Stock ranch rifle stainless synthetic sell for 1,225.00 on gunbroker.

The last mini-14 I had, I gave away.

minute of barn...

The times they are a crazy.....

i had a factory folder from the 80s I guess. Neat, but not very accurate. Sold it for a Colt HBar.

The only thing less accurate than a mini-14 is a mini-30
I'm fairly certain you'd be more lethal to use it as a club than a rifle.

Panic times = panic prices im afraid

I actually own a 580 series ranch rifle that will shoot with any AR I've ever owned.

Did they also buy the A-team van?

I pity the fool!!!!

I have long owned a Ruger GB Mini-14, 182 series, Shoots just fine for me. 'Course, I'm not looking for cloverleaf groups: 1½" groups are okay by me. If that won't do, I'll just have to "Spray & Pray."

L.W.

All bullchiting aside fellas the newer ones aren’t like the old ones.

Prove it. I want to see some targets... Ha ha

I aint flyin on no plane sucka!!

Nothing wrong with the accuracy of modern Mini-14s. Different animal from the 1970s and 1980s models.

I could throw rocks better than my 1970s SS Mini 14 could shoot.

I was just about to type that. I bought one in a Wal-Mart closeout for 399 a few years ago, and it'll do 2 inches with crap ammo.

I have a modern stainless Mini I got for $600 from CDNN a few years ago.... it may not make a good prairie dog gun.... but it will shoot a minute of thug just fine. It is my go to gun... I love to see the muzzle blast after the barrel gets warmed up...

Why suffer the Mini 14 compromises in ergonomics, reliability, and suppressor use when compared to the AR-15?

As a young kid growing up in the 80’s The A-Team was one of my favorite TV shows. I’d like to have a stainless folder like the one Hannibal sported. It was so much “cooler looking” than the AR’s of that era. Other rifles have always taken a priority but it’s on my to get list if we have four more good years after these elections.
I haven’t priced them out but I saw one at a local gun store that usually has reasonable prices for sale right before the craziness started asking $1200

I remember one going for $4,000 during the peak of the Obama panic

Dang, just bought a used 580 series last week for $350. Put a red dot on it and it will do 2" @100 with my old eyes using federal fmj ammo

From a practical standpoint none. From a collectible standpoint and when you already have a dozen or so AR’s it’s a cool niche gun to own.

I have been thinking about putting mine out on a local auction and see what it will bring. Guns seems to be selling at the auction for new prices. seems like a good time to move a few that I dont need to keep around and maybe buy a couple new toys.

From the inside.

This.

Collecting is not my thing but I can see if that's your jam it is a neat niche rifle.

It would almost be more interesting as a 5 MOA rifle.

To each their own.

Ive got one of the newer Mini 30's and Mini14's . They tend to be more accurate than the old ones

Hahahahaha

Do people really own a dozen ARs? JFC

My "other" 5.56 rifle is a Kel-Tec SU-16. I don't think it would handle trench warfare. But I doubt that I'll be able to wear it out.

The A Team never hit a damn thing with them. Turns out that was the most accurate representation to ever come out of Hollywood.

You don’t? This is 2020 I thought everybody did. Up until a few months ago it was a buyer’s market. Buy em up and pass em on down to your kids and grandkids.

laffin’

I worked for the WI department of Corrections for 25 plus years and I retired last year. We had [bleep] [bleep] mini 14s for my whole career. One place I worked at actually expected my co workers to actually hit an escaping convict at 300 plus yards with peep sights. Mind you unfortunately most of them couldn't find their own ass with 2 hands. I am so grateful that I never had to rely on someone to save my ass from a tower where we had the [bleep] Mini 14s.Plus the fact I could not stop a 55 gr bullet with my body!!
They finally switched to AR 15s last year. Still glad I retired and never had to shoot anyone but we had our share of wrestling matches and fights some pretty bloody ones. No murders at any place I worked but a few suicides. I did work at the Joint Jeffrey Dahmer was killed at but it was quite a few years after he got wacked. But MINI 14s suck...lol

https://youtu.be/xqNbDfOJX6c


I will leave this here.

Yeah that does seem a bit low if you call yourself a real American.

But I don't judge as long as you have at least one suitable for Militia Service.

Laughing. Not my first choice, but go stand in front of me and see how non-lethal one is.

An AK isn't all that accurate either, according to some here. Prolly non-lethal, too.

Lol.

(Somebody on GunBroker is still nuts.)

Mini-14 haters are hilarious!
Many are OK with the mediocre accuracy of their AK-47, 30-30 Winchester, or .30 carbine but the Mini doesn't live up to their imagined need for benchrest accuracy.
This reminds me of the Mayo vs. Miracle Whip arguments.

