Ruger Mini 14 Ranch Rifle Full Review

One of the largest, most prolific and innovative American gun manufacturers is the firm of Sturm, Ruger and Co., more commonly known as just Ruger. From humble beginnings offering a vaguely Luger-esque .22 pistol to their massive lineup today covering everything from single-action revolvers to break action shotguns and AR-pattern rifles, Ruger has never been content to rest on their laurels.

At the same time, they are keenly aware when they have a hit on their hands, and happily keep their classic products alive for discerning fans, often only changing and tweaking designs when needed. Ruger’s flagship semi-auto rifle, the Mini-14, is one such design, and definitely stands out among a sea of AK’s and AR’s.

The Mini-14 family are nice little rifles, and beloved by many shooters for their classically styled action, generally dependable operation and traditional styling. Right, wrong or indifferent, some people just are not happy without blued steel mated to a wood stock. If they want a general purpose, magazine-fed semi-auto the Mini-14 is one of only a few choices today.

Today’s Mini-14’s combine the features from several earlier variations, but are otherwise identical in all essential characteristics as the very first guns that were introduced in 1975. This article will offer a brief historical overview of the design and production of the Mini-14, and a practical assessment of what the rifle offers today’s shooters.

Ruger Mini 14

Conception and Design

The project rifle that coalesced as the Mini-14 was conceived and developed at Ruger’s Southport, CT headquarters by William “Bill” Ruger and legendary firearms designer L. James “Jim” Sullivan. From the initial prototypes in 1971, the rifle was intended to be essentially a 5.56mm scaled down version of the M14. Semi-automatic, and fed from a detachable magazine, it is sometimes believed to be nothing more than a miniaturized M14 chambered for the smaller 5.56mm, the truth is quite different.

While the influence is obvious in everything from styling to the manual of arms, there are many differences between the M14 and the Mini-14: simply scaling down the M14’s receiver was impossible when factoring in the 5.56mm cartridge dimensions, and many changes were made to receiver and bolt geometry before the final design was perfected. The gas system and operating rod are both significantly simplified in the Mini, the most obvious being the way the gas block clamps around the barrel by way of 4 bolts.

Considering the vast mechanical differences, you may think it fair to call the name Mini-14 misleading. Perhaps, but if one cares to examine the bolt, charging handle, safety, magazine release and hinged trigger guard the inspiration, and name, become obvious. Loading and firing the Mini-14 is instantly familiar to anyone who has ever used an M1 Garand or M14, and Bill Ruger lamented long and loud over his assertion that the Mini-14 would have been the Army’s service rifle has he completed it only 5 years earlier.

Introduction and Adoption

Bill Ruger’s idea was the M1 Garand action, as an archetype, was so regarded and loved by military brass and troops alike it would have been a shoe-in for the next generation of small-caliber infantry rifle, and Ruger believed his little rifle superior to all comers, and more than capable of serving as an infantry rifle. I’d contest his assertion, but we’ll address that a little later. The Mini-14 was only commercially introduced in 1975, with full production beginning the following year, far too late to gain any traction with the Vietnam War-era U.S. Military:

Over 10 years prior the AR-15’s star was ascendant, and the Black Rifle was summarily adopted as the M16 in 1964, securing for decades to come the attention (and budget) of the American military. The rest is history. Undaunted, Sturm, Ruger and Co. sold the gun to police agencies domestically and abroad with some success.

Offering several “militarized” variants, including the select fire AC556 and folding stock Mini-14/20 GBF the gun sold handily to various nations and agencies: The French National Police bought many for general issue. The governments of Peru and Ecuador bought sizeable supplies. Bermuda’s Royal Regiment used the folding stock variant as its standard service rifle all the way into the mid 2010’s. Although the Mini-14 has largely been phased out in law enforcement roles in favor of the superior AR-15, it still sees significant use in domestic and foreign corrections departments.

