I spent a small amount of time over the last 4 or 5 years salivating over friends' ARs. However, the unbelievable amount of money that a couple of them had spent on accessorizing or talked about spending on accessorizing really scared me off. I'm a bit of a "collector" but I haven't really taken a turn toward the accessorizing side of things. I have about a bazillion holsters for the dozen handguns I own and I could just see how that could translate quite easily into AR accessorizing.
So, I felt like I should try to keep it simple at first and decided to buy a Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle. I even went so far as getting the wood stock. It came with the ghost ring and tri-blade front site. I got it at Walmart for $627. I thought the price was right too. I didn't want to go crazy and spend $900 or so on an AR and then another $500 to $1000 in the first year (or month) on all the doo-dads that I'd probably want after I became familiar with the platform and what all was available.
Gonna pick up some .223 this week and take it to the range. I'll also pick up some 20 rounders. I hope I made a good choice.
Oh, basic philosophy for this gun is just something inexpensive and fun to shoot with not-much recoil that could also be an alternate home defense / zombie apocalypse / a problem arises bug-out type weapon. Seemed to me that AK-47 pricing had been much higher in recent years than what I had read about online.
I failed to mention that I consider this to be my first "rifle". I have a pistol caliber carbine (Keltec Sub2K in .40). It kicks pretty hard (sorta like a mild shotgun load?).
I think you made a wise choice. I know AR's are popular and I even own one (RRA LAR-15). But they are full of little pins, springs, etc... that really (in my mind) can cause a lot of problems/downtime when you are in the boonies and someone is shooting at you.
In Vietnam, this was mitigated by the fact that if yours failed, you could always pick up another one as they were laying everywhere.
But when a problem arises here and we are on our own in the middle of nowhere.......gonna be hard to find that spring when it gets away from you!
The Mini-14 is a fine rifle. It does not have all those little parts to get away from you. I am sure you will be pleased.
I went a little different route. I will keep my AR but I got a 16" Trapper Lever Action .357 for simplicity/longevity/reliability.
Alan - ANYTHING I write is MY OPINION only. Certified Curmudgeon - But, my German Shepherd loves me!
NRA-Life, USN '65-'69 & '73-'79: RM1 1911's RULE!
Had one for years. Nice thing is that with five round mag it's an innocuous looking "hunting rifle." But with a vest full of 30 rounders it's a potent battle rifle. Consider putting a red dot sight on it. Nothing wrong with the iron sights, but a red dot makes acquisition much faster and it's good for the effective range of the rifle. But beware, the light barrel heats up fast. Like you, I wouldn't have an AR. If you feel the need for something heavier, consider the FNH FNAR. A sweet sweet .380.
I do get it.....but the Mini 14 doesn't float my boat. That said, the criticisms of the AR platform mentioned here are legitimate. My only counter is to say, "yes, well, I have no intention of detail stripping my AR while hiding under a bush." As far as field stripping goes, that's really not a problem.
Even so, I understand the urge to have something that is mechanically simple. For me, that looks like a Gunsite Scout bolt rifle. It's a .308 instead of 5.56mm, but I already have a couple of ARs. It's not in the $600 price range. On the other hand, add ons will likely be limited to a low power optic.......but kind of the same idea as a lever rifle in a common caliber.
“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”
The Annoyed Man wrote:I understand the urge to have something that is mechanically simple. For me, that looks like a Gunsite Scout bolt rifle. It's a .308
The mechanically simple part did come to mind when making my decision. Although it wasn't quite as primary as the cost comparison of how much money I'd spend on each platform. At one point I was considering AK47, Mini 30, and Mini 14. I didn't ever run across too many Mini 30s for a long time, and the pricing on the AK47s wasn't nearly as low as I thought it was. I don't know if I was looking in the wrong places or if the supply/demand/quality type factors cause a spike in AK pricing. I do admire the simplicity of the Mini-14.
I'd like to get a bolt action .308, but I have no real need for one. My dad was never a gun guy and none of my friends were hunters so I consequently have never had a need for a rifle. I had looked at Remington 700s and just decided I would rather have the semi-auto. I may one day add a .308 bolt action. I had just noticed Ruger's Gunsight Scout model in the last year or so and thought it might be an attractive alternative to the 700. I'm sure I'd enjoy the heck out of hunting, I've just never had a real inroad. Same with shotguns. I was a member at a range down here that has a skeet /trap area. I just didn't have any buddies that did that sort of thing. Maybe I'll go watch a match one day and ask some people some questions. I'm sure I'd enjoy it. I have a HD shotgun but never felt a need for hunting/shooting sport type.
I'm still young and there's still time... If I were single I'd own about twice as many firearms as I do now though. But, my wife is awesome and I think it's a good idea to be able to pay for the kids college and our retirement.
