by Brian Sheetz - Tuesday, March 22, 2016
When it comes to .223 Rem. semi-automatic rifles, Ruger’s Mini-14 has long been one of the obvious choices. And it’s no wonder, considering it offers nearly the same handiness as the M1 Carbine, the ballistics of the AR15, and the feel of the classic M1 Garand and M14. The Mini’s popularity confirms its strong perceived relevance among a wide range of users, and sustained sales for more than 40 years is evidence of its sound design—even if it’s unfairly judged by the same criteria as today’s predominant platform, the AR, which enjoys the huge advantages of U.S. military adoption and unlimited manufacturing sources. So while some consider the Mini a bit dowdy or lowly, it is actually a serious standout worth giving a second look. Here are just five of the many reasons why a Mini Ranch, Tactical, Target or Thirty model should be on your short list the next time you shop for a modern rifle:
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1. The AR may not be right for you.
As difficult as it may be for some to believe, not everyone finds the AR platform appealing. There are a number of reasons why, but two come quickly to mind. The first is that its appearance may be too 'tactical' for some people's tastes; aesthetics can be subjective. And the second is that its controls may not be intuitive for some users because of their physical makeup and/or lack of prior training. In contrast to the former, most versions of the Mini have a sporter-like profile and some feature wood stocks, making them right at home in saddle scabbards, pickup trucks and, more importantly, in the minds of many for whom the sight of a traditional rifle is less likely to arouse unwanted attention. As to the latter, the Mini’s centrally located safety, its hook-rock-and-lock magazine design, and its beefy, integral charging handle make for a straightforward manual of arms with the respective benefits of rapid employment, secure loading and positive chambering. Add to these factors the Mini’s light overall weight (6 lbs., 12 ozs.) and handiness (36¾'), and you have a combination of qualities that is difficult to ignore.
As difficult as it may be for some to believe, not everyone finds the AR platform appealing. There are a number of reasons why, but two come quickly to mind. The first is that its appearance may be too 'tactical' for some people's tastes; aesthetics can be subjective. And the second is that its controls may not be intuitive for some users because of their physical makeup and/or lack of prior training. In contrast to the former, most versions of the Mini have a sporter-like profile and some feature wood stocks, making them right at home in saddle scabbards, pickup trucks and, more importantly, in the minds of many for whom the sight of a traditional rifle is less likely to arouse unwanted attention. As to the latter, the Mini’s centrally located safety, its hook-rock-and-lock magazine design, and its beefy, integral charging handle make for a straightforward manual of arms with the respective benefits of rapid employment, secure loading and positive chambering. Add to these factors the Mini’s light overall weight (6 lbs., 12 ozs.) and handiness (36¾'), and you have a combination of qualities that is difficult to ignore.
2. The latest Minis are more accurate.
The Mini has long suffered from a reputation among many users for poor accuracy. Theories abound as to why that is the case: My own is that the considerable mass of the operating slide impacts harshly against the gas block, which is bolted directly to the relatively thin barrel, not allowing the barrel to return to its precise point of rest between shots. But in 2005, Ruger retooled the Mini-14 production line and most shooters agree that, beginning with the 580-prefix series guns made since then, shooting 2' groups at 100 yds. is not out of the question. Again, it may come as a surprise to some, but not everyone needs a half-m.o.a.-capable rifle. Many tasks just don’t require that level of accuracy. In fact, most hunting and self-defense situations are in that category. Also, my experience is that accuracy and reliability in semi-automatic rifle actions is usually inversely proportional. So, anything that the Mini lacks in the way of accuracy is, practically speaking, likely more than made up for in reliability and cleanliness of operation and in lack of ammunition sensitivity.
The Mini has long suffered from a reputation among many users for poor accuracy. Theories abound as to why that is the case: My own is that the considerable mass of the operating slide impacts harshly against the gas block, which is bolted directly to the relatively thin barrel, not allowing the barrel to return to its precise point of rest between shots. But in 2005, Ruger retooled the Mini-14 production line and most shooters agree that, beginning with the 580-prefix series guns made since then, shooting 2' groups at 100 yds. is not out of the question. Again, it may come as a surprise to some, but not everyone needs a half-m.o.a.-capable rifle. Many tasks just don’t require that level of accuracy. In fact, most hunting and self-defense situations are in that category. Also, my experience is that accuracy and reliability in semi-automatic rifle actions is usually inversely proportional. So, anything that the Mini lacks in the way of accuracy is, practically speaking, likely more than made up for in reliability and cleanliness of operation and in lack of ammunition sensitivity.
