Ruger Mini-14 What do you think about them

I just bought one and I like it but I'm trying to get everybodys opinion on the issue

Aw jeez! Ya put the pin in the party hog now! Go to rec.guns and filter for mini-14.

It's a love-hate relationship. They love to hate them.

Its a dependable, sturdy firearm. Lots of aftermarket stuff. A good plinker. But... Not much in the accuracy department, especially after heated up. Horrible trigger feel. They can be accurized, but buy the time ya pay for all that you could have bought a decent AR-15.

I am collecting Rugers, slowly. I have an AR-15. The Mini-14 will be the last Ruger I collect.

Hope you, at least, bought a preban!

I just sold one <g>!

They are reliable, handy little things. I own a Sprinfield M1a, the civvy version of the M14 that the the mini is a 'mini' version of, and I LOVE the Garand-style action. I like how the Mini feels and looks and everything.

However. Be forewarned that they are NOT accurate at all. If you get very lucky, you MIGHT have a rifle that will shoot 2.5 MOA, if you let the barrel cool for a few minutes between each shot. Much more likely is you will have what I had; it will spray bullets in a 6-inch or bigger pattern at 100 yards and the zero, such as it is, will wander all over the place as the barrel heats up and fouls.

If that's good enough accuracy for you, then you will love it. Search out a couple factory 20-rnd mags while you still can, only expect to pay $75 apiece for them and watch out for fakes. For many uses, a mini-14 is a fine little carbine.

I traded mine towards an AR-15, which is rifle that I DON'T like the look and feel of. However, they are supposed to shoot like a house a'fire...

I will probably buy another mini-14 someday.

I agree, but still will never be able to improve much past 100 yards with the Mini-14 and the AR-15 can take care of 300 yards out of the box. Hunting with a .223 bad idea unless varmint or small small game.

Brandon, The Mini-14 is a handy little fighting carbine for third world paramilitaries and police who cannot afford M-16's but choose to stick with the 5.56x45mm cartridge. Some hunters are 'schocked, schocked I tell you!' when they discover it is not accurate enough to shoot rats at 300 yards. A good Mini-14 will keep all its shots inside four inches at 100 yards. They are very, to completely, reliable when fed good ammo through good magazines. So, if you have vermin or small game or smallish big game with a kill zone larger than a grapefruit you are all set. Buy spare factory magazines and practice ammo, not aftermarket gewgaws. I have no problem I need a Mini-14 to solve, but apparently many fine folks do. $0.02 Good hunting! Michael

You would have been better off to spend the money on an AR-15. A lot more accurate and mags are cheap and easy to find. I had a Mini 14 for about three months and could not wait to get rid of it. Just my 2 cents worth....

I have the mini-30 which is the same rifle in 7.62x39. If you're just out to fling some ammo down range I think that they are great for the money spent. I wan't looking for hair-splitting accuracy so I got what I expected. The aftermarket mags are a nightmare, as others have stated. They won't stay properly aligned to feed the 2nd cart. properly. I used a bedding compound and built an alignment wedge on the side of the magazine by using the mag well to hold it all in alignment while it dried. DON'T do this if you are not familiar with this stuff. Once it's stuck it will take a Dremel tool to grind it out - or worse!