Another Article, Questions: Ruger Mini-14

[Duane Thomas]

I have an assignment to do an article on the Ruger Mini-14 as a self-defense tool. Anyone who owns one (or more) of these have any thoughts on that rifle in this role? Are there any specific aftermarket parts or modifications you think are worthwhile? I've heard good things about the TAPCO stock. BTW, can anyone tell me what TAPCO stands for?

[Storm52]

Duane: I've owned the 14 & 30 since they were introduced in '74. The 14 is the only gun that I purchased and subsequently sold. Since it was semi and you could purchase hi-cap aftermarket magazine, it was a great plinker/target gun. That is until the barrel got hot and then I couldn't keep a shot on paper at 100 yds. I was never enamored with the .223 round and the newness wore off.

I don't see where the Mini fits in the role of SD. Self defense in my thinking is ±7 yards where a shotgun or pistol would be better suited inside the home. Unless you are trying to eliminate threats at distances where the handgun and shotgun ballistics fall short, I can't grasp the idea.

But then your intended reader and idea of SD may not be in line with mine.

TAPCO could possibly be the lady owner's initials Theresa Allison Peterson Company. Now I do not know the actual name of the owner but used the name only as an illustration!

Edited May 7, 2009 by Storm52

[kurtm]

Well all I can say is Platt and Matix sure thought Mini-14s were good...and they seem to work just fine. The one I had broke extractors left and right and know a couple other folks that have had the same problem. KurtM

[gm iprod]

Dueane,

I have owned a Mini 14 Ranch Rifle (factory ring model) for close on 15years, Stainless with a wooden stock, zero modofications and I use a fixed 4x Compact Burris. My father has an identical rifle fitted with a Weaver RV7.

On Goats to 200Y it is magic. 64gr Federal Soft Points are great. It will hold not better than 2.0" at 100Y though, the triggers are not pretty. Get into a big mob of goats and you can really cut them up. With 2 guns and 3 big mags each and about 5 minutes of furious shooting we dealt to about 50. Mag changes were not flash. The poor accuracy displayed that day was not the fault of the firearms.

I Have tried any amount of Milspec 223, with assorted bullet weights, stay away from the steel cased stuff. No end of issues, very poor accuracy, broken extractors and stuck cases. I now use only brass cases. I have recently gone back to reloading and am using the Sierra 55gr BTHP, again no better than 2" accuracy. but they put most things out of my misery. I have shot Deer at 150Y with the 64grainers, if placed properly no issues.

As a Self Defence tool, I expect it to work no better than any average AR carbine. Less ergonomic to change mags rapidly. Stock is OK, not flash but passable.

The only thing I would change on mine would be to go to the Weigand Weaver / Picatinny mount and put either an ACOG Compact or an Aimpoint on it. This will speed up short range accuracy and fast target transitions. A freind did that (Aimpoint 4MOA) and we had a blast. Big mags are a must. I suspect the 16" NRA model would be better for home defence to around 100Y, if they made that with a Stainless Barrel, it would be very good, the sythentic stock as supplied would be adequate.

The TAPCO stocks look like a pretty good idea, can't get them here so may have to pass that opinion to someone else.

I have shot a few three gun matches for giggles with it (just to prove it could be done) and I have no problems that I can down to the rifle. Again the AR allows me to mag changed better and I am more confident with the AR. I don't shoot enough 3 gun to be considered an expert though.

[Shawn Knight]

The A-Team seemed to like them.

Me personally I got beat by one at a Police competition in Alaska and I have had a dislike for them ever since.

But on a brighter note I think they are fine rifles for their purpose of being a cheaper alternative to the AR. They have some user configurable parts but mostly I don't see them as being particularly modification friendly. You can’t change the barrels easily nor can you work the trigger yourself. Even though there are plenty of techniques for doing this on a Garand or M1A style trigger system most of those are gunsmith only and you really need to know what you are doing to get it right. AR triggers are a simple parts replacement to get a decent trigger.

The magazine release is a plus for some people because it is technically ambi but it could be slightly longer. It is easy to chamber check the Mini14 as well although some people will prefer to use the left-right top round method. I do not like a safety that is in the trigger guard I never have. I think it is just too close to the trigger.

