Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Mini 14?

I handled a Ruger Mini 14 #583 the other day. It really ‘felt’ great and now I kind of have the itch to own one. In researching on line it seems like the newer ones with 583 serial numbers might be more accurate than the previous ones. Anyone have experience that they would care to share?

the people on this place are negatives of them, but this is cause of they had not owned one or did they shots them. Its been many a fact how thiese rilfes are so much the betters of this and the blackish gun which can come in all colors now. Get one quick before they makes the guns illegla due to the guudness of it.

don't pay any attention to that moron, the mini 14 is indisputably inferior to the ar15, even a cheap PSA will probably still out shoot any new model box stock mini. Also don't break a firing pin on cheap ammo, as you have to send the gun back to ruger to get it fixed.

Yep, unless they been worked on...

Accuracy Systems full house, back before it became so expensive.

DF

Nothing wrong with the newer mini-14. I have one and wouldn't give it up for just about anything. I have 9 ARs and think they are overated, mini-14 is more fun to shoot and just about as accurate. Try it you will like it.

anyone shoot a mini 14 in the challenge yet? I have shot it a few times during the photobucket era with two of my overrated AR15's, I suppose I need to shoot it again, but if any of you mini 14 aficinando's have the guts to shoot your gun two 10 shot groups at 100 yards I will shut up if you produce anything under 3 MOA with any ammunition of your choice. . That is except of course if you have spent a $1000 fixing the guns problems. If your not willing to shoot the challenge we understand.

this hear is why those who try to uses phisics will never get to the points of goodness for the mini. One could have much pride in its wood and steel, it could be poor accurate like mine are and then why do you care, its not of plastic and cheap metal such as those ars. Mostly people own guns for the like of that gun, those who do are many times said to be of a stupid nature, however badly they like what the guns that they got. Mini 14 +400 percentages.

I always wanted to like the Mini's, but I fired one belonging to my nephew some years back, horribly inaccurate. To be fair it was one of the pre-583 guns, the new ones are supposed to be better.

Unfortunately it looks like a new Mini is a couple of hundred dollars more expensive than your average civilian AR. And then there is the price of magazines, Mini's are about twice the price of a good AR mag. I guess I'll stick with AR's.

But of course Mini's aren't as evil as AR's, if you live in one of "those" states.

Two friends have mini 14s, but the older ones. Both were poor accuracy wise. Both have been rebarreled and accurized, and they are pretty accurate now.
The cost of these modified mini 14s exceeds the cost of AR 15s.
Not what you asked, but I’d get an AR and I believe have a better chance on accuracy, and you’ll have pretty much an unlimited array of accessories.
Good luck.

I had a stainless factory folder in the 1980s, before AR15s were popular. I tried to get that mini to shoot, but could not get it to shoot accurately. I got a Colt Ar15 HBar in 1986, and the mini went down the road quick. The Mini 14 folder I had was pretty nice except for the inaccuracy issues. I don't think I would buy one now because the first one was so disappointing.

The Mini 14 is no longer popular for good reason. I've owned at least a half-dozen of them going back to a beautifully wooded stainless model before they even put the plastic forend on them. They seemed like a good idea at the time, since you never saw an AR for sale and nobody knew how inaccurate Mini's were. Lots of guys around here had them.

The new ones are supposedly a lot more accurate. I fail to see the point though since the ones I've seen were all higher than low-end AR's which would all still outshoot them. About the only thing a Mini is good for is for grandpa to have because he hates AR's for some reason. And then, they're best stood in a corner and not used. Hell, people quit them back in the day because they were $300 and a brand new SKS was under $100 and would beat a Mini every day of the week.

I've only owned two, the first was an early skinny barrel blued/wood rifle that didn't impress me with it's accuracy but I was using 55gr 223 ammo.
The second is a skinny barrel stainless/wood rifle from the '90 that i bought from a buddy that needed cash.
The only ammo I feed it is IMI Razor Core 69gr HPBT and it's shot surprisingly well and has earned a place in the safe.

It's not a target rifle but a coyote sized target would be in serious trouble at 200yds, that'll do for my needs but I didn't pay a bunch for it either...

Ha ha. This grandpa has had a slight itch for one for years, but never bit. I did finally try an AR, but just didn't care for the platform. Then my father gave me a nice .30 carbine, which scratched the itch and has nostalgia to boot. I'm good now.

I have a 580 with the improved barrel. There is a world of difference between the old pre 580 series and the latest edition the 584. They are not target rifles but they are good solid guns. One of the reasons why they are so expensive is there is huge demand for them in the AR banned states. If you live in a free State consider yourself lucky. The Mini is still a fine gun but plan on paying a premium and expect 2 MOA at 100 yards.

Go to perfectunion.com for more information.

kwg

I would certainly rather have a Mini instead of nothing, were I to live in such a state. I wasn't aware that there were any. It would seem that the mags above ten or so rounds would be banned in such states too, then again if the commies in those states were smart, they'd have banned the Mini along with the AR's.

Guess I'll be the odd man out and stand up for the Mini. I've had a couple over the years and once you get the sights regulated (which can be a chore) they do okay. MOA? Hell no, but they do have practical accuracy. They'll stay center mass on a full size silhouette target at 200 yards and digest a mag full of ammo that won't even chamber in an AR.

If you're looking for gilt edged accuracy the Mini isn't for you, if you want a reliable knockabout gun they're worth a look - provided the price is reasonable.

they would be great at $350 a copy, and with magazines at $20 a copy.

I like Mini 14's when used in conjunction with the five round flush mags.

That is a light, ergonomic sumbitch to have in your for a long walk. People say they're inaccurate and they probably are in comparison to other things. I still wouldn't want me shooting one at myself. And they're certainly not any less accurate than most AK's and everybody seems to love those pieces of schit.

So true. Mini 14s were designed to be a practical carbine with high reliability and to be capable of military accuracy. Accuracy wise, they are equal to an out of the box M1 or Garand. In the world of combat arms, many militaries feel there are many more reliable weapons than a gas impingement AR platform. Firearms like an M1, AK or the Mini 14 will tend to not be MOA shooters because of the gas piston design and the influence it has on the barrel.

I've seen a couple at our range, and was impressed. I'm old school, and can't love the ergonomics of the AR types.

However, the deal killer for me and the Mini-14 is the need to clean from the muzzle, and the cost/value.

Paul