Looking at Mini 14's

quattrokid73

quattrokid73

Joined
Nov 2, 2007
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427
My brother proposed that we finally get our own guns after shooting dozens of different ones over the course of our lives. We are both very gun safe and street smart. We've both also got a lot of time under our belts servicing paintball and airsoft guns, which can be quite complicated.

He recently shot a friend's Mini 14 and loved it. I shot one almost 10 years ago , and remember it as an enjoyable evening.

We're looking at .223, and he is pushing for semi auto. I understand AR-15's will be better, but we're both not looking to break the bank.

I'm trying to get out the door rifle and optics under a grand.

How are the Mini 14's? Reliable? Accurate? What's comparable? We both want synthetic stocks. What are some good optics choices? I'm looking for 3x.

Lots of questions, I know. But you guys know your stuff!

Thanks,
 
I have a synth/stainless Ranch version. I was very disappointed with the accuracy as delivered. I wanted to use an EOTech on it so I put an Omegaranges scout mount rail on it and that cut the groups in half! That combination makes for a very fun plinker/medium range gun. There is a forum dedicated to Minis and some folks sink a ton of $$ into them trying to make them accurate.

With that said, I much prefer my AR- but then again, that's probably because I fell in love with my M16 in the service. If your interested in slightly used, send me an email or message.
 
The Mini-14 is a good gun but gets ragged on a bunch because of AR's. I would consider a Mini to be more reliable than an AR, but the AR has better accuracy. Ar's can be personalized easier and the mags will be much cheaper.

For $1,000 you could get either one.

What will it be used for.

I own both guns BTW.
 
I primarily want to work on marksmanship, tactical shooting, and lastly, home defense.

Of course I'd like an AR, but how much will a decent one run? I know nothing about rifle brands, unfortunately.
 
Accuracy has always been the downfall of the Mini-14s. They will easily shoot minute of felon but will never be minute of angle firearms without much time and money. They do very well against targets approximately 23 inches wide by 35 inches tall at up to 300 yards. They do not do well against ground hogs at 200 yards however. If minute of felon accuracy is all that you require the Mini's are dependable rifles. I would add that the only magazines I would trust in them are Ruger Factory which are expensive and can be harder to find than AR mags for example.

You can buy a new DPMS Sportical for $800, spend 200 on a good scope, and buy good mags for cheap. Spend 1100 total and you would have a very nice, very accurate set up with plenty of extra mags.

Some will say you can build an AR even cheaper...and you might be able to but it does require some knowledge and would be hard to come in under the DPMS using high quality parts. I just finished an AR build but I do have many years experience with them.
 
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I'm not a big fan of the Mini-14, personally. They're bulky, awkward and heavy for me. The triggers generally suck, and they're not terribly accurate. I think you'd be much happier with an AR.
 
I like my NRA Mini-14. I don't find it bulky at all, and it probably swings faster than my heavy-barrel 16" AR. The Mini is a neat little gun. It isn't a benchrest accuracy queen, though, but then again I haven't really tried to milk the best posible results out of it. The last time I shot it I was probably getting Minute of Grapefruit groups at 100 yards with el cheapo surplus brass-cased 5.56 ammo.

With it's 10/22 little brother:
Brothers01.jpg
 
Well, I'm a Mini-14 fan and have own one since 1980 or so. Just picked up another, a first year (75 I think) that's like new for $400. They both will shoot 4- 6 inch groups at 100yds with open sights. Not the most accurate but for open sights, I'm fine with the groups. Have never had a jam or failure to fire with either Mini. And no, they are not bulky or heavy :)

If I wanted a simi-auto in .223 with scope for shootin tiny groups, I'd go with an AR type rig.

Nice rigs Hikeeb, I've built a few super accurate 10/22s which to me are much more fun than ARs or Minis :D
 
my mini is 20 yrs plus. never expected great groups.18 yrs not fired.picked up last yr @ran a 20 rd clip,never sturrted.these guns aren,t made to compete with a rem. 700.to be used as a alley sweeper.dance a beer can at 50 yds. want a hunter!'' get a bolt gun. on the mini ,issued sights @ ruger mags.great.
 
The Mini-14 is an inherently reliable, serviceable design. Its design is obviously not as mission-adaptable and ergonomic as the AR15/M16 platform but there is something to be said about the construction and aesthetics of the Mini just the same.

I like all the Rugers in my collection---that consists of a synthetic/stainless Mini-14, LCP, LCR with Crimson Trace, Alaskan Guide in .454, a Red Label twelve gauge, and a MKIII with a four-inch bull barrel. All have served me well, and I'm a fan.

I give the nod to the Mini-14. It does a lot of things well, if not shoot sub-MOA groups at 100 yards. It is accessorizable and packs a lot of value in comparison to other AR/M platforms in its price range. While I wouldn't take a Mini over a Sabre or Patriot, at its price point I like it a lot.
 
