Mini 14: Upgrade It or Sell Off and Buy New

[hittman]

My money says 95% of the AR's will outshoot the Mini's and 98% of the AR's will be more dependabl than the Mini's.

Your money well would run dry pretty quick around here. We experience just the opposite. Mini's operate like an AK …. digest anything and everything while ARs are mighty finicky.

I own both and have been lucky to never have problems with either.

That being said, I'd still rather shoot my 2/44 Inland M1 Carbine!

 

[gramps]

I bought a SS mini 30. It shot fine out to 300 yds with a Tasco 3x9x 40 mm scope. I didn't like the way the magazine went into the gun. I also screwed up and bought some promags . I sold it.
gramps

 

[GasGuzzler]

I have never heard of an AR-15 referred to as finicky but if someone wants the weight and complexity of a Mini-14, then let them. They do look cooler than an AR. If the only choices are fix the one you have or get a new one, I would prefer the new route BUT what I would actually do is fix the old one. Then when I got it right, I'd be tired of it and the sense of accomplishment would leave me with no need to keep it. I'd then sell it and regret selling.

I just bought a Mini-30 today.
Have to wait until the 29th to dros it.

What's a dros?

Question was upgrade the old Mini or buy new, not should I get an AR.

He was just trying to help.

 

[Hylander]

Dros, is a Dealer Record of Sale.
I live in Commiefornia.

 

[Actnbill]

I too love the open top designs of the Mini 14, M1a, and Garand....some of my favorites....What really surprised me was when I put my Springfield M1a up against my new AR platform Rock River 308. Out of the box, it's not even close.... the Rock River blows away my stock M1a !!!! I was very surprised at this. My Colt AR 15 is also sooo much more accurate than my pencil barrel Mini 14 as well.

I will Never part with my Mini's, M1a, Garand because I love the vintage actions. But, out the box, the AR's are quite accurate, modular so you can change parts easily, and everyone makes them now so they are relatively affordable compared to a stock mini 14 or M1..... But, they will never have the nostalgic good looks of WWII battle rifles.

 

[krw]

One more post and I'm through with this thread. A quik look on GB and I can't lay my hands on a Mini for under $1050. I've never pd more than $500 for one. But in all fairness you have to compare apples to apples, oranges to oranges. Spend that same $1050 on quality AR platform and there will be no comparison except from the AR haters. And then I want a 7.62x39, in under a minute I can have one. Or if I want to shoot 600yds, shazamm I can have a 6.5 Grendel. As long as your having an equal comparison you figger out pretty quik there is nothing there to compare

 

[jyo]

Well, since none off my three Mini 14's have ever jammed, I don't see how an AR can be more dependable. My early, blued GB Model with the "pencil" barrel shoots exceptionally well---my early stainless GB Model is not as accurate, but fully capable of dealing with man sized targets out to any distance a .223 is good for... My later 580 series stainless rifle shoots so well I'm actually thinking about putting an old Leupold 1.5-5X scope on just to see how good it gets... During the 1992 Rodney King Riots here in L.A., the stainless rifle was fitted with a factory Ruger folding stock (still is) and hidden under a newspaper on the floor behind the front passenger seat as I drove to the gun store I was managing at the time... Understand, at the time I bought the two early Minis, they were FAR LESS EXPENSIVE than any AR-15.

 

[kmoore]

Back in the late 70s, I got my 1st blued mini14 for 165.00 bucks and the Colt AR15s were around 1200. In ended up buying a SS mini14 that was recalled. I got it back and sold it. Never had any malfunctions that I recall in either rifle. I do recall that if I wanted to shoot target groups that were good say under 6 inches at 100yd not was not happening. At the time I had a DCM M-14 NM loaned out to the gun club. Now that shot great as it should. So did the M1 Grand NM I purchased. Always wanted to buy a M1A NM for matches, but never did.
I had no idea mini 14s are over 1,000 bucks now. Rack grade ARs have been on sale for around 600.

 

[peachhead]

Always wanted one, paid 350 for mine new in 1998. I don't recall it being that accurate. Lol I need to get it out and shoot it. If I can ring some steel with it, I will be satisfied.

