In Defense of the Mini-14

[Univibe]

DISCLAIMER: I'm not trolling here.

The Mini is good as a car-gun. Here's why:

1. It is, at least in the older versions, much less expensive than the AR. If your car is broken into, you lose a lot less.

2. I know it's not near as accurate as the AR, but it can put M193 or M855 on a man at any range you're likely to defend yourself at.

3. It's quite simple and reliable (if you use the Ruger factory 20 round magazine).

4. It will accept a folding stock for compactness where an AR will not.

If you're changing a tire on a two lane road, and the Gang of Four approaches, you could do a lot worse.

[Failure2Stop]

Personally, I would rather have a decent AK over a Mini of any flavor.

Also, I would opt for about 2 dozen ammo types over M855 or M193 out of an 5.56/.223 weapon to be employed from a vehicle.

[kmrtnsn]

DISCLAIMER: I'm not trolling here.

The Mini is good as a car-gun. Here's why:

1. It is, at least in the older versions, much less expensive than the AR. If your car is broken into, you lose a lot less.

2. I know it's not near as accurate as the AR, but it can put M193 or M855 on a man at any range you're likely to defend yourself at.

3. It's quite simple and reliable (if you use the Ruger factory 20 round magazine).

4. It will accept a folding stock for compactness where an AR will not.

If you're changing a tire on a two lane road, and the Gang of Four approaches, you could do a lot worse.

I'd feel better with a good handgun and an additional magazine rather than a Mini-14.

[Iraqgunz]

I would rather have a Remington 870 loaded with some slugs before I a Mini-14.

I would cry no matter what gun gets stolen, but I am not stupid enough to leave my fireams in the car. When I travel they come with me and they go to my room, house or whatever.

I agree that a decent AK would be much better than wasting money on a Mini-14.

[TehLlama]

I'd feel better with a good handgun and an additional magazine rather than a Mini-14.

As much as I'd be more comfortable with rifle rounds, a G17/G19 and a couple happy sticks IS cheaper and more practical in many regards.

[COVERBUSTER]

Even I'm smart enough not to start a Mini-14 thread.........:stop:

[SteyrAUG]

The Mini isn't a horrible gun, I own several. But it is way down on my list of options for nearly ever situation.

I don't think it would make a good trunk gun because they don't do dust, dirt and neglect as well as many other similarly priced options. You can get a decent AK for about the same money.

I personally think a SKS with a 30 round magazine would make a more practical trunk gun.

[Alaskapopo]

Personally, I would rather have a decent AK over a Mini of any flavor.

Also, I would opt for about 2 dozen ammo types over M855 or M193 out of an 5.56/.223 weapon to be employed from a vehicle.
I agree on all counts.


I'd feel better with a good handgun and an additional magazine rather than a Mini-14.
I don't care for the mini but it beats a pistol.


I would rather have a Remington 870 loaded with some slugs before I a Mini-14.

I would cry no matter what gun gets stolen, but I am not stupid enough to leave my fireams in the car. When I travel they come with me and they go to my room, house or whatever.

I agree that a decent AK would be much better than wasting money on a Mini-14.

I have a 870 loaded with slugs as my truck gun. Thought about using my AK but one of my concerns is having to deal with big animals not just people.
pat

[TeamGrazzi]

What is sad is that it is the "long gun" used in my department. With that being said the pistol we use is a .38 wheel gun so.....

[Dave L.]

If I had $400-500 to spend on a gun, I would get an AK. Besides, doesn't the Mini-14 have a .223 chamber?

[agr1279]

Before I knew anything about AR's I had a Mini. After I got an AR it didn't take long to get rid of it and have never looked back.

[lethal dose]

What is sad is that it is the "long gun" used in my department. With that being said the pistol we use is a .38 wheel gun so.....

you're joking, right? that's downright awful. i hope you have a VERY low violent crime rate.

[KalashniKEV]

There is no excuse for the Mini-14 to exist, other than a hobbygun.

My first centerfire rifle was a Mini and it performed poorly.



The Mini is good as a car-gun.

No... it's definitely not.



1. It is, at least in the older versions, much less expensive than the AR. If your car is broken into, you lose a lot less.

Why would you leave a firearm in your vehicle and walk away?



2. I know it's not near as accurate as the AR, but it can put M193 or M855 on a man at any range you're likely to defend yourself at.

Or as reliable either... so it can hit a man sized target? I think you need to raise your standards a bit, homey.



3. It's quite simple and reliable (if you use the Ruger factory 20 round magazine).

Expensive mags? Only recently available? 20 rounds???



4. It will accept a folding stock for compactness where an AR will not.


AK does just about everything better than a Mini... for less money.



If you're changing a tire on a two lane road, and the Gang of Four approaches, you could do a lot worse.

This comment inspires rage, and is what prompted me to post. This is the same stupid argument used by people who carry Keltec and other Saturday Night Specials.

No thanks, my life is worth more.

And GO4? WTF???

[Littlelebowski]

I don't get it.

[ForTehNguyen]

DISCLAIMER: I'm not trolling here.

The Mini is good as a car-gun. Here's why:

1. It is, at least in the older versions, much less expensive than the AR. If your car is broken into, you lose a lot less.

2. I know it's not near as accurate as the AR, but it can put M193 or M855 on a man at any range you're likely to defend yourself at.

3. It's quite simple and reliable (if you use the Ruger factory 20 round magazine).

4. It will accept a folding stock for compactness where an AR will not.

If you're changing a tire on a two lane road, and the Gang of Four approaches, you could do a lot worse.

