Why Won't the Ruger Mini-14 Just Die? [Part 2] 

I've owned a Mini since the mid-80's. I've shot it a lot; burned up the original wood handguard and replaced it with a polymer one. I use 30 round mags I got from Paladin Press (remember them?) and I use every kind of ammo from new to reloads. And I can't recall ever having a malfunction.

Best quick accuracy improvement for the 14(and maybe the 30 too)- loosen the 4 hex head screws holding the gas block together. Reallign the halves to make sure the gap on each side is equal and tighten once again each to 45inch pounds. The screws are typically set from the factory at anywhere from 50ish to 60 lbs, but they're not consistent. This allows for a much more consistent barrel whip/flex.

My first rifle was a mini-14. Born and raised in Southern California - Now, a proud resident of Florida with a gun room that would make a Californian cry. My latest rifle is a mini-thirty, put together by accuracy systems in Colorado. It is chambered in 6.5 Grendel, with an 18” medium .75 varmint barrel. Accuracy systems completely went through the rifle, harmonic balancer, trigger job, springs, glass bedded, etc.. it is now a sub MOA rifle and it looks like a light M1A. It is finally what it always should have been - if you can ignore the price tag!

I've owned my mini 14 since I was 17 and love it for what it is. I have found that mini's and M1 style actions function better when lubed with gun grease rather than gun oil. Gun grease helped cut back on malfunctions greatly. I would still get a misfire occasionally when shooting Federal 556.

I worked for the Department of Correction in my state and when I first started our tower rifles were Mini-14s. They were replaced in the early 90s by Colt AR-15s. Reliability and accuracy were the main reasons.

I have a 1976 Liberty model Mini 14 that shoots PMC 55 grain fmj ammo very well. Golf balls at 100 yards is an easy target. You can't pick one bullet weight and expect it to work. I have a very accurate AR that I don't like near as much as my Mini 14.

I’ve never shot or owned a Mini 14, but always loved the way they look. My rifle choice would be an AR though, because of the M16 I used in the Army, back in the 80’s. What a fine machine that was. I’ve always lived in a city, rifle ranges are hard to come by, so small arms are my home defense go to. They hide, which is important when you consider unsavory neighbors watching what I carry from my house to my car.

I have wanted a mini 14 since i was a kid. But for some reason i never got one. I do find it aesthetically pleasing with the traditional wood and steel. A few years back i got to shoot one and it was a pleasure to shoot. I had started buying mags for it when Washington was talking about an assault rifle ban but it was not a ban and all semi autos were included in the lengthy background check bull shit. I decided to sell the mags i had and get AR mags as i already have multiples of those and rifles that take AR mags.

I have a mini 14 and it is a fun gun to shoot. On the other hand I have a few ARs and they are very reliable.

Maybe I’m just lucky. I’ve never (ABSOLUTELY NEVER!) had any malfunction as long as I use Ruger mags. And an accuracy of “minute of man” or “minute of deer” is more than accurate enough. For anything more I’d insist on stepping up to a 30-06 anyway.

The safety is right there by your trigger finger. You don't have to take your finger off the gun to turn the safety on or off. Hickok and I agree it's the safest safety because it also blocks the hammer from dropping not a cross trigger safety where the gun could go off with dropped. This trigger assembly is very safe wartime tested

After 25 years with AR's they bore me and 35 years the mini still doesn't. I think it's the pop culture around the AR that did that. It's a good platform that I got tired of. When everyone has one, they aren't as special anymore. I don't knock either rifle. People should own what they want.

Best mini14 vid on yt

Wow. My Mini has NEVER malfunctioned like that. The only issues I've ever had with it was an unreliable ProMag magazine, and a Wolf mag spring and a follower from Midway fixed that mag.

Too bad to hear you had reliability issues. I do understand you’re likely not to get the same accuracy as you can with a well tuned AR but my experience with reliability with Mini-14s has been nothing but spectacular. Never had a feed or ejection issue ever.

Great video, and I'm definitely one of those people who likes the Mini-14's aesthetics. There's a certain sameyness you get with modern AR and downstream technology, and the Ruger has a classic look which bucks that trend.