3. The Mini is one of few semi-auto .223s available in stainless steel.
For boaters, coastal dwellers and others for whom corrosion is an issue, the Mini is one of the few factory semi-auto rifles available in stainless steel, which can greatly reduce the necessity for fastidious, immediate maintenance. Because of their simple fixed-gas-piston system and Garand-style rotating bolt with two large locking lugs, Minis are generally not maintenance-sensitive anyway, but when it comes to harsh environments, particularly, the advantages of keeping stainless steel free of corrosion are undeniable—especially when gun maintenance cannot be performed as regularly as it should. Note that, with the Mini, stainless construction means that the barrel, receiver, bolt, operating rod, trigger group and many other small parts are stainless steel. Blued guns, of course, use chrome moly steels in many of those same large components, but even in those guns, many of the smaller components are made of stainless. The broader point, of course, is that the Mini is made largely of steel—not polymers or aluminum—and steel’s material properties lend it a durability and longevity that lighter weight materials simply cannot match.
For boaters, coastal dwellers and others for whom corrosion is an issue, the Mini is one of the few factory semi-auto rifles available in stainless steel, which can greatly reduce the necessity for fastidious, immediate maintenance. Because of their simple fixed-gas-piston system and Garand-style rotating bolt with two large locking lugs, Minis are generally not maintenance-sensitive anyway, but when it comes to harsh environments, particularly, the advantages of keeping stainless steel free of corrosion are undeniable—especially when gun maintenance cannot be performed as regularly as it should. Note that, with the Mini, stainless construction means that the barrel, receiver, bolt, operating rod, trigger group and many other small parts are stainless steel. Blued guns, of course, use chrome moly steels in many of those same large components, but even in those guns, many of the smaller components are made of stainless. The broader point, of course, is that the Mini is made largely of steel—not polymers or aluminum—and steel’s material properties lend it a durability and longevity that lighter weight materials simply cannot match.
![Ruger mini 30 recall Ruger mini 30 recall](/uploads/1/2/5/5/125575554/425612400.jpg)
4. Twenty- and 30-round factory magazines are widely available and reasonably priced.
This had been a longstanding bugaboo that plagued the Mini-14’s reputation. Ruger has produced 20- and 30-round magazines since the gun’s earliest days, but, until just a few years ago, it sold the latter only through law enforcement channels. That spurred the production of a raft of inferior aftermarket magazines, which did nothing to bolster the Mini’s otherwise enviable reputation for reliability. Nowadays, factory-fresh, Ruger steel magazines—a durable design that has functioned virtually flawlessly since its inception—are available for sale in the usual commercial channels at reasonable prices. In addition, flush-fitting five-round magazines are also available. All feature a projection on the follower that activates the gun’s bolt hold-open once the last round has been fired. (The hold-open can also be manually activated by way of a button atop the receiver rather easily.)
This had been a longstanding bugaboo that plagued the Mini-14’s reputation. Ruger has produced 20- and 30-round magazines since the gun’s earliest days, but, until just a few years ago, it sold the latter only through law enforcement channels. That spurred the production of a raft of inferior aftermarket magazines, which did nothing to bolster the Mini’s otherwise enviable reputation for reliability. Nowadays, factory-fresh, Ruger steel magazines—a durable design that has functioned virtually flawlessly since its inception—are available for sale in the usual commercial channels at reasonable prices. In addition, flush-fitting five-round magazines are also available. All feature a projection on the follower that activates the gun’s bolt hold-open once the last round has been fired. (The hold-open can also be manually activated by way of a button atop the receiver rather easily.)
5. It’s now available in .300 Blackout.
Just recently, Ruger announced that it is offering the Mini in .300 Blackout, which should make an already proven platform even more appealing and versatile—especially for those who would like to hunt with a Mini in areas that require a caliber greater than that of the .223 Rem. Of course the Mini has been available in 7.62x39 mm for years as the Mini Thirty, albeit limited to 20-round factory magazines, but the new .300 Blackout Mini brings .30-cal. presence to the familiar platform with the advantage of feeding from the same .223-cal. 20- and 30-round magazines that are now so widely available. Ruger is selling the gun with a magazine marked '300 AAC Blackout' simply as a precaution, but there is reportedly no difference mechanically between it and the .223 magazine. It makes one wonder if the smart move might be to buy two Minis, a .223 Rem. and a .300 Blackout, along with a raft of magazines to fit either interchangeably as a practical, powerful hedge against bad times.
