In Defense of the Mini-14

[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.

[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.