To be honest, it’s even simpler than aesthetics for me. I just like the way it sounds. When you’re firing the gun and when you’re manipulating the action, it has a satisfying mechanical charm to its sound that an AR doesn’t have. It’s consistent not just with the Mini-14, but most Garand action firearms. The M1 Garand, the M1 Carbine, the M14, etc.

From what I've found on the internet, reliability issues on those generally come from the mags for most people. I have one that runs like a clock with Ruger mags, but if you try and stick any aftermarket mag in it it just isn't having it.

The Ruger Mini-14 is a beautiful gun. In an age of tacti-cool I appreciate the throw back look and it helps that the gun has a non-threatening low profile.

I am saddened to hear of the reliability issues. I bought a 181 series back in 1981 and while I never got better than 6" groups at 100 yards (I was shooting 6" groups at 200 yards with my M16A1 then), I must say that out of several thousand rounds, I never had a single failure to feed, fire or eject.

My mini runs like a clock, I’ve never had the bolt locking issues that you had, that’s a weird occurrence for sure. The biggest advantage I think is that it vents the unused gas during the cycling process, making it a clean running platform. Other than boresnaking the barrel you have very little cleaning to do after shooting, I do a field strip and full cleaning maybe once a month, try that with an AR! At the end of the day it’s whatever firearm works for you, happy shooting y’all!

Would love to see part 3 - How to mitigate the accuracy and reliability issues with after market parts and are they worth it.

What always kills me is I think there is a real market for a gun that looks like this, uses AR mags, and functions better. Why doesn't it get made? Like you said there are some really advantages to the traditional style stock. There is I think one company that makes a traditional style stock lower but that still uses a different trigger and the stock is not wood.

I have to admit that I initially bought my AR just to stick up my middle finger at the gun grabbers. But after shooting it a few times I fell in love with it. It's just a really well designed weapon, and fun to shoot.

I never saw the placement of the safety as dangerous or problematic on the Mini. It is very similar to the Garand and M14, which millions of veterans used without problems with accidental discharges. Saying it is problematic is just a lack of familiarity and being used to the thumb lever on AR-style rifles. The mini-14 safety, just like the Garand and the M-14/M1A, is engaged by pkacing your finger OUTSIDE the trigger guard, and pushing it backward, toward the trigger. To disengage the safety and make the rifle ready to fire, you use your trigger finger to push the safety nub FORWARD, away from the trigger. So, the chances of an ND are pretty small, since the same finger that would fire the rifle cannot both move forward to disengage the safety, as well as move backward to trip the trigger - they are two separate motions by the same body part, in the same way that you cannot simultaneously pull something toward you and push it away with the same arm. Compare that to an AR-15, where conceivably, a shooter coukd have their trigger finger engaging the trigger while their thumb is manipulating the safety.

I bought a Mini 8 years ago for the nostalgia. The first rifle I ever owned - saved up my paychecks from the steak house - was a Mini. My dad and I used to go shooting with it. I sold it not long after going on active duty. Dad passed in 2015, and when I got the opportunity to get another Mini, I had to, just for the memories.

Mini 14 is very reliable, never had a single issue over 20+ years. My first AR had issues and I had to replace buffer spring.

Chris this is such an awesome series, thank you!

As a mini 14 owner who admittedly purchased due to the restrictive gun laws, I have to say I have come to admire the Ruger as it performs remarkably with very impressive handling and none of the issues that you are having with the model you're using. I'm wondering if your comment addressing an inconsistency of manufacture is indeed what you are dealing with. I suppose I'll have to consider myself lucky to own the particular rifle that I purchased at my local gun shop. I enjoyed the 2 part series and thank you for the effort.

For me, I love how different it is now days. If you bring an AR to the range nobody bats an eye. You bring a mini (especially with an archangel stock or something tactical) and people come to see / ask questions. Plus its tons of fun to shoot, something about the mechanical feeling from heavy bolt is awesome.

The position of the safety is actually in a very good place. You won't fumble around looking for the safety, a simple flick of your finger gets things right very fast, if needed.

Chris I bought my Mini-14 around 1989. I had seen them at a hardware store near our lake house when I was a teenager. It was the Raquel Welch of guns. I remember In my 40's being at the gun range shooting steel targets at 300 yards with stock sights. A Range Office who was ex-Marine came by and bad mouth it. When he heard it hitting the steel, he said , Maybe you got one of the good ones!". FU to him and I would never sell mine. Real gun guys don't disparage others gun choices.

