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Originally Posted by rost495
To be fair it costs a few bucks to get a top line AR too...

Lethal pistol grips... hmm, thats a funny one, so it fits funny KA I guess.

Probably should have said, equal money spent on a Mini and an AR, bet on the AR for better groups.

Mini probably tougher, less affected by dirt, etc., not sure if it's as tough as an AK.

Not a chance on either count. There's a reason nobody considers Minis for serious work and no army in the World uses them.

But at least the Mini fixed the hand-induced stoppages of the M1 design.

Originally Posted by Larry Vickers
09-06-13, 16:19
The Mini-14's I have had in my classes have proven exactly what I have believed all along - they are not serious use firearms. They are for hobbyists, plinkers, and those who some how feel we should still be using a Garand variant as a service rifle.

Their performance in my classes has been very unimpressive - there is a reason you rarely see them anymore. They are trash.


Islam is a terrorist organization.

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I believe that they are trash as well, but I did not want to hurt anyone's feelings, but what the hell...if you live in a free state and you buy a mini 14 over an ar15 you should probably have your head examined.


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Bermuda used to field the mini, but no longer. I believe some French PD/swat types use or used to use them. Some US prisons and Tex rangers used them over the years. Let's nit forget the A-team, Jeff Cooper wrote an article praising the then new mini as a handy little gun to keep behind the ranch door, poodle shooting caliber aside.

As has been stated, a mini comes to the shoulde like a traditional rifle. If you grew up with that, it just feels right. They are generally not as reliable as an AR, but they are close. They are no where near as accurate, cost more, and Ruger mags cost more than AR stuff, but they can still do most nods that need doing and are fun to shoot.

So, they are kind of like driving a vintage pickup. It isn't as fast, comfortable, or capable as a newer one, but it can still get most jobs done and it appeals to guys that like the style.

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Originally Posted by K1500
Bermuda used to field the mini, but no longer. I believe some French PD/swat types use or used to use them. Some US prisons and Tex rangers used them over the years. Let's nit forget the A-team, Jeff Cooper wrote an article praising the then new mini as a handy little gun to keep behind the ranch door, poodle shooting caliber aside.

As has been stated, a mini comes to the shoulde like a traditional rifle. If you grew up with that, it just feels right. They are generally not as reliable as an AR, but they are close. They are no where near as accurate, cost more, and Ruger mags cost more than AR stuff, but they can still do most nods that need doing and are fun to shoot.

So, they are kind of like driving a vintage pickup. It isn't as fast, comfortable, or capable as a newer one, but it can still get most jobs done and it appeals to guys that like the style.


This does not mirror my experience in any way. The Mini is not, and never has been, adequate. It has been trash from the beginning. I have yet to see a single one, regardless of age or model, exhibit anything resembling accuracy or reliability.

We used to see one or two every time we did a patrol rifle class or refresher, and I never saw one make it without failure. When they did run, they often had accuracy issues making it difficult to even post qualifying scores. Luckily, we havent seen one in years, so hopefully they are no longer being fielded in any real numbers. Even the most worn out, A1 LESO M16 is a far better weapon that any Mini 14 on the planet.

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Both mine have been reliable but...both had to go back to Ruger before they were. That is a big, big caveat. So mine were unreliable and it took a Ruger service center to make them run. I just assumed I had bad luck both times, since they now run just fine.

Neither is as accurate as any of my AR's, none of which had to go back to the factory for service for reliability reasons.

Once mine were up and running from Ruger, they both run well. I won't argue with you at all on the accuracy thing. Again, like a vintage pickup, they can still do most jobs, but a newer truck with 150,000 on the ODO is still 'better'. The coyotes and groundhogs I have shot with mine all went down, and I am pretty sure it can deal with a man sized target within the confines of a hallway.

I wouldn't tell anyone to pick one over an AR, but if I lived in CA and it was a mini or nothing, I wouldn't feel unarmed. To tell the truth, after getting an M1A, the Mini's and AR's tend to sit in the safe while the Scout Squad goes to the range. Make me pick one 5.56 and it would be without a shadow of a doubt an AR. Thank goodness I don't have to pick just one.

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The thing is, it is tough to compete with 50+ years of battle testing and refinement.

The AR series has been fielded longer than any other rifle/carbine system in US history and it shows in the level of refinement.


Islam is a terrorist organization.

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I like the Mini platform. The newer ones are actually pretty good. They have been very reliable, in my experience, moderately accurate, and a lot of fun to shoot.
Haters gonna hate. I don't listen to the 'experts' on this issue, as most of them have never even shot a Mini, but depend on years of internet facts. laughing.


Sam......

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Or, conversely, facts dont support your sentiment, so you dismiss them to keep your feelings intact.


