So I just crossed 1200 rds through my Ruger Mini-14 so I decided to provide my personal experiences on this rifle.
Disclaimer
This is not a definitely or exhaustive review on the Mini-14, but rather my thoughts and impressions on this proven rifle. The Mini-14 has been in existence far longer than I have even been alive, so understand that I am claiming no particularly throne here. I am providing this overview because I feel the Mini-14 is often overlooked in favor of more popular or trendy semi-auto rifles. Models such as DI or piston ARs, tavors or other .223 semi autos are proven platforms and I have no intention to insult or debate them here. So please do not create a Mini-14 vs. another rifle debate....the world has enough of those.
Why did I purchase the Mini-14?
I was looking for a semi automatic rifle chambered in both .223 remington and 5.56 NATO. For accuracy I was looking for at least a 3MOA gun (nothing higher). My cost criteria was to stay near $1k including optics and all accessories. While an AR15 was an "obvious" choice, for reasons of personal history I no longer purchase direct impingement (DI) guns. This is not an attack on DI design, but it just isn't for me. Given my cost requirements, this essentially eliminated the piston AR options. Also, I generally prefer standard rifle stocks over pistol grip designs. With regards to my family, I wanted a rifle that my woman could shoot comfortably. Lastly, I have always been a fan of the venerable M14 rifle and so the Mini-14's general similarities appealed to me (note there are substantial differences between M14/M1A and Mini-14 but the actions look similar).
General
My Mini-14 is the tactical model with traditional stock and flash hider. It is a well finished gun overall. The blue-ing has worn off over time especially in areas of high contact, but this is primarily only cosmetic issue and it can be useful to note areas of potential wear-and-tear. The rifle has a solid feel to it. The action moves very nicely. Controls are easily manipulated. Safety location is fantastic right alongside the trigger guard. Bolt is easily locked back. The open-bolt design makes the action easily observable and reachable, which I greatly appreciate. Any misfeeds or issues with the action are quickly diagnosed. For example, my woman had a stovepipe with the rifle and she was able to quickly ascertain the malfunction and clear it. She came to really enjoy shooting this gun, to the point that she actually asks me to bring it when we go to the range. The magazines are similar to the AK "rocking" system and are discussed more below.
Overall function and experience
Currently I have just over 1200 rds through my mini-14. During the first 200 rds it struggled to eject steel cased ammo as every 20 there would be a stovepipe. Quick retraction of the slide would eject the stovepipe. This has since resolved as the gun broken in and it now feeds all ammo types very well. Everything from cheap Tula/WPA steel case to match grade Hornady. Recoil on this rifle is very low. It shoots softer than any bolt action .223 or tavor. In my experience it seems a bit softer than most DI-AR15 guns - probably because the mini-14 is a bit heavier.
Accuracy
I have shot exclusively 55gr FMJ bullets. Nothing wrong with heavier or lighter loads but I find changing bullet types can complicate my accuracy assessments. I found overall that the gun was accurate to 2-3 MOA, meaning at 100 yards I could benchrest the gun and achieve a 2-3 inch group of 5 shots. Note that I was using iron sights and a red dot. It is possible that a higher power optic could improve the observed accuracy. Given the history of Mini-14 poor accuracy with the old thin barrels, I did some basic tests where I would fire 40 rounds very quickly to generate a good deal of heat in the barrel and gas system, then shoot for accuracy. I noted no loss in accuracy during these tests, but I am told that older model Mini-14's would open up tremendously to well over 5 MOA when heat-stringing became operative.
While there's nothing wrong with benchresting, I prefer to shoot in a more realistic situation. The Mini-14 was very easy for me to put into action quickly. I could walk, go prone, shoot and go prone again easily with this gun. Shooting while standing/strafing was also quite easy for me considering it's no short bullpup.
Rails/mounts/optics
This is an annoying aspect of this rifle. In stock form it has no pic rails for scope or accessory attachment. I plan to mount a small pic rail on the forend but must be cautious that it does interfere with the gas system. If you are the kind of person who festoons their rifle with lasers, multiple scopes, flashlights and other lingerie then the Mini-14 probably isn't for you. However, there are aftermarket stocks (Tapco, Troy) which look super tactical. Just not my thing.
Optics/sights
The iron sights on the rifle worked very well for me. The rear sight is mounted well behind the action of the gun and therefore provides a rather long sight radius for an overall short gun. I find them overall excellent.
The rifle comes with a set of high quality ruger dovetailed rings which fit perfectly on the receiver. They are quite heavy though. I did not use the rings because I planned on a RDS. I ended up going with a GG&G scope adapter which has worked very well. GG&G also makes a picatinny rail option which looks nice as well. My Burris Fastfire III mounted very well to the GG&G adapter. Once zero'ed this setup maintained it's zero for over 700 rounds without needing any correction. Unfortunately it obscures the rear iron sight so BUIS aren't an option w this format.