One thing I have always liked about this channel is, unlike some others, I never feel like LuckyGunner is trying to sell me something. Channels like ClassicFirearms always feel like the sole purpose of the videos is "look how cool this is, you should buy one from us". I appreciate that these are just honest reviews of different firearms and products.

Minor mathematical correction. If we assume rifle inaccuracy is uncorrelated with shooter inaccuracy, then the total standard deviation in accuracy of the rifle with the shooter is the square root of the sum of the squares of their separate standard deviations of accuracy. Since expected group accuracy is proportional to standard deviation, a 6 MOA shooter shooting from a 6 MOA gun would be expected to have an accuracy of approximately 8.5 MOA (sqrt(6^2 + 6^2) = 8.485).

The earlier comment by Railfanning Points 2.0 is spot on. When Bill Ruger downscaled the M14 he simplified the gas system and thereby stuffed the accuracy. I had a mini-14 until the Govt in Australia confiscated it in 1996; I tried custom, heavier barrels for limited improvement; one day I tried it as a single shot by blocking the gas port (solid plug instead of tube connecting barrel and gas piston) and the groups shrunk from 2.5" @100yds to 0.75" @ 100 yds. That's when I realised that the Ruger system causes the barrel to start whipping while the bullet is still in it. The M14 system delays movement of the parts until bullet is well clear of barrel. Added advantages; softer and longer 'push' on gas piston, which is why M14 gets by with much lighter operating rod than the Mini-14. Sure the Mini-14 gas system may be 'self-cleaning', but I'd swap great accuracy for self-cleaning any day, especially if I was shooting less than 50 rounds per session. Any 'fixes' that do not re-engineer the gas system and operating rod are just fiddling around the edges. Whoever designed the M14 made a damn fine rifle, that was hindered by weight and ergonomics. The Mini-14 could have overcome the weight and most of the ergonomic issues.

I'v never had any reliability issues in the 32 years and three different Mini's I've owned. With Wolf 55gr 5.56 the newest one (a 2017 ranch rifle) will shoot around 2MOA very consistantly at both 100 and 200 yards. I have always used only Ruger mags. I would venture to guess that the issues here were mag related. Even Ruger can produce a faulty maga now and then.

14:45 Haha.. nice subtle reference back to the 80s A-Team; the Mini-14 was practically a mascot for that series! Excellent Part 2, Chris!

“Based on certain features like pistol grips adjustable stocks”..... And grenade launchers DONT FORGET the grenade launchers

Great break down on the Mini. While mine never had the amount of malfunctions you describe, it did have 5-6 MOA accuracy and that is why it's become a Safe Queen. Sentimental reasons (My First Personally Owned Rifle) keep it from being sold now since the 1980s. Loved these two videos!

I would respectfully point out the following: 1) I've owned a Mini 14 along with multiple AR15s for a very long time. I purchased the Mini-14 in 1990. I've used both Minis and ARs extensively. The Mini-14 is extremely reliable right out of the box. In my experience, if good magazines are used, the Mini-14 is every bit as reliable as an AR15. 2) The M1 Garand and M14 safeties work exactly the same way as that of the Mini-14. The Mini-14 safety does not simply block the trigger. It lifts and completely blocks the hammer. With the safety engaged, the trigger is rendered absolutely useless and cannot fire the gun. This is different from a cross-bolt safety, which simply blocks the trigger. The Garand style safety's design is so strong that it might be considered one of the safest "safeties" ever designed. It seems to have served us well in main battle rifles from WWII to Vietnam without being an issue. I understand that this young man doesn't like it, but that is a personally preference issue only. There is nothing wrong with the Mini-14's safety or its location. It is very safe. 3) The price comparison is not an accurate comparison. a. The Mini-14 is a gas piston gun, rather than the direct impingement of the average AR. The Mini doesn't crap where it eats. The AR does. b. The Mini-14 is offered in stainless steel. In the stainless Mini, all metal parts, including springs, are stainless steel. If you price a gas piston AR made entirely of stainless steel, you will be making a more accurate price comparison with the Mini-14. 4) In my experience, the average Mini-14 is less accurate than the average AR15. The issue is easily correctable. Still, I agree that the rifle should be more accurate out of the box. This has been a consistent problem from the beginning. By bedding the stock on my 1990 Mini-14 and adding an Accu-Strut, I got the average group down to 2 MOA using cheap range ammunition and reloads with mixed brass. With good factory self-defense or hunting ammunition, that drops to 1.5 MOA and 1 MOA depending upon ammunition used. That is well within fighting accuracy requirements out to 300 yards.

