Had one of these, a govt version, years ago. Reliable but not crazy accurate.
Got it in stainless with the composite stock. Says it comes with a rail so might just put a dot on it.
Couldn't find a tactical model for under 1500, so I got the plain.
Might have it threaded for my suppressor and the sight re-installed.

quote:

Originally posted by mike56:
Reliable but not crazy accurate.

The understatement of the decade.

When you pull the trigger they go bang. Not picky about the ammo.

Oh yes, highly reliable. I kept a Mini-14 for home defense for many years. At close range, this little rifle shines.

And Bill Ruger himself called it "The World's Most Expensive Plinker"

Full disclosure:

I've owned one for a long, long time, but I prefer ARs and have more of them.

I had an older mini ranch rifle, and really liked it. It's light and handy, and made for a fun shooter with cheap ammo and a garand-style action. I initially bought it because I wanted a Garand but didn't think I'd ever actually own one.

Eventually I managed to pick up a couple of Garands and some other iron-sighted rifles, and realized that I was actually capable of producing decent groups at 200+ yards with iron sights. With the mini, I was lucky to keep it on an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of paper at 100 yards. When a 120 year-old Krag Jorgenson with a dark bore and worn rifling can produce a sub-2" group at the same range, you know the problem isn't the shooter, it's the gun.

Upon coming to this conclusion, I thought that it still might be a better platform than the AR for home defense ranges due to the light weight and low sight-to-bore offset. So I put it on the clock against my mapulled-out, optic-equipped AR. I was faster and just as accurate with the AR even with having to account for sight-to-bore offset...and at the same time I can get decent accuracy out of the AR beyond 100 yards. I ended up selling the mini to help fund a different gun that I wanted more.

I don't have anything against the mini-14. I actually really like it. It's fun and easy to shoot, has great handling, and a neat garand/M14-like manual of arms. IMO it's a perfectly viable home defense and short-range choice. They are very reliable as well. I hear the new ones are far more accurate...my buddy just picked up a mini-30 in 7.62x39, but he hasn't shot it at any significant distance yet so I can't say how it performs. The barrel is definitely heavier than the one on my old ranch rifle, and I was able to produce one-hole groups easily at 10 yards the day we took it out, but that's absolutely no measure of its long-range accuracy potential. If the newer ones prove to be more accurate like people claim, I may own another some day...I'd still own the one I had if it could have hit the broad side of a barn. But the poor accuracy combined with the direction that the rest of my collection had taken over the years pretty much eliminated its usefulness to me in my situation.

I have the newer, improved Mini. If I am up to snuff, it will do under 2 inches at 100 yards with the irons. Much better than the previous models.
Next up for my Mini: Cogburn Arsenal Improved finger mag release and Tech Sights.

In 1984 my father traded a front end assembly for a 1970’s Vega for a RUGER AC-556….for the next 30 years it resided under his side of my parents bed.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by mike56:
Reliable but not crazy accurate.

The understatement of the decade.

Haha.

I read the title and that was the first thing I thought of. I have a pair of older 18x prefix guns in the safe.

I picked one up last year NIB in 5.56. Added an Accu-Strut and a trigger job by Accuracy Systems, Inc. Still not a tack-driver, but decent and fun. Trigger is so much better now.

I bought mine around 1985. told KKina I'll buy his accu-strut.
Haven't done it yet, but I will. Fun gun to shoot! Throws that brass!

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
And Bill Ruger himself called it "The World's Most Expensive Plinker"

And a great plinker it is.


I have a 16" Mini-14. The shorter barrel makes it even handier than usual, similar in size, weight, and balance to a M1 Carbine, just with a more potent cartridge.

Combined with a Tech Sights rear peep and a micro red dot on an Ultimak rail, it's a fantastic range toy.

Hey, if the "A-Team" liked it, what's not to like?

quote:

Originally posted by 229DAK:
Hey, if the "A-Team" liked it, what's not to like?

The A-Team cast's shooting was a perfect showcase of the Mini 14's accuracy.

This thread is very timely for me, as I have gotten the Mini-14 hankering recently. Until last night I was 99% certain I was buying one.

And then in my research, I find that the mags are going for $45 - $60 for a 20-rounder and even higher for a 30-rounder? Now, I'm not so sure I will buy one. I have 2 rifles that take very expensive magazines already (H&K USC, converted to UMP,) and I'm not trying to get another one.

Any idea on why the magazines are going for so much?

I’ve always wanted one. Proprietary mags made me never get one.

If I’m elected emperor all 9mm’s will use either Glock mags or Beretta 92 mags. Rifles of course will use AR mags. Duh.

quote:

nd then in my research, I find that the mags are going for $45 - $60 for a 20-rounder and even higher for a 30-rounder? Eek Now, I'm not so sure I will buy one. I have 2 rifles that take very expensive magazines already (H&K USC, converted to UMP,) and I'm not trying to get another one.

Any idea on why the magazines are going for so much?

Check CDNN Sports. They have 20rd rugers for 33.
Kittery Trading Post in ME has 30rd rugers for 38. And our forum frien Grag Cote has 20's for around 34.

quote:

Originally posted by mike56:
Check CDNN Sports. They have 20rd rugers for 33.
Kittery Trading Post in ME has 30rd rugers for 38. And our forum frien Grag Cote has 20's for around 34.

Thank you.

KTP has the 30 rounders for $45, which is steep, AND they won't ship to OH? We have 0 magazine restrictions.

CDNN is $35 for 20's and Greg Cote is $33 for 2o's.

I'm no cheapskate, but $33 per magazine (the cheapest one I can find) is crazy to me.

Soured on the M14 in the Marines. Had a Mini 14 in my Patrol vehicle for a bit. It was a red headed step child.

I'll never buy either in my lifetime. Other than that, they're good rifles...