That being said, if I can sell the Mini-14 I paid $550 for in 1998 for $1,000 now I'd be tempted.

Damn near made me pizz myself with that one!!

Laughing. Go stand in front of me and see how non-lethal it is.

Lol.

(Somebody on GunBroker is still nuts)



That's what mine is for. I call it my "ally" gun. I keep it in a soft side slung rifle bag with 4 mags and 200 rounds of ammo. It's a $500 gun I can easily pass to anybody I feel I want or need to.

Why not pass your ally a good rifle? AR-15

Not really seeing the logic of the Mini 14 in a serious situation when the AR is so much better.

I had a smart butt sittin on a stool, sharpening his knife, jawing down at the Napa auto parts. Said a man could catch a .410 slug with a catcher’s mitt at 100 yards.


I told him I had a .410, and bet him $20 right then and there that he was full of chit.

Many of those targets would be barn size, so I think you're ok.

First off, it's easier to operate For someone that's never fired a gun before..

If that guy had been shooting one of the old A2HBs I doubt that it would have been much of a contest. The A2HB that I had was very accurate.

Nope and it is not even close.

AR is much more intuitive.

Swing Again?

Matter of opinion. From my viewpoint, yours is wrong. And I won't argue with you for days on it.

I never thought one way or another what folks choose to spend and buy. That said, I do like my AR's, in particular, my 16" Colt HBAR from CDNN a handful of years ago. I bought two for $700 NIB and later "sold" my youngest son one. They shoot pretty well.

Not really as the world has learned ARs are suitable for issue to everyone and Mini 14 suck Azz.

It not even a game, at all.

ARs work really well and Mini 14s suck ballz.

Pro Tip: Don't give your allies rifles that suck ballz.

...from INSIDE the barn!...

I can't tell if there are more dumb people where you live than where I live, or if you just end up talking to more dumb people than I do.

I'm unlikely to start talking to more people in Arizona, or come to TN, to find out.

Stay in your own little world, pretending you know, everything. The rest of us will be better off, After you drop your 13th Busch Light..

Professional? Professional douche, maybe.

Now fugk off.

They're fixable and can be made accurate enough for the ranges a 5.56 is useful in urban terrain.

I missed one by a few minutes (2018 iirc), not super duper sad about it, as I was wondering WTF do I want one of these for? LOL

In the early 90's I was living in south Florida and a buddy had sold his boat.
Her offered me his "shark gun"...a full in A-Team stainless factory folder mini for $350.
I turned it down because I had a 6601 on layaway ($699).

Scoff if you like, but I at least know one fellow that would disagree with y'all.

There is a fellow that we know. I'm forgetting the exact details here. However, he served in some form of Special Forces in Vietnam, Panama and Grenada. In Nam, his group actually preferred Mini-14 over the M-16. He said they found them easier to operate and more reliable. The accuracy issues were not a problem; it was fine for the close ranges they encountered.

I never got the full skinny on what he did in Vietnam. However, I do know he caught a bayonet in Grenada and manage to return the favor to the Cuban that was on the other end. The vet guys in our group agree he is the real deal. He keeps a poodle as a service dog, and is squirrelly from serious PTSD.

We own 2 stainless Mini-14, of early 2000's vintage. One is scoped the other is not. At 100 yards and under, we get good accuracy out of both. This was before the design changes. #2 son acquired a Min-30 a while back and was ringing a gong at 200 yards on his first attempt with cheap ammo. I honestly don't see why all the hate.

I'm a relatively new AR owner. I acquired one over the winter. I can see pros and cons to both. As a guy who is used to hunting rifles and an M1 Garand, the Mini-14 is a bit more comfortable to hold and operate. I like them both. KYHillChick loves her Stainless Ranch. It's her favorite.

.

Why have a mini 14 when you can have a AR-15? The only reason I can come up with is that you already bought the koolaid like I did. A mini 14 works but a bolt action 223 is a lot better truck gun, and a AR-15 is a lot better self-defense weapon. All guns are good, some are just better than others.

It's not an either/or proposition. I have and prefer an AR, but when you can get a brand new one for $399, as a rifle nut, you are duty bound to buy it.

I have a mini-14 because I wanted a mini-14. I don't bash them because I believe they are a well made design.

I also have ARs and FALs


The mini-14 is pretty straight forward and easy to use, highly reliable from my standpoint. I didn't buy it to pick off prairie dogs at 200 yards, Its a Kyle Rittenhouse weapon for me.