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I've only had 6 of the danged things (before the internet) and fired a bazillion rounds through them. Enough experience with them to know that I don't want another one of any kind.

The AR is king, if you can't adapt, you will get left behind.

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Originally Posted by Mannlicher
I like the Mini platform. The newer ones are actually pretty good. They have been very reliable, in my experience, moderately accurate, and a lot of fun to shoot.
Haters gonna hate. I don't listen to the 'experts' on this issue, as most of them have never even shot a Mini, but depend on years of internet facts. laughing.


Only shot two. Both circa mid 80s. Know enough that as much as I liked the looks, the cheapest Model 1 Sales parts AR I put together shot WAY better.

So to satisfy my 14 desire we bought four M1As....


We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
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I have a 1980 181 Series and I love it. It is not a 1 MOA rifle, not did I ever expect it to be. It is tons of fun to shoot, walnut stocked, in pristine condition and I've got a total of $500 in it. It has never FTF'd for any reason. What's not to like?

I have plenty of Ruger 20 and 30 rd factory mags for it and I put a Vickers sling on it a while back. It is a perfect SHTF gun for me and my own or to pass over a fence to an ally.

As Sam said, haters gonna hate. But, I can tell you this much. You wouldn't want to be on the business end at 100 yds, regardless of who was yanking the trigger. You'll be just as dead as with an AR.

[Linked Image]

If you have one and feel the need to make it better, there is some very good info here:

Mini's



Slaves get what they need. Free men get what they want.

Rehabilitation is way overrated.

Orwell wasn't wrong.

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you wouldn't want to be in front of my ARs at 600 yards... LOL.

Minis are cool, they are what they are.


We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
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Originally Posted by local_dirt
I have a 1980 181 Series and I love it. It is not a 1 MOA rifle, not did I ever expect it to be. It is tons of fun to shoot, walnut stocked, in pristine condition and I've got a total of $500 in it. It has never FTF'd for any reason. What's not to like?




I had a 181 series as well (1978 IIRC?) that was similar. I never scoped it, but it was as accurate as I was with iron sights, basically a little better than minute of soda can at 100 yards. I never had any malfunctions with either factory or handloads, and enjoyed shooting it.

Obviously others have much poorer experiences with them, but I'd be happy to have that one back again. My ARs are all more accurate, but it doesn't have to be a Chevy vs Ford thing; I don't mind owning both.

Last edited by Yondering; 04/26/17.
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I like the Mini 14. Mine seems to shoot every time I pull the trigger. I dunno, I guess I got lucky. Fortunately for me I don't have to choose between it and an AR-15. I own and enjoy both.

Silly argument but it's the internet. Carry on.



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A WISH of mine is that the Mini-14 would be an accurate and reliable rifle. Then I might buy one.

My EXPERIENCE with them is to the contrary, at least in the accuracy department. Big Brother has 2 of the things, both older models. They are fun to shoot in dog ton but total wast of ammo as I don't know that I EVER hit what I was aiming at.

The newer ones are supposedly better in the accuracy department but reports I've heard and read vary. Until I see proof of accuracy I can't justify laying good money down for one. Went with an AR instead, no regrets.



Coyote Hunter - NRA Patriot Life, NRA Whittington Center Life, GOA, DAD - and I VOTE!

No, I'm not a Ruger bigot - just an unabashed fan of their revolvers, M77's and #1's.

A good .30-06 is a 99% solution.
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The first one I had had the wooden hand guard on it. Around 1983 shortly after they came out with the Ranch rifle, I bought one of those. I liked that they were light and handy but this one was less accurate than my first mini 14. They were both reliable, I'll give em that. I bought and sold 4 others over the years trying to find one that was somewhat accurate and finally gave up.

My very first AR was accurate and reliable as have been all the rest. Now some say the new target model mini's are accurate but they no longer are light and handy. Add in the price is as high or higher than an AR and I'm just not interested.

So yes I guess haters are gonna hate but dreamers are always gonna dream. Maybe one day Ruger will get it right...

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I inherited Dad's 180 series Mini. A while back I painstakingly worked up some handloads for it, and added some skateboard tape to the recoil pad to keep it from sliding around on my shoulder.

I was rewarded with 2-3 inch groups at 100 yards smirk Oh well. Someday I might kill a pig with it. smile


"...the designer of the .270 Ingwe cartridge!..."

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We will never see a Mini from Ruger to be what it should be for the money they charge, why change when mini "savants" buy these things? I will acknowledge that they would be a fantastic $350.00 carbine, and that they are reliable with ruger magazines. I would buy one tomorrow for my truck at $350 if it was stainless steel, would not own a blue one at all.


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I had a factory stainless folder. I liked the style, but the accuracy was lacking. I sold it for a Colt HBAR in the mid 80s, no regrets.

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