dead_eye

I was looking at guns the other day and saw ruger's "mini" guns. Does anybody have a mini 14 or a mini 30 they could tell me about? I was wondering if they were any good and which one in a nicer one to own and shoot, also what is the cost on one of those things. Thanks ya'll

longrifle1000

The mini 14 is chambered in 223. The mini 30 is chambered for the 7.62x39. I used to have a mini 14. You can pick one up for $400-500. It is a fun gun to shoot. Not the most accurate though. You could spend a little more and get into an AR-15. Much more accurate. But the Ruger is a fine gun. They also have the "ranch" guns. They have the Ruger scope base milled into the action. Hope this helps.

1mile50

You would be better off going for an AR-15. Much easier and less expensive to trick out than a Mini. Also Mini-14s and Mini-30s are notoriously inaccurate. Except this one:



or, this one:



But, a good conversion isn't cheap.

Briman

A SKS will do anything a mini-30 will do, for about 1/3 the cost or less.

USMC PMI

Agree with all that is said. I have the Ranch Rifle in .223, nice little plinker but there is a lot to be desired in the accuracy department. You can purchase many aftermarket items for the Mini's but I think the best advice is from 1mile50 his mini's are very nice and are most likely as accurate as Ruger wishes their stock rifles were, but it is expensive. I say go with the AR also.

dead_eye

People keep saying they aer not accurate. Does anyone know why they arent accurate? Is it the sights or do the barrels not shoot consistently or something?

ColoradoElk

Hi DE:

The action was "machined" with a chisel and Ruger has $8 into each barrel which heats up so quickly accuracy disappears. If your particular mini shot straight, it wouldn't really matter because of the popsicle stick front sight. If you want to plink at short range, you have to cover your target with the sight (or file it down). If you want to shoot at longer ranges, well, that is why 40 round magazines are a necessity.

That being said, I love my mini and would never get rid of it.

By the way, I can't resist passing this along...

http://www.assaultweaponwatch.com/

Good luck.
CE

dead_eye

Would there be any way to improve accuracy, like scopes or new sights etc. also ive heard a few things about it heating up. couldn't you buy a barrel shroud for that. also you would probably have to shoot it like 20 times or more to heat it up wouldnt you?

ColoradoElk

Hi DE:

My mini is a ranch model and I originally had a 4x on it, but all the scope did was let me see my misses more closely. The minis can be "accurized" with various stock/barrel/sight modifications, but you would be spending more than you would for an out of the box AR, that would likely shoot better. See www.clarkcustomguns.com (I think) for info. The mini is alot of fun, but no tackdriver...

Good Luck
CE

dead_eye

Alright, Thanks yall.