$1200 for a Mini 14 is not so unreasonable as it looks, all things considered. My old 188 series Ranch Rifle is not leaving the barn though. I think highly of it. Good trigger, accurate, dead nuts reliable, is not particular about ammo.

The newer Mini's are much more accurate than the earlier ones. I know a fellow who's quit using his AR , and started using his Mini-14 as his truck gun, because his Mini was a better shooter.

It's a "KR-14" !!!

I have two. One has been stellar for reliability, and is accurate enough to be worth keeping. One is a ss folder I got for free and don't think I've ever shot. Neither an AR nor a Mini are hard to teach someone to shoot. My children are proof, and they've used both on quite a few coyotes.

As to the truck gun comment it's pointless. A truck gun can be about anything for many different reasons depending on situation, expected uses, range to target, season, etc. I've used a mini, AR's, .22-250's, and bigger bores, some with short barrels and some not. Favorite right now is an AR pistol.

we should all call it that from now on and see if we can get Joe Biden to try to bring it up during a debate

"we don't need no KR-14's in the hands of yutes"

His group must be time-travelers then because the Mini didn't come out until 1973, which was the last year of the Vietnam War.

You may be thinking of the M-14 which was used extensively in the early days of the conflict. The Mini is designed from the M-14 but is significantly smaller.

So only none guy watched it.

To be fair Bristoe, they were both older models. An A2HB would have to pitted against the newer Mini 14 or that target model they made a few years ago.

viking was right...a lot of bullchitten going on here

I have never seen him before. I like his style.

This is true. I have witnessed two of the new mini's repeatedly shooting 1- 1.5" groups at 100 yards. Some folks choose mini's because they look more like a rifle than an erector set shooting contraption. AR's are uglier than a hat full of ass holes.

Some mini 14’s are hideous, I know I had one in the late 80’s. It was the Ranch rifle.

But the newer ones are a huge improvement. For urban/conflicts it’s more than capable. 0-150 yards etc etc.

The stone cold rifleman here think they are going to sling up, settle in and concentrate on breathing when chit hits the fan. Oh yeah right before they fill their 7 day pill organizer and adjust their suspenders.😂. Honyockers.

LOL also their target will stand still in the open holding a wind flag and even allow the guy to set up a portable bench to shoot at him

I had one back in the eighties that was inaccurate and happily sold it.

Thought about getting a newer, more accurate one in the intervening years, until I noticed out of he corner of my eye that it was a standard issue item to French police as a long arm, That ended that little quest.

I bought two years ago, one wouldn't shoot for beans, the other shot quite well. I sold one of them! Love that action though!

Viking, I haven't heard anyone call someone a "Honyock" in a long time.
Made me chuckle.......

Bill Ruger laid a major egg when he didn't design the mini-14 to accept AR magazines.

He wanted the mags to rock in like those on the M-14, the design it was intended to mimic. AR mags insert straight up.

I had a brand spankin new remington 7400, a few years back

Total piece of crap. Minute of pie pan. Traded it in and some boot for a new savage 99, first shot down the pipe, only half of the 308 case extracted.

😩

I don't know why someone would pay $1200 for a Mini, but they might have had their reasons. Likely panic, but who knows.

There was a time though, that the Mini had an edge over the AR as it wasn't on a lot of some of the ban list. That's likely to have all changed now, or has it?

I watched it.......

He makes dry vids, however they are mostly good vids.

I prefer hickok 45 reviews......

I think you can buy them unaltered in California, while you cannot buy unaltered AR platform rifles there.

Back in the 90's a buddies Dad got a Mini-14 on trade for something. It had a wire folder stock. We could not believe how incredibly inaccurate that gun was. It was EXTREMELY hard to consistently hit a paper plate at 100 yards with it.

I had a stainless Mini-14 back in the late 1970s that was about as accurate as a good AK platform carbine. In other words, it's good enough for typical combat ranges. I've had the newer model for a few years now, and it's quite a bit more accurate than the one I had from the late 1970s through the middle 1980s.

I shot one from the mid 80s’

Hit what I put my sights on.

I didn’t critique group sizes..... hit soda cans out to 200 yards......off hand

Great rifle imo.

I’m looking at the 30....

Hitting soda cans at 200 yards off hand consistently is good shooting. For me going 5 for 5 on a 6" plate at 200 yards off hand is a good day w/ any rifle.

mike r

In some States the AR15 is either emasculated or unlawful. The Mini fills the gap. I wish I had a truck load of Mini's to sell to the folks in Massachusetts and California.

kwg

Maybe ^^^^^^^ ... Worst firearm purchase I ever made. 1992. Three little kids. Money was tight. Purchased a Mini 14 in lieu of a LH Rem BDL .243 because the Ruger was about $40 cheaper. And then spent 2x the price difference on ammo trying to find something that would group in that rifle. NADA... Tripped it a year later...

