The Mini-14 is Better than the AR-15

[MrMillspecer]

No comparison - but you don't say which one you prefer?

Had the mini. Have a few ARs that aren't going anywhere.

 

[STUKA]

Maybe not "better",but definitely cooler.

 

[GOG]

I've probably had half a dozen Mini 14's. All of them were good and more than adequate for their intended purpose: as a Ranch Rifle. Shoot 'em all day, murder some stumps and maybe take a few shots at some critters. They are not intended for tactical use no matter how they're dressed up.

 

[No_Regerts]

Way back in the day, we had mini-14s. The armorer hated them and they showed their age. Went to Colt AR15 sporters and now carbines.

 

[MasterChief]

......parts and availability now......look at mini priced now......then look at most mid quality ARs.......15-20yrs ago I would have said mini....not anymore....the mechanics with ruger i understand....but.......with mags ...... black rifles DO matter ......does ruger make a mini 14/30 pistol? I'll wait....

 

[titsonritz]

I have had to replace the extractor on a mini 14 in opinion the bolt components of an ar 15 is superior.

That ain't no lie. The ease of rebuilding bolt most certainly goes to the AR.

 

[etrain16]

Well, while I do like the Mini 14, the fact is I only own one, whereas I have several AR's. I don't think the Mini is better than the AR, but I do like them nonetheless.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

I only have one valid reason for keeping my mini around, its lighter than any of my AR's! My hands and wrists are damaged and I can manipulate the mini when they are acting up.
I would never sell it anyway, my son learned to shoot varmints with it and a Leupold 2-7 scope! It was a pretty reliable grey digger killer at 200m.

 

[3MTA3]

I have a fondness for Mini-14's, but they just can't hang with the AR. Their ergo's are very good, they are nice and light, well balanced and don't scare the non gun people as much. I wanted the Mini-14 platform to be better than it was, but the lack of accuracy and loud ear splitting noise was too much for me.

 

[MasterChief]

Etrain is trying to justify his mini for selling and building 2 more ARs!......don't let him do it guys.....build an AR 10 atleast......heck even mini prices these days 3/4 of a dsa FAL

 

[Stomper]

Had a stainless Mini-14, shot.... Meh. Traded it for a Romy WASR-10/63 with the Romy "wooden dong" foregrip and some MILSURP mags, shoots great... I won.

 

[WAYNO]

Wow. Lotsa hate for the Mini. Is most of the hate just repeated hate that folks have read?

I have tons of experience with Mini's and AR's. I believe the Mini is the tougher and most dependable rifle of the two. My most accurate AR's are more accurate than my most accurate Mini. But my average civilian AR and my average Mini are close in accuracy. Using only peep sights, I could never tell the difference. My Army issued AR's were horribly inaccurate. I've never had a Mini 14 fail in any way, nor have I ever needed to repair a Mini. A MOS of mine is small arms repair, and I've repaired more AR's than anything else the Army owned. I consider them fragile as a battle rifle, but satisfactory as a civilian rifle.

Now the Mini 30, separately. I've owned a few. Most don't like commie ammo. Not because they are inferior, but because they are designed to pop boxer primers. The firing pin doesn't have quite enough reach to reliably pop berdan primers. That could be changed at the expense of perforating soft boxer primers. A lighter firing pin with more available protrusion could allow the Mini 30 to operate with commie ammo as well as American ammo. That is the one change i would welcome with the Mini 30. And that's not because I want to shoot commie ammo, but because commie ammo might be the only ammo available.

I will never be without either an AR or a Mini, but rhetorically, if I truly could have only one, it would be the Mini.

Lastly, my piston AR is my favorite AR. Extremely accurate. Runs cooler. Stays cleaner.

 

[MasterChief]

WAYNO....no hate here....the first two guns I shot were a bull barrel 10/22 and a min 14.....smiled larger than life.......but if talking parts availability and ease......currently AR......easy.

 

[WAYNO]

WAYNO....no hate here....but if talking parts availability and ease......currently AR......easy.

I will give that edge to the AR also. When an AR part fails, it is a relatively easy repair with extremely and easily available parts. When a Mini part fails, many parts are not available for purchase. So my rationalization is I would say the Mini has less likelihood of breaking. Doesn't matter how easy the AR is to fix if you don't have a pocket full of repair parts with you.

Another edge to the AR, which has been mentioned...Magazines. I've got a lifetime supply. But if I didn't, or I didn't have them with me, I could be a hurting unit if I ran out of loaded magazines when everyone around me is shooting AR's.

 

[RVTECH]

They're damn loud too.

And terrible ergonomically - They don't fit a tall ape armed guy like me at all!

 

[MasterChief]

Etrain you're up.....

 

[MrMillspecer]

I traded a non running bolens tractor and some used chain link fence for my mini 14. It was stainless marked .223 and didn't like 5.56 ammo. It split the neck cases. Didn't like how scopes mounted and accessories attached. But for a truck gun it was fine. And it got me $600 towards a Daniel Defense AR15 back when they were around $1000.

I certainly don't hate them. It just got replaced.

 

[Kruel J]

Meh, never had an interest in Mini 14's. Probably will never own one. And as soon as he said the stupid "high speed low drag" comment I checked out.

 

[titsonritz]

Meh, never had an interest in Mini 14's. Probably will never own one. And as soon as he said the stupid "high speed low drag" comment I checked out.

You didn't miss much, a whole bunch of misused terminology and subjective BS opinion.

 

[3MTA3]

Well, I sure don't look down my nose at them. What rifle/system you like is a personal choice.