AK's can still be found for cheap. I have an AMD-65 on the way from Bud's I picked up for $440. The Polish Tantal (5.45mm) can also be found for that price. In fixed stock models, Classic Arms has a Romy package with a case and some accessories for $499, and there are a bunch of models available for around $600. The problem is a lot of guys are turning toward higher end boutique models, like Arsenal or Krebs, so you are seeing a lot of $1000+ AK's out there as well.
The Annoyed Man wrote:I understand the urge to have something that is mechanically simple. For me, that looks like a Gunsite Scout bolt rifle. It's a .308
The mechanically simple part did come to mind when making my decision. Although it wasn't quite as primary as the cost comparison of how much money I'd spend on each platform. At one point I was considering AK47, Mini 30, and Mini 14. I didn't ever run across too many Mini 30s for a long time, and the pricing on the AK47s wasn't nearly as low as I thought it was. I don't know if I was looking in the wrong places or if the supply/demand/quality type factors cause a spike in AK pricing. I do admire the simplicity of the Mini-14.
I'd like to get a bolt action .308, but I have no real need for one. My dad was never a gun guy and none of my friends were hunters so I consequently have never had a need for a rifle. I had looked at Remington 700s and just decided I would rather have the semi-auto. I may one day add a .308 bolt action. I had just noticed Ruger's Gunsight Scout model in the last year or so and thought it might be an attractive alternative to the 700. I'm sure I'd enjoy the heck out of hunting, I've just never had a real inroad. Same with shotguns. I was a member at a range down here that has a skeet /trap area. I just didn't have any buddies that did that sort of thing. Maybe I'll go watch a match one day and ask some people some questions. I'm sure I'd enjoy it. I have a HD shotgun but never felt a need for hunting/shooting sport type.
I'm still young and there's still time... If I were single I'd own about twice as many firearms as I do now though. But, my wife is awesome and I think it's a good idea to be able to pay for the kids college and our retirement.
I have a Remington 700 in .308, and it is a better rifle than the Gunsite Scout in many respects. Where the Ruger shines is in light weight, handiness, and that 10 round magazine. My Remington's heavy barrel is 10" longer than the Ruger's and it is FAR more accurate......but it does weigh a lot more, coming in at around 11 lb with the scope and bipod, compared to the Ruger's 7 lbs. If I were going to sit on a hilltop and pick off game (or zombies) from a distance, I'd take the Remington hands down. But the Gunsite Scout is more of a general purpose, "one gun for everything" kind of rifle.....the idea being that if you had to distill your armory down to just one rifle, you'd want one that was sufficiently light to carry around, of sufficient caliber for most situations, of sufficient capacity to hold more than the usual 4 rounds or so in the magazine, and of practical accuracy, bolt-action, with a Mauser type claw extractor. The one thing Ruger did wrong with regard to Jeff Cooper's original idea was that the scout rifle is supposed to be able to recharge the magazine from the top without removing it from the rifle, so that if you shoot a couple of rounds, you could reach in your pocket and grab a couple extras and top off the magazine. That fact was one of the reasons why the concept required a long-eye-relief forward mounted scope that kept out of the way of the action. Without that top loading capability, there's no reason to not mount a regular scope in the normal position. But overall, the concept echoes Cooper's saying of "beware the man with one gun. He likely knows how to use it."
“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”
I have a Mini-14 and I agree it's simple, but like most Rugers it's not that easy to field strip. While I like my ARs and my Mini-14 about the same, I would pick my AK in a minute at least as far as design. Quality of materials, probably not. I enjoy shooting the AK more too. Just something about the way it feels. Kalashnikov is / was a genius. Mini-14 is less accurate than AR or AK.
I have nothing against the AR platform. If you like it fine. Same with the AK. Shoot whatever works for you.
I got my first Mini 14 more than 30 years ago. I was a Texas State Trooper and wanted a patrol rifle. Got the GB model. I liked it a lot. Easy to carry, easy to shoot, no reliability issue at all and I could afford it. Was not very accurate beyond 100 yards, but didn't need that at the time.
Later, I was married with kids, got caught in the bad economy early eighties and had to pawn it and couldn't afford to get it back. Whined for 25 years and then a few years ago, the wife buys me one for Christmas. I don't know whether it was simple love and generosity or she just got tired of listening to my whine. Who cares, she did a good thing. We are doing better now, obviously. It was the newer series at the time. Maybe a bit more accurate, but still had the skinny barrel.
About a year afterward, Ruger did a MAJOR improvement and added a heavier barrel which really improved accuracy. It may not be the tack driver that a first rate AR is but still much improved. It certainly has 'combat accuracy' beyond 100 yards.