Yea, but it’s would be a small barn!😊

Actually, the AR-15 wasn't all that popular at the time Ruger designed the Mini-14. The M-16 had only recently become standard military issue and hadn't really received wide acceptance in that venue. It hadn't become the refined, versatile and ubiquitous platform it is today.

That said, he still laid an egg.

My Mini-14 was a 180 prefix gun from the early '70's. I believe that was the first generation. When I bought it the stock had been cut down and worked into a wire-frame telescoping buttstock. Actually a pretty good job, but the rifle was not very accurate. I believe I paid $179 for it. Years later, I found an original (180 prefix) wooden stock. They'd changed it slightly after the 180's and a newer stock wouldn't fit. Anyway, with the new stock it shot pretty well with good handloads, under 2" without trying really hard. About 6 or 7 years ago an older guy at our church was talking, he mentioned he'd always wanted a Mini-14 so I gave it to him.

I've owned a half-dozen of them at minimum. Owned a couple of Mini 30's also. They're okay but not as good as an AR. They made a lot of sense when they were $400 and an AR was $600 and gas was 99 cents.

The iron sighted Mini-14 with factory five round mag is without peer.

Move away from that and its value declines rapidly.

There is truth to this, although adding a 20 round mag doesn’t detract much. If you grew up on a 10/22 (or really any sporting rifle) the mini comes to the shoulder and sights far more naturally than an AR. It is considerably more svelte than an AR, especially with the flush mag and iron sights. Like Winchester M94 svelte. They are also available in stainless for those that like that configuration, and they tend to be reliable.

No doubt the last 50+ years of government funded tweaks devoted to making a DIGS gun run well have helped the AR become much better than it once was. That, along with the ‘cool’ factor And tinker toy nature has made it very popular indeed.

Regarding accuracy, the old minis were not that great, but they weren’t as bad as most folks imply. Especially when compared to a pencil barreled A1 of the same vintage. The new minis are quite a bit better, but still not as good as most quality modern AR’s. I do think minis tend to be rated by their worst groups while AR’s tend to be rated by their best. Probably not fair to the mini but there it is. My guess is the majority of folks who utterly trash the mini at every turn haven’t owned or spent much time with one (not that they would admit it if they did).

The bottom line is the mini is a functional 5.56 that produces acceptable groups and reliability, especially for iron sight shooting. They aren’t a match rifle, but they don’t need to be. They fill a niche for shooters in rights restricted states, those that like the form of a traditional stock over the AR, or those that just want to keep a low profile.

Why do dudes pay $1200 for a mini? They probably didn’t. Like bull sale a partner will bid up the critter to make the average go up and visa versa. No money every really changed hands.

Lots of people dont realize this.
Plenty of times the same firearm is back on several weeks later.
If ya surf gunbroker and guns america 2 to 3 times a week, you will see this happening.

Scared money spends w/ ease. Most will remember the days of $100.00 hi cap mags and $2500.00 AKs.

Or as what was once said, I think by Fabulous Frank, "pot is more comfort in times of no money than is money in times of no pot". Even the Freak Bros. understood basic economics.


mike r

Bought a new one a couple of months ago. Regassed it and installed a buffer. Accuracy is plenty for its purpose, and I'm planning on spending any time trying to tweak it into something it's not designed to be. With 5-round mags, it carries very nicely, not M1 Carbine nice, but still very handy.

I initially thought it was just like everybody says, a scattergun, but turned out the problem was the scope couldn't hold zero while being whacked every shot by the operating rod slamming into the receiver. Replaced the rings with the rail, mounted a SS 6x42, and it settled down. Once that was settled, It was replaced with a PA 1x reflex. Will check later to see if one of my lasers will fit in front of that.

Only reliabilty issues occurred while testing different gas ports. The .045 is dead reliable so far, while taming the tendancy to toss brass over the moon, and reducing the dented cases. As to accuracy, 2" will hit anything I need to with this rifle, especially with the "compromised" optic I'm using. Funny how many seem to overlook the accuracy issues of the sainted AK and other rifles, but zero in on the Mini for that, while also ignoring the improvements that have been made. Only minor gripe with the design is that 5-rounders are a bit tricky to insert. The 30s are fine. I much prefer the M1-type bolt handle to the AR's charging handle.

