Ruger Mini 14

I have owned at least 3 Mini 14s (first one was back in the late 80s) and one Mini 30.
I have also owned at least 7-8 ARs, most in 5.56. but two in .300BO and two in x39.

I currently own (or did until the last election and subsequent tragic boating accident...sorry...) one Mini-14, one Mini-30, and one each AR in all three chamberings.
Yes, I enjoy them all and see no reason to sell any of them. They are two entirely different platforms and are both very enjoyable.

In fairness, the two Minis I own now were bought in 1992 and 2000 respectively, and I paid $475 for the former and $525 for the latter.

Would I pay the going rate for a new one, and should the OP? Maybe yes, maybe no, in both cases.
His money, his choice.

MachIVshooter said:

You'd be wrong, and if they dropped back into the $400 range, I'd have another. But they ain't worth a grand, and they ain't worth keeping around when somebody is willing to pay close to that for your used one.

I had a PSL, too. Paid $72for it brand new, and it was fun, it worth that. Guess what? It ain't a $2,500 gun, I wouldn't buy another at today's prices, and you can bet mine went away when I could turn a profit on it.

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Once again you're entitled to your opinion and to buy and sell what you like at what price you like. Your posts are entertaining. Having a choice is a great thing.

D Bear said:

I'm looking to buy a Mini 14 and wanted to ask for owners' opinions/satisfaction level with the firearm.

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I'm keeping mine. Had it for quite a few years now.
It carries (muzzle forward over the shoulder) much better for blackjacks than the brand/type you never asked about in the first place.
And remember that Col. Jeff kept his Mini (one of only a few guns) until his passing and
he was not a fan of inaccurate guns.

JohnB-40 said:

It is not a snipers rifle,mine is an easy to point carbine which has never had a stoppage.

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Same here. Mine shoots best with 50 gr. bullets and has been utterly reliable. Brass ejects at 4 o'clock about 6 ft. away.

JT

I have an older Mini-14 and I'll keep it until I'm gone.
If everybody owned the same gun it would be a boring world.
Imagine, everybody has an AR-15, A Glock 19 and a Mossberg 500 because that's all you need.

Mini-14 can be made fairly accurate, you just have to jump through the same kind of hoops as with its big brother the M14, bed it in the stock, preload the barrel, Accu-strut, etc.

MachIVshooter said:

You'd be wrong, and if they dropped back into the $400 range, I'd have another. But they ain't worth a grand, and they ain't worth keeping around when somebody is willing to pay close to that for your used one.

I had a PSL, too. Paid $729 for it brand new, and it was fun, it was worth that. Guess what? It ain't a $2,500 gun, I wouldn't buy another at today's prices, and you can bet mine went away when I could turn a profit on it.

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Okay, now I understand, you’re looking at guns with a business viewpoint. This one is only worth so much, I get it, you’re engaged in the firearms and related accessories business.

For many of us, the cost, turnover value, etc. is less of a factor. Enjoyment is the key and is more important than resale price.

Speedo66 said:

Okay, now I understand, you’re looking at guns with a business viewpoint. This one is only worth so much, I get it, you’re engaged in the firearms and related accessories business.

For many of us, the cost, turnover value, etc. is less of a factor. Enjoyment is the key and is more important than resale price.

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Well stated!

Here's my new best friend. Got her right before Christmas.

D Bear said:

I'm looking to buy a Mini 14 and wanted to ask for owners' opinions/satisfaction level with the firearm. Thanks for your time.

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I like by buddies Mini 14 a bit better than my Ranch rifle as far as accuracy and being able to find your brass. The spring ejector of the mini spits brass out more like an AR, the mechanical ejector of the Ranch throws it into the next county. The rear sight on the mini is also better but the ranch receiver is machined for scope rings.

irishlad said:

Well stated!

Here's my new best friend. Got her right before Christmas.

View attachment 1132520

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She’s a beauty, what’s her name?

Speedo66 said:

She’s a beauty, what’s her name?

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Goose. She's just starting to calm down .