A very informative video. I happen to have a mini-14. I have probably shot only about 1,000 rounds through it, but I've never had a stoppage of any kind...knock on wood. As far as accuracy goes, mine probably averages about 3-inches at 100 yards. It's not as accurate as my AR, but it doesn't carry the same stigma either.

Some people say the mini 14 safety is potentially unsafe. Over 5.4 million m1s have that safety ad does the 6.5 million m1 carbines 2.4 million m14s Ruger has made well over 1 million min 14s and mini 30s springfield armory has made well over 1 million m1as and several hundred thousand other m1as.

Great review. And I like the end of comparing it to the M1 carbine. Which the M1 carbine is a great farm and rural defence gun for predators. But i wouldn’t mind a part 3 and discussing the mini thirty and how it was developed to take advantage of surplus ammo and shoot the 7.62x39. Along with a accuracy comparison and how it handles the cartridge with comparison to the original sks and AK platforms.

My mini has been flawless

Grew up in Northern California (unfortunately) so guns like this were the best we could do. I grew up shooting the mini 14 when I was real young and I do like the 80’s nostalgia of minis in the same configuration you have in the video. I’m into collecting guns so I had to get one like yours for the sake of my collection and I appreciate it for what it is. Remember that this was the rifle during the 80’s that gave the feds hell during the Miami Dade shooting. All that said, when it comes to the business, it just doesn’t hold a candle to the Daniel Defense and BCM M4 carbines.

I made some mods to my Mini-14, and it consistently shoots less than 3 MOA, and, with quality ammo, I get 1.5" groups at 100 yards. (Accuracy mods= trigger upgrade, harmonic Barrel stabilizer, recoil spring poly buffer shim, reduced gas port, glass bedded receiver). As far as cycling issues, I replaced the ejector, polished feed ramp, and keep it shouldered securely. I have AR's, but, in a SHTF, if I could only grab 1 rifle, I'm definitely taking the mini. It runs clean, field stripping and maintenance are simple, and it's a very solid rifle- zero plastic/ composites. It's plenty accurate. Jams/ cycling issues are quick and easy to fix with the open action...and it's just a superior all around rifle.. ( and you should really use a scope, not a red dot, to accurately gauge moa.)

When you shoulder the Mini, the sights are so close to the bore that your brain can easily integrate/calculate where the rifle is pointing so the shooting experience is more internally satisfying. The AR on the other hand has sights that are so high that the barrel isn't in your fov and there's a less connected feeling.

Very true. I've always wanted a mini-14, but never came to mind to go and buy one because I already had many AR-15s. But while visiting California I went to an auction and they had 8 minis for sale. I saw a nice stainless steel mini14 with a wood stock. I ended up winning it and transferred to a dealer in my state. I enjoyed the rest of my vacation knowing I had a nice rifle waiting for me back in my home state.

Question: Given that you should only place your finger into the trigger guard when you are ready to fire, how exactly does the safety "invite" you to stick your finger into the trigger guard before you are ready? That comment makes absolutely no logical sense.

Awesome videos, as usual! I've owned a Mini 14 as a "kid" in Nevada and never had any problem dispatching coyote, jackrabbits, or hundreds of cans with it and now as an "almost senior" I own a stainless Mini 30 for hog here in Florida. Always considered them more of a ranch rifle than assault rifle, but admittedly they are a scaled down and improved version of the M14. Granted there have been some evil people that put them to horrible use (ex. Norway 2011: 69 killed), but I think they appeal to a different user group than the black guns do. I don't need all the periferals attached to my Mini to gain the advantage on a hog, coyote, or jackrabbit at the ranges she's meant for. Now if there's foreign paratroopers landing in my neighborhood, might be time for a black gun...