Of the few Mini14s that I have fired I found them all to be “combat” accurate meaning a 2in group at 100 yards. Not bad at all with just junk 55gr ammo. I would like to see a 1-7 twist for the heck of it but the 1-9 is fine for pretty much any ammo used today.

I had a lot more but I need to go back to work.

Edited May 7, 2009 by Shawn Knight

[mwx40x40]

May want to check this site for customization options

http://www.accuracysystemsinc.com/index.php

There are some pretty trick Mini's on there.

[kevinj308]

You don't have to register them in Cali. That's a biggee for me!

[p99shooter]

You don't have to register them in Cali. That's a biggee for me!

You don't have to register the Kel-Tec SU-16CA either, and from what I know it is more accurate and reliable than a stock mini-14. It also takes AR magazines and comes threaded for attaching your muzzle accessory of choice.

Sorry Duane, I know it is not what you asked for.

[Matt Cheely]

Fiancee took a Mini30 deer hunting this year, worked well.

[dqshooter]

I have owned one in the past for a couple years, yes it was in the eighties. Yoou could pick mini 14's up cheap at gun shows back then and they were fun to shoot and cheap. As for using it as a self defence gun i would think you would want something that you could get up close and personal with (hand gun or shotgun). They are decent guns but, they usually take alot of work to make them accurate and reliable. If you got beat with one in competition, I can guarentee it wasn't stock out of the box.

One other issue you need to contend with is the the .223 travels extremely fast penatrates well bounces around inside and most time exits in a totally different direction. that would be one of the reasons the military uses them, most body armore will not stop them. If I am defending myself the last thing i want is a bullet to go somewhere you don't want it.

It is a great gun to have fun with and accesories are still relatively cheap. Hope this helps.

[-JQ-]

The A-Team seemed to like them.

Exactly! And they NEVER hit anything with them...good enough for me!

ymmv

[Patrick Sweeney]

From the deep recesses of my memory:

The American Parts Company

Reliable, not tack-driving accurate, I have one that survived a fire and still works. The newest ones are more accurate, and the Mini has always had a 5.56 chamber, not a .223 chamber.

[rishii]

I actually like mini

skirts

but on the mini14, the one I had ran, although finding good mags for them was a crap shoot. I had a few factory ruger 30 rounders that worked flawlessly, and a few jamline and usa that were total crap.

but the good new is ruger is selling the 30 rounds to the public, not just to LEO's like the old days

[gm iprod]

I thought the Ruger mags were 20 not 30. Please say 30 is for real. I have a bunch of factory 20's and a bunch of non factory 30's. Some are way better than others, and I would like some new factory 30's.

Duane,

It may be prudent in the article to point out that no amount of neat custom dodads are going to make up for shitbox mags. First and foremost no good condition Ruger factory magazine has given me problems. As they wear they become more troublesome. Clean, maintain and check your magazines regularly if you are going to be relying on this gun for food or your life.

[Joe4d]

This a gun I really hate, and I really really tried to like it. I refused to listen to accuracy problem reports. I tried ammo, I tried overmolded stocks, I tried glass bedding, I tried alot. all told this is NOT an AR alternative. I bought it as a cheap AR but it sure isnt. I rifle that I cant hit anything with outside of handgun range is pretty useless. I am not talking bulleseye this gun wouldnt hold a consitent 8 inch group at 100 yards. Run away from these.

On a side note, rifles are important defensive weapons. Its not always people we are defending from, nor is it always in the house. A handy accurate carbine capable of dropping a dog at 100 yards or so is pretty important to anyone who has livestock they care about, and ahole neighbors with dogs.

[Bill H]

Ruger is now selling 30 round mags.

[gm iprod]

Ruger is now selling 30 round mags.

Goody goody!

[rishii]

Ruger is now selling 30 round mags.

Goody goody!

yep that's what I said, and I haven't had a mini in years

http://shopruger.com/webapp/wcs/stores/ser...lastCatId=19056

[Duane Thomas]

It may be prudent in the article to point out that no amount of neat custom dodads are going to make up for shitbox mags. First and foremost no good condition Ruger factory magazine has given me problems.

An EXCELLENT idea.

