MINI 14 580 vs basic AR 15 (accuracy&reliability)

[andersonman22]

what are you opinions? id rather not hear about how much you can upgrade and alter the ar-15, just curious about your thoughts on the reliability and accuracy on a newer 580 model mini 14 (223) vs a standard 700-800 dollar AR.

once that is out of the way, go ahead and expound on the full potential of each if you'd like.

 

[Redmanss]

Re: MINI 14 580 vs basic AR 15 (accuracy&reliability)

Even with the measures Ruger has taken recently to improve the Mini-14, I still would never consider it over an AR. Why limit yourself?

 

[andersonman22]

Re: MINI 14 580 vs basic AR 15 (accuracy&reliability)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Redmanss</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Even with the measures Ruger has taken recently to improve the Mini-14, I still would never consider it over an AR. Why limit yourself? </div></div>

i personally would never limit myself.. my wallet however.. lol
just trying to figure whats the best bang for your buck if you dont have much to spend and just want a good out of the box shooter.

i personally do own a newer model mini 14.. just debating on selling it for an ar. at the time i was blind to the fact that ar 15s were california legal (the normal ones, not having to take apart the gun just to reload it) so when i compared the two, i chose the mini.

now the regret is starting to sink in

so which is better out of the box? not planning on doing much upgrading.

 

[Redmanss]

Re: MINI 14 580 vs basic AR 15 (accuracy&reliability)

You can find used ARs in the $6-700 range easily. Get your CA bullet button or whatever else is required to keep yourself legal and go with it. Watch the "For Sale" forum and you'll see them in there every now and then.

You can build one from scratch for pretty cheap too provided you go for stock components and buy used parts where possible. Your barrel and trigger is where it's at for accuracy, and a decent AR barrel isn't that much at all. You'll see some go very expensive on some builds, myself included, but it really isn't necessary when you're basically looking for a truck gun or range blaster.

All that being said, and the fact that you already have the Ruger, what use and performance are you looking to get out of it? Without a doubt you're going to lose money on the deal if you sell, and it all depends on what your goal is whether it will be worth it or not. Application is everything here.

 

[RollingThunder51]

Re: MINI 14 580 vs basic AR 15 (accuracy&reliability)

Whew...where to begin?

Your Ruger can be made to shoot accurately by spending quite a bit of money. If you go that route you will have a reliable, accurate rifle that will give you years of service....and have poor resale value. Give this site a hard read.

http://www.accuracysystemsinc.com/index.php

If you can't find an amazing deal on black rifles these days, well, your not trying hard enough. There is an enormous glut of AR rifles out there, but know that not all of them shoot well out of the box.

 

[BCP]

Re: MINI 14 580 vs basic AR 15 (accuracy&reliability)

Google around for "SPR" rifles. You could build something like that for a little more than your asking price and it would be twice the rifle a mini 14 is.

If you just want a carbine AR there the economy is tanked so lots of good used buys out there.

 

[chainring]

Re: MINI 14 580 vs basic AR 15 (accuracy&reliability)

Is it legal to put "accuracy" and "mini 14" in the same sentence? You should be very alert for the sound of helicopters.

My Dad always had a soft spot for them, but after trying to get a decent trigger and decent groups out of about 6 of them over the years we finally gave up. Since you own it, depending on use it might suit you fine. Good little rifles, and scout rails, cool Troy-style chassis available for 'em, etc. Just hard to get tight groups, for what that is worth.

 

[Arbiter]

Re: MINI 14 580 vs basic AR 15 (accuracy&reliability)

Besides the accuracy issues (5 MOA from a rest with Black Hills, woohoo), it should also be pointed out that your factory magazines are considerably more expensive and less common than quality AR mags (read: PMags). Plus the trigger pull thing. And the rock-in mag design. And the headaches in scoping a Mini.

They're fun little plinkers, but there's a reason why we make fun of the giant AR15.com forums and not the MINI14.com forums.

 

[BCP]

Re: MINI 14 580 vs basic AR 15 (accuracy&reliability)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Arbiter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">not the MINI14.com forums. </div></div>

Making fun of the mini14 forums would be akin to picking on a disabled kid.

 

[ORD]

Re: MINI 14 580 vs basic AR 15 (accuracy&reliability)

There are several "Mini vs. AR" type threads (and similar, other Mini threads) floating around the Hide. I won't bother re-hashing the same old, tired, "Minis suck in just about every regard but for reliability without spending a bloody fortune on them" stuff. Run a search and you'll see what comes up.

I will say that the single, most accurate and direct quote with respect to the Minis is attributable to our very own shankster:

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shankster</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You would have a better chance of hitting a dog in the ass with a snow shovel than hitting a man-sized target at 200 yards with a mini 14. </div></div>

I will say that some of the "newer" Minis like the Target version have proven themselves capable of MOA (or even slightly better) accuracy with a proper ammo selection and shooter (still somewhat limited in terms of ammo thanks to the 1:9 twist barrels), but I still wouldn't want one compared to any reasonable AR-15.

 

[Drifter™]

Re: MINI 14 580 vs basic AR 15 (accuracy&reliability)

Newer Mini-14's serve well as iron-sighted carbines. I have a 580-series 5.56 and a 581-series 6.8. Both will shoot fist-sized 3-shot groups at 100 yards from the bench using iron sights and their favored ammo. They're fun weapons, and have been reliable.

For long-range precision work, I prefer the AR platform.

 

[Dollman]

Re: MINI 14 580 vs basic AR 15 (accuracy&reliability)

I had an older Mini 14 that I bought new in around 1978. I believe it was the 180 series. The best it would do @ 100 yards was 3 to 5 in groups. It was used for a truck gun at our cattle ranch we had at the time and worked good on yotes and ferral dogs harassing our cattle and getting some of the calves. The mini fit the bill for the job. Never was impressed with its accuracy but it was very reliable and particularly immune form excessive dirt in it. Sold it sometime in the mid 80's.

Bought a new 580 series mini in .223 the end of 2009 and my brother bought a new 580 series about the same time in 6.8 SPC. My bone stock .223 cal. 580 series mini, in the wood stock, off a bench, @ 100 yards, groups at about 1-1/2" until the barrel gets hot. My brothers mini in 6.8 SPC which he put into a Hogue stock and had a trigger job done groups at just 1" @ 100 yards. My brother reloads his own and I use cheap PMC ball ammunition.

 

[andersonman22]

Re: MINI 14 580 vs basic AR 15 (accuracy&reliability)

you guys make want to jump off a bridge for buying my mini.. lol. but hey thanks for all the input, i appreciate it.

gonna look into the spr rifles, hopefully in my budget.

im pleased to see that its capable of 1-1/2 inch groups stock, i wouldn't know because I've never really measured my groups, only been out with it a few times plinking.

i would love to sell this and buy an AR, but it just came to me after some research that minis don't resell for squat.

anybody heard of a Har-Bar for a mini 14? this just dawned upon me and making me re think wanting to get rid of it.

and by the way im just a range shooter, id like to go hunting with my gun if the accuracy allows.. maybe with the harbar