Commercially, the gun sold well, and later on in 1982 the “Ranch Rifle” variant was offered. Today we usually think of the Ranch Rifle as being, well, the Mini-14. That’s what Ruger calls it after all! But this was not the case in the 1980’s. The then-new Ranch Rifle featured integral scope bases that the standard Mini-14 lacked, and an altered, side ejection pattern to allow use of a scope over the ejection port. The standard, winged aperture sight unit was also omitted and replaced with a folding emergency sight, the scope being seen as the primary sighting system and the obsession with back-up iron sights being some way off in the future. The rifle was also chambered for the Russian 7.62x39mm cartridge, dubbed the Mini-30 and released to some enthusiasm.

Today’s Mini-14’s all feature the integral mounting points for either rings or a Picatinny rail, allowing use of whatever optic the user might desire and an improved rear aperture sight is standard on all models. Time has seen Bill Ruger’s traditionally conservative stance on “tactical” features slowly dissipate from his eponymous company, and for some time now the Mini has been offered in full tactical trim, resplendent with flash hiders, 30 round magazines, and more.

Controls, Operation and Accuracy

The Mini-14, as mentioned above, loads and operates virtually identically to its larger, battle rifle inspiration: A box magazine of 5, 10, 20 or 30 rounds is locked into the receiver by rocking it from front to rear at a shallow angle, and released via pressing a lever in front of the trigger guard and rocking the magazine forward. Mags do not drop free.

The prominent charging handle on the right side is pulled to the rear and released to load or extract a round in the chamber, and reciprocates with every shot. The safety is a thin blade inside the trigger guard; it is pressed forward, protruding outside the trigger guard, for fire, and pressed rearward, protruding inside the trigger guard for safe. Manipulation of the safety is usually accomplished by the trigger finger.

Accuracy on early guns was pretty poor, with the average Mini producing groups of around 5 inches at 100 yards. This was in part due to the lack of intrinsic accuracy of the rifle, a mediocre trigger and the front sight being overly thick and not suited to precision shooting. Production around 2005, after a major retooling of their assembly line, sees newer rifles with greatly improved tolerances and fitment, somewhat better barrels, much improved sights and decent triggers. The new generation of Mini-14 will easily produce groups of around 2 ½- 3 inches when stoked with good ammo.

Bedding the action to the stock, while laborious and sometimes costly, can improve mechanical accuracy, and a trigger job performed by a competent ‘smith can help the shooter extract it. Clamp on harmonic dampeners and barrel struts are also popular mods among dedicated Mini enthusiasts, with both typically offering consistent improvements in the accuracy department.

So how does the little Mini-14 hold up in today’s crowded rifle marketplace, one that is packed with cutting-edge designs and the nearly unbeatable AR-15? Does this 40 year old homage to a 60 year old battle rifle compete against contemporary rifles? Is the Mini a valid choice for self-defense, hunting and competition? Yes, within reason, and with some reservations.

Ruger Mini Accessories

Performance, Reliability and Accessories

The Mini-14 is generally tough, but does not offer the same, hard-running performance as the AR-15 and other contemporary designs. The Mini-14 is generally reliable, but will often falter when subjected to a heavy firing schedule. Resistance to dirt and grit isn’t nearly as good as an AR or AK owing to the largely open action and bearing surfaces of the bolt.

While plenty reliable for most field conditions when given a modicum of care, the Mini will generally not tolerate hard-use, neglect or abuse like an AR or AK will, and was not designed to. A semi-auto firearm is only as good as the design of its magazine, and here the Mini is definitely acceptable, with a caveat. The magazines are not particularly fragile, nor are they particularly durable. Like any metal magazine, the feed lips must be paid special care to prevent damage and they should be decommissioned at if they present any feed malfunctions.

The caveat is, for the Mini, only factory magazines should be used. The author has had consistent success with factory magazines, and consistently poor results with aftermarket magazines. Magazines are expensive compared to AR magazine and not as widely available. Of the factory offerings, 20 round magazines seem to be more reliable than 30 rounders.

If considering the Mini-14 for self-defense or patrol work, adding lights, lasers and other accessories to the Mini is a chore, as there are only one or two factory variants that feature rails around the circumference of the forend for the purpose, and they are limited in length, restricting placement. Aftermarket solutions are available, however.

