DPMS or Ruger Mini 14

Matt,
Let me understand this... If I'm shooting a 1/2" rifle with a good trigger, or, a 3" rifle with a heavy rough trigger from field shooting positions, you think I'll be just as accurate/inaccurate regardless of which rifle I'm shooting? That's counter to my personal experience.
 
Originally Posted By: GCMatt,
Let me understand this... If I'm shooting a 1/2" rifle with a good trigger, or, a 3" rifle with a heavy rough trigger from field shooting positions, you think I'll be just as accurate/inaccurate regardless of which rifle I'm shooting? That's counter to my personal experience.


Ofcourse GC, a 1/2" BR rifle shot off hand is capable of 3" at 100yds, but a 3" BR rifle shot offhand is still a 3" rifle.......sheesh! Everyone knows that.



Chupa
 
Originally Posted By: ChupathingyOriginally Posted By: GCMatt,
Let me understand this... If I'm shooting a 1/2" rifle with a good trigger, or, a 3" rifle with a heavy rough trigger from field shooting positions, you think I'll be just as accurate/inaccurate regardless of which rifle I'm shooting? That's counter to my personal experience.


Ofcourse GC, a 1/2" BR rifle shot off hand is capable of 3" at 100yds, but a 3" BR rifle shot offhand is still a 3" rifle.......sheesh! Everyone knows that.



Chupa

Now lets not cloud the issue. I know on Al Gore's internet that most shooters have a ".5 MOA all day" rifle and they can shoot .5 MOA with it all day from prone, sitting, kneeling, standing, from a tree stand, off a fence post etc. etc.

What I am saying is most shooters, those who shoot once a month or less, hunt two or three seasons a year, who don't have formal training or had some 15+ years ago can't. I am saying that a .5 bench rifle is not one in the hands of an average hunter in the field in various positions under pressure and pressed for time. I am saying that most shooters are not .5 MOA shooters regardless of their equipment. Ever make a bad shot or miss a deer or coyote with your .5 MOA rifle? Be honest..... I missed plenty and I shoot under stress as often as I can.

Could you do better with your .5 MOA rifle instead of a mini? Maybe maybe not. I am saying that the average shooter might not be able to see a noticable difference.

The OP refered to a general purpose rifle, plink, hunt, SHTF. If he had a .25 MOA AR he couldn't use it to it's potential, neither could I or you two in a run and gun real world situation. I have an honest .75 MOA from the bench AR I assembled. 16 inch, 1:9, .223 chamber, no FH, non-chromed, free float tube. With Sierra 40 gr HP. it has given 5 shot groups at .5 on a couple of occasions from bags in no wind.

In a three gun match, running, moving, shooting for time and score there are very few MOA groups and if there are the time is way out of par. In a barricade or hostage engagement, a zombie appocolypse or a save a life right now situation there will be fewer MOA groups than that. This entire board doesn't have enough ammo or time for one shooter to train to that level. The SEALs that shot the pirates in the moving lifeboat simultaniously? No one here could make that shot every time on demand. Once maybe, twice unlikely...everytime, on demand? No.

Not saying I prefer a mini. Not saying I would turn in any of my rifles for one. I am saying it is a formidable weapon system not to be overlooked if it fits your criteria. As I stated earlier, I have trained with the Mini, carried one on patrol and instructed others who have them. Given the urban distances we are most likely to encounter I would not feel handicapped in the least with one. Oh, I also killed my very first coyote with a mini....but I sold that rifle and currently have a slew of ARs.

Rifle and ammo prices being what they are most folks would probably be best served with an AK or even SKS based on what the OP was asking.

Of course YMMV.

 
Last edited:
Ok Matt, a little elaboration went a long way in clarifying your statement and I understand what your saying, and to a great deal agree with you that most modern weapons are capable of things that we the shooters are not.

But I still say and think you would agree with me, that given an off hand shot on a small target at 100yds, a weapon capable of MOA or better will give you a drastically increased chance of connecting versus a 3 MOA weapon. This is where I lost you. I'm positive that you need no explanation of how group size increases exponentially as range increases be it 1 MOA or 3, but the way it "sounded" was 3 MOA would still be 3" regardless of range. Hence, humor was found in the posting along with great confusion.



Chupa
 
Chupa, agree with you fully. A more accurate weapon is more accurate no doubt. Naturally a shot at a small target at any distance would be best taken with the most accurate weapon available. Yes I understand the exponential growth of MOA as distance increase, lol. I pull my hair out trying to teach how milliradians work to shooters.