A big plus for me is that it carries just like any other sporting rifle with the 5-rounders in place. If my season goes well, this one may make it into the rotation for some doe shooting.

guys put a 1911 buffer over the return spring where it goes into the hole in the mag well. absorbs some of the shock. along with the smaller port it will be better. guys make me laugh when they say a 1x4 or 1x6 scope they would take into combat when mini 14's and the Scar rifles were eating scopes. ghost ring sites for me

Sure is now flush your mouth

I bought a set from Accuracy Sytems, who also make the port kit I used. Came with two; the instructions said try two, then remove one if the bolt doesn't lock back on an empty mag.

The original scope, a Hawke Endurance(!) 2-7 was fine for a few shots, then jumped impact to someplace else. Readjusted, rinse, repeat. The SS in "Horn" rings stayed put. Had a moment of doubt about the whole deal until I puzzled that out. Now I really like the oogly little spud. The buffers were installed after the fact, BTW. Accuracy seems about like the Springfield Saint I had a while back, and which I never cared for all that much. Different strokes.

I like the way it takes down too. Yank the trigger guard back and it just falls apart. Take the whole trigger group out, hose it out, lube it a bit and it's good. Gas system couldn't be much simpler. My reloads are with TAC to keep the crud to a minimum.

Paid something over $900, from Oakland Guns in AR. Found extra mags at CDNN.

Minis are known scope wreckers.

Is it the rearward recoil or forward slam?

do you really think any body believe with guns being so scarce and new minis going for 1200 that you paid 350 for one and it shoots 2 inch groups? put down the needle the bottle and the pain pills and rethink it

Peep or open irons for me.....

I was very accurate shooting em with the m14.....

The happy switch was fun.........

it has to be the rearward slam being going forward stripping a round from the mag slows it down absorbs the shock

but...but....I have read a million times scopes are more durable then irons
the SCAR rifle wrecks "indestructable" scopes

LOL beleive what you want, I know what I paid

I believe it’s the forward, similar to a spring air rifle. Scopes aren’t really constructed to resist forward ‘recoil’, so a scope that does just fine in a big kicking centerfield can be torn up by a springer of a mini with the forward recoil.

a nightforce NSX 1-4 for the mini 14, it should be able to take the beating

I would hope so. On the mini I’ve destroyed a Bushnell (decades ago) and had good luck with a newer Redfield 2-7. The Bushnell rattled like a castanet and the reticle was floating around in circles. Needless to say, it was truly barn door (in)accurate with that scope. FWIW, the scope previously was on a bolt action .30-06 with no issues.

Now, I recall. I believe guys over on the perfect union were installing 1911 recoil buffers up front too. Eventually they get ate up from hot cases, but tamed it down.

I snagged a nice little SA-22 for $450 the other day.

Not bad.

Classy little 22.

The PA works well. Since it can be focused like a scope, no glasses are needed. Works without batteries. Eye relief isn't unlimited, but plenty, and with both my eyes open it lines up very quickly. Lights up if needed. The center is a fine chevron, surrounded by a pretty thick donut, which can be used for ranging and holding at 200 and 300. Would prefer something simpler, but of all the ones I checked, this one's the best. Hope it holds up, but have other stuff waiting in line if it crashes.

I had a Weaver K-2.5 on a mini for several hundred rounds with no problem. That scope then went to a 12 gauge slug gun for several hundred more and now resides on a .30-30, where it still works fine.

Pappy,
Which PA optic did you put on your Mini? I like the idea of a diopter focus.

The 1x Cyclops. Got the brown one because the black is perennially unobtanium, on Amazon anyway. Originally got it for my crossbow, but found out the scope is the best choice.

Primary Arms SLX Compact 1x20 Prism Scope - ACSS-Cyclops https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GFTTS2Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_gSZAFbDQJ5E3J

Thanks for sharing.

Belgian or Nipponese?

One of those is on my list, though I'm really liking my 10/22 CSC lately.

The AR is nothing much until you get a drop in trigger job. 8 lbs, creepy as hell about 1/2" of overtravel. Once you fix that tho, it's a pretty damned fine rifle. Only longarm I bother to own or probably ever will. To me, a rifle is a shtf gun, I do everything else with pistols.

I’ve got a Burris FFIII mounted on an ultimak rail on my 580 model mini, it has the newer .625” tapered barrel, not the older “pencil” barrel. So far it is a nice combination. It will shoot 2” all day long. I put in a .045 gas port and have 1911 buffers fore and aft. I bedded it too. It’s a nice rifle for what I expect out of it.

^^^