AR versus Mini 14

[mikegideon]

For the most part, I've never seen anybody claim that there's a 3rd party firing pin that's worth a crap. Lots of reports the commonly available ones crapping out in short order on PerfectUnion.

 

I was just reading about one not long ago, though, that claimed to be aces -- comes purposefully too long and you have to grind it down to spec to fit your particular bolt.

 

Some folks have removed their pins and sent the rifle into Ruger for "repair", just to get a spare.

 

- OS

 

Oops. You're right. I thought they were Ruger parts.

[gregintenn]

I have both. As others have told you, mags for the mini are expensive. Off sandbags, my AR will outshoot the mini. Get off the bench, and I do much better with the mini. I prefer it in every way to the AR, but everyone has a different opinion. I can say that both are 100% reliable. The Mini 14 is prettier and just feels better to me.

[Oh Shoot]

Oops. You're right. I thought they were Ruger parts.

 

What I just can't grok exactly is why Ruger requires fitting of every dang firing pin to each bolt. Actually, to each rifle. Meaning how can there be enough difference to matter if their manufacturing tolerances are even relatively consistent.

 

I mean here you've got numerous companies making AR bolts, receivers, barrels, firing pins, and you can mix and match any of them, and have never heard of one issue of firing pins being too short to ignite the round, or too long to puncture the primer.

 

- OS

[JRWnTN]

Had both. Hadn't shot the Mini-14 in years and sold it a couple months ago. Overall, AR's are not only more accurate, they can be shot more accurately and more efficiently.

A retired Marine who teaches carbine courses across the country says that Mini-14's seldom finish his three day courses.

[Poor_Dog]

A retired Marine who teaches carbine courses across the country says that Mini-14's seldom finish his three day courses.

 

Bah! What's he doing with 'em and what breaks on them?

[mikegideon]

It's pretty educational to take a Mini and an AR to the range and compare. Both of my light AR carbines have a lot less muzzle rise, espacially the one with the compensator. Followup shots are easier. The trigger may be better on my Mini. It has a Gun Doc trigger job.

[Oh Shoot]

....A retired Marine who teaches carbine courses across the country says that Mini-14's seldom finish his three day courses.

 

Very stale internet meme. If you wanted to bet on stoppages, you could make money by always wagering on the Mini, assuming it's running factory mags.

 

- OS

[RichardR]

I like Mini-14's, but AR-15's are one whole teen better (Yuk yuk).

[mikegideon]

Very stale internet meme. If you wanted to bet on stoppages, you could make money by always wagering on the Mini, assuming it's running factory mags.

 

- OS

 

Gotta rely on your experience for that one. I've never run my Mini that hard. Mine does glue itself shut if you don't clean it after shooting it. If I had it to do over again, I would get the stainless. It doesn't do that.

[Oh Shoot]

Mine does glue itself shut if you don't clean it after shooting it. If I had it to do over again, I would get the stainless. It doesn't do that.

 

Takes a week or weeks to do it. 'Course a Garand stomp frees it.

 

- OS

[mikegideon]

Takes a week or weeks to do it. 'Course a Garand stomp frees it.

 

- OS

 

Yep. Got the stomp down pat :-)

[runco]

My litmus test is this:  How many police agencies, swat, military including 3rd world nations, elite commandos, etc. have tested or have the Ruger as a standard rifle?  I am just saying why roll the dice, when you consider the overwhelmnig evidence. 

 

This has always been my approach to serious weapons, trust what the men and women of police and military trust their lives with.  Toys are a different matter and is personal preference.

[Oh Shoot]

My litmus test is this:  How many police agencies, swat, military including 3rd world nations, elite commandos, etc. have tested or have the Ruger as a standard rifle?  I am just saying why roll the dice, when you consider the overwhelmnig evidence. 

 

This has always been my approach to serious weapons, trust what the men and women of police and military trust their lives with.  Toys are a different matter and is personal preference.

