Haven't been in my experience. I had a Mini-30 back in the 90s that was hoot. Unfortunately that rifle is long gone. If I had to do over again I would still have it. Its based off of a solid design (M1A/M14) so its I think its more a matter of personal opinion / preference.
If I had my Mini-30 still, it would be more for "fun". For "useful" i'll stick with AR15 due to the wide availability of options, parts, accessories, etc.
If I had my Mini-30 still, it would be more for "fun". For "useful" i'll stick with AR15 due to the wide availability of options, parts, accessories, etc.
Mini’s are what they are, and nothing more. I have not shot any of the newer ones, but the old ones ran and threw projectiles in the general direction that you aimed. They were designed to hit human sized targets at reasonable ranges, not one hole groups at 300 yards.
You can kill twice with one shot...one with the bullet, and one 30' to your 4 o'clock with the brass. What's not to love?
I had a old 14 it never ever malfunctioned and you could never ever hit a golf ball at 100 yards either, well ok maybe once.
Not all platforms are designed to be precision rigs. Sometimes we have to realize that not everything is a $5,000 custom gun. Some guns are just made to shoot and have fun. Besides, I would rather defend my home with a mini over my GAP 6mm creed.
personally, for what you pay for a mini, you can build a pretty good AR that will flat out shoot.
personally, for what you pay for a mini, you can build a pretty good AR that will flat out shoot.
Quite a few were shipped by Ruger to Central and South America . Many or most of them select fire. I don’t recall if there were any name changes but they were adequately accurate for burst fire and very reliable.
Mine took some fiddling with the mags, but its plenty reliable. Definitely a sub-100 yard gun though.
The Mini 14 and Mini 30 are great guns however an AR15 will be much easier to make accurate and probably cheaper.
Parts, magazines & accessories for the Mini 14 are a harder to come by / more expensive than the AR15 versions.
The ones I had all ran very reliably as long as you had good magazines.
Parts, magazines & accessories for the Mini 14 are a harder to come by / more expensive than the AR15 versions.
The ones I had all ran very reliably as long as you had good magazines.
Shot my old mini 14 stainless ranch a week ago for the first time in 10+ years. I did a trigger job & added the Wilson shock buffers (for 45) front and back of the buffer. Trigger is great and noticeably smoother then I remember with the added rubber buffers.
It's definitely not a precision gun, but it mowed through a bunch of random old .223 & 5.56 ammo without a hiccup. I would trust it to defend myself 100 yards and in without hesitation.
When I got the mini out, I moved 2 benches over so I wouldn't maim the guy next to me. Fucking thing was throwing brass a good 25' to the 4 oclock right into the back of a Blazer with the rear hatch open
. Come to think of it, probably groups brass better @ 10y then projectiles @ 100y.
I'll never get rid of it cause I bought it used prior to MD's mandatory registration BS. They've tried to outright ban AR 15's pretty much every year since 2013 here in MD, but they've never gone after the mini's
It's definitely not a precision gun, but it mowed through a bunch of random old .223 & 5.56 ammo without a hiccup. I would trust it to defend myself 100 yards and in without hesitation.
When I got the mini out, I moved 2 benches over so I wouldn't maim the guy next to me. Fucking thing was throwing brass a good 25' to the 4 oclock right into the back of a Blazer with the rear hatch open
. Come to think of it, probably groups brass better @ 10y then projectiles @ 100y. I'll never get rid of it cause I bought it used prior to MD's mandatory registration BS. They've tried to outright ban AR 15's pretty much every year since 2013 here in MD, but they've never gone after the mini's
But wait, you haven't considered throwing money at one yet:
Well, what you expect may not match what Ruger intended out of the product. So pick something else.
If you are going to get a Mini I would suggest an older one I had one that was an original side folder, and dad has an old one in stainless steel. Both of them were accurate rifles. Dad's was an MOA gun (it's his main rifle of 20+ years) with a scope and good ammo, mine was 1.5 to 2 MOA. I have seen several that could not hit a white whale on a black background but they were also using the iron sights and those suck. I got rid of mine because I didn't want to throw it on the mill and make it take AR mags being an original side full so I sold it.
@Belisarius - And that is NOT a stock mini 14! It does highlight their potential with a good barrel .750 + through the gas block.
Accuracy systems I suspect. This is exactly why I started a thread on re-barreling mini's, they're reliable in stock form, just not precise. If there was a cost/time effective solution for re-barreling these I'd be all over it.
www.snipershide.com
Accuracy systems I suspect. This is exactly why I started a thread on re-barreling mini's, they're reliable in stock form, just not precise. If there was a cost/time effective solution for re-barreling these I'd be all over it.
Would you re barrel your Mini 14 if there was a good option with reasonably quick turn around time?
Your answer to the pole above should not be based on what is available now. It's would you if there were a better solution that was reasonable on cost with a pretty quick turn around. Think about LRI's blueprinted 700 barreled action group buy. How many people dug that old 700 out and shipped it...
www.snipershide.com
It’s a ban state gun at this point. Proprietary magazines and shoddy accuracy drive many away. I do see the appeal, just rather shoot a friends.