When we talk AR to Mini, it's an apples to oranges conversation. If you're shooting small targets at any distance a Ruger mini shouldn't be on the list. As an all purpose rifle for what the OP described it's a viable option. With an optic, 1x dot or magnified, it will kill coyotes to 150 or so and also be a serviceable plinker and SHTF rifle with less care and cleaning and not nearly as ammo picky as your average AR. Dollar for dollar I wouldn't go out and buy one over an AR but I wouldn't dissmiss it either, it does have its pros. That's all I was trying to say.
 
Originally Posted By: HeadHunter204DPMS!! known 4 guys with mini-14's none of em could hit the broadside of a barn if they were standing in it...

Both mine shoot around 3 MOA with decent ammo. That pretty much translates into hitting a person in the head every shot inside 100 yards.

So, let's not get too crazy saying they're not an effective self-defense weapon.

They're just not much good for predator/varmint use.
 
I think we're all on the same page in agreement. This pretty well sums it up...

Quote:So, let's not get too crazy saying they're not an effective self-defense weapon.

They're just not much good for predator/varmint use.
 
My first mini was awful.. I couldn't even get it sighted in with the iron sights - four feet off and high
frown.gif
frown.gif


But I have an extra stainless Ruger folding stock (which is now probably worth more than the gun), so I sold the first rifle and bought a second one - a stainless ranch with a 7" twist.

This one shoots 1.5" groups @ 100yds with a 3x scope off of bags. That's good enough for what I want it for.


Meow
wink.gif


 
Last edited:
I have the same upper on one of my ar's. I use it for everything. Its set up for tactical, But It will still shoot 300 yds accurately. The only limitation comes from my optics.

If its in your budget, Tear off the M4 hand guards, throw on a quad rail (rock river arms makes a free float that's bad azz!) Replace the pistol grip for a magpull. Battle grip. A tango down forward grip, a good light, and slap an ACOG on top of it, and conquer the world!

You can always substitute an Eotech with a flip-to-side 3X magnifier for the ACOG if need be.
 
Originally Posted By: CatShooterMy first mini was awful.. I couldn't even get it sighted in with the iron sights - four feet off and high
frown.gif
frown.gif


But I have an extra stainless Ruger folding stock (which is now probably worth more than the gun), so I sold the first rifle and bought a second one - a stainless ranch with a 7" twist.

This one shoots 1.5" groups @ 100yds with a 3x scope off of bags. That's good enough for what I want it for.


Meow
wink.gif






Exceptional gun, don't part with it. How is the trigger on that rifle?
 
Originally Posted By: GCOriginally Posted By: CatShooterMy first mini was awful.. I couldn't even get it sighted in with the iron sights - four feet off and high
frown.gif
frown.gif


But I have an extra stainless Ruger folding stock (which is now probably worth more than the gun), so I sold the first rifle and bought a second one - a stainless ranch with a 7" twist.

This one shoots 1.5" groups @ 100yds with a 3x scope off of bags. That's good enough for what I want it for.

Meow
wink.gif


Exceptional gun, don't part with it. How is the trigger on that rifle?

It's "OK", but nothing to wright home about.

Meow
wink.gif
 
I don't think I saw anyone else mention this, but one thing you might consider is that the only really reliable magazines for the Mini-14 are factory mags, while with the AR there are any number of good mags that average less than half the price. To be fair though, I have not tried the new Tapco mags for the Mini-14. Yet.

The Mini-14 would be a great rifle if it sold for $350, but when priced close to a basic AR, to me the choice would be the AR. The ability to swap uppers, change calibers, change barrels and easily customize the gun to your individual needs - along with accuracy - just can't be found in the Mini-14.
 
The AR will do everything a mini can do,,twice as good.

Mine will feed reliably,sweep a street,,hit lil stuff,big stuff,medium stuff.

Parts to fix,replace,upgrade,downgrade,build,rebuild...everywhere!!!


Almost as many caliber choices as a thompson center.

AR all day everyday and twice on sunday.



X
 
Due to terrain, trees, etc most shots are 100 yards or less.
My mini is as accurate and reliable as I need it to be in
all sorts of weather and conditions. It gets dropped and
bounced around in the back of my mule and it always fires.
Trigger sucks but that can be fixed rather cheap.
 
Originally Posted By: RJM AcresDue to terrain, trees, etc most shots are 100 yards or less.
My mini is as accurate and reliable as I need it to be in
all sorts of weather and conditions. It gets dropped and
bounced around in the back of my mule and it always fires.
Trigger sucks but that can be fixed rather cheap.



Gundoc at Great West Gunsmithing has the entire Mini trigger job video poasted on his site. If you don't want to try it yourself, he'll do the trigger job for $85 (just send him your trigger group).

He's good, pretty much everybody recommends his work.

It's almost worth it to send it in, since he has the fixture to stone the hammer notch evenly and at the correst angle. That's the only "tricky" part of it.

Great West Gunsmithing

The trigger job video is linked from the bottom of that page.
 
Back
Top