Just recently, Ruger announced that it is offering the Mini in .300 Blackout, which should make an already proven platform even more appealing and versatile—especially for those who would like to hunt with a Mini in areas that require a caliber greater than that of the .223 Rem. Of course the Mini has been available in 7.62x39 mm for years as the Mini Thirty, albeit limited to 20-round factory magazines, but the new .300 Blackout Mini brings .30-cal. presence to the familiar platform with the advantage of feeding from the same .223-cal. 20- and 30-round magazines that are now so widely available. Ruger is selling the gun with a magazine marked '300 AAC Blackout' simply as a precaution, but there is reportedly no difference mechanically between it and the .223 magazine. It makes one wonder if the smart move might be to buy two Minis, a .223 Rem. and a .300 Blackout, along with a raft of magazines to fit either interchangeably as a practical, powerful hedge against bad times.
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If you want a Mini-14 buy one.
If you want a carbine for a specific purpose, however, and provided have access to virtually any other modern carbine design, pick just about anything else. I say this not to disparage Ruger or the people who own Minis, but because it’s difficult to ignore the Mini’s limitations compared to other, more modern designs.
We at TFB are no strangers at all to cool guns that are not as practical as they could be. TFBTV has done run-and-guns with obsolete military bolt action rifles, not because they are the best possible fighting tool today, but because it’s fun, and we want to. If that’s where you are coming from with the Mini-14, then by all means, indulge yourself. And there’s good reason to like the Mini, despite its flaws. I do. It’s something I’ve lamented previously that there are very few decent “domestic” looking selfloading rifles on the market today. The Mini-14 is one, and one of the very, very few that actually works well.
As penance to Mini enthusiasts everywhere for writing this article, I give you a drawing I did in high school. To this day I like the Mini, but unfortunately there’s no excusing my taste as a teenager.
Others have driven the issue of the Mini’s practicality into the dirt. They are inaccurate, difficult to disassemble, break often, jam more frequently, and handle dust and debris much more poorly than more modern designs. They are plagued with issues stemming from their origins in John Garand’s 1920s-era design, some of which have been exacerbated by the economization measures taken during the rifle’s development. If you don’t believe me, you can ask any number of experts on the Mini, from Greg Ellifritz to former Ruger quality assurance manager Ed Harris.
Not only that, but in an era of sub-$400 AR-15s, Mini-14s aren’t even remotely comparable in cost to their competition, much less cheaper as they used to be. So, for someone looking for an inexpensive, decent carbine for work, not pleasure, the Mini makes no sense. Why bother?
But pragmatism isn’t the reason most guns are bought, nor, do I think, should it be. Pragmatism should be a factor in the selection of guns like EDC handguns, LEO carbines, etc, but for every gun bought on the basis of cold, hard facts, there are probably 2 or 3 bought just for the hell of it. And there are a lot of “for the hell of it” reasons to want a Mini. They are unique looking, attractive, iconic rifles (especially the “A-Team” model) which have a style that more modern carbines lack. No mystery there why someone might want one.
Where my eyebrow comes up is when people have a hard time separating these two categories. Often, guns are bought because the owner wanted to, but then justified with a long list of forced logic as “pragmatic” purchases – which is silly, since everyone’s entitled to like the things the like, and that should certainly be true within members of the gun world. To be honest, people like me probably don’t help. We reflexively call out folks for straying from “the facts” as a matter of course, and that makes them defensive and just aggravates the problem. Please be patient with us. Having said that, honesty is the most important with oneself, which is why it’s Number 1 in my list of nine tips for new gun buyers.
None of this stops gunwriters and bloggers (including us) from writing fluff pieces about the Mini and other rifles, but these are mostly harmless, I think. As long as people understand why they want a particular gun, then this kind of internet validation is unnecessary for them. The Mini-14 isn’t the best carbine you can buy today, not by a long shot. But if you want one anyway, then by all means, go get one.