Ruger Mini 14 - NRA edition

fishface5

fishface5

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Anyone have one of these? They have a shorter (16.5") and heavier barrel which is supposed to be more accurate and less heat-sensitive than the standard model. (also Hogue overmold stock and comes w/2 20-round factory magazines). I can only find one review online from someone who has shot it, with less-than-stellar results (although better than standard mini, around 3" groups at 100 yards) however I hear that mini-14 accuracy can be very ammo-dependent. I handled one today and it feels SWEET, but what's the word on performance among the gun crowd?
 
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I haven't shot it so you can stop reading now if that is all you wanna know. :)

I have had two or three Mini-14s over the years and liked them. Their main downfalls were crummy sights (the post was so fat it would completely hide a normal target at about 100 yrds) and wood stocks. Too compound this issue, when Ruger started cowtowing to the Clinton gun ban and made it impossible to obtain standard 20-30 round mags for their Mini-14 it made the whole option rather silly to own.

Mini-14s always shot reliably for me. It is a piston system based off the M1 service rifle. I have an M14 and did have the Mini so I could easily compare the parts.

If they have improved sights and a synthetic stock then it seems like a great upgrade. However if it is selling for list price, I feel it is way overpriced. There is still the magazine problem, unless you are happy with only 2x20 round mags. Sure Ruger did just sell off a bunch of 20 rounders to the public, but that was probably to get rid of extra stock before Obama came in than as any act of goodwill to their customers.

After-market Mini14 mags can be ok...but seems to always be a crapshoot.
 
for the $$ get an AK or AR, ya will never regret it imho.

i have heard the NRA ones are a tad more acccurate than the std mini's, but really for what it is the std ones are good enough for what they are.

i just prefer AR and AK's they are a lot more rugged, both have better ergos, both are more accurate, both are more reliable than mini's factory mags or not, both the AR and AK have a lot more accesories available, mags are cheaper/easier to come by, they are both better rifles plain and simple, factor in the current cost of mini's and the gap gets even wider between them imho.

as far as aftermarket mags, they are "iffy", i have 2 which work 100%, 2 which are ok but dont lock back the bolt, and a few others which are total crapola, so buyer beware on those imho.

not that the mini is a bad little rifle, its not, i have had one since '79, but imho they just are too high priced now for what ya get.
 
Thanks for the feedback so far. But the AR's are so expensive now, and I like the gas piston on the minis. I have a Daewoo KR200 which is a good reliable rifle but I really liked the short barrel on the NRA mini, it's so nice and compact! I have read that it's possible to accurize the mini-14 a bit as well. And I had always understood that they were more rugged and reliable than ARs, is that not the case?? I thought ARs were finnicky, and just getting a gas-piston upgrade alone is $300! But maybe I'm just having unnecessary gun-lust.
 
The Mini-14s are not more more rugged or more reliable than a well made AR, and there is nothing wrong with the ARs gas system. The Mini-14 is not as accurate and while it is possible to make one shoot better, for the amount of money it takes you could buy a match grade AR. When I took the NRA Law Enforcement Instructor class there was one LEO who brought a Mini-14, 4 tries at qualifying with it and didn't come close. The instructor finally loaned the guy his AR and the LEO qualified first try.

The Mini-14s had one thing going for them when they were introduced, they cost about 30% less than an AR. Even Ruger knew accuracy was a problem and they introduced the Ranch Rifle with it's built in scope mounts but that just made it more obvious the guns did not possess the inherent accuracy of the ARs.
 
The Mini-14s had one thing going for them when they were introduced, they cost about 30% less than an AR
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I've still seen mini-14s in stores for around 750. Search as I've tried no new AR is gonna go for under 1200 in the local area. You'll be hard up to find new in box standard AR types go for much under 1000 now even on gunbroker (rock river, armalite, bushmaster, colt, etc.). Mini-14s haven't inflated in price as bad recently like ARs because I don't think there's any fear that they'll get banned.
 
Olympic Arms are still selling for 750-800, nothing wrong with them at all...good basic AR. And you can by 4 mags for it for the price of 1 Ruger mag.
 
The new "580" Mini's are fine weapons---the NRA version is very cool-----they are now offering the GB version to the public now too.

Picked up a NIB stainless 580 All Weather Mini just this August for $599----will hit a 12in by 12in gong at 300yds all day long using WWB loads----haven't started working up loads for it yet--will be even more accurate when I get serious about it.
 
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In order to qualify to pass the Law Enforcement Instructors class and get certified you had to place 5 rounds in a 3 1/2 inch by 2 1/2 inch rectangle at 200 yards, iron sight, no bipods, or sandbags...sling only. As I said the one guy who brought a Mini-14 had to borrow an AR to qualify. Our instructor said in the 20 some years he had been teaching the course he has never seen anyone qualify with a Mini-14.

The Mini-14 will shoot minute of felon but what I am saying is no matter how much you spend, the Mini-14 will not equal the AR for accuracy. If you want that level of accuracy you are better off spending a bit more for the AR to start with.
 