1. AK47 does this even better
2. AK47 does this
3. AK47 does this evn better, $10 for 30rnd mags
4. AK47 does this

[TeamGrazzi]

you're joking, right? that's downright awful. i hope you have a VERY low violent crime rate.

I work at a maximum security prison (Stateville). So I guess we do have a "low" crime rate :) the quality of people on the other hand.... Well we won't go there!

[COVERBUSTER]

But, then Michael Lee Platt used one to great effect in '86. :blink:

[decodeddiesel]

I would rather have a cheap Romy AK from Atlantic any day over a Mini-14.

[Fail-Safe]

Gosh, I think I'd take an SKS, Marlin 30/336, or even a Czech Mauser as a trunk/truck rifle before I'd use a Mini. All are cheaper, offer potent cartridges, offer good commercial ammo, and are readily available.

[Quiet]

I'd rather have an AK over a Mini-14.
If stuck with 5.56x45mm and if I couldn't get a reliable 5.56x45mm AK, then I'd rather have a Kel-Tec SU-16C/CA over the Ruger Mini-14.
From personal experience, I find that the Kel-Tec SU-16 is more reliable and accurate than the Ruger Mini-14. You can also use M16/AR15 mags with the Kel-Tec.


Local sheriff department's patrol divison uses Ruger Mini-14s & Remington M-870s. There's a Mini-14 and a M870 in every patrol car.
They've been using them since the late-1970s.
SWAT members switched to using M16/M4s in the 1990s, but regular deputies are stuck with the issued Mini-14s.

[KalashniKEV]

I'd rather have a Kel-Tec SU-16C/CA over the Ruger Mini-14.

OK... that's where I'd draw the line.

[Littlelebowski]

I'd rather have a WASR.

[kmrtnsn]

I don't care for the mini but it beats a pistol.

But when I get out of the car I don't have to worry about anyone stealing it from the trunk.

[Cameron]

A Ruger Mini 14 doesn't even flicker on the RADAR of my gun purchases. There are a thousand rifles I would buy before a Mini 14.

A great truck gun would be an AR15, AK47, FAL but not a Mini14.

The mini 14/30 is in the "anything but" category.

Cameron

[Alaskapopo]

But when I get out of the car I don't have to worry about anyone stealing it from the trunk.

I understand your concern but I feel having a long gun in the vehicle is a assest worth the risk of theft. As a police officer if I am off duty and there is an active shooter situation I can respond and be a lot more effective with a long gun vs a handgun. I also keep my vest in my vehicle as well.
Pat

[Jack-O]

lol.

being a proud defender of the Mini-14 when used with factory mags as a reliable and fieldable rifle even I will readily admit and reccomend the following:
-the AK does make a better choice. cheaper all-around
-the statements made in the OP could be said of the SKS or AK equally as well.
- FACTORY mags priced at $25 dont deter me at all. they are nice mags. hell, I've paid more for AR and AK mags!
-the rifle does scope MUCH better than the AK or SKS
- it will almost always be better than a pistol in a fight
-when maintained correctly (not that hard, just lube it and keep it clean-ish), run exclusively with factory mags, and fed ammo it likes the Mini has proven to be a very reliable, accurate enough rifle worthy of carrying.
-IT STILL just plain falls into the "there are better or cheaper things than this" category.

:cool:

[sgtjosh]

I think you are all smoking crack. The Mini-14 is a top shelf military grade weapons system employed by no less than...The A-Team. They are certainly tier-one, super-grade, special operators with a proven track record against corner loan sharks, small time mid-west mafia, and renegade small town land barons. I hope this ends the foolish dialogue. When you can repeatedly jump a GMC van 50 feet in the air and land it without messing up your Mandinka haircut and repeatedly break out of a high security mental hospital using an endless series of implausible ruse's, then I will feel you are qualified to counter the assertions of the OP. :jester:

[variablebinary]

I've shot plenty of Mini14's. Never an issue ever.

It's a perfectly functional firearm.

[SteyrAUG]

I would rather have a cheap Romy AK from Atlantic any day over a Mini-14.


And IIRC he fired several rounds point blank at one agent and walked away thinking he killed him when in fact every round missed.

[decodeddiesel]

And IIRC he fired several rounds point blank at one agent and walked away thinking he killed him when in fact every round missed.

Wrong post Bro.

[ST911]

What's the point of this thread? There are a bunch on the Mini-14 already.

[Todd.K]

the statements made in the OP could be said of the SKS or AK equally as well.
The vast majority of SKS rifles I see around here are Chinese made for commercial export. I do not trust them and would take a mini any day if I had to choose between them.

I think what was missed here is training, how often do you take that mini (or SG, or AK, or SKS...) to a carbine class or run drills with it?

[SteyrAUG]

Wrong post Bro.



Ooops, sorry about that.

[scottryan]

A quality AK cannot be had for $400 to $500.

These fall into junky kit build and CAI territory. These guns have the potential for spontaneous catastrophic breakage because they are not build right.

I've never seen a Mini-14 or AC556 malfunction.

[SteyrAUG]

A quality AK cannot be had for $400 to $500.



Maadis and SARs can sometimes be found for that price range.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=262044168

[ST911]

~7 pages of Mini-14 information here:
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=52615

[Littlelebowski]

A quality AK cannot be had for $400 to $500.

These fall into junky kit build and CAI territory. These guns have the potential for spontaneous catastrophic breakage because they are not build right.

I've never seen a Mini-14 or AC556 malfunction.

I see good things about WASRs here (https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=74403).

[TOrrock]

~7 pages of Mini-14 information here:
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=52615



Yep...