Lets see them folks.

My safe is happily devoid of Mini-14's ;)

I'm with VTD

Neil must be the only one with a mini

I had one of the pre 1989 186 series with the factory folding stock and it was one of the GOOD ones and ruined me. Would shoot an 2-3 inch circle at 150 yards with the 55 grain stuff while scoped. Wish I had never goten rid of it.

+1.

The nini14 I once owned wouldn't hit the broad side of a barn from inside.

bc

Just remember folks, you are safe from the Mini-14 legendary accuracy so long as you stand perfectly still.

Come on guys! If it was good enough for the A Team it good enough for TV. There was even one in a shootout on last years 24. I like mine when its workin, if the people to my right aren't gettin hit by the brass and I'm not tryin to hit anything important.

My dad had one, not a bad plinker... but I always thought I was just a terrible aim and couldnt hit the target....

Yea, I have a early model 180 with lighted recticle scope and flash suppressor bought before they went to shit in a hand basket.

One of our officers at work suggested they buy them for use as patrol rifles. That got shot down rather quickly. They are fun, decent rifles, but no match for the black rifle.

I don't have one.

Tell me you are joking.

Never had one. I would only buy one if I got a good price on one. It would have to be a great price.

I have had three. I traded one for an AR, one stainless PB factory folder I traded for a STG-58C, and I have one blued Ranch model left, but it is the wife's and she had it before we got married. SInce I built her an AR, it never gets shot.

An AK would be a better choice, Jay. Cheaper mags and same ammo. Plus, you'll pay more for the Mini30, and you're really not getting anything that the AK will not do.

Trust me, I've been down that road.

bc

Never understood the Mini-14.

They took one of the best rifles/operating systems ever and one of the best cartridges ever and somehow Ruger screwed it up.

That's an easy one.

They kicked the rifle off with the model 180 which had a sub 2 MOA which sold like pancakes back in the early 80's as people traded in yes even their ARs for them. Then model 181 started out sub 2 MOA then they just let the tooling wear the hell out and have been riding the initial market perception now into the ground.

The early Minis were very much reminicent of their military predecessors in almost ever respect. The later ones, well it depends if you get a good one or not. MIL standards for quality were not a priority only sales. It became a mature product to be milked.

I have a number of Rugers and quite frankly have been very happy with them but I also have been around enough of them to know in some cases I was lucky. Like most companies profits drive the company and management shifts as well as strategic direction. MIL guns on the otherhand have to meet a standard and keep that standard.

If the Mini had made it into military production even overseas, we'd all be singing a different tune instead of "I got a good one!" :dry:

Tj

That and they put a $7 barrel on a great operating system doesn't help things either.

Don't have one yet, but the wife really likes them. I figured for leisure shooting, why not, so we are going to get her one for Christmas. God knows I have enough ammo. Besides, no EBRs here.