 

[Actnbill]

Yeah, the Mini 14's vs AR prices have completely flip flopped in the past 30 years.....
So haven't revolvers..... shheesh.... I remember when 'Lethal Weapon' came out and everyone wanted a Beretta 9mm and dumped their 38's..... now look
Revolvers are bringing in Yuuuge money

 

[Mongo40]

Its like they say you either love or hate the Mini! Show my age here, but growing up me and my buddies all wanted Mini14s, no one wanted an AR, wasn't even an option. I've got a couple of ARs still and have them just because, I hardly ever shoot them, one is 5.56 the other has a CMG 22Lr kit and probably shoot it the most as it is fun. ARs are good for what they were designed for, the lowest IQ in the military to be able to Operate and maintain it. Even the simplest mind can put one together. I spent 22 years in the Infantry so I can say that!!! I have two Minis, only shoot one and I think its a 584, I've replaced the sites and put a M14 styled flash hider on it and added a barrel stabilizer so it looks like a small clone to my M1A. Love shooting it and its plenty accurate for minute of hog or coyote. My other was my fathers Mini he was issued in the Highway Patrol. Its a completely different version of what you can buy off the shelf and has Oklahoma Highway Patrol stamped in the receiver. It stays in the safe. I'm with the love the Mini crowd so there's my opinion. Its worth what it cost ya!!!

 

[Ka6otm]

Bill Ruger himself called the Mini 14 "the world's most expensive plinker" IIRC.

 

[Hankus]

Its like they say you either love or hate the Mini! Show my age here, but growing up me and my buddies all wanted Mini14s, no one wanted an AR, wasn't even an option. I've got a couple of ARs still and have them just because, I hardly ever shoot them, one is 5.56 the other has a CMG 22Lr kit and probably shoot it the most as it is fun. ARs are good for what they were designed for, the lowest IQ in the military to be able to Operate and maintain it. Even the simplest mind can put one together. I spent 22 years in the Infantry so I can say that!!! I have two Minis, only shoot one and I think its a 584, I've replaced the sites and put a M14 styled flash hider on it and added a barrel stabilizer so it looks like a small clone to my M1A. Love shooting it and its plenty accurate for minute of hog or coyote. My other was my fathers Mini he was issued in the Highway Patrol. Its a completely different version of what you can buy off the shelf and has Oklahoma Highway Patrol stamped in the receiver. It stays in the safe. I'm with the love the Mini crowd so there's my opinion. Its worth what it cost ya!!!

Hooah!

 

[instructor]

Friend of mine sent his Ruger Mini 14 off to a firm that said they could accurize the rifle for him. He did just that, but truth of the matter is that it shot no better than it had in the past. Check out what the twist is in your Mini 14 for some early models it was a 7 twist I believe and shooting the lighter bullets and 7 twist do not play well together. Try some 69 weight bullets and see if that works better for you, just a suggestion.

 

[DGW1949]

My full length 582-Series Mini-14 shoots best with 62 Grn ammo....PMC X-Tac to be specific.

 

[instructor]

I would not downplay the AR15 and its many variants for it is without question the most popular long gun in America these days.
As I am sure you all know that Ruger is selling the AR15 in their attempt to capture some of that large marketplace in the firearms industry. I have a Ruger SR556 which is a piston version, and it is very accurate, dependable, and have others as well which also perform at a high level. The SR series is no longer offered by Ruger for they were quite expensive versus competitors at that time, but it is a superior rifle in all regards. Have been shooting competition matches for most of my adult life and started out with a M1 Garand, then switched to an M1A and finally ended up using a match prepared AR15 and scores went up and made High Master rating by doing just that simple switch. Have not seen a Mini 14 at any of the many matches I have shot at all these years. Answer is simply they cannot perform in that environment and were never intended to do so from the start. For critter hunting as ground hog hunting, snakes, etc. the Mini 14 fits that bill for I consider it a "walk about" rifle, light to carry and fills that bill quite well. If you own one enjoy what it is meant to do.

 

[Yaworski]

Best reason to have a Mini-14

The only thing that kept me from buying a Mini-14 was that it doesn't use AR mags.

 

[Hylander]

Range trip last week with Sasha.
I'm as happy as a Tornado in a trailer park.

 

[Mobuck]

All this is dependent on your preference of aesthetics or performance.
"I'm tired of the AR guys constantly blabbering about how great that platform is. Who are they trying to convince? Themselves, or us?"
"I simply enjoy shooting Mini's more and they feel better to me. AR's shine and are very capable guns no doubt but the Ruger is intuitive and reliable for me"
"Some people Like the Mini Platform over the AR. True story!"
Most these comments point to aesthetics rather than performance. I was issued an M-14 at a time when the AR was referred as a "Mattel'. I owned a Mini-14 when they were literally the only game in town besides the civilian version of the Mattel. The early Mini-14's weren't varmint rifles by any stretch and I didn't keep mine long. I finally tried an AR 15 and I was convinced. Sorry Mini-14, there's no going back.

 

[Actnbill]

The AR is a more accurate gun out of the box..... period.....
That being said, the Mini 14 is a completely awesome vintage type action that is now almost 2x the price of an AR....
Those of us who held onto their mini's forever can probably double or even triple what they paid for them.
I like my AR's.... but love my mini's