mini 14.

[maxmayhem]

Notice how all thw rifles on this thread so far have aftermarket barrels or a accustrut contraptions on them to make them as accurate as a 550 dollar ar u can build in your garage

 

[Spanky46151]

Nice guns, I owned one for a brief time, but here's my concern. I've read many online posts & articles about the "frailty" of the Mini's firing pin and the evil of cheap, milsurp/steel case ammo hardened primers being the death of them. Since I couldn't afford, nor at the time was any available, to shoot only brass commercially produced rounds, I traded for a quality AK.

 

[pitbulld45]

I don't own one but did have the opportunity to shoot one a few weekends ago. We were hitting targets at 200 yards with ease. I don't know what kind of mag he had but the gun never had a problem that day.

 

[ol' Huff]

Even with the new "redesign" the barrel still had a significant cut for the gas block, inexplicably reducing barrel thickness and wording or the barrel harmonics I have seen 4 people attempt to shoot a full distance AQT with newer minis and all had trouble grouping beyond 200. I believe this was due in part to the rifle as the shooters were capable of better group sizes.

 

[ru44mag]

Now, this is starting to sound more like previous mini threads.

 

[Bull1315]

Owned one before and always though it was a decent rifle. When I worked for IDOC we trained and used them in the watch towers. Very reliable weapon IMO.

 

[CitiusFortius]

any thoughts on the mini 14 ? good / bad . i want one...

My father in law has one, it's fun but I'm much too practical to own multiple guns in the same caliber. I'll hang onto my AR. That said, if you get one I don't think you'll be unhappy.

 

[Robjps]

Even with the new "redesign" the barrel still had a significant cut for the gas block, inexplicably reducing barrel thickness and wording or the barrel harmonics I have seen 4 people attempt to shoot a full distance AQT with newer minis and all had trouble grouping beyond 200. I believe this was due in part to the rifle as the shooters were capable of better group sizes.

Not sure what this means MOA is MOA. If you shoot the a 2 moa group at 100 yards with a AR and a mini they will have the same grouping at 1000 yards.

 

[Toby50]

I have a new Ranch rifle and have no problems in any way. I would stick with Ruger magazines as some of the after market ones do not work or fit properly. I bought 2- 20 round Pro mag units and had to send both of them back, they did send replacements but I have not tried them yet. A good friend of mine had a Mini 14 of the late 1980 vintage and in my opinion it had accuracy issue.

 

[Paul30]

I had one in mid 1990's. I could not hit a paper plate at 100 yds with a great scope and custom trigger. My AR15 at the time would hold a 1/2 inch group at the same distance for me. I determined they were manufactured with bad barrels that simply were not accurate. I confirmed this with a dealer who sold mostly rugers. he said he owned about 17 of them hoping for a good one. If it didn't shoot he would resell it and try another. He never found one at that time that would shoot accurate. A friend of mine loved the gun and spent the money on a custom barrel that solved his problem. I would have done the same, but the gun would not be worth any more to the average person for resell, and for the money I could upgrade to an AR15. I sold it and purchased another AR15. ( I needed one scoped and one iron sight for competition at the time.) Precision mags seem to work fine in them, but they do make a different rifle now. I hear the barrels are better and the accuracy is better. I never really liked the scope mounts at the time, and the vast amount of custimization that is available on the AR15 really is how I would go. You can buy about anything for an AR15 at a later time, and do your own gun****hing if you need to. Interchangeable parts, ease of disassemble for cleaning or maintenance. There is a reason the AR15 is this country's number 1 Modern Sporting Rifle (MSR) and Personal Defense Weapon (PDW).

 

[fastang50]

My two bits: From field shooting positions I can't tell a difference btw the AR and mini. Perhaps if I were a competitive shooter I could, or if I shot of a rest on a bench. Factory mags are pretty costly compared to AR mags but that's not a big deal in my book. They're also steel so should last a few lifetimes. If you like the traditional look or operation of an M1 type, you'll be very happy with a mini.

 

[Robin Hood]

I'm selling mine. I love this rifle, but I shoot lefty, and I'm tired of catching brass with my hat. I have 3 Tapco 30 rnd mags and no trouble.

 

[Osprey]

I'd like to get a mini-14 but I already have a .223. Perhaps a mini-30...

 

[ol' Huff]

Not sure what this means MOA is MOA. If you shoot the a 2 moa group at 100 yards with a AR and a mini they will have the same grouping at 1000 yards.

Barrel harmonics matter. A rifle grouping well at 100 yards may destabilize faster due to poor harmonics. Dampening the harmonics is usually preferred (bull barrels and heavy weight barrels) but by cutting such a large chunk out of the barrel for the gas block it would seem that they are interrupting the harmonics. I am not one of these guys that push gear but I will push science. If the harmonics are so out of whack that the bullet is being whipped oddly (which can be exagerated by weird harmonics) on its way out it will destabilize faster. It won't matter if the bullet still has significant velocity behind it but it will when the bullet slows down, the Magnus Effect begins to build, and it is gyroscopically destabilized.

I am willing to be wrong, but I have seen very competent marksman have very uncharacteristic results at distance with this rifle and had other competent marksman who openly state they turned away from this rifle for it inability to group at range commensurate with their skills and that has led me to this conclusion. The action design is fabulous. The rifles are tough as nails. The mags are a bit of an issue. BUT, a rifle can't stay in the house if it isn't more accurate than I am at appropriate distances. It just hasn't been the case with this rifle and I believe this is why.