Ruger Mini with rifle scope public domain

Author’s Opinion

The Mini-14 is at its best as a no-frills, less expensive rifle for general purpose, hence the Ranch Rifle moniker is fitting. If you are considering a rifle for self-defense, crisis readiness, or duty use, you should compare the Mini honestly to other rifles in its class. I would not turn one down or give it away if it is all I had, or I already owned one, but if I was seriously shopping for the best tool for the job the Mini would not be my first choice.

When ruthlessly setting it against competitors, it can perform most tasks well enough, but has no truly standout strength, unless you consider niftiness a viable metric for selection, and I don’t. I do not demean those who prefer it, and I am an admitted fan of Ruger .22’s and revolvers, but the Mini-14 brings little to the table when staring down its historic and contemporary nemesis, the AR-15. The Mini’s safety in particular is very lacking, a holdover from the M1 Garand and M14. Keeping a digit on the safety for instant deactivation necessitates by design keeping a finger inside the trigger guard. That may have been OK back in WWII, but our techniques have evolved considerably since then. A significant fault to me.

For heavy-duty use, the Mini stumbles. The wide-open action is vulnerable to infiltration of mud, dirt and grit, and it is simply not as reliable or durable as an AR. I did not say it was unreliable, but the benchmark today is set by the AR-15. I know many readers will tire of everything being compared to it, and admittedly what constitutes “reliable” varies from person to person but it is the standard all other rifles are judged against for good reason.

For some shooters, getting through a magazine or two of rapid fire is judged adequate, considering that the average gunfight is concluded in a couple of rounds. For others, nothing short of a 5,000 round gauntlet of smoking heat, mud, water and gravel will suffice. For myself, I demand any gun to be used in a defensive context be capable of 1,000 trouble-free rounds over a single, short range session, with at least 500 of them fired as quickly as I can reload.

My reasoning is such a test will betray any flaw in design, assembly or materials in relatively short order, and while not representative of the average defensive shooting in America, it is a proper stress test. A good rifle will breeze through that many rounds without a hiccup, and give me great confidence that in the event I am firing as fast as I can pull the trigger there will be no faltering.

Nevertheless, the Mini-14 is a nice, well-made little rifle, and does work well within its limitations. Though its somewhat obsolescent design means it is not as easy to modify or repair as others, it can work well as a do-all gun, so long as one does not ask too much of it. It is plenty accurate enough for defense, hunting most kinds of game, and can be easily fitted with an optic and sling, covering the bare necessities nicely.

In essence, if you do not require much in the way of customization from your rifle, and do not intend it to go through tough situations and come out singing, the Mini-14 can serve well as an all-purpose rifle. They are easy to handle and shoot, generally robust, and handy. Excepting the placement of the safety, the control layout facilitates easy operation.

Those who already have a Mini-14 would do well to keep it, even if it is only a backup rifle. If you are thinking of acquiring a semi-auto rifle for home defense or general preparedness and desire Ruger’s little rifle, be sure you are not simply charmed by the Mini’s classic form factor and operation; an AR will outstrip it in every category. Plenty of Mini fans won’t want to hear that, but it is the truth.

Conclusion

Ruger’s ode to the M14 is hailed as a handy classic today, and remains a viable rifle for a multitude of purposes. Legions of Mini-14’s serve on farms, ride in gun racks, and in patrol cars. While you definitely don’t see as many today bobbing around today in the sea of black rifles, the stalwart little Ruger can still take care of business at home and afield.

28 thoughts on “Ruger Mini 14 Ranch Rifle Full Review”

  1. Well, it was the 1st AFFORDABLE security rifle, about a 1/3 of the price of the Colt rifle back then. A whole slew of accessories were introduced for it, some good, some bad. The hi-cap Ruger magazines were very difficult to find (like you needed to find a secret source for them it seemed). One of mine is a very early 80’s issue rifle, pre Ranch rifle. Removed the heavy front sight and replaced with an Eagle HK type front sight assembly, which accomplished two steps. One – helped steady the muzzle light feeling of this rifle. Two – Much thinner sight post, protected with HK sight style ring, made hitting much easier. Never a tack driver, it does provide pie plate accuracy with any ammunition shot in it at 100 yards.

    For me – it works. A truck gun – ranch gun – home security rifle.

