Looking for a Ruger mini 14

[Joe Bob]

Leads or someone that has one for sale.

[osidak]

bunches on gun broker

[Skytrooper]

they have gotten quite expensive

[Rick Lee]

These guns grow on trees. What store does not have them? Before Wal-Mart stopped selling guns, I don't think I had ever been in a WM that didn't have a Mini-14 on the rack. I'd go private sale on Armslist.

[id10t]

Having owned one, you'd be better off with a basic AR-15 from PSA or similar.

[JavaBrewer]

Originally Posted by id10t

Having owned one, you'd be better off with a basic AR-15 from PSA or similar.

I have both and enjoy them equally.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by id10t

Having owned one, you'd be better off with a basic AR-15 from PSA or similar.

Hmm... I would be curious to hear why you would say that. I hear this sentiment quite often. I'm not disagreeing with you by any means, and I really don't know my way around this particular genre of firearms, so I'm really just curious.

I do actually own two semi-automatic versions of "battle rifles", one a Springfield Armory M1A in their "Scout Squad" version. Not the full length rifle, not the shortest, but the "Goldilocks" version - "just right". Owning this for awhile enticed me to buy its little brother, the Mini 14. I found an early "pre-warning" version. It was stocked in such a way that I couldn't even shoot it, so I wound up purchasing a newer stock from Ruger.

In spite of all of the dire warnings about horrible inaccuracy, it shoots 2 - 2.5 MOA all day long. It's small, light, handy, and 100% reliable. There are a plethora of aftermarket parts for it, the only ones of which I have added are aftermarket peep sights that are a bit easier to adjust.

I admit I don't shoot either much at all. I'm just not that interested. My two sons, both very much into their "black rifles", tell me that I could not have made a worse choice than that M1A. Having been told that, I dove into the internet to see what all of the complaining was all about. Pretty eye opening - turns out they were right.

But, well, that was the M1A. I found no such complaints regarding the Mini 14, other than exceedingly poor accuracy in many of them. Ruger claims to have "fixed" that several years ago with a minor redesign. My first gen pre-warning model doesn't suffer from it, so I don't know what to say about that. Seems to me like a wonderful little rifle for anyone into these things.

So, yeah, just curious - what don't you like about them?

[craigster59]

You can also add an Accu-Strut barrel stabilizer. Not sure how much it actually improves accuracy but it looks cool and you can unscrew the end cap and hide some joints in there.

Accu-strut - Bolt-on accuracy for your Mini-14 and Mini-30

[Bill Douglas]

A shooter with an AR 15 looks like a terrorist. A shooter with a Mini-14 looks like a farmer. I think I'd rather look like a farmer Especially if a situation went to court.

I remember the later "target" ones were reasonably accurate.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by id10t

Having owned one, you'd be better off with a basic AR-15 from PSA or similar.

nope

[matthewb0051]

Originally Posted by id10t

Having owned one, you'd be better off with a basic AR-15 from PSA or similar.

Yeah but it was in The American and looked cool. Not so much Clooney but with the other sniper.

[flatbutt]

I know of a 1976 issue with a wood stock but the owner probably wouldn't let it go, however I'll check with him. OH and IIRC it's chambered in .223.

[id10t]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Hmm... I would be curious to hear why you would say that.
So, yeah, just curious - what don't you like about them?

The magazine cost for good working magazines is about 3x what AR mags go for.

Good triggers etc are common for ARs and can be relatively cheap ($100 or less).

Flexibility - new caliber is just a new upper away. More calibers than you can shake a stick at. Need/want a long barrel for varmint hunting, and a short barrel for home defense? Much easier to just buy a second upper and use it when needed. Want a different grip, stock, etc? All doable on the AR, not on the Mini.

Fixing when things break - I'll be honest. I used and abused my Mini. Ammo was cheap and I had no bills, etc. I can tell you that just over 3k rounds of mostly rapid fire (like lighting a cigarrette off the hot barrel after a bunch of mag dumps) will shoot out the barrel. On an AR, $100 and a big wrench you can replace your own barrel. Good luck on the Mini. Also, Ruger still doesn't offer a warranty though they do service their stuff. Until your generation of Mini is tool old for them to care about or have parts for, and then you are SOL. With the AR design you have dozens of options on where to get parts and they are all self-replacable with minimal tools, etc.

[911boost]

Jeff, I would be curious to hear what you read about the M1A, I have the standard version and have for years. Like you, I do not shoot it very often. It has gone elk and hog hunting with me though and performed in that role.

[JavaBrewer]

My son has a M1A Scout, the "Goldilocks" version of the series. Its just a brute force tool for sure. More accurate than me (60 year old eyes and arms) and has a bunch of nostalgia. Tiger wood stock for the cool factor.

My Mini 14 is not stock. PO spent money reinforcing the barrel, added hard mounts for a rail, trigger work (soft) and cut it down to legal minimums. It is freaking loud, no a HD option due to noise, but it shoots like a lazer and eats any kind of ammo. I put it into a wood stock to look handsome. Too much fun, it's my favorite plinker tool.



As I said the AR platform is fun too. A tool with lego skills to be anything and repaired without a manufacturer involved. So many options.

I laugh when folks complain about magazine costs on the Mini 14. They are reusable you know right? A one time investment, what goes into those magazines is the bigger hardship.

[craigster59]

^^^^ Very nice!

Here's my Mini 14....

[911boost]

These guys approve!

[upsscott]

I have two. One is stock and one is probably not allowed in it’s current form in the state I live in. I’m holding on to them both.

[craigster59]

Originally Posted by upsscott

I have two. One is stock and one is probably not allowed in it’s current form in the state I live in. I’m holding on to them both.

I've been thinking of getting a Ruger 10/22. That would be a lot of fun, tons of stuff out there to tweak it, some not so Calif friendly.

[Rick Lee]

The best 10/22 doodad is a handcrank that attaches to the trigger guard, like one of those old pencil sharpeners you had in elementary school. Turns it into a Gatling gun. Used to be $25. So much fun. Probably works on an AR too.