 

[Robjps]

Barrel harmonics matter. A rifle grouping well at 100 yards may destabilize faster due to poor harmonics. Dampening the harmonics is usually preferred (bull barrels and heavy weight barrels) but by cutting such a large chunk out of the barrel for the gas block it would seem that they are interrupting the harmonics. I am not one of these guys that push gear but I will push science. If the harmonics are so out of whack that the bullet is being whipped oddly (which can be exagerated by weird harmonics) on its way out it will destabilize faster. It won't matter if the bullet still has significant velocity behind it but it will when the bullet slows down, the Magnus Effect begins to build, and it is gyroscopically destabilized.

I am willing to be wrong, but I have seen very competent marksman have very uncharacteristic results at distance with this rifle and had other competent marksman who openly state they turned away from this rifle for it inability to group at range commensurate with their skills and that has led me to this conclusion. The action design is fabulous. The rifles are tough as nails. The mags are a bit of an issue. BUT, a rifle can't stay in the house if it isn't more accurate than I am at appropriate distances. It just hasn't been the case with this rifle and I believe this is why.

Going off your last 2 posts, you really think the projectile destabilizes past 200 yards? They are by no means match quality rifles but neither is a stock colt m4.

This entire thread is *not directed at you* is like comparing a ruger 10/22 stock (mini 14) to a volquartsen 10/22 (fully tricked out AR).

I own 3 mini 14 and 3 ar 15's. All the mini 14's are stock 1 is some special edition that's unfired from my grandfather. 1 Mid 90's gun and 1 of the newer models. The mid 90's and the newer one both shoot very well on par with my stock colt 6920. But comparing them to my other AR's with geissele SSA-E triggers/free float tubes/and high end barrels isn't exactly a fair comparison is it?

Without a doubt i do know the AR 15 platform has by far more potential for accuracy. If you want to compare a stock mini 14 to a stock comparable price and then some AR. Accuracy differences aren't there. Reading these threads about the mini 14 lacking in accuracy 1 thing always stand out almost all the complaints come from people that have never owned 1 or have unreasonable expectations. Sub MOA out of a mini 14 or a colt 6920 out of the box is unreasonable.

 

[Corporal D]

Had one back around `01. It was terrible, all kinds of issues and wouldn't hold a group to save my life. Sold it to a buddy for cheap and he ended up having a spring (not sure which one) break on it. I won't buy another.

 

[IndianaBuckeye]

I have a '90s model (I think) and it is solid as a rock. It's a bone stock stainless model and has always performed perfectly under all conditions. I can't attest to long range accuracy, only because I haven't tried, but I haven't had any accuracy issues with it under 75yds. Not denying there may be some accuracy problems, just that I haven't seen any..... ever.
I'm a big fan of ARs too (for some reason, people think you need to be polarized one way or the other), but if you want a Mini.... Go for it! Mine is built like a tank and will fire/cycle any ammo it is fed.

After all... it was the rifle of choice for the "A Team"!! Mr. T couldn't be wrong!

 

[traderdan]

They are a good $400 rifle...There were many little design changes,so do not expect to be able to replace any part with a part from another. I am a Ruger fan.I say buy one if you can get one for around $400 or a little more..

 

[Hopper]

There's a Mini-14 Ranch Rifle in the case at the Brownsburg Walmart for $697. Come on up and get it!

This is exactly where I got mine this past Spring, after seeing a post like yours here in INGO, and for the same price IIRC. Wood stock, blued barrel. You can disassemble the stock from the barrel and trigger assembly in literally seconds using a small screwdriver, or a ball-point pen. The only thing I really need to do on mine is put some paint on the center blade of the front sight. My eyes lose it depending what my background is like. I had wanted one for a long time, and it's one of two guns I have that I don't see myself ever parting with.

 

[ol' Huff]

Going off your last 2 posts, you really think the projectile destabilizes past 200 yards? They are by no means match quality rifles but neither is a stock colt m4.

This entire thread is *not directed at you* is like comparing a ruger 10/22 stock (mini 14) to a volquartsen 10/22 (fully tricked out AR).

I own 3 mini 14 and 3 ar 15's. All the mini 14's are stock 1 is some special edition that's unfired from my grandfather. 1 Mid 90's gun and 1 of the newer models. The mid 90's and the newer one both shoot very well on par with my stock colt 6920. But comparing them to my other AR's with geissele SSA-E triggers/free float tubes/and high end barrels isn't exactly a fair comparison is it?

Without a doubt i do know the AR 15 platform has by far more potential for accuracy. If you want to compare a stock mini 14 to a stock comparable price and then some AR. Accuracy differences aren't there. Reading these threads about the mini 14 lacking in accuracy 1 thing always stand out almost all the complaints come from people that have never owned 1 or have unreasonable expectations. Sub MOA out of a mini 14 or a colt 6920 out of the box is unreasonable.

When did I compare it to an AR?

I am also not suggesting that it is a poor rifle, the action is as good as they come. BUT I shoot at distance quite a bit. I have had several Minis come across my lines and pass through my hands. They don't seem to hold up at distance. The reason I believe it is a design issue is because gun barrels are giant bells. Firing a shot is like ringing that bell. If you cast a bell, and put a large groove in the center of it that reduces the size of the bell wall you will reflect the vibration of the bell back towards the top (that is the wrong direction you want it to go). If you are reflecting the vibration the wrong direction in the barrel can it cause destabilization of the projectile? Sure. How much? I don't know. If I am wrong, and harmonics is not an issue with a mini barrel, so be it. A lot of people that aren't me think the same thing. they build businesses around selling harmonic solutions to mini 14s or new barrels that don't have that cut or have a less aggressive cut and some of those businesses are well regarded. they also may be full of internet crap. I am willing to be wrong.