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  2. I love Rugers and have a few, as for the mini-14 I like the feel and the looks, it was a beautiful rifle but that’s where it ends. I had one and at 100 yards off of a bench and a rest, I would do good to get a three shot group on a sheet of newspaper, maybe a little exaggeration but not much. Just like the 1911 in a pistol, there is a reason all tactical rifles are measured against the AR15, because they are superior. Trekker Out

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  3. I’ve got a used one in layaway, about another month and it will be mine.
    Always loved the action, which it shares with numerous rifles (M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, M-14/M1A, 10/22 & Model 44) especially after having an M-14 wear a groove in my right shoulder while playing roving security 7 years in the Navy.
    Also… it’s not an “evil black gun”!

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  4. I bought a Mini-14 in the 1980s when buying an AR-15 was unaffordable. It was a “poor man’s AR,” or perhaps just Bill Ruger’s effort to build profits at the expense of purchasers who didn’t know better. I should have waited longer and bought an AR (which I ultimately did several times over).

    My Mini’s accuracy was no better than an import SKS’s accuracy. Ruger was satisfied to keep it that way for about 25 years before it lifted a finger to improve the gun in any serious way.

    Ruger was and still is “very proud” of its factory magazines. The aftermarket magazines are for range use only. They are certainly nothing you would want to bet your life on.

    The last time I checked, factory magazines were in the mid-to-high $30s. Good grief. Magpul magazines can usually be found for 1/3 that price if you look. Currently, a decent AR-15 can be bought locally for a couple of hundred dollars less than a Mini-14.

    I commend you for pointing out the many flaws and downsides of the Mini-14 that you have addressed in your review. Gun magazines, for example, seldom say that a product is badly flawed because doing sot drives away advertising.

    About the only thing that I can think that would justify buying a Mini-14 is that it is not subject to the same limitations/restrictions that ARs are in some anti-gun states. Even in California, for example, in my humble opinion, it is better to have a “compliant AR-15” than a Mini-14. Your mileage may vary.

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  5. Remember most mini-14s are 223 not 556. They are not the same and unless your mini 14 is built for the 556 round, it is un safe to use it in the gun

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    • Izzy, yep head spacing is a little different. Bought a box of Chinese “223” but it was actually “556”. Had a 4 foot flame ball come out at the end of the barrel and the action actually jammed all the way back. Had to hit it to chamber another round. At first I thought they loaded them too hot. But then…. My Buddy said I looked like I should have been on a copy of soldier of fortune with that 4 foot flame ball……LOL

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      • Sick and tired of this crap regarding Mini-14s and acceptable ammo. EVERY Mini-14 – with the exception of their Target model – is chambered for 5.56 NATO, regardless of what is stamped on the receiver. Anyone who says otherwise should read the owner’s manual before spouting this crap. It sort of exposes their incredible ignorance of a fine carbine. “Fire…Ready…Aim”…

        I have a Mini-14, built in 1977, that I’ve owned since 1980. Have untold thousands of rounds through it with zero mods. I have NEVER experienced even a hint of a failure or jam. And this of the notorious “can’t hit the broadside of a barn from the inside” versions. Easily downed 1/2 silhouettes at 300m on an Army range with irons on a very regular basis. For a survivalist, that kind of performance and reliability would seem to be somewhat important. But what spews typically here is how horrible a Mini is and how wonderful a jam-o-matic AR is.

        Sorry. This posting just set me off, and is the first I’ve done here or pretty much anywhere else other than firearms forums.

        There is an incredible amount of BS being purveyed here. That sort of makes this blog/forum suspect of being realistic.

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    • You are wrong in regards to what is safe to fire in the Mini 14. Even though most Mini 14’s are marked .223 on the reciever most are actually chambered for 5.56 (with the exception of the Target model it is .223 only!). You can verify this with the owners manual which says they can safely fire 5.56 or you can verify it with Ruger. The newest mini 14’s that I’ve seen are now marked 5.56.

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    • Actually, if you look at the back of the receiver, where it says 223, it actually says 223 Caliber not 223 Remington. The newest release of the Mini 14 now do say 5.56.
      The 5.56 IS a 223 caliber round so every (with 1 exception) Mini 14 ever built can safely chamber and fire 5.56 ammunition. The 1 exception is the Mini 14 Target Rifle. It is chambered specifically in 223 Remington and the receiver is stamped as such. It’s intended to be a competition rifle only.
      You can safely use 5.56 or 223 ammo in your Mini 14 unless it’s a Target Mini 14.

