Having a tough time picking between Mini 14, M&P 15 Sport, or a Blackout 300

[DocHoliday]

Any suggestions or preferences between Mini 14, M&P 15 Sport, or a Blackout 300?

 

[Mosinguy]

Mini 14s suck. They aren't tactical enough, and you couldn't shoot the genitals off an elephant at 25 yards with one.

I'd get a Mini 14 if .223 wasn't terribly expensive now. Seems like a cool rifle.

 

[PKendall317]

I want a Mini-14 actually, I've heard that they're pretty decent rifles.

 

[KLB]

Do you want to suppress it?

 

[lucky4034]

.300 blk has sex appeal.... Nuff said

 

[jeremy]

Mini 14;
- Proprietary magazine, that can be quite expensive and sometimes difficult to procure.
- Accessories are sometimes difficult to come by.
- Barrels are made to be shot cool for optimal accuracy ( at least the Older Models I have).
- .223 only, one should not really shoot 5.56 through them.

S&W MP15;
- Common AR Magazines.
- Accessories are readily available for them.
- 5.56 and .223 compatible.

.300 Blackout is an unknown factor for me as I have yet to make a jump to the caliber.
- That said from what I understand the only advantage it has over 5.56 is it suppresses better...

 

[dagibson1507]

m&p 15 or an ar in blackout . Whichever you get you can just get another upper. Lower total investment.

 

[LEHOLOWEL]

I have a Mini and several AR's. I like the Mini cause it's so straightforward. Ruger mags no problem these days but can be a bit pricey. Chamber and lug area pretty easy to clean. Yes, not "tactical" like an AR but a decent and durable rifle. In terms of AR's, just bought a Windham Weaponry (call it "Old Bushmaster") and it is fantastic. Great finish, quality parts and darn good finesse level.

 

[DocHoliday]

The ammo looks like an issue with the blackout.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Mini 14;
- Proprietary magazine, that can be quite expensive and sometimes difficult to procure.
- Accessories are sometimes difficult to come by.
- Barrels are made to be shot cool for optimal accuracy ( at least the Older Models I have).
- .223 only, one should not really shoot 5.56 through them.

FYI: Both 5.56 and .223 are perfectly fine in the Mini-14 rifles.

From page 11 of the Mini-14 manual:
"The RUGER® MINI-14® RANCH RIFLES are chambered for the .223
Remington (5.56mm) cartridge. The Ranch Rifle is designed to use either
standardiz U.S. military or factory loaded sporting .223 (5.56mm) cartridges
manufactured in accordance with U.S. industry practice. See “Ammunition
Notice” & “Ammunition Warning”, below."

Despite the fallacy that the 5.56 NATO and .223 Rem are the same cartridge, which they're not, it is indeed perfectly safe to fire either in the Mini-14 rifle.

Other firearms, of course, may be different.

http://pdf.textfiles.com/manuals/FIREARMS/ruger_mini14ranch.pdf

 

[MtnBiker6510]

M&P 15 Sport definetely

 

[jeremy]

FYI: Both 5.56 and .223 are perfectly fine in the Mini-14 rifles.

From page 11 of the Mini-14 manual:
"The RUGER® MINI-14® RANCH RIFLES are chambered for the .223
Remington (5.56mm) cartridge. The Ranch Rifle is designed to use either
standardiz U.S. military or factory loaded sporting .223 (5.56mm) cartridges
manufactured in accordance with U.S. industry practice. See “Ammunition
Notice” & “Ammunition Warning”, below."

Despite the fallacy that the 5.56 NATO and .223 Rem are the same cartridge, which they're not, it is indeed perfectly safe to fire either in the Mini-14 rifle.

Other firearms, of course, may be different.

http://pdf.textfiles.com/manuals/FIREARMS/ruger_mini14ranch.pdf

Nice change, thank you.

My mini was an '80's model and was .223 only rifle...

 

[Bunnykid68]

My mini is stamped for .223 also and Ruger told me I should only shoot .223 out of it.

 

[redwingshooter]

I'll throw in my vote for the M&P as well, cost of mags alone pretty much kills the Mini-14 for me.

 

[windellmc]

Sometime in the last few years Ruger switched to hammer forged barrels for the mini and I have heard that the accuracy is much better with those minis.

But the M&P will have a lot more options and it will shoot at least as well if not better than any mini-14.

 

[Robjps]

My mini is stamped for .223 also and Ruger told me I should only shoot .223 out of it.

Only their target model is .223 only even the manual and Ruger states it handles 5.56 just fine.

 

[Robjps]

You can get mags all day long for around $25 if you look around the internet. $20 if you wait. Thats not exactly game breaking. AR15 mags are only really cheap because of surplus mags currently.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Nice change, thank you.

My mini was an '80's model and was .223 only rifle...

I'm almost positive that all the Mini-14 rifles since inception, with the exception of the Target Models, have always been able to handle both without any issues.

My wife's step grandpa has a Bicentennial version (1776 for those of you in Putnam County) - safe to fire both in that rifle as well.

-J-

 

[churchmouse]

I own a M&P-15. It is not the sport model as it has all the options. The internals are the same I believe and mine was sweet out of the box.

 

[iamaclone45]

I own a M&P 15 MOE model. I have been nothing but happy with it.

The Sport model is slightly different but I would be confident in its quality.

How about a M&P 15 in 300 Blackout? Or buy a M&P15 Sport and then purchase a 300 Blackout upper.