Magazines
Factory mags worked great for me. One annoying aspect is that since we live in MA, pre-ban magazines are quite expensive for this rifle. In contrast to a rifle that uses AR15 mags, the mini-14 is definitely at a disadvantage here. I can't really fault the rifle for that but it's reality of living in MA. Of note, the magazines fit into the rifle in a rocking manner similar to an AK. They are quite easy to change, but not as easy an an AR where it's literally idiot-proof. The magazine situation is something to consider before purchasing a Mini-14.
Maintenance/cleaning
This rifle is very robust and performed excellent for me despite getting dirty and minimally maintained. I purposely neglected it during my tests of the rifle and did only minimal maintenance. While the action stayed very clean throughout shooting, the gas block system in the front of the gun collected a good deal of fouling. However, it was easy to clean and never presented an issue for actual operation of the gun. In summary, I would indeed trust this rifle in a SHTF situation. If the rifle is kept clean and gently lubed, I am confident it would continue to function without maintenance for quite some time (i'm guessing here but at least 1000 rds, probably over 2000 rds, who really knows).
Final
This is a fantastic semi automatic rifle. I am pleased with my purchase and would gladly do it again. The rifle can serve as everything from range toy/plinker, trainer for new shooters, SHTF rifle and possibly home defense. If I could change the Mini-14 to improve it, I would allow it to use standard AR magazines and give it a more traditional picatinny option for mounting optics. These changes will (probably) never happen but it just highlights how much I do indeed love this gun.
Pros:
-excellent value (well under $1k)
-extremely durable in my experience - a bombproof rifle
-action stays quite clean throughout use (minimal fouling of action due to the gas-transfer bar system)
-high quality magazines from ruger
-excellent ergonomics -> great trainer rifle -> quickly became a family favorite
-solid accuracy, nothing stupendous but more than sufficient for my 100 yard applications
-cycles every type of .223 and 5.56 ammo very well (note I did not shoot anything other than 55gr in my tests and I did not test any corrosive surplus ammo)
Cons:
-magazine insertion can be tedious especially for unfamiliar users
-uses proprietary mini-14 magazines, pre-bans are pricy in MA
-optic mount is a bit cumbersome - good solution I have found are the GG&G adapters (either picatinny or mini-RDS)
OK hopefully this was helpful for at least one person. If you're looking for a semi auto .223 rifle, please give the Mini-14 a gander.
Humbly,
Squib308
Disclaimer
This is not a definitely or exhaustive review on the Mini-14, but rather my thoughts and impressions on this proven rifle. The Mini-14 has been in existence far longer than I have even been alive, so understand that I am claiming no particularly throne here. I am providing this overview because I feel the Mini-14 is often overlooked in favor of more popular or trendy semi-auto rifles. Models such as DI or piston ARs, tavors or other .223 semi autos are proven platforms and I have no intention to insult or debate them here. So please do not create a Mini-14 vs. another rifle debate....the world has enough of those.
Why did I purchase the Mini-14?
I was looking for a semi automatic rifle chambered in both .223 remington and 5.56 NATO. For accuracy I was looking for at least a 3MOA gun (nothing higher). My cost criteria was to stay near $1k including optics and all accessories. While an AR15 was an "obvious" choice, for reasons of personal history I no longer purchase direct impingement (DI) guns. This is not an attack on DI design, but it just isn't for me. Given my cost requirements, this essentially eliminated the piston AR options. Also, I generally prefer standard rifle stocks over pistol grip designs. With regards to my family, I wanted a rifle that my woman could shoot comfortably. Lastly, I have always been a fan of the venerable M14 rifle and so the Mini-14's general similarities appealed to me (note there are substantial differences between M14/M1A and Mini-14 but the actions look similar).
General
My Mini-14 is the tactical model with traditional stock and flash hider. It is a well finished gun overall. The blue-ing has worn off over time especially in areas of high contact, but this is primarily only cosmetic issue and it can be useful to note areas of potential wear-and-tear. The rifle has a solid feel to it. The action moves very nicely. Controls are easily manipulated. Safety location is fantastic right alongside the trigger guard. Bolt is easily locked back. The open-bolt design makes the action easily observable and reachable, which I greatly appreciate. Any misfeeds or issues with the action are quickly diagnosed. For example, my woman had a stovepipe with the rifle and she was able to quickly ascertain the malfunction and clear it. She came to really enjoy shooting this gun, to the point that she actually asks me to bring it when we go to the range. The magazines are similar to the AK "rocking" system and are discussed more below.
