Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Mini 14

I don't think 3 decibels lower is worth 5 less rounds in a double stack gun.

I 2nd the Just Right Carbine.
I have one in 45 acp
One hole at 25 yds with a Tru Glo red dot sight.
I haven`t had a chance too shoot at 50 or 75 yds.
I had some jamming issues that we`re working through.
JRC is sending some stronger springs for my 13 rd G21 mags.

http://shop.justrightcarbines.com/H...zine-Spring-45MAGSPRING.htm?productId=71

Overall it`s a very nice piece and fun to shoot.

The dB scale is logarithmic not linear. The 9mm is much worse on your ears, and if I can't hit something with 7 bullets from a pistol etc. (please don't go all Ninja 15 rounds, multiple assailants, zombies, etc., keep your 15 rd 9mm I have one as well) but mostly carry a 45 as I can hit better with it

http://www.m1911.org/loudness.htm


Sound is measured in decibels (db), much like temperature is measured in degrees and speed in miles (or kilometers) per hour. Like most other units, the bottom of the scale or 0 db, is an arbitrary setting, which by convention is set to be the level of the sound that we can bearly hear, or our hearing threshold, as it is normally known.

One difference between the decibel scale and most of the other units we usually use in our everyday life, is the fact that the decibel scale is not linear, but logarithmic. In a linear scale, like velocity, if someone's car is moving at 100 mph, we know that he is moving at twice the speed of someone else who is doing 50 mph, i.e. 2x50 mph is double the velocity of the second car. In logarithmic scales a sound which is only 3 db higher than another, has twice the energy. For example, if you look at the table below, the 9mm Para cartridge at 160 db has twice the sound energy of the .45 ACP cartridge which is measured at 157 db.

Another complication is that the human ear does not hear linearly either. Although loudness is subjective, most people perceive one sound to be twice as loud as another, when there is a 10-fold increase in energy, or a difference of about 10 db. So a 60 db sound sounds twice as loud as a 50 db one, although there is 10 times more energy in it. Also, it is interesting to note that most people cann ot discern any difference in perceived loudness of less than 3 db. That means that the energy in the sound has to double, before someone can notice any difference.

A Mini like this one, will satisfy all the OP's requirements except the noise level. I don't think anything fired indoors will be 'quiet'.

Any time this comes up I find the responses a little amusing.

I have two mini's one folder one standard stocked. I like them well enough. The wood stocked one is way more accurate than what the 'net would have you believe. I've not shot the folder off a bench but the irons have worked on coyotes many times. Mini's are as reliable as it gets, and yes even more so than AR's.

Ar's are all the rage, plentiful parts, mags, and support companies. A short barrel collapsing stock with a light would be just as handy as a mini, not handier. They are virtually identical.

The purpose the OP asks about is always going to stir conversation. Choice of weapon can be very dependant on location, situation, and heaven forbid, experience & training.

Overpenetration, children in rooms, proximity of neighbors, etc. should all be considered when making these choices. Real training & practice would be my recommendation over picking a particular firearm. I use pistols to get me to a rifle. I like shotguns for clearing rooms but they are not good for much else that I do. Nothing wrong with a short barreled 12ga with bird shot for close up. Buckshot will go through lots more than you think.

As for noise, if you are ever in a real situation you won't think about noise or even notice it until it's over. The only way to quiet shooting is with a can as was previously mentioned.

How about a used G.I. M1 Carbine ???? I don't trust the commercial copies.

Not a bad choice at all. This one is a USGI, Quality Hardware Carbine. Bushnell dot sight, and Remington 110 SP.

that would be my choice over a mini 14! Nice!!

I like the Mini cause I love the mini-garand action. If you're gonna go M1 carbine, better off to go Mini-14 IMHO cause you can shoot .223 ammo.

I can't speak for others on this. I was the first to respond though. My experience with Mini's goes back to 1980 or '81. I owned the second stainless one I saw, whereas my good friend owned the first. I've owned more than half a dozen examples since, not counting two or three Mini 30's. My experience DOES NOT extend to the newest of the Mini's because after extensive experience with them I made the final switch to the AR platform with cost being the last straw.

The new Mini's are said to be much more accurate. So that may satisfy anybody's needs on that score. I don't know of anybody who wants an inaccurate gun regardless of the parameters they set on an internet query. The only thing I can think of is that even an accurate Mini is inferior to an AR and even one of the low-end AR's is superior to a Mini. When you factor in the cost of getting a Mini new enough to be even remotely competitive I can't see it myself.

People like Sam that have lots of guns and don't mind spending some to get something different may like the Mini. I just don't see the practicality or frugality of it.

In 1980 Ruger had the home defense, self defense, prison rifle and LEO .223 market sewed up but let it slip away by being so stubborn about making he Mini better and parts more accessible. Now, without spending lots of money, it will never meet it's potential. You can only assume Ruger wanted it that way. kwg

Thanks for all the good info and suggestions. I decided to go ahead and be happy with my sig 238 and my mossberg 410 home defense shotgun. It is the one with the vertical foregrip and spreader choke. Loading it with slugs or pumpkin balls will suffice.
For a toy I decided to get the Century Sterling type 2. I love the hi cap mags, OAL, folding stock, 9mm caliber... It is also accurate out to 100+ yds. It is the one with the full shroud just like the opening post link I pasted.