I would go with an SKS, the 7.62x39 is a more effective around than the tiny 223, and cheaper The SKS is relatively cheap compared to a host of other semis and is piston driven.
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I have never understood the lack of love for the mini 14 here. A friend of mine had purchased one in the early 1980's and never had a problem. Shoots better than I can as well. Now that AR 15's are not available I'M looking at one for my son. Recently I looked at the Keltec KSG. I thought I would buy one b/4 the queen outlawed them. Very high on the cool factor, but way too many buttons and such to pay attention to in a SHTF HD situation. Decided to keep my Winchester 1300 pump as HD firepower in addition to the GP100.
So +1 on the pump shotgun rec.
this is all a product of the election and within expected. if you can wait a month or two i'm willing to bet supply will come back up. honestly i would not pay much over $800 for a CX4 storm. they are nice guns but they're direct blowback design, nothing fancy that warrants big costs.
they are durable guns. if you find a used one in good condition it's worth considering.
Perhaps the first time in recorded history the French MAS has been recommended as a better option for anything.
I like the Mini 14 concept, but Ruger could make it more popular by not using proprietary magazines, and beefing up the barrel thickness. Im not a fan of pencil barrels that heat up and change POI during sustained fire.
Yeah it wasn't that the sights were poor quality or anything, they were well made, but it was about how they were positioned on the stock, made me have to shove my head down uncomfortably low and close to see through them. Same problem with the Sub2k (although that rifle had really cheesy sights).
For the new price tag of 800$ plus I see why there are not more Mini14s out there.... I think the A team generation isctbe only reason ruger kept them in production or they have some decent foreign contracts.?That and stock adjustable M1 carbine style sights, integral picatinny rail rail from the get go, the M1 carbine side swivel swing mount and stock the French have with their AMD variant of their police Mini14s, and more front sight post options, would get more people interested in them now that the pencil barrel issues have been rectified.
I don't understand why most of the aftermarket goodies for the mini14 WON'T work for the newer 580+ series rifles. With CA, and such, you'd think someone would make more aftermarket parts available.
It irks me that Magpul doesn't make 10 rounders for those of us stuck in ban states either. All the non Ruger factory magazines suck!
I dont shoot garbage ammo but my CX4 was eating Blazer 115gr no problem today.are they finicky ammo eaters? I am cheap and run a lot of brown bear, tula etc on an average range day