Opinions on Ruger Mini 14

[mossbergman]

Well, I've been looking into hunting. And right now, the only gun I have to shoot is a 1950 SKS, that shoots a 7.62 * 39, and I was looking into getting a Ruger Mini 14 223. , because my current gun only has a 40 round clip, and I can't figure out how to make a smaller. And I've also shot an M4/A3 with 15 1/2 inch barrel with izzy flash supressor 223., and can handle it better than a 22. And am always dead on. So I know I can handle the power of a 223. So, is the Ruger Mini 14 good? Any feedback on people that have one. Thanks. ( also, I'm gonna keep it stock, and just put a 9 power scope on it )

[ironsight65]

I don't have one any longer but the one I had was accurate
and reliable.

[Sackett]

I bought my Mini in the late 70s for various purposes and still have it. I've never used it for hunting and don't intend to because of its capabilities in that regard. You might consider a heavier caliber.

[southernshooter]

Down here you can't hunt with a .223 but the Mini-14 is a fairly accurate rifle. With tons of uprades to make it more accurate for you

[LIKTOSHOOT]

A good mini14 "MIGHT" shoot a 6 moa, mind you might. You always hear the stories about, mine shoots like a laser beam. In thirty years I haven`t seen one yet. If you got a few hundred you can make anything shoot.

Rip that cheezy aftermarket fourty round magazine off that SKS and put the factory ten round magazine back on it, it will shoot circles around the mini14.




LTS

[southernshooter]

I like the 7.62.39 over .223 anyday

[pickenup]

Don’t know what your hunting regs are up there in your part of the country, but around here, you can’t hunt big game with anything smaller than a .240. The mini-14 is NOT known for it’s accuracy. It’s kind of like a 10-22. In that, if you spend enough money on parts, barrel, etc. you can eventually get it to shoot fairly well. Just wondering, since you already have a 7.62 x 39 rifle, have you looked at the mini-30?

[Ursus]

The question is :What are you planning to hunt? I don't know about regulations in your different states, but I do know that the .223 is not legal in many states (as pickenup posted ) for taking big game. Besides I wouldn't be so confident on it taking deer and up, (Deer has been taken even with .22 LR, but that doesn´t mean its the right cartridge). So, think the kind of game your after and then check you state regulations on the matter.
The Mini 14 is an excellent self defense, plinking, rifle and is a "opportunity " hunting (small game, up to coyotes varmints) rifle, not a primary hunting tool.

[JohnK3]

The 7.62X39 will take deer and black bear up to 200 yards when loaded with the right bullet. (something that expands) It is, in fact, ballistically similar to the .30-30 Winchester round, being a bit better at long range than the .30-30, however.

Your problem, however, with the SKS is the magazine capacity. it's too large to hunt with, correct? Does it have a removable magazine? or a semi-permanently attached magazine? You should be able to find replacement magazines in "hunting" capacities online.

[bubbatalk77]

In my experience, mini 14 is good for what it is---plinker and varmint rifle, for close in to medium range. Dont expect to win comps with an unmodified version, but very reliable.

[billt]

Originally Posted by LIKTOSHOOT

A good mini14 "MIGHT" shoot a 6 moa, mind you might. You always hear the stories about, mine shoots like a laser beam. In thirty years I haven`t seen one yet. If you got a few hundred you can make anything shoot.

Here I agree totally. The biggest problem with the Mini 14 is it's horrible lack of accuracy. This is a real shame because it's a really nice, well built rifle. My wife wanted one after she went to the range with me and saw a guy there blasting away with one. Instead I got her a Bushmaster AR-15 A-2 and she is very happy with it. So much so she has gotten 2 more since then. A Bushmaster Heavy Barreled M-4, and a Bushmaster Carbon 15 21S Pistol, (she's holding it in my signature picture). The accuracy of box stock AR's are truely amazing. She can easily keep 10 shots under an inch at 50 yards with iron sights off a bench rest. If your serious about a .223 semi auto go with an AR-15, you'll be much happier. The extra cost isn't that much when you consider how much more accurate they are.



These are all of her AR's. Bill T.

[BIGBOOMER]

Originally Posted by LIKTOSHOOT

A good mini14 "MIGHT" shoot a 6 moa, mind you might. You always hear the stories about, mine shoots like a laser beam. In thirty years I haven`t seen one yet. If you got a few hundred you can make anything shoot.




LTS

I agree that is the case with the later Mini-14s. I have an old Mini-14 with the wooden handguard and it will shoot 2.5 moa with ammo it likes. I bought it used years ago, and I don't know if anybody did anything to accurize it. I also have a Mini-30, and it unfortunately is in the 6 moa class. I expect the Mini-14s of that vintage would be no better.
I wouldn't use a 223 on anything larger than a coyote. The Mini-30 would do for short range whitetails, but a 30/30 would be much better IMO.
In any case, for short to medium range deer hunting I would suggest losing the 9X scope and getting a 2.5X.

[Peanut Man]

It took me a while to figure out how to pull the trigger on my Mini-30. It had been shooting shotgun-like patterns at 50 meters, but, without making any other changes, I found that with a s-l-o-w pull, I could keep 10 round groups inside of about 1 1/2", (that's about 3 moa I think) this from a sandbag with a 4x scope. I'll move out to 100 meters next trip, but I usually shoot my much more accurate .17hmr at that range.

Now it seems that if I were hunting, the Mini-30 would work with a 3" or 4" grouping at 100. But I can shoot just as well with my .35Rem cal Marlin 336 (iron sites)at that range and it's a bigger chunk of lead running downrange.

I keep the Mini-30 for one of those SHTF senarios, reliable, and the 20 and 30 round mags are nice. The 7.62x39 ammo is way up in price, but considering, it isn't too bad.....

Also if the liberals return to power and the black guns have to go underground, I think the mini-30 will be much less of a problem to be reckoned with. I'd just have to keep my hi-cap mags hidden.

Peanut Man

[southernshooter]

I sure hope we don't get another scary lookin gun ban Ak and Sks parts can already be a hassle to find

[mark8252]

In Colorado you cannot use a 223 for hunting.
I like my mini-14 but i use it for plinking
Fun Gun