Ruger Mini 14 and Mini Thrity.

[lakota]

I am thinking of one of these rifles for a little fun and also maybe as a backup for home defense. Do these rifles new and of the shelf accept high capacity magazines? Also what's your opinion? Mini 14 or mini 30?

Scott

[Rogue Ram]

I've owned a few through the years. While few of the Mini 14s can truly be called "accurate, each and everyone I have ever owned, shot, or been around went "bang" every time the trigger was pulled, and I never saw one jam (not saying they don't, just never seen one be a major problem). Have heard the Mini 30s are much more accurate than the semi auto AK knockoffs though.

Not sure whether new ones take the hi-caps, but can't imagine they don't.

As for home defense, .223 and lighter bullets that won't overpenetrate would be the way to go. The drawbacks (or perceived drawbacks) to the Mini are that they don't have accessory rails for flashlights, etc., and don't have pistol grips.

I have a Mini 14 Ranch, and will keep it for the same reasons you are looking at getting one. Do it and have fun.

RR

[1911crazy]

I met a guy every sunday at the local range years ago who had one and i never remember it jamming nor having problems with it.  I also remember seeing a high cap. magazine in a round coil that comes up along side the gun.  Everyone of my rugers have preformed flawlessly.
                                                                           BigBill

[Mikey]

lakota:  I have had a Mini-14 for years.  Don't shoot it much but it has never jammed on me or failed to fire.  The rifle was a gift from a cousin who was cleaning out a closet, otherwise I would not have purchased a 5.56x45mm caliber rifle.  For what you would use it for the Mini-14 is a good choice, however.  Yet, my preference would be for the 7.62x39mm cartridge rather than the 5.56.  The only problem I would foresee is Ruger's use of a .308 bore rather than the correct .310-.311 bore.  I don't know what that does to accuracy, if anything, or if it creates quicker barrel wear, but if I was going to purchase one I would prolly go for the Mini-30.  HTH.  Mikey.

[SBF]

I would get a Mini-14 (.223) myself if it were for "plinkin".  If I wanted a 7.62x39 rifle for plinking duty/home defense I would probably opt for a nice SKS (Yugo, Albanian, Russian(more expensive).  It would be a lot cheaper than a Mini-30.  The only downside would be the fixed 10 round mag but they can be loaded fast with stripper clips.
The only thing I've heard about the Mini's is that they aren't very accurate.  I have never owned one so I can't comment personally.

I see that your from NE Ohio like myself.  If your interested in checking out an SKS, I have three you could take a look at if you wanted to a Yugo, Albanian and a Russian.  They aren't for sale but If you wanted to check them out and have any questions about them I'd be happy to show them too you.  PM me if interested.

[securitysix]

There are high cap mags for the Mini-14 available.  Good ones are pricey (you'll occasionally see Masen and PMI 30 rounders for $30 - $40, Ruger factory mags go for over $100 usually).  The cheap $10-$20 mags will bend feed lips easily, may have spring and follower problems, and I have one that keeps having the floorplate slide forward a little under recoil.

The Mini-14 does not have a reputation for accuracy, but some of the tinkerers on the PerfectUnion message boards have determined that a muzzle device (brake recommended, but flash hider helps some) will half the group size and that bedding will half it again.

High cap mags for the Mini-30 are a little harder to come by, but rumor is that they exist.  For a semi-auto 7.62x39 rifle, I'd opt for an SKS, but that's me.

If you want a super accurate semi-auto .223, get an AR.  If you want a semi-auto .223 that is reliable (with good mags) and you want to let it bang around behind the seat of your pickup, a Mini-14 is probably a better choice.