Had mine since 2000 and never had any malfunction that wasn't related to bad aftermarket mags. Thermolds were decent but ever since I got Ruger factory mags...never had a malfunction

The Mini14 or mini30 are some of my favorite guns to shoot. I didn't experience any reliability problems with my guns when I had them. The Mini14 just cost to much for what it is.

I really liked the Video. I am a New Yorker who refused to purchase a NY legal bastardized AR rifle that would remind me of my forced obedience every time I picked it up, so I went with the Mini-14. I have grown fond of the rifle, although I have found that it does have an occasional stoppage, particularly when you add the plate for the scope. I think that the Garand action is really nice. I have bought every part and spring that I can from Accuracy Systems Inc., and it has really helped make it a nice trigger pull and more reliable rifle, and their Nickel plating is amazing. So if I could, I would buy an AR platform and then get a Mini-14 as a second rifle. Accuracy for many people is not a big deal for home defense and for Plinking, but the limitations are there. My only Bill Ruger complaint is that he also should have copied the M1 Carbine Magazines that slide in easily, rather than these expensive proprietary ones, see my M1 video showing how easy they work. The biggest risk to the Mini-14 is the Supreme Court rendering the AR Ban unlawful, then the Mini would be on Forgotten weapons, discontinued but loveable. My Mini-14 setup is here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cCTcXQh35SI.html

Quote……less reliable as………NOT TRUE

Thanks Chris for these videos, I'm always entertained and educated. The biggest draw of the Mini-14 for me would be nostalgia, 2nd would be the 'something different' but I don't own one because I like the M1 Carbine even better, though the new Ruger LC Carbine scratches that 'different' itch as well. Also, I dig the brown jean jacket you've been sporting for the 2 years or so.

The one thing I’ve experienced differently than you was in reliability. I’ve had my Mini for over 10 years and it’s been more reliable than my AR. Maybe this is a QC issue with newer production? That is one of the main reasons I still keep mine. I’ve been able to run whatever trash ammo I can find and it still ejects the spent cases 30 ft

If the Ruger Mini-14 was not a viable, reliable, accurate and affordable rifle, it would have fallen by the wayside a long time ago but, here we are, 2024. Happy 50th Anniversary to the Ruger Mini-14. By the way, I put absolutely no stock to the RU-vid naysayers ranting negatively about the Ruger Mini-14. Most of them are just looking for ratings for their failing channels or know absolutely nothing about semi automatic rifles. Peace y'all, I'm out.

I haven't seen a more bias review than this. As an owner of both an Ar-15 and Mini 14, I can honestly say both weapons have their strengths and weaknesses. But, it seems that you have gone out of your way to paint a picture on the Mini 14 that simply isn't truthful. Especially when it came to the accuracy. Now, granted, the earlier mini 14s were not as accurate as an AR, but today's match its 2 MOA. Your accuracy test was laughable. You used one type of ammo to do your test. Any real shooter would know what their weapon likes and doesn't like. (Mini 14's will take what ever you feed it. Unlike AR 's) It's quite apparent that the Mini you're using doesn't like what you're feeding it. But I also strongly suspect your purposely misleading your audience. With that said I challenge you. Your Stock AR vs my Stock Mini. I will understand if you refuse or don't respond. No one wants to be proven wrong. Especially on their own channel.

These Mini-14 vids are by far my favorite videos you guys have posted. It's so refreshing to see a gun video that does more than just list the specs from on a website. I'll keep my fingers crossed 🤞that you'll make more vids like this on other rifles. Thx...

These are ideal for what they were made for and marketed for imo...which is ranch rifles or home defense carbines. It's an M1 carbine but in 5.56 and for 200 metres and in it works great. Police, prison guards, even counter terror units and more use these guns in situations they know they're gonna fight guys with AKs and body armor...If it's good enough for GIGN it's good enough for purpose. I feel the polymer models are more accurate than 6-8 moa btw...The wood stocks are oddly enough worse performance for more money lol.

It sucks that your mini has performed so poorly for you... Mine had issues at first, but they were most likely caused by the aftermarket magazines I was using to go with the stainless look, and loading them with 2 fewer rounds has completely solved my issues so far. My mini-30 has also run flawlessly so far, even going through some sketchy ammo I found in plastic baggies at the local surplus store lol I haven't shot at anything over 50 yards yet so I can't comment on accuracy

Love your presentation, but your comments about mini 14 have been disproven by the gun community in general. While it is agreed that pre 2000 mini 14s werent that accurate, its pretty widely accepted that post 2000 minis are as accurate, if not more accurate than AR-15s. Also the feed problems you spoke of could be because you are using 3rd party mags.

