S&W MP15 ? Ruger Mini-14? About the same?

[mannyrock]

   I noticed that on its web site, Grice's gunstore is advertising S&W MP15s OR (no optics, rail only), for $839.  Since new Mini-14 Ranch stainless models are selling for $700 or more, this seems like a real bargain, especially if you just plan to mount a scope.
   
     Or maybe not?   Now that the MP15s have been out a while, are they proving to be a boom or bust? 

Mannyrock

[Lloyd Smale]

the smith ars are a fine gun!

[targshooter]

I own three AR15 variants and four Mini-14 variants. The latest Mini-14 is the Series 581 Tactical (the conventional stock with the flash suppressor); the latest AR a Stag M4 copy. I have seen several of the S&W MP15s at the club and would generalize their handling and quality on a par with the Stag. I purchased the Mini-14 Tactical for $631 and tax about two months ago. The Stag was purchased before the buying surge, so I cannot make a realistic comment on AR15 costs at this time. The new Mini-14 581 Series has the same barrel heating and cooling characteristics of my Stag, thus Ruger improved the hot barrel performance problems with its new configuration. Also, the Mini-14 Series 581 accuracy is comparable to the M4 variants I've seen shot at the club. The Series 581 Tactical also has an improved front sight such that its sight picture is the same as with my military style sights on the Stag. I consider the US M4 military style peep and the Ruger on a par with the best of the non-target peep sights available. To me, it boils down to what you want to attach to the rifle and how the conventional stock of the Mini-14 handles for speed of target acquisition vs the AR15 platform with the sights you intend to use. For me a conventional stock handles better.

[His lordship.]

The feeling of the stock is what caused me to forgo buying a Bushmaster M-4 and get a Ruger Mini-14 tactical a few days ago, that nub on the stock extension of the Bushmaster was annoying, odd that no one mentions this.  I also noted the simplicity of the Ruger when I took it apart to make sure it was well oiled before I shot it, quite a difference from the M-4 in the owner's manual.

[U.S. Soldier]

go with the M-4...you will not be disappointed, i recently had close to the same situation and went with the new 581 ser mini 14 all weather model (stainless)... loved the gun BUT... it didnt shoot better than 6-7 moa... now i hear that isint usual for the newer models but has my experance shows..... and if you do get a good shooter your still lookin at 2-3 moa which is jut barley worth mounting a scope for AND if you dont install buffers your mini will eat scopes like no tomarrow... i sold mine (  i did like it) and put together my own ar for less then a reg (and by the way, the smith ars are getting excellent reviews...check out ar15.com for more ar info then you will ever need lol) and im completely in love wityh the ar, doesnt eat scopes, generally shoots 1 moa cheap mags and they dont call it the mens barbie for nothing lol of AND the recoli is noticable less with the ar than the mini...  i would def recomend the ar but play and or shoot both if possible and see for yourself which works best for you..

[LCR]

Be advised that Ruger 30 round mags are around $50, whereas AR mags are $10-$20.

[demented]

That and you can buy spare parts for the AR all over the place, most everything for the Mini will entail sending it back to Ruger for most spare or broken parts

[mannyrock]

  I'm not sure, but I think the magazines for the S&W are proprietary, and the regular GI mags won't fit them.  Don't know what they cost, but they may be the same or more than a mini mag.

[Bugflipper]

Manny, this link is just a local shop. I believe what you are referring to is the 10 round compliant S&W on this page. I don't know either since I don't own one. A buddy just bought the optics ready 30 rnd last week with their sale for $650. And it takes standard mags. He borrowed 4 off of me until his come in. If you got the money to buy straight out you may consider buying a new one online and paying your local ffl guys fee, usually $25. These days that price you put down is a little high since the market is flooded with them.
http://www.pistolandpawn.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=86

[mannyrock]

  Thanks for the info.  At such low prices for the S&W MP, it is hard to see why anyone would ever decide to buy the Mini 14 instead.  The S&W actually appears to be cheaper.

[demented]

Last time I looked CDNN, Aim Surplus plus a slew of others had 30 round C-Products AR mags under eight bucks each. These are good and WILL work in the S&W.

[Lloyd Smale]

ive had 4 differnt mini 14s and one mini 30 through the years. they been very reliable with the exception of the stainless 14 i had and it was fine after a trip to ruger. I sold them all though to buy ars through the years and just sold my stainless 30 because i picked up a 762x39 bushmaster ar. I guess you can see which i prefer. I hear the reliability thing all the time but ive found my ars to be just as reliable as a mini if kept clean and fed good ammo and believe me a mini will choke when dirty or fed bad ammo too. the Ars hands down outshoot the minis. Even the target mini my buddy had was hard pressed to shoot under 2moa. Any ar will shoot that well and most of mine will shoot well under 1moa. To m anyway and this is subjective the ergonomics of an ar beats a mini hands down. Feild stripping cleaning and repairing an ar are all easier then a mini. Spare parts and customizing parts are much more readily available for an ar. My take on a mini is this. They do look cool because they look like a m14 but they sure arent a m14 mechanicaly and it shows in performance. there not a bad gun and if ruger got off there asses and made them accurate theyd have something but now that ruger is making ars i would have to guess that over the next 20 years the mini is just phazed out slowly.

[rdmallory]

Might check on the M14 and make sure the stainless receiver is actually stainless.

The 10/22 stainless the only thing stainless is the barrel. The receiver is painted aluminum that has filler in the bad casting holes. Can't even clean off the paint and polish it.

I had a m14 and it was fun to shoot but the barrel got hot quick, and feel lucky if you can hit a pie plate at 100 yards.

Doug

[pastorp]

The new mini 14s are a lot better accuracy wise. Mine is about even with my bushmaster. Neither are target guns however.

I just can't get used to the pistol grip stock on the bushmaster though and there are so many projections on it to hang up. I told my dealer friend a couple days ago to look for a buyer for my 2 bushmasters and order another all weather mini-14 for me. I just like them better and the new ones give aceptable acuracy.

Regards,