Almost bought a ranch rifle back in the mid 90’s when I didn’t know any better. Better off with a springfield m1a, or better yet jump into modern times and pick up one of those fancy ar-10 pattern guns.
Now if you really want to see a head scratcher, here’s a piece of brass suspended in a spider web.
FYI - M1A's are banned in MD, Chinese M1A knockoffs are cash and carry
.Thanks for reminding me, now I want to kick a MD legislator in the shin (with my steel toes).
Probably will when it comes time to retire. Till then, I'll stay and fight the good fight!
I vote, & those assholes in the MD legislature get an earful from me and many others every year. Don't really want to dwell on it now, I get a reprieve till Feb when legislative ground hog day starts over.
Now back to re-barreling my DPMS 308 (proof CF 18" rifle gas)
I vote, & those assholes in the MD legislature get an earful from me and many others every year. Don't really want to dwell on it now, I get a reprieve till Feb when legislative ground hog day starts over.
Now back to re-barreling my DPMS 308 (proof CF 18" rifle gas)
@Belisarius - And that is NOT a stock mini 14! It does highlight their potential with a good barrel .750 + through the gas block.
Accuracy systems I suspect. This is exactly why I started a thread on re-barreling mini's, they're reliable in stock form, just not precise. If there was a cost/time effective solution for re-barreling these I'd be all over it.
Would you re barrel your Mini 14 if there was a good option with reasonably quick turn around time?
Your answer to the pole above should not be based on what is available now. It's would you if there were a better solution that was reasonable on cost with a pretty quick turn around. Think about LRI's blueprinted 700 barreled action group buy. How many people dug that old 700 out and shipped it...
I don't know much about this gun, not sure if it's stock or custom, not sure about the twist, don't see any markings on the barrel, but it shoots.
Have a SS mini30 that lives on my boat 6mo a year. It has seen more abuse and neglect then anything I own/owned times 10. The guns has never malfunctioned or failed me. The screws on the rings rusted out and my scope went flying.
I prefer the ergonomics over the AR platform. Although I have never shot a single group with it, I have killed more things with it then any other rifle I own. I shoot everything through it and will generally hold minute of coyote with open sights to 150yds or so.
The magazines from ruger last about a year before they rust away and are not cheap. I have never tried any other brand after reading about reliability problems.
I prefer the ergonomics over the AR platform. Although I have never shot a single group with it, I have killed more things with it then any other rifle I own. I shoot everything through it and will generally hold minute of coyote with open sights to 150yds or so.
The magazines from ruger last about a year before they rust away and are not cheap. I have never tried any other brand after reading about reliability problems.
So it follows the H&K G3 / 91 philosophy of giving the user a second chance to take out the enemy with the brass.
I agree.
My mini-14 eats any ammo I put through it from cheap steel-cased garbage to match ammo, and it runs reliably even when it's (very) dirty.
While I usually have a red-dot on mine, I actually like the iron sights, so for me it works perfectly as a sub-200 yard trunk/home defense shooter that I don't have to spend a lot of time cleaning/adjusting, and I don't mind it getting treated roughly.
Kind of like my Glock. Not the best gun in the collection, but does what it needs to.
D
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Read the OP. I have almost 4000 rounds on this mod
Mini 30 & 100% ignition with steel case ammo
Hi everyone. I use this site for info all the time but never post. I have something worth sharing. I shoot IDPA, some 3 gun events and I just signed up with USPSA. I modified a newer 582 Mini thirty tactical for 3 gun just to be different. & I love the gun...even with all the bad press it gets...
www.perfectunion.com
However, I didn't file it down until the pin was flush. Just enough to get ignition on steel case ammo. I would paint with large magic marker, knock that much off, and test.
Firing pin
I know this is not a new topic and I've done some research but would like a straight answer. I want to make my rifle able to fire any steel case ammo without an issue, I've even seen some people claim it's a mag issue but when the pin hits the primer and it doesn't fire it's the rifle. what...
www.perfectunion.com
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I wouldn't mind having a Mini especially now that Samson is remaking Ruger licensed copies of the old Ruger folding stocks and they're only $280.
I had one in the early 90s when i was a young broke ass man that didn't know any better. It was a fun gun to shoot even though it was about a 4 MOA rifle. Those A-Team stocks have me thinking about getting one again but i have a Galil being built that i hope will scratch that itch. Besides the prices of minis has gone up dramatically. Unless i could get one under $500 i wont buy it...
I bought one from accuracy systems int. that was converted to 6.5 grendel, it shoots 1/2 moa groups, it has never hung up. I am a farmer and it rides in truck every day , it gets cleaned once a year. only complaint is mags, can't find one that will hold more than 8 rounds and shoot all of them.
I have a mini14 300 blackout . Its a pretty good rifle for my needs . I plugged a big fat doe during rifle season using the mini and 190 grain sub-x hornady . It will shoot barnes 110 ttsx right at 1.25 moa at 100 yds and that's all I need it to do my property is pretty hilly and has very thick vegetation .