The Mini-14 will shoot minute of felon but what I am saying is no matter how much you spend, the Mini-14 will not equal the AR for accuracy.
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The new mini-14 target rifle is capable from the factory of shooting around 1 MOA. It's much farther from an assault type rifle, but it is capable of respectable accuracy. You can spend much more on customization and get even better accuracy. Not saying it's cost effective, but saying a mini-14 CAN'T equal an AR in accuracy is incorrect, in fact you can end up with a rifle much more accurate than the average AR you might just end up spending quite a bit more money doing it.
 
The NRA sample I tried earlier this year could hold under four inches at 100 yards, but not much.

Ab,
I was going to pass on this, but had to come back. :)
Are you sure you don't mean that in feet, as opposed to inches? :confused:
3.5x2.5 inches is slightly bigger than a credit card, and insisting on an iron sight group that size at 200 yards is more than a bit unrealistic, I'd think.
I doubt I'd be able to see a target that small that far away without glass.

Denis
 
beefangusbeef said:
I've still seen mini-14s in stores for around 750. Search as I've tried no new AR is gonna go for under 1200 in the local area. You'll be hard up to find new in box standard AR types go for much under 1000 now even on gunbroker (rock river, armalite, bushmaster, colt, etc.). Mini-14s haven't inflated in price as bad recently like ARs because I don't think there's any fear that they'll get banned.
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get an AK if ya want rhe most rifle for the $$, a romanian AK at $400 or so is a lotta rifle for the $$ and will do anything a mini will do and do it better.

AR's are getting up there in price right now, AK's too, but i still think ya can get an AK for a lot less than a mini.
 
omaha-beenglockin said:
3.5 x 2.5 with no scope----I can't even see that far without a scope.
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My typo...that was at 100 yards, at 200 yards the 5 rounds just had to be inside of the scoring ring in the head of a NRA TQ-19 Target...a 5X6 inch area approximately (it is not an even shape area)
 
I saw a magazine test report where the writer tried a number of varieties of ammo. As I recall, two produced 1 7/8" groups while the others were in the 2-4" range.

A bunch of people have offered to buy my older stainless ranch rifle because it will do about the same (but that was pretty unusual in those days).

DancesWithKnives
 
Hmm, I hadn't considered an AK, because I had heard that their accuracy was pretty bad outside of 100 yards. Any other AK shooters out there who could comment? Thanks for all the input so far!
 
As a department we had mini 14's issued to us. I got a armorers course for it during my time as an instructor, and running the arsenal.

In about 20 years we had one rifle break. The bolt actually destructed, but remained in the reciever not injuring anybody. We averaged around 40-70 thousand rounds of .223 per year in training. I never saw a malfunction when I was at the range.

They are rust magnets. The sights suck. We had rifles that would barely print 4" at 50 yards using remington 55gr softpoint.

Terminal performance was more than satisfactory. We had many failures to stop with 12 ga, #4, then #1 buck. Only 1 survived a .223 shot. He is paralysed, and has a colostomy bag. Our ranges never exceeded 125 yards, 60 to 80 was more common.

We did not have to defeat anything more than heavy jackets stuffed with magazines or books. No real body armor or barriers.

Like it or not, some people had to be "helped" to qualify. The same was true with the remington 870's using 2 3/4" magnum loads. The kick intimidated some shooters with the shotgun, but the .223 it was the short rifle/stock/barrell/lousy sight combo.

Myself? I have an SP-1, and a couple of AK's in 7.62, as well as a HK91, but no Ruger. I have turned down offers to sell me rifles as low as $200.

Yep, I made do with it. It came through the one time I really needed it, but I just prefer the ergonomics of , or other attributes of other rifles.

I do really like the full size M14/springfiels M1A and can shoot it much better.

My experiences with it over almost 20 years. Joe
 
I have a Bulgarian SA-93 variant of the AK with a milled receiver and upgraded barrel. It will shoot 3" in the hands of my pal, who is a better shot than I am. That's comparable to the average ammo performance in a NRA mini-14.

My same friend had a Chinese AK with a stamped steel receiver and (apparently) less desirable barrel. It was more in the 4-5" range on a good day. They say the stamped receivers can be more durable and resistant to foul conditions, however.

Unfortunately, I haven't shot a lot of other AK variations.

DancesWithKnives

[Oops---overlooked your "outside of 100 yds" comment. I haven't shot the SA-93 for groups at over 100 yds. However, our range has some 12" x 12" steel plates at 200 and 300 yds that I shoot regularly. I can hit the 200 yd plate shooting off-hand all day. I have trouble with the 300 yd plate off-hand but can reliably hit it from the bench. I'd say the rifle is "minute of chest" out to 300 yds., which ought to be good enough for this sort of rifle.]
 
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If you like a similar wood stock rifle and a 10 round fixed magazine isn't a deal breaker you ought to look at the SKS rifle. There are some aftermarket sights you can get with it and still be in the $300 range. Accuracy should be within the 3" - 4" area at 100 yards. Sometimes a bit better than that with the right ammo.
 
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