Ummm…. I’ve shot my Mini for years without anything but a sploosh of CLP, grease and a bore snake swipe. Try that with an AR. No DI gun is better or more reliable overall than a piston gun. Try again. You know this based on the 10 meters the Mini Chuck’s the brass. Also the Mini is accurate enough. Pretty AK like accuracy or better. Not quite AR accuracy, but certainly combat accurate. Your reliability is not my experience. Mine never jams. I have a few Promags and Ruger Mags. Once again mine is a 583 Mini tactical. Your accuracy problems are your issue. Granted I have a scope on it. But mine is consistently 2-3 Moa. Please don’t say a gun isn’t accurate, it’s the shooter. If you have a pencil barrel Mini, YMMV. I’m not seeing the issues you did. Mines a sample of one, but if these guns sucked as bad as you claim, they wouldn’t fly off the shelves like they do. You say a lot of innuendo things, so I’ll do the same. The Mini has a war winning action and a phenomenal gas system that chuck’s the brass into the next zip code. I think I’ve had two malfunctions in thousands of rounds shot and I hadn’t shot the gun in a long time and it was dry in both cases. Most importantly, the gun doesn’t shit where it eats. There’s a reason the Army has replaced the M4 with a … wait for it.. piston gun. My Dad was a Vietnam Vet, he hated the M-16 for a bunch of reasons, mostly reliability issues. A piston is just better…. Sorry. Disagree with your shtick.

I have had 2 of them for decades, and never run into the jamming issues. At least that weren't related to bad aftermarket magazines. The accuracy issues, on the other hand, are pretty much what you guys were seeing.

I always liked the inside the trigger guard safety just because if you are shooting at a bad guy or dinner you can not forget to take the safety off.

I’ve found the mini 30 in 7.62x39 to be actually really reliable.

Why won't it just die? A fair question. I've shot several- .223 and the Roosie cartridge. No functional problems at all and I clanged the heck out of a metal pig at 300 yards. It got skipped over in the Clinton AWB probably because Bill Ruger refused to supply it with extended magazines. It's perfectly fine to like the Mini but it's coplicated on the order of a rubic cube to disasemble and re-mount for cleaning.-at least compared to its competitors/

It won't die because it works just fine for its original intended purpose. These days the tactical wannabe play dress up and range rat crowd doesn't think it looks cool enough and isn't in the COD games they have been umbilical cord attached to for twenty plus years in the basement muttering to themselves if only they too could be a real operator. 5:05 no offense, BWTF is that abomination?

I dont know about others, but function has never been an issue with my stainless mini 14. I've had it since the early 80s. Bought and used in sitka alaska,Washington state,ohio,New Mexico,Florida and now resides in Texas. Minimum of 20k of rounds through it. Surely the barrel is shot out by now but still functioning without issues. Mags is the biggest issue they have.

Some people might not like how the AR operates and prefer a more traditional cocking handle.

It won't die because it's a proper classic. It's good. It performs. And it looks good doing it.

Well done on both parts!! I’ve owned 2 mini 14’s, the first one was a stainless folder with all the bells and whistles ( flash hider, bayonet lug, folding stock) and I traded it for a couple vintage lever guns to a friend. The second one is a 184 series I bought brand new in 1986 and still own to this day. The only remarkable trait of this one was the factory folding stock, I paid $325.00 brand new. In 2009 I sold just the stock for $475 to some guy in NY. Anyway, I’ve fired thousands of .223 and 5.56 through mine mini and I can only recall it misfiring ( jamming) two or three times. For what I use the gun for it is plenty accurate and has become a part of me as your boyhood .22 does. After I sold the factory folder, I picked up a marked surplus police stock and then a Choate nylon folder. I own over 30 guns and my mini is still one of my favorites. Great unbiased video, I’ll be a new subscriber for sure!!