I’ve owned a few Mini 14s over the past 50 years. I suppose it’s familiarity but I prefer it to an AR.At 82 YO I don’t hunt anymore. You’ll find me on the front porch with the Mini by my my side loaded with varmint tipped ammo waiting for a critter to show itself. BTW varmint tipped ammo is brutal on groundhogs. I really like the Mini, the notion of inaccuracy does not apply to mine. I’ve hit a small groundhog with it at a range finder calculated at 75 yards.

I’ve owned a couple of Minis. Really liked the form factor. But I could never get mine to shoot to the accuracy I wanted. I don’t miss them.

MachIVshooter said:

When ARs were $800+ and Minis could be had for $400-$500, it had a place.

Now, with ARs under $500 that'll shoot circles around the currently $1,000 Mini, the only good reason to buy one would be that ARs are prohibited where one lives.

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The thread could have ended with the first response, although saying an AR will shoot circles around it is not the best way to phrase it. It'll shoot ragged holes inside the Mini's circles.

D Bear said:

I'm looking to buy a Mini 14 and wanted to ask for owners' opinions/satisfaction level with the firearm. Thanks for your time.

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I have owned three. I will not own another. I probably won't ever buy another Ruger. They could fins a way to screw up QC on a damn bowling ball. Mine were horribly inaccurate. They are kinda clubby in feel to me. Triggers were heavy and gritty.

Ask yourself what you want the gun to do for you. Then ask yourself if the Mini 14 is the best route to get you there?

I find Ruger and Sig customer service to be the best in the business. Used it several times but not for my Mini-14.

Don't compare an AR with a Mini. Big mistake. Two very different rifles. One uses direct impingement and the other gas piston. If you want to dis a Mini you might as well include the AK-47/74, Garand, M1 carbine and M-14 while you're at it. Jeez, there's always someone.

My thoughts on the Mini are it's a reliable system and works well. Tune the trigger, replace the gas block bushing and torque the block to 30 lbs. GTG. It isn't a precision rifle and was never designed to be one. Neither was the AK-74 but the military in 30 countries use them.

Get a 580 series or later. Those are the best.

dranrab said:

I have owned three. I will not own another. I probably won't ever buy another Ruger. They could fins a way to screw up QC on a damn bowling ball. Mine were horribly inaccurate. They are kinda clubby in feel to me. Triggers were heavy and gritty.

Ask yourself what you want the gun to do for you. Then ask yourself if the Mini 14 is the best route to get you there?

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I like your last paragraph. Heck, If I had your experience with them, I wouldn't like them either. Fortunately the two I have, have been great and do what I want them to do. Jack rabbit hunting and plinking.
The only negative to mini-14s for me is the cost of the mags.

CoalTrain49 said:

I find Ruger and Sig customer service to be the best in the business. Used it several times but not for my Mini-14.

Don't compare an AR with a Mini. Big mistake. Two very different rifles. One uses direct impingement and the other gas piston. If you want to dis a Mini you might as well include the AK-47/74, Garand, M1 carbine and M-14 while you're at it. Jeez, there's always someone.

My thoughts on the Mini are it's a reliable system and works well. Tune the trigger, replace the gas block bushing and torque the block to 30 lbs. GTG. It isn't a precision rifle and was never designed to be one. Neither was the AK-74 but the military in 30 countries use them.

Get a 580 series or later. Those are the best.

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The Stoner gas system is not direct impingement. It uses a piston, just located within the carrier, and replaces the op rod with a (much lighter) gas tube.

As for the other weapons you mention, they are compared to the AR/M16 ad nauseum. Difference is, they have a military pedigree with a proven track record in combat and harsh conditions. And those arms have parity with the AR in the durability and reliability departments, just not accuracy. The mini, on the other hand, was designed for and marketed to civilians, and has shown that it cannot handle hard use to the extent that the aforementioned battle-proven weapons can.

