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

It would put some pressure on it, but no more than the side sling on the gas block that the older Mini GB’s had, and no more than a standard AR sling on the front sight base.

Personally, I just am not an AR guy. I do have one, a Colt EPR, and also spent my fair share of time behind a M-16, but I just have never warmed up to the platform.

My Mini-14 on the other hand feels much better to me, despite the mediocre accuracy. I am actually thinking about getting a M1A just because I like the way they feel better than an AR-10. My Mini-14 is scoped with a Leupold 4x because I didn’t buy it for long range precision.

The non-standard magazines and possible accuracy issues are the only ‘bad’ thing about them IMO, as I have no desire for pic rails with accessories on them anyhow.

not cheaper but interesting Fightlite Ares SCR

The Adams Arms P2 (Upper is $499.99 right now on sale) and the Brownells BR-180 V2 are also good options for someone that like the piston concept. Neither of those suffers from issues like carrier-tilt, and the BR-180 can be put on a suitable lower that allows for a folding stock.

With M193 ball ammo, and a few simple mods, the 580 Series Mini-14 is a fine <3MOA/200 yard field carbine, and will tear [bleep] up.






GR

Depending on when and where you can take
wt deer with it and the old Winchester black
box supreme with the deer head on the side of
the box.

Have to say many of the bad experiences stated here have never been my experience. I have owned probably a dozen Minis of various calibers and series over the years and have always found them to be reliable and accurate enough for practical field use. I enjoy plinking with them as well. I would not feel under gunned if a Mini was all I had

If your AR 15 does not look like this, it will not function and you might as well throw it in the river, for all the good it'll do you.



Mini-14s don't need all that stuff.

L.W.

What if Ruger had designed the mini to use AR mags and had paid more attention to fine points like accuracy. Ya think that could have been done without cost going thru the roof?

DF

I put a flashlight rail on my tactical model, underneath the forearm. Drilled a couple of holes is all.

If minute of coffee can lid accuracy is all you need, there's no reason not to spend much more for a Mini 14 and its magazines.

Nah, ya need more rails, more attached stuff to be tacticool.

But that’s a start.

DF

I have OFTEN seen people cry "oh, why didn't they design the Mini-14 to take AR magazines???"

There's a reason you people aren't gun designers.

Well, it might have made dollars and sense.

DF

The skinny barrel and the generous chamber was a couple of mistakes Ruger made with the Mini. I had a 181 series (1977) that was a 6" gun at 100 yards. They had the market in the late 70's and blew it. It's a much improved rifle from what it was in the late 70's but the damage has been done.

Accuracy Systems of Colorado has made a pile of money making the Mini what it should of been from the start. I had ASI install new barrels on 3 Minis. I bought them cheap enough that I could afford to have them do the work. It's hard to justify the costs now considering that an AR is 1/2 the price of a Mini before sending it off to ASI.

The States that have banned the AR's are keeping the Mini alive along with over seas sales. There is Competition from FightLite that might eat into Ruger's Mini 14 sales.
https://fightlite.com/rifles/scr


kwg

One target from a Mini, the other from an AR with Eotech. Ball ammunition at 100 yards. Leaning

Don’t forget that when the Mini was designed, civilian ARs were far from common; no $10 pmags.

Yeah and they were following the M-14 general design.

DF

Yes. That has been ignored through this whole thread.

Buddy of mine bought his Colt SP1 carbine new for under $300 in the early 70’s.

Another buddy bought his M-16 for $295.

Surplus 20 round USGI mags were $4-6 each in the mid 80’s.

The last new factory Colt’s I bought were a 6920 for $750 out the door and $850 for a 6720.

My first mini-14 was bought in 1985 for $350 used and 20 round factory mags were $25 a pop.

I loved the mini-14 and have had a half dozen or so but the better gun won me over.

Nobody’s ignoring anything.