[toolman6]

I have owned one for 5 years. Had to send it back and have it recrowned., when it was brand new.
Couldnt hit jack untill I started to reload it, with a BTip.
Have shot deer in NC with it every year since.
Can put 10 rounds in a 1/2 in at a 100 yrd.
The better half shoots it and I have to beg to fire it at the range.
 :lol:

[1911crazy]

After reading other suggestions here If your going with the 7.62x39 round the sks is the way to go its the best bang for the buck out there nothing will compete with it in dependability, reliability and accuracy. Now my only other advise is if your only going to buy one sks look for a Chinese Norinco SKS w/chrome lined barrel or a Russian SKS w/chrome lined barrel  these two are top shelf sks's.  And most likely you can find one that is hardley used and stll brand new too. I have seen like new chinese sks for around $200 and brand new refurbished russian sks's in the box for $250.  The romanian sks and the albanian sks's do have chrome lined barrels too but most I have seen are a little beat and well used.  The Yugo sks have no chromed lined barrels but if you can find one in excellent condition then its ok as long as you clean the barrel really good after each use with corrosive ammo. But the prices of the excellent yugo's($150+) are near the prices of the chinese sks's. Like I said before if I was only going to buy one it would be a Russian or Chinese sks.  The 7.26x39 is an excellent round and far better defence than our .223.   Its also good for hunting up to deer sized animals too.             BigBill

Its like our first 22lr semi auto that we had so much fun with for all these years plinkin.  Now that we have grown up the step up would be an sks to plink with. quote from my buddie Carl who educated me about sks's when they first were imported here.  He was right.  Carl was a co-worker of mine who was into full auto weapons legally of course, he was an FFL dealer,  too bad I never paid attention to what he was saying about them. He is gone now but he got my interest in these imported guns.

[S.S.]

I cannot count the number of rounds my
Mini-14 has eaten through the years.
I have never had a single malfunction
that could be blamed on the rifle!
Mr. Ruger did not build them to be match grade
firearms, but I can keep most rounds on a 4 inch
paper plate at 100 yards shooting off-hand.
Shooting off a bench will give me about 1 1/2
inch groups at the same range.

[Mikey]

Another thought here Buddy, and I 'pologize for not mentioning it up front.  

Although I have the Mini-14 for shooting the 223, I have a number of 7.62x39 caliber rifles.  I like the SKS for it being a knock-around shooter, and the AK for its handiness.  I prefer the SKS for its longer bbl for better accuracy and improved ballistics.  But, I also have a Norinco made NHM (Norinco Hunting Model) that is the AK action with a SKS length bbl.  I put one of those recoil reducers on it and she is pretty good.  I can hit 2" groups at 100 yds with the S&B hunting ammo and she has never failed to fire.  Even with the longer barrel and stabalizer/reducer on the end she is very handy and easy to deal with in the thick brush I encounter when I go snoopin' for coyotes.  With the longer barrel you get the ballistics of the SKS, but the ease of handling of the AK.

Now, mine came with a butt ugly thumbhole stock and an incredibly fat forend - both have become firewood and were replaced with standard AK stocks, pistol grip and forend, and it is much nicer.  If you can find one of those at a reasonable price (<$300) you should be able to do alright.  HTH.  Mikey......

[1911crazy]

Ok no punt intended like I mentioned the "most bang for the buck"  while i haven't priced a mini 14 lately I'm willing to bet its three times the price of an sks? That was my only point then i compared the sks's in quality.  The sks's reliability has been proven in battle. Sorry.                                                                     BigBill

[jimmyp50]

I have owned and dumped 3 of them.  The worst a stainless rifle I owned in 1980 would not hit a 55 gallon drum reliably at 100 yards.  The best would produce a pattern that would hold to a pie plate at that distance.  This is with just about any 223 ammunition commercial or surplus in the world.  I have had pleanty of high capacity mags made by ruger and after market, none ever jammed in any mini I have owned.  For the ranges that a mini 14 might prove worthwhile I would buy a shotgun and load it with buckshot.  The SKS is a much better rifle and a lot more accurate at least the one I owned in 1990 was, it just had too short of a length of pull for my frame.  I know there is going to be a reply about getting them accurized, that's fine but for the same money for a new mini and and accuracy job you can buy a new Bushmaster black rifle.  They have only seen military use in a few out of the way places, and I do not think any are still in use.  They would be better than a pistol, but not much.  Jimmyp

[deecee]

Available in .223, 7.62 x 39 and .308.  The first two, you can buy for under $200 and under $300, respectively.  

  The 7.62 can use fairly readily adapted AK mags -- these are a lot less costly than the proprietary Saiga mags.  You can buy 10-shot clips for $5 and modify a dozen of them for another $5 in material.

  The triggers are a little weird, but you can get them to shoot pretty decently.