Mini 14

[J P Stein]

I've been looking at em'........I like the ranch rifle but don't own a ranch.
What says the collective?

[stomachmonkey]

Wish I had picked one up when they were cheap.

[id10t]

Not as accurate as an AR-15 but will do the job. Also doesn't look as evil which may matter depending on where you live.

[craigster59]

Here's one I had before I lost it in the big California flood of 2014. They are great spoons, as accurate as an AR, most people think of the earlier version with the "pencil barrel" that can warp with heat. The newer ones have a heavier barrel, you can also add an Accu-Strut as pictured to help stabilize accuracy.

The one drawback that most complain about is the cost of the magazines compared to AR mags. I've used the aftermarket ones and never had a problem. I carried an M-16 in the Army and that thing was such a POS that when it came time to buy the Mini was a no brainer.

[Seahawk]

I have a Ruger Ranch...I traded a Bushmaster Varminter for it with my neighbor five or six years ago, maybe more. I also got a whole bunch of ammo in the deal

I don't like the way the Bushmaster, or any AR for that matter, feels. Great guns, just not for me. Believe me, I have a rifle range on the farm and guys love to shoot here. The price of entry is I get a few clips with their babies: I have shot every possible variation of AR rifles from auto fire, NVG scopes, Red Dots, floating holographic images of targets (I kid), Mall Ninja rigs to impossibly milled, very simple sniper guns. Just not for me.

The Mini 14 is not as accurate as some AR's, but it is all relative. The rifle feels right in my hands and I am accurate with it.

Hard to go wrong. I have over 1k rounds through it with no issues at all.

Edit: I also own a few older semi auto rifles, an M1 Garand and and M1 .30 caliber Carbine. The Garand is a complete monster compared to either the Ranch or the Carbine. If you are looking for a nice little self defense rifle, see if you can find a .30 caliber carbine: It will be a few hundred more but they are my all time favorite rifle.

[Jeff Higgins]

Fantastic little rifles. Buy a brand new one or the newest one you can find (and I don't often give that advice). Ruger has put a good deal of effort into re-engineering and re-tooling for this rifle over the last few years. They have fixed the accuracy problems that can plague the earlier ones. I had one once that would not stay on the bottom of a coffee can at 100 yards from the bench - and it's still out there, and many more like it - so beware of the used ones. I think anything in the last 2-3 years is from the updated engineering/equipment.

[masraum]

I'd like one as well, also the ranch. I just don'e have any justification for it.

[Tobra]

Says the guy with the Boxster RS60

Go buy one, you will be glad you did. I love mine, also consider the Mini 30

[Don Ro]

Paul: "...see if you can find a .30 caliber carbine: It will be a few hundred more but they are my all time favorite rifle."
~~~~~~~~~~~
I love that .30 cal. carbine. Still in my mind to get one of my own.
The summer of '63 I worked on my step father's farm and would take his brother's WWII M-1 with me every day out to the field on the tractors.
I got nifty with that rig...shot rocks, gophers, badgers, etc. I once shot a flea off the ass of a fox. j/k
In boot camp (Sept. '63) I shot 299 out of 300 at the range with the M-1 Carbine..."Expert"
So I had an advantage over the others.
Isn't .30 cal. ammo super pricey now-a-days?

[Don Ro]

Ruger Mini-14 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
.
Ruger New Mini-14
.
https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/mini.pdf

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Fantastic little rifles. Buy a brand new one or the newest one you can find (and I don't often give that advice). Ruger has put a good deal of effort into re-engineering and re-tooling for this rifle over the last few years. They have fixed the accuracy problems that can plague the earlier ones. I had one once that would not stay on the bottom of a coffee can at 100 yards from the bench - and it's still out there, and many more like it - so beware of the used ones. I think anything in the last 2-3 years is from the updated engineering/equipment.

I concur. I had the opportunity to shot the one a traded for a lot so I was satisfied the rifle met my needs, which is frankly 50 yards and in.

The guy who has my Varminter is the local ground hog eradicator. He has permission from all the local farm owners to hunt their property...probably 2000 acres (over three square miles). He is a retired welder, very precise and careful (he has four deer stands on my farm) and rides around on his 4 wheeler when the GH's are active. The trails around here are great.

He is over 300 confirmed this year.

My son hunts the farm with a WMR Savage bolt action. He is bagged 20 GH's this summer just on my property. He also hunts with Dean.

So, newer is better in this case, but if you get to play with an older one prior to purchase, it may be accurate.

[Don Ro]

I just checked - ~$200/500 rds.
Now I'm thinkin'...........

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

I just checked - ~$200/500 rds.
Now I'm thinkin'...........

Where?

And where is Dismal Nitch, Az...there are also some nice carbines on Gunbroker

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

So, newer is better in this case, but if you get to play with an older one prior to purchase, it may be accurate.

Yup, very true. Ruger was very good at inadvertently producing the odd one that would shoot. Just enough of them around to tease the rest of us. I would dearly love to have an older one that would shoot with the newer ones - best of both worlds.

[JavaBrewer]

My Mini is the older 197 series with the pencil barrel. I bought this used a few years ago. It has had a bunch of custom work done and is really accurate. I can hit a pie plate standing from 75 yards 10 out of 10. Iron sights even Love how these feel, look, and operate.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by JavaBrewer

My Mini is the older 197 series with the pencil barrel. I bought this used a few years ago. It has had a bunch of custom work done and is really accurate. I can hit a pie plate standing from 75 yards 10 out of 10. Iron sights even Love how these feel, look, and operate.

Wow, you've even got a kickstand for it.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Says the guy with the Boxster RS60

Go buy one, you will be glad you did. I love mine, also consider the Mini 30

Yeah, but the CFO supported that purchase, and she gets to ride in it. The rifle would probably sit in a closet 99.99% of the time. And because of the purchase of the car, other non-essential stuff is on a tighter leash.

[Don Ro]

Originally Posted by JavaBrewer

My Mini is the older 197 series with the pencil barrel. I bought this used a few years ago. It has had a bunch of custom work done and is really accurate. I can hit a pie plate standing from 75 yards 10 out of 10. Iron sights even Love how these feel, look, and operate.

THAT is nice!

[weseeeee]

I've always liked the Ruger Mini 14. Not sure what they cost today but they use to be real bargains.

[JavaBrewer]

A few years ago - Zack shooting the Mini. The only thing I need to change is the gas bushing to keep ejected brass in the same county Mini is such an easy gun to shoot and is not picky on ammo. It happily dispenses of .223/5.56 from anywhere. Easy to clean. What's not to like.



From what I have seen you can buy newer Ranch Mini 14's all day long in the $750 range. Used a bit less.