I have always been amazed how reliability can differ between Mini 14/30 rifles. Mine has been very reliable even with most off brand mags and the worst of the steel core ammo. When I bought my Mini 30 in the 90s, it did have several large burrs in the action that could have become problems. I also installed a plastic buffer and a Leupold scope which helps. My accuracy is a decent 2 inches at 100 yards with handloads for the first 2 or 3 shots but after that it opens up to 5 to 6 inches. I would pick an AR over a Mini 14/30 any day but the platform can work if you got one of the good once

I can honestly say that the Mini14 I owned in the 90's and the Mini30 I currently own....has never, ever not even once failed to "run" or cycle properly.

I owned a Mini bought in the late 70s and enjoyed shooting it very much, but it was left behind at a friends house in an early 90s move across country and sold before I could retrieve it. I was finally able to replace it last year and have again thoroughly enjoyed it. There is something so satisfying about the feel and handling that is akin to driving a Harley in comparison to a rice burning crouch rocket AR.

My mini 14 has not suffered accuracy or reliability problems. But, mine is in a Sage EBR chassis. It came from Ruger with this chassis/stock an an LE model. It is not light, but it is fun, reliable, and fairly accurate. it gets 1.5-2 moa on average with a few groups using match ammo that were better.

My original Mini 14, my 2nd one is currently on layaway waiting for me to pay it off, and I've had pretty good luck with it. It's a 581 series so it doesn't have the drilled and tapped upper for the picatinny rail mount. But I haven't had a stoppage similar to what this Mini is having, and its accuracy is around 2 to 3 moa. I do run it scoped so it's a bit better with the scope.

I’ve owned 2 over the last 30 years. I shoot surplus ammo and honestly I havnt had a single jam that was related to the rifle. The last problem I had was 20 ish years ago with the funky polymer cartridges. My experience is that it’s iron clad reliable and I trust my life with it.

I’m a new shooter and I’ve felt repelled from buying the AR-15 for reasons I hadn’t ever formulated from feelings into words. The description of not wanting to buy a lifestyle alongside a gun (or be perceived that way) was spot on! I’m impressed by your research.

Regarding accuracy: Did you try shooting groups with the factory irons and not an optic mounted on a who-knows-how-good-it-holds-zero aftermarket doodad? Before life took me off the range and put me in a wheelchair I could crack a stationary sporting clay at 100 yards with about every other shot using whatever was the cheapest ammo I could find (usually imported surplus from who knows where.)

A Mini also feels like an heirloom you can pass down to your grandkids. I have one, and so my grandkids will probably have one in 40 years.

I love the title of the video. I work in law enforcement and my department finally got rid of the Mini-14s a few months ago in favor of the AR. I was told the reason for picking the Mini was that it looked less aggressive and it was easier for non gun people to learn. That last part might have been true 30 years ago, but most of my coworkers are veterans or already own an AR. The only reason I was comfortable with the Mini was because I have an M1 Carbine and an M1A.

LOL complaining about an M1/M1A/Mini 14 safety . . . . . Cringe bro.

I think you got a lemon, which is too bad. I have a mini thirty and use it for deer hunting. It’s an awesome deer gun. Light and compact and more accurate than I am. Thanks for the video.

I picked up a mini around 2007 or so mainly because I didn’t really want to be that “AR guy” at the time although times have changed now and AR style platforms are much more mainstream now. At any rate, mine never jams and has always seemed accurate enough for me screwing around in the fields. Unless the world really went to hell in a bad way, a .223 would never be my self defense round of choice anyway. Great 2 part series. Thanks.

WOW! I guess I'll have to go back and read the comments from the first video cuz I've watched several videos on the Mini 14 from "other big names" and they pretty much said this gun RUNS! I guess it then begs the question... is a failure to fire every 70th round WAY HIGHER than an AR-15? Which is easier to get back in battery, the Mini or an AR? Was it the ammo? I know Minis have never been known for pinpoint accuracy BUT to go from 2 MOA to 6-7 MOA leads me to think: Is it the ammo? I know they say if a pistol consistently has a failure to fire, start with the magazine! Again, this video leaves alot of unanswered questions for me!

Ever since I've seen this video, I've gone out and bought a Mini 14 with the Samson stock, rail, and mini red dot. It's basically just like the one in the thumbnail. It's just so damn aesthetic that I had to make one!