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  6. First let me say I’m no expert or anything of the sort. But myself and friends have owned more then a few mini 14’s for many years.

    This was an interesting read but I must disagree with you just a bit. The Mini 14 is extreamly dependable and very rugged in most all types of conditions that I’ve ever seen and honestly read about. Many, Mini 14 owners have referred to it as the “american AK” because of its rugged dependability. But you’ve made the gun sound a bit fragile in certain environments and that has just never been my experience. Now I will agree completely with the magazine issue with any Ranch model old or new Ive encountered. However a pre-ranch model a friend of mine has will feed just fine from any magazine we’ve ever tried in it.

    As for the comments as to being .223 only. The only mini 14 that I’ve seen that was truly chambered in .223 was the target model. All the Ranch and early models were marked .223 on the receiver as well but if you read the owners manual it said it was safe to fire 5.56 in it or if you contacted Ruger they said the same thing.

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  7. The mini-14 is reliable and works fine in all types of weather, change rear sight to a TEC sight and you are good to go. Most people who buy the AR, are buying to look cool or reinforce their ” I was a Green Beret before I became a SEAL ” fantasies.

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    • Really? I’d be very interested in how you arrived at the “I was a Green Beret….” motivation as the reason “Most people who buy the AR….”. I have no idea how many people own one…..but it has to be in the tens of thousands….So you know thousands of AR owners, do you? Might want to think about that statement a bit.

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  8. I recently bought a used Mini 14 ranch made in 2016. Shoots great. With iron sights I can keep my shots within a 2″ circle at 50 yards. The rear sight could be improved by making the sight easier to adjust. The reasons for buying this rifle are:
    1. Viet-Nam vet (Infantry) and I hated the jamming M-16.
    2. I work as a Range Safety Officer and I see the new M15 types jamming frequently.
    3. I trained on a M-14 and the Mini 14 is like an old friend.
    4. Purchase price was one half the price of a new rifle.

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  9. I purchased a new Mini -14 a yr ago ( tactical model ?? , stainless barrel / receiver, black stock ) based on what I’ve seen though the yrs, a friend had one in the late 70’s , early 80’s and he was precision nut. hand loads, free floated barrel, trigger job, you name it. He did it to the gun. but he got rid of it because, no matter what he did to it, he would always get flyers when shooting. That being said , there were two ranchers west river SD many yrs ago, that had mini 14’s and just beat the crap out of them and they just kept on working. One story that was related to me ( and I don’t know if they were pulling my leg or not )was, 60 mph, cross country in a jeep commander, one or two mini 14 with 20 and 30 rd mags to chace varmints away from their hay stacks ( antelope ). Is it true, good question. As far as my mini concerned, I’m still playing with it.

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  10. In addition to the Mini 14 mentioned above, I also have a AR upper that I converted to a piston, am still playing with that one too

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  11. I have a couple of comments regarding the Mini 14 and its utility, particularly the perceived faults. First, as to being an open-topped design, virtually all bolt-action rifles are open-topped and that is never regarded as a failing. It was not a failing with the Garand in WWII or Korea – there are not stories of dead Marines with their broken-down, hopelessly-jammed Garand being cleaned like there are with the M16 in Vietnam. It was not a failing with the M1 Carbine. It is not a failing at all. Second, the safety location is just fine. That it is different from an AR is no weakness, only that AR manuals of arms do not apply to the Mini-14. It was a design used in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam and there are not legions of stories detailing the horrors of conscripted-soldiers mowing down their brethren. Third, the magazines do drop free. They drop free just fine. AR-trained folks evaluate the Mini-14 based entirely on AR philosophies but that is a weakness. Holding a Mini-14 (or M-14) with my left hand, a magazine with my right, I can slide my hand from the trigger guard and activate the mag release with any part of my fore-finger in a quick, fluid motion. What happens? The magazine drops free and I insert a replacement magazine. It’s fast – just not fast for someone trained on the AR. And this leads to the final reason, not touched on, to prefer the Mini-14 – consistent manual of arms. The Mini is a highly-reliable arm that has the same manual of arms as the M-14 (or M1a). If you are trained on the M-14, if that is your preferred platform in 7.62×51, then the Mini-14 is the logical carbine to have. Particularly with someone else in the family who is smaller-stature. There would not be multiple manuals to learn, just one. And keeping things simple is the ultimate name-of-the-game.
    Compact, reliable, accurate, familiar…a huge reason to have a Mini-14.