Overall function and experience
Currently I have just over 1200 rds through my mini-14. During the first 200 rds it struggled to eject steel cased ammo as every 20 there would be a stovepipe. Quick retraction of the slide would eject the stovepipe. This has since resolved as the gun broken in and it now feeds all ammo types very well. Everything from cheap Tula/WPA steel case to match grade Hornady. Recoil on this rifle is very low. It shoots softer than any bolt action .223 or tavor. In my experience it seems a bit softer than most DI-AR15 guns - probably because the mini-14 is a bit heavier.
Accuracy
I have shot exclusively 55gr FMJ bullets. Nothing wrong with heavier or lighter loads but I find changing bullet types can complicate my accuracy assessments. I found overall that the gun was accurate to 2-3 MOA, meaning at 100 yards I could benchrest the gun and achieve a 2-3 inch group of 5 shots. Note that I was using iron sights and a red dot. It is possible that a higher power optic could improve the observed accuracy. Given the history of Mini-14 poor accuracy with the old thin barrels, I did some basic tests where I would fire 40 rounds very quickly to generate a good deal of heat in the barrel and gas system, then shoot for accuracy. I noted no loss in accuracy during these tests, but I am told that older model Mini-14's would open up tremendously to well over 5 MOA when heat-stringing became operative.
While there's nothing wrong with benchresting, I prefer to shoot in a more realistic situation. The Mini-14 was very easy for me to put into action quickly. I could walk, go prone, shoot and go prone again easily with this gun. Shooting while standing/strafing was also quite easy for me considering it's no short bullpup.
Rails/mounts/optics
This is an annoying aspect of this rifle. In stock form it has no pic rails for scope or accessory attachment. I plan to mount a small pic rail on the forend but must be cautious that it does interfere with the gas system. If you are the kind of person who festoons their rifle with lasers, multiple scopes, flashlights and other lingerie then the Mini-14 probably isn't for you. However, there are aftermarket stocks (Tapco, Troy) which look super tactical. Just not my thing.
Optics/sights
The iron sights on the rifle worked very well for me. The rear sight is mounted well behind the action of the gun and therefore provides a rather long sight radius for an overall short gun. I find them overall excellent.
The rifle comes with a set of high quality ruger dovetailed rings which fit perfectly on the receiver. They are quite heavy though. I did not use the rings because I planned on a RDS. I ended up going with a GG&G scope adapter which has worked very well. GG&G also makes a picatinny rail option which looks nice as well. My Burris Fastfire III mounted very well to the GG&G adapter. Once zero'ed this setup maintained it's zero for over 700 rounds without needing any correction. Unfortunately it obscures the rear iron sight so BUIS aren't an option w this format.
Magazines
Factory mags worked great for me. One annoying aspect is that since we live in MA, pre-ban magazines are quite expensive for this rifle. In contrast to a rifle that uses AR15 mags, the mini-14 is definitely at a disadvantage here. I can't really fault the rifle for that but it's reality of living in MA. Of note, the magazines fit into the rifle in a rocking manner similar to an AK. They are quite easy to change, but not as easy an an AR where it's literally idiot-proof. The magazine situation is something to consider before purchasing a Mini-14.
Maintenance/cleaning
This rifle is very robust and performed excellent for me despite getting dirty and minimally maintained. I purposely neglected it during my tests of the rifle and did only minimal maintenance. While the action stayed very clean throughout shooting, the gas block system in the front of the gun collected a good deal of fouling. However, it was easy to clean and never presented an issue for actual operation of the gun. In summary, I would indeed trust this rifle in a SHTF situation. If the rifle is kept clean and gently lubed, I am confident it would continue to function without maintenance for quite some time (i'm guessing here but at least 1000 rds, probably over 2000 rds, who really knows).
Final
This is a fantastic semi automatic rifle. I am pleased with my purchase and would gladly do it again. The rifle can serve as everything from range toy/plinker, trainer for new shooters, SHTF rifle and possibly home defense. If I could change the Mini-14 to improve it, I would allow it to use standard AR magazines and give it a more traditional picatinny option for mounting optics. These changes will (probably) never happen but it just highlights how much I do indeed love this gun.
Pros:
-excellent value (well under $1k)
-extremely durable in my experience - a bombproof rifle
-action stays quite clean throughout use (minimal fouling of action due to the gas-transfer bar system)
-high quality magazines from ruger
-excellent ergonomics -> great trainer rifle -> quickly became a family favorite
-solid accuracy, nothing stupendous but more than sufficient for my 100 yard applications
-cycles every type of .223 and 5.56 ammo very well (note I did not shoot anything other than 55gr in my tests and I did not test any corrosive surplus ammo)
Cons:
-magazine insertion can be tedious especially for unfamiliar users
-uses proprietary mini-14 magazines, pre-bans are pricy in MA
-optic mount is a bit cumbersome - good solution I have found are the GG&G adapters (either picatinny or mini-RDS)
OK hopefully this was helpful for at least one person. If you're looking for a semi auto .223 rifle, please give the Mini-14 a gander.
Humbly,
Squib308