I use the Mini 14 in Carbine matches that my IDPA club, Texas Tactical, puts on in the Austin/San Antonio areas. We use IDPA scoring and targets and modified IDPA rules out to 50 or 60 yards and no limit on round counts to make a new fun game. Folks come in with Marlin Camp Carbines, AR's, AK's. M1's, M1 Carbines, and usually MY Mini 14.
What I have found in these Close Quarters Combat simulated games is that the majority of Failures to Fire happen with AR's. It may not be the rifle, it may be the operators, I don't know. It may be failure to clean the weapon frequently enough. What ever it is the AR jams the most. The Mini 14 does not fail, in my experience, with factory mags.
Here is what I like about the Mini 14.
It is comfortable to carry and shoot.
It is extreme reliable...if you use factory Ruger Brand Magazines.
It can go a LONG time without cleaning and still perform reliably. I did a test and went MANY 100's of rounds without cleaning and it never failed.
It has excellent factory warranty support.
It will shoot anything chambered in 223 or 5.56. Brass cases, steel cases with/without lacquer, aluminum cases. Remington, Tula, Surplus US, Communist Surplus. I would not recommend overdoing the lacquer cases but I have run several 150 round matches with no issues.
There are sufficient accessories out there so your can have rails, flash hiders, adjustable stocks, all optic options etc.
It is a very good value for a rifle/carbine in that class. I am frugal.
I run mine with factory black stock, iron ghost rings sights, 20 round mags rather than 30's although I have a couple of factory 30's. Even with my old eyes I can put 2 rounds in an 8" circle with factory iron sights.
I may trade up to a new Ranch rifle or a Tactical to get the improved barrel but that is about it.
There are some trade offs.
It is not a tack driver at 200 or more yards. I don't need that. I have a 30.06 for that.
Magazines from Ruger are considerably more expensive than the huge supply of surplus and aftermarket mags for the AR.
You cannot trick it out to the Nth degree
It doesn't LOOK as wicked as an AR, but it IS as wicked, functionally.
This is how the MIni 14 fits MY needs. It is not my intent to suggest that others do not get excellent satisfaction for their choice of other carbines. I am sure they do and more power to them. Heck, I may join the club with a new AR acquisition some day, but I won't be getting rid of my Mini 14 to do it.
I hope this helps.
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I keep putting an AR on the back burner even though I will end up with one soon I am sure. That being said it is VERY doubtful I will let go of my MINI-14. I have run it with the wood stock, a Butler Creek folding stock and this is my favorite all around, a Hogue over molded stock. This is my yote and hog gun and anything else really that needs dispatching.
CWOOD wrote:. . . Was not very accurate beyond 100 yards, but .....
....
About a year afterward, Ruger did a MAJOR improvement and added a heavier barrel which really improved accuracy. It may not be the tack driver that a first rate AR is but still much improved. It certainly has 'combat accuracy' beyond 100 yards.
...
The Mini 14 does not fail, in my experience, with factory mags.
...It is extreme reliable...if you use factory Ruger Brand Magazines.
It can go a LONG time without cleaning and still perform reliably. I did a test and went MANY 100's of rounds without cleaning and it never failed.
I remember reading a Dick Metcalf article in Guns 'n Ammo some years ago (maybe 7-8 years ago??) when Ruger introduced the updated Mini-14 with the new factory tooling, barrel resonator option, etc.
What struck me about that article was his comment that the Mini-14's strength was always that it would run reliability. Didn't matter if it was dirty, wet, snowy, whatever. The gun will run. He also went on to point out that it had traditionally not been a very accurate gun. His term was it was known for "minute of milk jug" accuracy.
He went on to talk about how much the new tooling had improved the accuracy.
Yup, the mini-14 is what it is. I got a 10-22 for Christmas when I was 10 - Like Ralphie in A Christmas Story,"it was the best gift I had ever gotten, or would ever get". Could shoot the eye out of a squirrel at 30 yards. SO, my first .223 was a mini-14, 'cause it's exactly the same gun, only bigger. Put a decent mount and scope on it, and was SHOCKED that I couldn't put the bullet where I was looking every time. It did kick the brass into the next county and NEVER failed to go bang when I pulled the trigger, but just couldn't put all of the rounds into the same hole. Fast forward....I still own the rifle, with the same scope. Still won't put 'em all in the same hole, but still ALWAYS goes bang and hits anything I'm aiming at inside of 200 yards. I've got lots of other guns, but this one will always be in play. It's light and handy, can drop most things (maybe can't quite hit 'em in they eye) I'm trying to drop, and just keeps running without having to worry about how much I clean it. Kind of like my old 10-22.....