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  12. I have a love hate relationship with Mini-14s… My first experiences involved pre ranch rifles and compared to my issued Turbohydromatic Division made M-16A1s, I could not get a group less than 5” using issue 5.56 or UMC .223 at even 50 yards, but I did buy my first Ranch Rifle around 2005 ish, with new sights and thicker barrel, now I can reliably engage military style targets out to 300 yards, but their are always “flyers” when shooting paper. Compared to my early M16A1 and later Colt A2s, the Mini 14 design is far superior than any direct empingment rifle, my only real complaint is the Mini 14 gas piston on slide design, maybe if they changed it to more of the M1 Carbine style gas piston system, that would correct a lot of the remaining issues, and the ejector system. It seems fragile to me but has never failed. Now I own both Mini-14s and Mini-30 all new style, and I would not hesitate to carry in a survival/combat situation with factory mags, I only use the Ruger 20 rounders, pro mag and thermold are for range only. I also own or have owned several ARs, AKs and a few SKSs but I always seem to come back to the Mini when needed.

    I guess it all boils down to the individual, before you decide get, shoot, carry and maintain both before you decide or be like me and just buy it. You can never have to many weapons, and if shit hits the fan here, gun and ammo maybe the only currency to have.

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  13. my new 584 series mini 14 has been flawless and plenty accurate 1-2 ” at 100 yards.
    I cannot buy an AR15 because I live in a ban state. I think a lot of mini sales lately can be due to state laws.
    I like my new rifle regardless.

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  14. I’ve been looking locally for another mini-14 tactical like I have now, so far no luck. the only ones that I’ve run across is the ranch model and they are few and far between.

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  15. Been looking for another Mini 14 like my first one, stainless barrel, bird cage at the end, but so far no luck.

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  16. I was very fortunate to locate and buy a new Mini Ranch 14 in the 556 Nato caliber. I love the gun and as far as accuracy at my shooting distance, it performs great. I do have a question, I hope someone can answer. I have only shot about 50 rounds so far and I police my shooting area and pick up all the brass. I had thought about reloading the casings until I took a look at them. Every casing has a dent in the side of the shell casing. These are factory Winchester rounds. Has anyone else noted this. Do I have a problem I should address with Ruger. The gun, as I have said has only had 50 rounds shot through it.
    Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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  17. Still haven’t found a Mini 14 tactical that I have been looking for locally ( darn ), but did run across a AR 15 type in 300 blackout for the same amount of money recently ( damn, now that is tempting, but a another caliber to try to find locally ). Darn, decisions, decisions, what to do ?Hmm, poop in one hand and spit in the other, what to do ?

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  18. Hi Guys:

    I own an AR-15 (Wyndam Arms) basic infantry-style rifle . . . not the M4 style with the adjustable stock, and I’m very impressed with it.

    I want to add a Ruger Mini-14 to my gun safe, and the back-and-forth between the respondants was most informative, as was the original blog entry.

    I have the belief (and it is my belief, not something that I present as a proven fact) that flexibility and versatility will be important, as I want some commonality in case I scrounge magazines, ammo, cleaning supplies, and gun parts (from damaged, looted, abandoned, or discarded guns), which will-hopefully-leave at least one or two guns up and running.

    So, I think the Mini-14 would be a very valuable asset for me after SHTF.

    Thank you again–everyone–for this very important info.

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    • Every law enforcement agency, military branch, and most civilians in the US use AR15 platform rifles. AR’s are generally more accurate, more reliable, more prolific, and easier to maintain than any other rifle, especially in America. The only other rifle I’d consider good enough for a SHTF scenario would be a good quality AK.

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