (flex). This makes the mag a little hard to insert into the gun. That wouldnt be a problem but the gun jams with this mag.

So, there is a brand new Promag 20rd polymer mag sitting on a range bench at the Androscoggin County Fish and Game Association rifle range. Anyone who feels like fussing with it is free to go get it.

BTW, all of the metal, rectangular (straight profile) triple K mags work great. In my opinion they are the best mags you can get for a mini right now.

 

[38/357]

I used my Mini 14 during and right after hurricane Katrina to patrol around my farm and protect my family , and where ever i went , like ever one else with there mini 14 , AR's , AK's , Shotguns, ect., it serve me well , But its A great survival rifle , and Home Defence rifle ., but I would not call it A battle rifle , Like some people think.

 

[38/357]

I used my Mini 14 during and right after hurricane Katrina to patrol around my farm and protect my family , and where ever i went , like ever one else with there mini 14 , AR's , AK's , Shotguns, ect., it serve me well , But its A great survival rifle , and Home Defence rifle ., but I would not call it A battle rifle , Like some people think.

 

[Merle1948]

Have heard/read that the high cap mags for both the 14 and 30 are worthless, or at best undepedible. Ruger really blew it by not making the guns compatible with AR-15 and AK mags. Somebody wasn't keeping up with the current interest for military type weapons.

Not actually. When the MINI-14 was first introduced it was billed as the offspring of the M14, or words to that effect. And the M14 uses rock-in mags, so .....

AR-15's were a pretty rare sight at ranges in those days, so there really wasn't all that much competition in 5.56mm, nor any reason to use AR style mags.

AK's were also not common in the early days, plus the 7,62 round they took wasn't adapted to the MINI for quite some time.

Choices were actually pretty limited.

8) 8) 8)

 

[toysoldier]

I don't expect to get any agreement on this, but I think that the SKS is an ideal "militia" rifle. It is cheap, simple, rugged, strips easily and quickly for cleaning, and can be accurate when properly stocked. It loads with stripper clips, which can be pretty fast if you practice. This eliminates the problem of unreliable magazines, and means you can carry more ammo in less space, without the extra weight of magazines. The 7.62x39 has nothing to prove as a combat round.

 

[blume357]

You've got a good point Toysoldier... and I think it would be hard to debate whether the SKS is a military weapon since that's exactly what it was originally designed for. The other side of the coin is that's exactly the reason I'm not a fan of them... they were made to be shot and dropped and then the next poor soul in line to pick up and shoot until they dropped.

As I said before... in what I consider a true militia situation I'm going to use my mini or AR or AK or SKS long enough to get me a select fire weapon and a whole lot of ammo.....

 

[Merle1948]

I don't expect to get any agreement on this, but I think that the SKS is an ideal "militia" rifle. It is cheap, simple, rugged, strips easily and quickly for cleaning, and can be accurate when properly stocked. It loads with stripper clips, which can be pretty fast if you practice. This eliminates the problem of unreliable magazines, and means you can carry more ammo in less space, without the extra weight of magazines. The 7.62x39 has nothing to prove as a combat round.

No arguement from me. I bought one of the Romonians, just because, and now wish I had bought a Yugo. It certainly was cheaper than a MINI-14, and for a long time the ammo was cheaper too (surplus) which was the main reason I bought one.

:wink: :wink: :wink:

 

[Spike]

Interesting discussion! Even if it was in danger of becoming one of "those" threads a few posts back. :roll: ) I won't endulge in my opinions on our border issues, because it has little to do, directly, with the subject.

Here is a purely hypothetical question I am throwing out to get opinions.
A guy in some country far far away joins a militia and uses his Mini 14 as his primary weapon. Is the Mini 14 up to this?

Well, we wouldn't want to suggest that an American militia exists, because that would be politically incorrect (of course the Founders weren't known for their mainstream ideals, were they?)... Besides, we're all enlightened, right? In the age of 911, who needs a gun? Just carry a cellphone and a handy set of blinders and you'll be juuuust fine. Promise. [/rant] (No disparagement to you, Tim. The subject just sets me off.)

Is Mini-14 up to the task of MBR, HDR, and general zombie getter?...

I can't answer that question imperically, since I've never been in a firefight. But based on the robust Ranch Rifle setting next to me, I can't help but think it would fill the bill.

Is it ideal? Well, I don't know that either, but I'd guess, probably not. But so what? I don't have an AR. I have a Mini. To hear some tell it, I should just throw my hands up in surrender right now. Or at least do what I can, but with an underlying sense of inevitable dread: If I'm rediculously lucky, maybe someone with an AR will come along and save me.

After honest reflection, not getting into the area of the actual situation, were I to find myself in urgent need to grab iron and commence to SM&C, I'd likely snatch up the 14 and as much ammo as I could stagger away with. If possible, SKS would be slung, again, with as much ammo as possible before my knees buckle...

I base this on the number of mags, coiled and ready. And ammo weight. Detachable magazines are a factor, too, although it could be argued one can become quite efficient with stripper clips. (I'm with Toysoldier on this.)

So the real choice for me is Mini vs. SKS. I'd prefer both. At the end of the day, it may well be a simple matter of what I could get my paws around the quickest. Indeed, the 12G rests by the safe door...

-S