Mini 14 vs AR-15

Traded a really nice Winchester shotgun for a Mini-14 back in '86. Loved the gun but even with a good scope and good ammo 'bout 3" at 100 yds is the best she'd do. It would digest any ammo you wanted to feed it though, no problem. But even then only accurate rifles interested me. So I wound up trading it for a new Browning bow. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif ARs, I checked'em out, did'nt like'em. I like wood and blue steel. The AR felt like a POS toy. Finally put one together for myself a while back, All I can say is Wow, I'll have at least one til the day I die. Accurate, simple, and dependable. Still, you show me a mini-14 that'll shoot like either of my ARs and I'll trade straight across.
 
I have had both and as far as what they look like that is each to his own but the are to me feels better and shots better and I like the simple way you can take an AR apart if need be, the AR is way more accurate, I don't know if I would want to try to qualify with a mini with open sights out to 300 yrds like I have to with the M-16, I know have three ARs and never had a single problem with any of them. It is more personel preference but I feel the AR is more accurate, even my M-4 with the 16" barrel will out shot the minis that I have had. If you like it and can hit with it go with it.
 
Ok-so all (most) of you guys like the AR because its more accurate,to me that is the most important part.
But can you get a AR that doesant weigh as much as a boat anchor,I have to walk alot to coyote hunt and I need a light gun.
Thanks for all the info so far.
GRIZ
 
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Ok-so all (most) of you guys like the AR because its more accurate,to me that is the most important part.
But can you get a AR that doesant weigh as much as a boat anchor,I have to walk alot to coyote hunt and I need a light gun.
Thanks for all the info so far.
GRIZ



I replaced a Remington M7 bolt gun in 223 with my LW 16" AR. IMHO, the AR is lighter, easier to carry/handle and much more accurate. I walk a LOT too. That's why I built it as light as I could make it. I've got friends that liked the LW AR so much that I've built 4 more just like it for them. MI VHNTR
 
If you really want to hunt with a Mini, there are a lot of tricks for getting better groups. A trigger job, bobbing and recrowning the barrel, bedding the receiver and using a reduced gas bushing and adding a buffer all help without adding any weight. It won't end up outshooting a bull-barrel AR, but you should be able to get 2 MOA out of it.
If you go the heavy barrel/accu-strut/tuner route, it will end up weighing as much as an AR, and still won't outshoot one.
The main problem is you're using a $40 Ruger pencil barrel that's rubbing the stock at the gas block against a $300 free-floated match barrel on the AR. PerfectUnion has a lot of articles and links on accurizing Minis, and some of the tips are simple, cheap and get good results. The trick is to know when to call it "good enough" before you throw $1000 into it trying to wring out another 1/2 MOA. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
A 2 MOA rifle will kill a lot of critters if you limit your range (get better at calling them in close before you shoot) or hunt in heavy cover.
If you're going to try and snipe them at 250 yards in open desert, you'll miss a lot. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
I have owned both the AR is a far better varment rifle, My son has and SKS it acctually shoots better than any of the minis I have owned, but that is one sample compaired to three. Both my AR's shoot a lot better than his SKS. But niether of my AR's are chambered in 5.56/.223. So my 243 WSSM AR has much better range than the .223/5.56, and the 458 Socom has much more terminal energy at any reasonable range than the .223/5.56. In my opinion, if you need a budget semi auto truck gun,the SKS would be the better deal,but, if you want a tack driving varment rifle an AR in any chamber is the better choice. If you want a truck gun and want to support an American industry that has not really supportted the Second Amendment go with Ruger.
 
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The A Team used mini-14s and they couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif



/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Thats funny right there, but true /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
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Onryoldfart357, I have never been a supporter of the AR's, nor do I have a love affair with minis. If you had looked at a few of the other posts on this subject you would know that. this thing has been beaten to death on this site and others for many years.

I would guess that there are 10,000 AR's, or more, in combat use, or have been in use in combat for every 1 mini. The AR is a fine combat weapon. I would use either if I had to or an AK or SKS.
Many people on this site tell stories of thousands of rounds thru AR's with no problems.

I have owned a couple Minis and liked them. For what they are. I read somewhere that Bill R built the mini for small countries, security and prison work. I kind of compare them to the old 30 cal M-1 carbine, the mini just uses a better cartridge.

In my opinion camparing the mini to an AR is apples to oranges.
Carl
 
A decent slingshot will also fling rocks. Buy a good AR. Rugershooter, I agree with you on their other guns, the M77 can be outstanding. I have several of them. The Mini-14 is the sad one, even the new one from what I've seen. I'll get slammed here probably, but the new one is so ugly that yotes would run away at night. Just me, but if you have one that works, great.
 
I agree with the mini-14 generally being inaccurate. But I will say this,my grandpa has a custom mini that could give most AR's a run for their money. But it was also very expensive. It's a super nice rifle though.
 
Originally Posted By: OKRattlerI really ought to start paying attention to the date of these threads. I'm late to the party. Really late.Lol

This is known as necro-posting
 
Originally Posted By: biggen0_8Originally Posted By: OKRattlerI really ought to start paying attention to the date of these threads. I'm late to the party. Really late.Lol

This is known as necro-posting That it is. I didn't even know it was possible to find a thread that old. Oh well....at least I got to be a part of it.lol
 
The reliability issue is a non-issue. There may be some modded up guns that don't run very well but they are the minority. Day in day out a colt h-bar will run right beside any mini. And if it ever comes down to having to rely on pick up ammo it will be good old green tip nato ball.
 
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