The mini 14 is still flying under the radar!!

Is it just me or does the way this guy grips the stock with that thumb pointed down range wacky?

Interesting subject of the two videos. I've always liked the Mini-14, though I've never owned one, maybe it's just nostalgia. You'd think after all these years Ruger would have figured out how to make them somewhat accurate, like sub 2 MOA.

I installed a variable gas block on my Mini. Works great to make the brass fall right next to you. You can even turn it off completely and make the rifle a single shot. Sitting at a shooting table manually cycling the bolt keeps me from picking up brass when shooting just paper. All you do is turn a knob a few clicks to adjust it until you get what you want.

That’s so surprising to me that you had reliability issues. When I lived in upstate NY I had one that I put about 700 rounds through without a single stoppage and I was getting about 3 moa out of it. You might have gotten a lemon 🤷🏻‍♂️ I since got an AR cause obviously it’s far superior but my Mini was no slouch

6-7 MOA??? On a New one??? Mine is MUCH better ... I did put on a tec Sight and a Wolf recoil But I'm sure my 2015 does at LEAST 2.5... 6 MOA is the largest groups I've heard of by ANY Gun Channel ... I just watched a 70 Y/o man with 1 MOA groups with a 3x9 and 9/10 on a steel plate @ 98 yards... He also did a shoot out w/ his own Old School non free float AR Build ... Mini won GunBlue490 seems to be of high integrity so he ain't lying... I like his dog too!!~~ James from TFB did a Cheap AR vs Mini showdown with Great Results as well

My wife has a Mini 14 and we had a few problems, until we switched to magpul, and it runs smoothly no problems. I shoot a 308 so it was too much for her. I opted for the wood stock Mini because a little more weight from wood, and lighter round. I later bought an AR, but even though they don’t have much recoil, but her Mini 14 is like shooting a 22. Great rifle for plinking, and a blast to shoot.

I love it when a plan comes together

I really enjoyed this series. While I've never owned a Mini-14 they've figured prominently in my life. As a teen they were quite popular around me (cheaper than an AR at the time). In my early LEO days, we had two issued out in my old dept. One had some huge plastic "tacti-cool" stock that was all the rage back in the '80s. Another officer had the "Mini-30" when it came out. On what would turn out to be my last trip to the range with a very dear friend and former LEO partner before his untimely death, I got to shoot the AC556 full-auto Mini14 his department had issued him. We also shot his new J-frame (lightest .38 S&W ever made ... ouch). Anyway, I've shot several Minis, never liked them enough to own one. Hated the way they seemed to blow the gases back at me. But, I can't say I don't like them. Just not enough to lay out the cash for one when I have "better" already.

No ones modern mini 14 is doing 6 moa lmao My mini 14 has never jammed Ive fired 700 rounds and havent even cleaned it. Everyone else I know can attest to this as well with their mini14. Sorry but I cant take you seriously.

I really have to object when people complain about the Mini-14 safety. It is not unsafe or difficult to use. Nothing is safe when operated by a buffoon.

I own both an AR15 and a Mini14, both great rifles but I prefer the Mini 14. I like the classic looks, the wood furniture and it upsets the crazies less.I have had very few feeding issues with the Mini14 in the 40 years that I have owned it. I bought the Mini 14 from J.C Penney's in 1982 for approx. $180.00 .Just my opinion!!!

6 MOA and malfunctions every 75 rounds on average? Not saying I don't trust your methodology but sorry, I don't see how that's possible. First of all, if my Mini-14 were malfunctioning that often, it'd be sent to Ruger for evaluation. I've owned two in my life, one was the OG style (2nd rifle I ever owned), and the one I have now is the new generation, and neither has malfunctioned at that rate. In fact, I can't even recall the last time my Mini-14 *did* jam! I'm seriously not exaggerating. BUT, here's the possible rub: I also can't recall putting more than 200-300 rounds through either rifle without cleaning it. Second, regarding accuracy, they are definitely not as accurate as an AR-15, not even an inexpensive one. But I've also never experienced anything like 6 MOA either. Granted, I'm not out there measuring every group I shoot, nowhere even close, but when I have gotten down to measuring groups, 2.5 - 3 MOA seems to be the norm. 6? Man, that just don't seem right......... 🤔