Looks like I picked a bad time to look for my first rifle...

[Oh Shoot]

Well... looks like the site is still broken.

 

Periodically lagging for up to 30 sec or so for moi....

[mikegideon]

Periodically lagging for up to 30 sec or so for moi....

 

I had to restore that last post from a saved copy. I have faith. We've been here before :)

[Jonnin]

Having just bought a Mini 30, I'm curious about this one. How so? I can see having to go back to Ruger for parts being problematic, but are the Minis somehow high maintenance?

 

 

The Ar is easy to clean --- push out a pin by hand, swap the chamber, barrel, and bolt, and its good for another thousand rounds.   The mini is quite a bit more complex, not terrible, but you have to deal with a small handful of parts and actual reassembly after cleaning.  

 

The mini seems to be terribly hard to keep accurate too.  When I first got mine it was a tack driver at 200 yards.  Within 6 months I was having to re-zero the gun just about every range trip --- it would drift up to 3 inchs at 200.   It was not the scope, it was just internal parts or something moving just a little bit, just enough to drive you crazy.

 

The mag changes are what really prompted me to sell it.  That and the low cap, nonstandard mags --- all I could ever find were 20 round and they were a lot more than AR mags each.   You could put the mag in, seat it, all would seem well and it just would not feed any rounds because it was not seated exactly right, close but not quite.   

 

If the mini would take AR mags I would have kept it.  On the bright side, its rugged and will feed just about any sort of ammo without complaint once you do get the mags seated.  I really, really wanted to make it a substitute AR but its just not quite good enough IMHO.

[Moped]

I've owned 2 Mini 14s and I won't own another one.  I understand from OS's posting that they are doing a pretty good job with them now, but the ones I owned, wouldn't hold a group for any amount of money.  Both would start off good, but after a magazine, groups would start to get larger. Won't waste anymore money on them.  Much rather have an SKS.  Better rifle for less money.

[DAdams]

 

There are some decent prices somewhere out there. Just be patient. This old ban garbage will eventually blow over.

This old ban garbage will eventually blow over.
This old ban garbage will eventually blow over.
This old ban garbage will eventually blow over.

Just keep telling yourselves that.

[DAdams]

All these items are up for grabs on many levels. EBR, Ammo, Mags.
These are going to be taxed, regulated, moderated, and ultimately confiscated (aka voluntary relinquishment).

I would get myself a 12 gauge semi-auto shotgun with no pistol grip and an extended tube that would be able to be put back to standard easily. Mossburg 930SX, FN SLP, Benelli M2 comes to mind.
There is a version that has an 18 inch barrel w/o the extended magazine.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/37_336/products_id/52355/Mossberg+930SX+12g+18"+8SH+CB+GRS+MAT
last price 606. You may be able to find these at your LGS...maybe.

In a rifle I would be looking at something like a Savage scout style bolt action in .308. You should be able to find some high end ammo enough to put together 100 rounds.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/43531
Damn, they had these the other day. Open sights or glass it.

I would wait for the hoopla to play out. No sense in purchasing something you are going to have to turn in soon.

You would then have 0-25 yards plus covered with your handgun and shotgun and out to 200 easily with the .308 Edited January 3, 2013 by DAdams

[Oh Shoot]

I've owned 2 Mini 14s and I won't own another one.  I understand from OS's posting that they are doing a pretty good job with them now....

 

I own 2 Minis and can't imagine letting them go, even though I have gotten into ARs in the last year.

 

I never owned pre 580 Mini, so I assume all the stuff I've heard is true. The new ones are just fine, though I admit that my ARs are somewhat more accurate, but that's a matter of finer scale. 200 yards with open sights, they both do the same thing.

 

- OS

[DAdams]

Started out with a mini and eventually went the AR route. More versatile platform. But I wouldn't get rid of the mini.

I would really like an M1A Scout another $1500 from now. And a Savage bolt Scout would be great also. Edited January 5, 2013 by DAdams