 

There's no doubt that if for no other reason, the AR platform is simply easier to service than a Mini. It would be used just for that reason even if it were inferior to the Mini in other ways.

 

However, the Mini was widely used throughout many years by LEA's all over the US, and especially during the first 15 years or more of the AR's evolution and growing pains until the AR became a truly universally standard modular tinker toy, the Mini was real competition. Including full auto Minis.

 

Indeed, saw quite a few of them still wielded  watching coverage of the rouge California cop shootout just last month.

 

- OS

[gregintenn]

A retired Marine who teaches carbine courses across the country says that Mini-14's seldom finish his three day courses.
 

Gotta call B.S. on this one! If the bolt will close on it, my mini will fire and cycle it......and throw the brass into oblivion!

[runco]

Indeed, saw quite a few of them still wielded  watching coverage of the rouge California cop shootout just last month.

 

- OS

I wonder if these were agency or government issued, or just personal weapons?  I don't doubt years ago, this may have been the only weapon agencies could get, but in today's modern firearm world is what I am talking about.  Again from my perspective.  I truly respect the Ruger, and I may add it to the collection some day, but for my first 223 rifle, and if money was not an issue and it may be a SHTF gun, there is no choice to be made in my judgment.

[Oh Shoot]

Gotta call B.S. on this one! If the bolt will close on it, my mini will fire and cycle it......and throw the brass into oblivion!

 

Yep, if you're being flanked from the right side, you can lay down cover from the ejection port.

 

- OS

[Oh Shoot]

I wonder if these were agency or government issued, or just personal weapons?...

 

Read they were just regular duty weapons from the county or town near where the final standoff took place.

 

Not every small burg in the US has gotten Homeland Security type stimulus funds to go full tilt bozo state of the art SWAT. I believe you'll still find a decent sampling of Minis in state prisons around the US also.

 

- OS

Edited March 24, 2013 by Oh Shoot

[RichardR]

Yup WTSP was using mini's up until this last year, I believe they are planning on buying AR's to replace them but haven't gotten around to it yet.

In the mean time they are essentually "rifle-less" since they retired their mini's before getting the AR's to replace them, brilliant planning on their part, guess whomever made that decision didn't realize that the shotguns that are still in service out there simply doesn't have the reach that a rifle does.

[mikegideon]

Here's my Mini in it's current state. I like it best just like this...

 

[JRWnTN]

Gotta call B.S. on this one! If the bolt will close on it, my mini will fire and cycle it......and throw the brass into oblivion!

http://lightfighter.net/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2191024651/m/53820990173

[TripleDigitRide]

I'm always surprised this topic comes up quite as often as it does. The AR is all-around the superior weapon. End of story.  :taunt: 

Edited March 24, 2013 by TripleDigitRide

[mikegideon]

I'm always surprised this topic comes up quite as often as it does. The AR is all-around the superior weapon. End of story.  :taunt: 

Yep

[TooTallEMT]

AR-15. I debated between the two back... 3 years or so ago when I eventually purchased the AR. The deciding factors for me was:

A- how easy everything was as far as replacement parts or upgrades. Yes you can find anything online. However I prefer walking into my neighborhood gunships than online shopping. The 4 gun stores near me all carried any number of parts, upgrades, and knowledge about the AR.

B- I also felt their was a weight to be associated with the large numbers of Law Enforcement, and personal ownership of these weapons. To me it seemed that everyone who had a choice picked AR's.

I decided to go with the herd and purchased a Stag Arms M 2T. I love it! No doubt it's a fabulous firearm. I recommend Stag Arms to all my friends looking at buying an AR.

Hope this helps.

[gregintenn]

http://lightfighter.net/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2191024651/m/53820990173

Takes me to a sign up page. I don't think I want on that watchlist. Could you distill what you found there for us?

[Erik88]

Yep, if you're being flanked from the right side, you can lay down cover from the ejection port.

 

- OS

 

I'll never forget watching your mini sling brass against the shooters beside you. I've never seen anything like that.