Which is "better", SKS or Mini-14/30???
- Thread starter Didorian
- Start date
- Status
MachIVshooter
Member
Machined is not necessarily better than cast. The low-grade steel the SKS is milled from is structurally inferior to Ruger's investment cast steel. Yugo SKS reciever steel is about as hard as the bar stock you buy from the hardware store, and can crack. Ever try to drill a metal part on a mini-14? I did to install a sling stud. 2 drill bits and 3 taps later........
The advantage to investment casting is production cost. It allows parts to be formed very close to the finished product and thus require minimal machine work. That is why Ruger is able to sell good guns at economical prices. More gun parts from more reputable manufacturers are investment cast than you think. With modern metallurgy and casting technology, this is not a disadvantage at all.
Mean Rounds Between Stoppage.
I own a mini 14 rancher, stainless.
However, the SKS is a far better deal for the money. My mini cost 530$ (it was a stainless, remember).
SKS cost 130$.
7.62x39 is cheaper than .223. SKS is also just as if not more accurate than a (unaccurized) mini 14.
I will say this.
If you have 200$ get an SKS and a scope.
If you have 600$ get a Mini and a scope.
If you have 900-1200$ Get an AR-15 or M4.
I love my mini 14, it is an excellent reliable gun with allright accuracy, although it does heat quickly. This is made up for by its light weight. You can have a thin, lightweight barrel or a heavy thick barrel.
Mini can aslo have 5, 10, 14 (yes ive seen 14 rnd smoke mags) 20, 30, 40 and 90 rnd drums. Mini Rancher is a good setup if you want a scope. The iron sights are ok although personally i prefer the old fashioned notch and post type sights over the peephole sights. Ive had 2 jams on my mini out of about 250 rnds due to crap-o magazines.
However, the SKS is a far better deal for the money. My mini cost 530$ (it was a stainless, remember).
SKS cost 130$.
7.62x39 is cheaper than .223. SKS is also just as if not more accurate than a (unaccurized) mini 14.
I will say this.
If you have 200$ get an SKS and a scope.
If you have 600$ get a Mini and a scope.
If you have 900-1200$ Get an AR-15 or M4.
I love my mini 14, it is an excellent reliable gun with allright accuracy, although it does heat quickly. This is made up for by its light weight. You can have a thin, lightweight barrel or a heavy thick barrel.
Mini can aslo have 5, 10, 14 (yes ive seen 14 rnd smoke mags) 20, 30, 40 and 90 rnd drums. Mini Rancher is a good setup if you want a scope. The iron sights are ok although personally i prefer the old fashioned notch and post type sights over the peephole sights. Ive had 2 jams on my mini out of about 250 rnds due to crap-o magazines.
No argument on the casting process, especially using modern technology. Although I've never heard of any problems with SKS receivers. They seem to be pretty durable.
The M1911A1 crowd seems to be particularly into the whole machined/cast thing pretty heavily.
The M1911A1 crowd seems to be particularly into the whole machined/cast thing pretty heavily.
Right now I have a model 94 Winchester, in 30-30.
I'm looking for a reliable rifle with at least equal accuracy to what I have but with more rounds that just six before I need to reload.
This rifle will be a main defense/offense rifle and will also need to be able to take medium to large game if need be.
So reliability, accuracy, weight, number of rounds and power are what I'm looking for.
If I had the money I'd just get the SOCOM 16 by Springfield Armory. But I'm in the hole right now, and am looking for somthing cheap to go for when I get some cash.
I'm looking for a reliable rifle with at least equal accuracy to what I have but with more rounds that just six before I need to reload.
This rifle will be a main defense/offense rifle and will also need to be able to take medium to large game if need be.
So reliability, accuracy, weight, number of rounds and power are what I'm looking for.
If I had the money I'd just get the SOCOM 16 by Springfield Armory. But I'm in the hole right now, and am looking for somthing cheap to go for when I get some cash.