The first thing I look for in a gun is reliability, when I pull the trigger will it go bang? The Mini-14, with factory mags is an extremely reliable rifle. In over a couple thousand rounds mine has misfed... one time, and that was due to a broken spring in my magazine. I have shot several AR's which included one DPMS, one Colt and one Bushmaster. All jammed at least once, but in their defense we were shooting a lot of rounds through them on each occasion, and they had gotten quite dirty. From my experiences AR's don't have the reliability I desire, and I prefer reliability over accuracy and aesthetics.

The accuracy of my stainless (3 years old now) model out of the box was around 3-4 moa at 100 yards, not very impressive. After several outings with it, and some disappointment, I decided to look into accurizing it. I settled on a company called Accuracy Systems, I contacted them and sent it in.

I settled on these options:
24" by 1" bull barrel machined down to .900" past the gas block
New, heavier gas block
2 lb. two stage trigger with no creep
Steel bedding
Flush mounted brake
Heavier spring for bolt

It was pricey and the gun is quite a bit heavier, but I got exactly what I wanted. A reliable semi-auto, that puts up 1/4" groups at 100 yards. And as an added bonus, I have noticed that it's a real head turner at the range.:D Carl at Accuracy Systems has cheaper alternatives that will get you down to around 1 1/2 MOA at 100 yards, and still keep you within or around your 1000.00 dollar budget. That's assuming that Mini 14's can still be had for less than 800.00.
 
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I have a mini 14 and a Mini 30, both good guns, not as accurate as a AR but quite a bit less finicky than a AR. You can get a new stainless Mini 14 for about half the cost of a new AR.

-Yooperman
 
I keep reading about people who say their AR's jam...don't you folks believe in lube and the occasional cleaning?...lol...I shoot 4 different AR platform guns and for the life of me I can't remember last time I had a malfunction. I am not a clean nut but I do try to clean every 500 rounds or so, and I do believe in keeping the gun lubed...and of course I use goos quality magazines. Even the AR I just built hasn't jammed once, unusual in a just put together semi-auto but it was an upper I had shot before. I would also add that I couldn't tell you which bolt was with each AR originally...they have all been in and out of all of the ARs so many times I know they have all been in all the rifles at some point and they still work flawlessly.

btw....who has Stainless Mini-14s for $400.00 right now? I would buy a couple as an investment at that price...
 
I was at Big5 Sporting Goods and they had a Mini for around $850.

Used to think I paid too much ($440) for my stainless Mini-30 back in '93. ;)
 
Ruger remedied most of the accuracy issues with their 580 series Mini-14's that just came out. Get one and love it. Stick with Ruger 20 round mags too. They are finicky eaters, though. Mine likes Winchester 62 grain FMJ, but LOVES Hornady 75-gr. BTHP!
I've shot sub-MOA with that load. (seems to like heavier bullets?) 55 grain stuff shoots 3 inches or so at 100 yards.
 
I've about 1500rds through my m4gery (stag upper/barrel w/rails, rock river lower, magpul grips/stock. DYI polish on the RR trigger) I haven't had a single malfunction, although I'm sure if I ran it without cleaning it that would change. I'm using a Bushnell Holosight (base model eotech without the armour) Off of a bipod I can easily manage sub 2" groups at a 100yrds. If I went to a magnified optic it would be even better.
I assembled my rifle for under $1,000, granted that was before all the AR frenzy started.
if you don't mind waiting, you can still put a nice gun together for close to that just shop around.

The reason I recommend the AR over the Mini, is just preference. When I first wanted to by a centerfire carbine, I wanted a Ruger. I had a chance to shoot my buddies target model, along with an AR...I bought my lower the next day. Shoot both and see what suits you best, and go with your gut. I've learned from my own experience not to buy a gun, or knife for that matter without shooting/handling it first.
 
I own a synthetic Mini in 7.62x39 and it is not the most accurate but it is extremely dependable. I used it as a good saddle/camp gun. Did the job and never had a malfunction with it. Same experience as the others prolly 4" at 100M. Still, did the job I asked of it (i.e. plinking, coyotes, etc.). My father has one he keeps propped next to the back door on his orchard in the Ozarks. Shoots possum/coyotes/wild dogs and crap with it off the back porch from time to time. Never had a problem with his either.

If youre looking for MOA go AR, absolutely. I owned a Bushmaster for awhile and it was a ton of fun to shoot. But they can be pricey. For day to day and reliability I like the Mini.

SKS are fun too...

'Fuzz
 
Another plus for the AR that just popped into my head: Ammo isn't exactly cheap for volume shooting, you can easily switch to .22lr (I'm building one now on a DPMS lower)
 
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