[HSMITH]

I've had several, I really wanted the first one even though I was told not to buy it by people with a lot more experience than I had. It was a POS to be blunt, 4-8" groups at 100 yards depending on the ammo and it never did run a full magazine in a row. Sent it back twice with no change for the better so it went to the gunshow. I got all of my money out of it which surprised me. I have bought two more at quite low prices thinking maybe I just had a bad one before, nope. I have yet to see one of these things put 10 rounds into less than 4" at 100 yards and I have yet to see one run 100 rounds in a row. I'm sure there are some out there better than the 3 I have tried to make work, but from what I have seen and heard mine were pretty average. I'd buy another in a heartbeat, but only to turn for a profit. My honest opinion is that they are pretty decent $100 rifles to beat on or let rust under the seat of a truck, any more than $100 and you should at least get a kiss with it......

My life is worth far more than the additional cost of a quality rifle over a Mini. I've tried them, I know guys I trust that have tried them and I don't personally know anyone that would recommend one for a defense gun.

[boz1911]

I've had several, I really wanted the first one even though I was told not to buy it by people with a lot more experience than I had. It was a POS to be blunt, 4-8" groups at 100 yards depending on the ammo and it never did run a full magazine in a row. Sent it back twice with no change for the better so it went to the gunshow. I got all of my money out of it which surprised me. I have bought two more at quite low prices thinking maybe I just had a bad one before, nope. I have yet to see one of these things put 10 rounds into less than 4" at 100 yards and I have yet to see one run 100 rounds in a row. I'm sure there are some out there better than the 3 I have tried to make work, but from what I have seen and heard mine were pretty average. I'd buy another in a heartbeat, but only to turn for a profit. My honest opinion is that they are pretty decent $100 rifles to beat on or let rust under the seat of a truck, any more than $100 and you should at least get a kiss with it......

My life is worth far more than the additional cost of a quality rifle over a Mini. I've tried them, I know guys I trust that have tried them and I don't personally know anyone that would recommend one for a defense gun.

This sounds like my history also. Horrendous accuracy!!! The last one really pissed me off. I was shooting it and a Ruger 77 heavy barrel varmint gun also in 223. The 77 would shoot 3/8" groups all day long, while the scoped ranch mini-14 couldn't do better than 5".

I'll never get suckered again.....

[D.Hayden]

I have one accurrized... it shoots almost as well as my JP upper.

Mags are the key. Ruger factory 20s and 30's, and the PMI mags (30s and 40s) that I have - all run 100%

The chamber is really generous.. I've never had a round that wouldn't chamber in the Mini. When I first started reloading 223 - I just guessed at the setup.. Mini ate everything.. then I got a DPMS upper for an AR.. those same rounds had lots of issues.

[SA Friday]

12 years ago, my old roomate had one of these with a fancy smanchy white wood thumbhole stock with a dark wooden diamond in the bottom of the buttstock grip. It looked purdy . Anyway he was a hell of a shot with a rifle. I had seen him make scary accurate shots with his 300WM's all the way down to 22lr's.

So I bet him I could shoot a tighter group with my big black ugly Colt (Competition Match) at 100 yds. He couldn't shoot a group under 6" at 100 yds with any ammo he tried to include multiple reloads that shot sub-moa out of two different AR's. He sold the gun two days later.

I guess if one was hosing down targets from 100yds, it would do. I think there are better alternatives out there though.

Can't recall who it was, but there was a company making some $400ish kit to keep the barrel on target after it heated up and really tightened the groups up. Problem was after the kit plus the rifle, one could have just bought an AR.

[MichiganShootist]

The mini-14 is to the AR what the Ruger 10/22 is to a quality .22 rifle... This gun is a starting point.

I bought a couple when they first came out. (including a factory SS model with a folding stock)

Like the Ruger 10/22 the mini-14s were only average to terrible in accuracy, sights, and reliability.

If you are really doing an article on their "role" in home defense--(which I find questionable or at least surprising) then the calibers that they came in--- may be the issue.... not the gun. Real lame calibers for the most part.

They were IMO--- Okay guns........ but like their little brother the 10/22 .... the mini needed a lot of help to be a viable tool for anything other than plinking.

Edited May 11, 2009 by MichiganShootist