MTMilitiaman
Member
I never understood the appeal of the M1As and M14s. They don't appear to offer enough advantages over the competing FALs and HK-roller locks to justify their price tag. I've seen a DS Arms Austrian FAL advertised in Shotgun News for around $800. Upper end models suitable for ranch guns have suggested retails of $1400 or so and could probably be had for under $1200 if you shopped around. The basic JLD PTR is supposed to go for $800 to 900 as well. The SOCOM 16 has a suggested retail of over $1700 and the SOCOM II, $1900. I don't see how the $1300+ I see those SOCOMs going for is justified when you consider you could purchase either of these competing rifles and some medium quality glass or a lot of ammo for less than the price of the Springfield alone.
I have a Mini-14. Shooting Wolf with a 9X scope, my 100 yd. groups average about 4.25" through a warm barrel, and no more than .25, or .5 (at most) of that is my error. A cold barrel might be more like 3.5". Duncan Long's book on the Mini-14 said 3-5" is normal, and I think he was referring to American ammo, as his book was written in the 80's. I don't know how people get like 2" or less with Wolf. The rifle is quite reliable, but it starts to "gum up"--the bolt carrier getting stuck--after about 200-300 rounds due to the deposits that Wolf leaves behind. My rifle is stainless steel, resists rust well, and doesn't seem too difficult to clean
My friend got a blued Mini-14. Rust spots started appearing the evening after a 2-hour shooting session in drizzle. His jams all the time, like every 20 shots at least. I'm not saying the jamming problem is because there's a quality difference because of the blued steal, but the rusting definitely is. Don't ever carry a blued mini-14 in the rain unless you want to field-strip and scrub off the rust every few hours. His groups, using a red-dot sight, are like 25% bigger than mine. I think a lot of that his just due to the fact he's not using magnification.
My friend got a blued Mini-14. Rust spots started appearing the evening after a 2-hour shooting session in drizzle. His jams all the time, like every 20 shots at least. I'm not saying the jamming problem is because there's a quality difference because of the blued steal, but the rusting definitely is. Don't ever carry a blued mini-14 in the rain unless you want to field-strip and scrub off the rust every few hours. His groups, using a red-dot sight, are like 25% bigger than mine. I think a lot of that his just due to the fact he's not using magnification.
jobu07
Contributing Member
I actually fired a mini-30 for the first time ever today, a buddy of mine picked one up at the gunshow. Well, I was suprised, it ran flawlessly with the 40 and 30 rounders that it fcame with, along with the 5 round ruger.
Anyway, it was every bit as accurate as my Yugo and the sights seem friendlier too.
Anyway, it was every bit as accurate as my Yugo and the sights seem friendlier too.
I haven't noticed much price difference between M1A's and FAL's when you compare quality new manufactured guns.
Also, M1A's are considered by many to be more accurate than FAL's and HK's. Never compared them before myself though.
Also, M1A's are considered by many to be more accurate than FAL's and HK's. Never compared them before myself though.
It seems that for the money that Ruger gets for the Mini, you could get a Kel Tec SU-16. It seems like a real winner in all regards if you like the .223. I picked up a Russian SKS at a gun show for $200. This gun exceeded my expectations thoroughly. I shot it at 75 yards into a pheasant target (all I had at the time, definately not a pheasant gun 
) but it shot to point of aim every shot. I have not shot it from a rest, but it would not worry me if it was all I had if the SHTF. The trigger has a lot of creep, but there are some options for that (listed on another thread here in the rifle section). This rifle with the adjustments made to the trigger would still bring you well under the price of a Ruger. I have owned Mini's, not bad but there is better out there for the money.
) but it shot to point of aim every shot. I have not shot it from a rest, but it would not worry me if it was all I had if the SHTF. The trigger has a lot of creep, but there are some options for that (listed on another thread here in the rifle section). This rifle with the adjustments made to the trigger would still bring you well under the price of a Ruger. I have owned Mini's, not bad but there is better out there for the money.My first rifle WAS going to be a Ruger Mini 14,
but then the lights came on, the Heavens opened, and I saw the gun of my dreams at the gunstore on a rack. The outcome was, Bushmaster A3 M4 with AK brake(850+tax), meet your adopted father. Boy did I ever dodge a Ruger bullet that time
...
but then the lights came on, the Heavens opened, and I saw the gun of my dreams at the gunstore on a rack. The outcome was, Bushmaster A3 M4 with AK brake(850+tax), meet your adopted father. Boy did I ever dodge a Ruger bullet that time
...
benEzra
Moderator Emeritus
My 188-series Ranch Rifle's best group, with or without a scope, with or without premium ammo, is 5.5 MOA. I intend to try some of the accuracy-enhancing tricks from the mini-14 forums (shorten the barrel to 16.5", add muzzle weight, etc.), but out of the box the accuracy pretty much sucks. My SAR-1 will shoot that well, which isn't saying a whole lot.
