Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Ruger mini-14... Poor man's AR?

"I pity the fool." Sorry, couldn't resist...mention Mini 14 and it just pops out.

Have used M4s and Minis extensively and I prefer the Mini platform. Lots of Mini bashers here, but I guess I look at any semi-auto platform as a means to deliver aimed fire with quick follow-up shots with a minimum of body movement, with the caveat that either a AR or Mini platform will have a marginal trigger, and less than exceptional accuracy.

If I want exceptional accuracy a bolt gun will deliver.

I will also echo this, missed in my first quick reading of this thread, but it sums it up perfectly.

I like mine as well.

I've always felt a good gun collection needed to include a mini-14

there is a part of me thats wants a mini-14 just because its NOT a "black rifle/assault weapon"

just 2 years ago you could get a mini-14 at Wal-Mart for $550 and a Colt-AR for $879

Based on this thread I stopped by today - The AR is about the same price but the Mini-14 is now $759

That's a big jump

Mini's must be gaining popularity for a price increase like that while the highly praised AR has been dropping in price.

I loved the 3 I had, I really did! I really wish one of the 3 would have shot worth a crap. If you claim a "new" mini has improved accuracy come shoot the 24HC black rifle challenge with it and prove it.

So in summary we can say that the mini is an over priced, inaccurate, yet well handling and attractive POS.

Well, considering you can build a decent AR cheaper than what a new Mini-14 costs, I wouldn't call it a "poor man's AR". Plus, you'll get better accuracy.

Well the AR can easily fix all the Mini's faults. And almost any AR will be MOA with right ammo, somethign that isn't even close for most all mini's.

RE accuracy, you might want to check the AR forum here, thread on 10 shot groups... the best average for TWO, TEN shot groups is under half an inch IIRC.... and IIRC, half the shooters are at MOA or under, thats for LARGE groups... not 3 or 5 shot groups... amazing really...

My best ever test group with an AR was just over an inch. 5 shots. 600 yards off the bench, with a carry handle scope mount and scope testing ammo...

Seems the liberal media has succeeded with some folks.

"My best ever test group with an AR was just over an inch. 5 shots. 600 yards off the bench, with a carry handle scope mount and scope testing ammo..."

My BS detector just broke the needle......
There used to be a guy on benchrestcentral that bragged about how well his AR could shoot and it could compete in benchrest. Funny, he never showed up anywhere. A fluke can happen at any time. The capability of a gun is repeatability/consistency. So how many of these inch groups have you shot at 600 yards?

I never said it was repeatable. Read into it what you want. Interestingly enough I never measured it other than a rough stick with a ruler at something of 1.25 inches more or less, as I noted, wasn't overly concerned. It was witnessed by 2 or 3 other folks. It was shot on my home range. It was overcast, there was no wind to speak of. Dang gun was not even my own unfortunately but it did take a 15-16 year old gal to her Distinguished badge before that Krieger died. That barrel is still on a buddies upper, and works fine at 100-200 yards. Around 1.5 moa these days last I saw him shoot it.

My goal for groups for competition ammo to take to Perry was 5 shot groups at 3 inches or less. That was generally workable on most barrels. For multiple groups.

then the various ammo tests were done with irons in 11 shot groups at 600 out of a sling and pick the best result from that.

Not all folks are capable of shooting groups that are snug. Not all guns are either.
But the AR platform will scare the heck out of a decent bolt gun.

As to BR shooting, for anyone that knows anything much about ARs, they'll know that John Feamster has a screamer patch from his AR many many years ago already. I have no clue what happens in BR, as its never been my game but IIRC it is a group under .250 at 100 in a registered competition. It may be an average of all groups at .250, I just have no clue. Not shabby for a gas gun. Certainly better than any Mini14 will do.

This was NOT with a mini 14 FWIW. LOL.

Hopefully that answers your question. I shot very little with a scope, only to test initial accuracy and weed it down to 2-4 test loads to run in matches where we shot only irons.

As to the dig of not showing up, I don't shoot anymore in competition, but in the day my wife and I traveled a lot shooting almost every weekend and were never scared to shoot anywhere, anytime we could afford to. And nope, we didn't always win. But OTOH winning was not "rare" either... Take it for what its worth.

Have a great evening.

cant believe this thread is still going on about a minute of barn rifle...

LOL
not hardly, i say that more to,be dofferent than the rest of the tacticool crowd than to,worry about political correctness

I understand that mentality. I would only counter that one should shoot what they like and, more importantly, what works for the task. We really shouldn't worry about political correctness, fads, or just being different.

For what it's worth, if I found a good shooting mini, at a great price, I'd buy it. Just to have in my collection.

But the thread is about them being the poor man's AR. We've established it's not cheaper. So that's out. But can it out perform an AR? Out of the box? For what purpose? Those really weren't established guidelines in the question.

When I think AR, I think defensive/offensive weapon. Not varmint gun, not plinker, not match gun. But that's just me. These things are just tools. If the Mini out performed the AR for what I use them for, I'd have it instead. But it doesn't.

probly not TOO many "liberals" with NB Forrest for an avatar!

that is so mean spirited Roger. Just plain mean.

correct !

you can always be assured of minute of barn accuracy with a mini especially if you go inside and shut the doors before commencing to fire...

The best way to "fix" a Mini 14 to bring up to par with an AR15, is to sell it, and buy an AR!