mini 14 farm gun

[kysingleshot]

I was looking for a simple, semi-auto rifle for varmint control while roaming the farm on an atv and was trying to decide on a mini-14 or mini-30.  After reading a few of the posts, I am starting to wonder about the wisdom of choosing one of these.  The main purpose is for nuisance animals, including wild hogs and don't need a tack-driver, but something suitable.  If not one of these, then what would be good?

Thanks,
Michael

[les hemby]

imho look for a older mini 14 they seem to be more accurate than the newer ones. Also they are fairly accurate for a few rounds but the barrels heat up and walk real bad. I installed a clark barrell stabalizer on mine and love it. It does make it kinda barrell heavy but does wonders for accuracy, and helps steady it. On a 4 wheeler instead of totin it i think you will like it, also i carry several different magazines with fmj and softpoints. Put a fmj in a hogs ear and he wont take another step. Remington makes some autos but i have seen several jams with them. My mini has never jammed at all . in my opinion go with the mini 14, also hi cap mags are cheap

[IntrepidWizard]

I have the first model--think it is 140.It keeps on ticking and knocks down all it hits--mostly Coyote.

[mikej]

I've had three; one I still have. The one that I still have is an older stainless with factory folding stock and 5 Ruger factory 20 rd. mags. With the irons that came with it, it's good for 4MOA with M193 55 gr. ball. The Ranch stainless with a scope was good for about the same, and the Ranch Mini 30 was 5MOA. This was with factory ball ammo, and you could probably do better with handloads. IMO, for the money, you'd be better off getting a Bushmaster XM-15 with a 16" barrel, and A4 upper. I have three AR-15's, two Bushmasters and a preban Colt, and all of them are sub MOA. You'll pay about $300.00 more for the AR, but it will be much more accurate, and hi cap mags are much more available, and one heck of alot more reliable than Mini 14 hi caps. Mini 14 and Mini 30 hi caps, with the exception of the Ruger mags, which are no longer available to any but LE, and PMI, which is no longer in business, are junk. I've tried the Eagle, KKK, and USA brands in all three of my Mini's and maybe 1 in three worked with no stoppages in a fully loaded mag. To me this is unacceptable performance. Most AR mags are MilSpec, and made to much better standards than the aforementioned Mini 14 aftermarkets. I sold the other two Mini's I had, and have no regrets about doing so. The Mini 14/30 is a reliable, minute of human utility gun, but not much more. For my money, you're better off with the AR-15. Keep in mind that you can switch the uppers on an AR-15 to another caliber/configuration by removing two pins, something you can't do with a Mini.