The Mini is in the same category as Kel Tec stuff. And for most of us, that's good enough if we like them, since we're not betting our lives on them. But you cannot lump them in with other "not as accurate as an AR" rifles that have actually been put through the wringer in the worst conditions imaginable on a scale that amply demonstrates their rugged reliability.

not as accurate as an AR" rifles that have actually been put through the wringer in the worst conditions imaginable on a scale that amply demonstrates their rugged reliability.

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Any input about the AR 74? That definitely isn't a Stoner design. No military pedigree there I guess. Watch any YT footage about small arms in the UKR/RU conflict much? I don't see anyone using an AR anything. Do you? No you don't.

Your assertion that it's an inferior design for a military or civilian platform is beyond ridiculous.

The Stoner gas system is not direct impingement

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You define the AR as not impingement but many manufacturers will disagree with you about that.

Need I quote the sources?

Refute this please.

Direct Impingement is the original technology, devised by Eugene Stoner. Propellant gas is bled through a small hole located in the barrel, which is then channeled through a very small tube where it can proceed to directly contact (or impinge) the bolt carrier mechanism. At this point the gas is pushed to the rear of the rifle, and the spent case is extracted and ejected. It is then pushed forward by spring-loaded action, and strips an unspent round from the cartridge, loading it directly into the chamber of the barrel.

We are deciding on your sincere and honest interpretation of impingement definitions.

Thanks.

In before the lock down.

bihj said:

My experience is with a Mini-30 and Ruger's customer service. I will never purchase another Ruger for any reason, I will not even accept one as a gift.

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Accept it and forward it to me , please.

N555 said:

The old ones with pencil barrel shot all over the place.

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That’s what I had - gifted it to my son 10 years ago.

MachIVshooter said:

We have a few members here who tried to run minis in carbine courses. They tend to choke. It looks like a mini M14 and is even badged as such, but the pint sized equal of one it is not.

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Is this your experience, or are you upchucking hearsay from others? I took my 580 mini with Nikon 3x scope to front sight. Ran great, and I made it to the quarter finals on the "Man on man" competition. I shockingly outshoot alot of guys with expensive AR's and optics. The reason I didn't win was my fault. I got tired and pulled a few of my last shots. My fault, not the mini's.

As with most situations in life, when you're using equipment, the performance outcome is mostly determined by the man operating it.

That mini works great for me. I will always leave it in it's current configuration for my use. I have the upmost confidence it will do what I want, as long as I'm doing my part.

CoalTrain49 said:

If you want to dis a Mini you might as well include the AK-47/74, Garand, M1 carbine and M-14 while you're at it.

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This is like saying that if you don't like Corvettes you can't possibly like 3/4 ton Chevy trucks, because they both had 350s in them. Just because something is a semi-auto piston-operated rifle doesn't make it identical to something else, especially if that particular feature is not what is being critiqued.

The Ruger mini series is cool, but there's a whole list of other things that it isn't.

There is just something about a mini14 that makes it different from the plastic rifle. It is not as accurate, it is heavier, harder to add extra stuff, but it is just really really cool in so many ways. It'll take a coyote down at 300 yds. and defend you place. It never seems to have a FTF or FTE issue and runs dirty. So be it. Praise the Ruger Mini 14.

I love the Mini. Best advice I can give is as follows:

1. Get either a reduced gas bushing or an adjustable gas block. Minis are overgasses from the factory for reliability. This will make the gun nicer shooting and not fling the brass into the next county.

2. Only use factory mags. I personally prefer the 20s over the 30s for everyday shooting.

CoalTrain49 said:

I find Ruger and Sig customer service to be the best in the business. Used it several times but not for my Mini-14.

Don't compare an AR with a Mini. Big mistake. Two very different rifles. One uses direct impingement and the other gas piston. If you want to dis a Mini you might as well include the AK-47/74, Garand, M1 carbine and M-14 while you're at it. Jeez, there's always someone.

My thoughts on the Mini are it's a reliable system and works well. Tune the trigger, replace the gas block bushing and torque the block to 30 lbs. GTG. It isn't a precision rifle and was never designed to be one. Neither was the AK-74 but the military in 30 countries use them.

Get a 580 series or later. Those are the best.

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Don't forget the FAL and AUG.