If I were going to buy a new .223 today, it'd be an entry-level AR; they're not that much more expensive than mini-14's, especially when you factor in the price of magazines and aftermarket ergonomic stocks for the mini (I hate straight wooden stocks). The Armalite AR-180B isn't much more expensive than the mini, and the Kel-Tec SU-16 isn't either.
In their favor, mini's are compact, highly reliable (mine's never failed in thousands of rounds), and fun to shoot; their main drawbacks are lack of accuracy, scarcity of good magazines, and overinflated price, IMHO.
OK..... Well what about the Kel-Tec SU16..... I've seen a few of them, and held a few.... I like the feel of them, and I REALLY like the newer model with the stock that folds around the hand grip, so that it's basically a folding stock, instead of the rifle folding in half. It is light, fires the same rounds, and can use the same mags as an AR, or M16..... Does anyone own one??? How dependable are they??
My $.02, and this is just me and my experience.
I own and shoot Mini-14 and CMP M1 Garand. I like both for feel, function, accuracy, and ammo selection.
Price- My SA SG Dane M1 and my Mini-14 cost about the same. The Mini-14 was NIB when I got it. The guys at the gun shop tried for six months to get me to buy an AR-15, but looking at the price tags, I could get two or three Mini-14's for what the were pricing AR's. I also got a rifle that's more comfortable to me for that money.
SKS- I've looked at several. Nothing about them ever made me feel compelled to buy one. It don't mean they're junk. Just means it's not my preference.
This one time recently when I was at the range getting ready for a steel plate pistol match that day, there were some guys shooting clays on the 100yd berm with SKS's. Made me wish I'd brought my Garand that day; I could've slipped in between them with that '06, busted some and watched 'em drop their jaws. Until I got to talking with them and it turned out they're Garand owners too.
Part of the thing about the Mini-14 is the Garand-type action too. If you're used to a Garand or 14, you'll be just fine with a Mini-14. But, like every other rifle, you do have to maintain them, and not everybody does. That would explain bolts and gas systems freezing up.
I own and shoot Mini-14 and CMP M1 Garand. I like both for feel, function, accuracy, and ammo selection.
Price- My SA SG Dane M1 and my Mini-14 cost about the same. The Mini-14 was NIB when I got it. The guys at the gun shop tried for six months to get me to buy an AR-15, but looking at the price tags, I could get two or three Mini-14's for what the were pricing AR's. I also got a rifle that's more comfortable to me for that money.
SKS- I've looked at several. Nothing about them ever made me feel compelled to buy one. It don't mean they're junk. Just means it's not my preference.
This one time recently when I was at the range getting ready for a steel plate pistol match that day, there were some guys shooting clays on the 100yd berm with SKS's. Made me wish I'd brought my Garand that day; I could've slipped in between them with that '06, busted some and watched 'em drop their jaws. Until I got to talking with them and it turned out they're Garand owners too.
Part of the thing about the Mini-14 is the Garand-type action too. If you're used to a Garand or 14, you'll be just fine with a Mini-14. But, like every other rifle, you do have to maintain them, and not everybody does. That would explain bolts and gas systems freezing up.
They're just about equal. If you must have one or the other, get the SKS, at least then you'll only be out $150 instead of $600.
I live in California where there is no option for getting an AR-15. I was able to wing a deal where I got my Mini-14 stainless ranch for $449.00 + shipping & tax. I am happy with my purchase.
SKS vs a Mini... there's no debate. SKS is a much better gun for much less. And it costs a fraction to shoot! My SKS is way more accurate than the Mini 14's I've shot. The stripper clips kinda suck, but it is an older gun. I love my SKS. It's a great gun, it brings a smile to your face when you shoot it.
- Status
