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New Ruger Mini 14...Worth it?

bigboy12bigboy12 Member Posts: 1,767 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited January 2012 in General Discussion
I was at my local Wally World today and saw a Ruger Mini 14 for $627. There was no magazine, but it looked as though the rifle could be fitted with one. Would any of you buy it at that price?
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Comments

  • agloreaglore Member Posts: 6,012
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by bigboy12
    I was at my local Wally World today and saw a Ruger Mini 14 for $627. There was no magazine, but it looked as though the rifle could be fitted with one. Would any of you buy it at that price?



    Are you saying that it had no magazine port?
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  • bigboy12bigboy12 Member Posts: 1,767 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It had a magazine port, but it had block at the bottom. Looked like it would hold only 5-6 rounds in it's configuration.
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  • armilitearmilite Member Posts: 35,490 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    No not when you can buy an AR for about the same price.
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  • JnRockwallJnRockwall Member Posts: 16,350 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    yeah go for the ar
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  • MrGunz22MrGunz22 Member Posts: 2,086 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    That is not a block. It's a 5 round magazine. Standard issue for the standard model mini-14
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  • roswellnativeroswellnative Member Posts: 10,191 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You want to hit a 12 in pie plate at 100 yd. go for it

    If you want to hit an apple at 100 get an AR pay 2x...

    That is a pretty good gun to send lead downrange...
    Although always described as a cowboy, Roswellnative generally acts as a righter of wrongs or bodyguard of some sort, where he excels thanks to his resourcefulness and incredible gun prowesses.
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  • TooBigTooBig Member Posts: 28,559 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    AR is so much better for the price in my opinion [:D]
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  • nordnord Member Posts: 6,106 ✭
    edited November -1
    Contrary to the experience of others, I can assure you that at least two Mini 14's that I'm aware of will devastate a 12 oz. soda can at 100 yds. Both are the early supposed inaccurate models and I've been led to believe that later models are even more accurate.

    Whether the AR is a better buy for the money is certainly a reasonable question. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder I guess. All I can reasonably offer is that we're speaking of a semi-auto rifle in both cases that can pour a lot of lead into a small area. Be it a pie plate or soda can I'm not sure it really matters... That is unless it matters to you whether you take out an eye or just a head.
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  • fastcarsgofastfastcarsgofast Member Posts: 7,179
    edited November -1
    Well, do you want a little more accuracy and a lot of plastic in the AR or a dependable eat any ammo action in the Mini?

    I own both and like the Ruger better, but that is just me. My bushmaster is more accurate, but I don't do much bench shooting so the Mini's ability to hit a head sized target at 100 yards is plenty good enough for me. BTW my Mini is the older type.
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  • drobsdrobs Member Posts: 22,620 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I like the new ones. Tempted to pick one up.
    Had one during the AW ban that was horribly inaccurate and unreliable with anything but $80 to $125 factory magazines.

    Supposedly Ruger finally built new tooling for the Mini-14 and the new guns shoot better.

    Youtube review by one of the better youtubers.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej39umHaB08

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSihf_ZuAxw
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  • 17tobyracing17tobyracing Member Posts: 3,429 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I had one that I purchased from Wally~World because I wanted an iron-sighted carbine chambered in .223 Rem and only owned it for a short period of time. Accuracy was below standard, so I sold it and bought an A2 style upper for my AR-15. The complee-upper cost me less than the Mini-14 and it was much ore accurate.
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  • dreherdreher Member Posts: 8,891 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Over the years I have owned 2 Mini's. One was reasonably accurate, the one I have now I have shot many 2" 100 yd groups. Not saying if I bought another one it wouldn't suck but I love the one I have.
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  • Riomouse911Riomouse911 Member Posts: 3,492 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I own 2 mini 14's (one new, one old), a mini 30, and I currently own 3 Ar's (and sold another one other a few years ago). I also teach/train my guys monthly on mini's, semi-AR's and full-auto m-4's, so I've got a little bit of experience with both.

    The mini is good for what it is; a fairly accurate, reliable, semi-auto (with FACTORY mags) traditional-stocked battle-style rifle that you can knock around and it'll keep ticking.

    The AR is also good for what it is; an accurate, reliable, semi-auto (with almost ANY mag) modern style modular battle-style rifle you can knock around and it'll keep ticking.

    We all know the pros and cons of each; the choice is clearly up to you and your pocketbook. You want to go plain-Jane and maybe add a scope? Go Mini ranch. You want an option of adding almost anything under the sun to your gun to make it 100% yours? Go AR. Honestly, the AR is more versatile (including the option of changing calibers with the same receiver) but all in all I'd feel pretty well armed with either one. Stay safe and have fun with whatever you choose.
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  • CSI21CSI21 Member Posts: 1,206 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have one that was made in the late 80's, I bought as new in box from someone in the early 90's. It will shoot about 6 inch groups at 100 yards with no consistantcy to the stringing. I am looking at adding an accu-bar. It will shoot everything and everytime, just not accurate for me at the moment. I have an S&W MP15T that shoots tacks, but is heavy as a M-14. I would like a happy medium at some point, between the accuracy and the weight.
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  • KSUmarksmanKSUmarksman Member Posts: 10,705 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    planning on having to share mags with the A-Team come SHTF? [:D]
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  • fastcarsgofastfastcarsgofast Member Posts: 7,179
    edited November -1
    [img][/img]mr_t.jpg
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  • yoshmysteryoshmyster Member Posts: 22,024 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Even in California one can pick up an AR so maybe? [:D] I picked up my stainless Ranch for $475 what 10 years back or so. Was sold to me as used but the dude never used her so never used used (thanks Y2K [:D]).

    At $627 tax and fees say $730-ish? Nope.
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