Posted on 07/21/2004 10:33:12 AM PDT by neverdem
I have a post ban mini... it's ok. They're not very accurate, unless you do some mods, which I have done. I got my groups down from about 3 to 4 inches at 100 yards, down to 1 to 2 inches. Not too bad, but not as good as my AR15s, stock out of the box.
Why are you looking for a pre ban mini? Is it the novelty of it?
Though it's possible that the AUG could be manufactured in the US under license, the biggest problem is that the AUG's forged aluminum receiver requires sophisticated and wholly-proprietary manufacturing equipment. I recall that it takes something around 200+ individual automated processes to manufacture the receiver alone.
ADI has sold a limited number of AUG receivers in the US since the ban, but they're only authorized by the BATFE for importation as a replacement receiver. The 1989 Bush ban still prohibits these receivers to be constructed as new rifles. Owners of first generation AUGs with the integrated optical sight (made of Swarovski crystal, no less) who wanted the new removeable 'A2' sight rail had to send their original receivers back to Steyr of Austria to be destroyed and replaced with new receivers stamped with the original US serial numbers. The process took over a year and cost well over $1000. I recall something like 50 people total doing this in a one-time 'group buy' offer. Maybe a little more.
Not only that, but AUG parts are as rare as platinum and through the roof on pricing even when you can find them: $250 bolt heads, $500+ for a respring kit (just a little plastic baggie of springs), $700 for the bolt carrier, $350+ for a plastic stock, $800+ for a barrel, etc. etc. etc. There's only one authorized US dealer for Steyr, and they only sell to one or two selected retailers. PJ Investments is the only go-to guy that I know of for AUG parts.
AUGs are priced like Bentley luxury sedans, and are just as rare. They're more of a novelty than anything else.
Another thing about the mini 14 is that mags are not very good. At least when I last tried finding a decent 30 round mag, anyway.
What I eventually did was take some 30 round US Magazine mags, and rebuilt them using green followers and springs made for AR15 GI mags. I had to do some grinding on the followers to get them to fit the mini 14 mags, and I lose the bolt hold-open when empty, but a mag that feeds 30 rounds cleanly, vs one that is subject to jam at any time, seemed worth the trade.
I've only fired about 600 rounds through these mags, but I have yet to have a jam.
Gun grabbers are increasingly trying to separate the right to keep and bear arms from its constitutional underpinnings. To everyone but liberals and gun grabbers the word militia implies a body organized for military use. The Supreme Court Miller decision of 1939 held that the militia was 'A body of citizens enrolled for military discipline.' And further that ordinarily when called for service these men were expected to appear bearing arms supplied by themselves and of the kind in common use at the time."
To begin with, only the national government was represented at the trial. With nobody arguing to the contrary, the court followed standard court procedure and assumed that the law was constitutional until proven otherwise. If both sides were present, the outcome may have been much different.
However, since only one party showed up, the case will stand in the court records as is. As to the militia, Mr. Justice McReynolds related the beliefs of the Founding Fathers when commenting historically about the Second Amendment. He stated that, ". . .The common view was that adequate defense of country and laws could be secured through the militia- civilians primarily, soldiers on occasion.
"The significance attributed to the term Militia appears from the debates in the Convention, the history and legislation of Colonies and States, and the writings of approved commentators. These show plainly enough that the Militia comprised all males physically capable of acting in concert for the common defense.
It is clear that the firearms that are most suited for modern-day militia use are those semi automatic military pattern weapons that the yellow press calls "assault weapons". Since nations such as the Swiss trust their citizenry with true selective fire assault rifles, it seems to me that this country ought to be at least able to trust its law-abiding citizenry with the semi automatic version.
Self-defense is a vital corollary benefit of the constitutional right to keep and bear arms. But its primary constitutional reason for being is for service in the well-regulated militia which is necessary to the security of a free state. WE must be prepared to maintain that security against even our own forces that are responding to the orders of a tyrannical government, and the only viable way to counter a standing army's qualitative advantage is with a huge quantitative one. Don't let the gun grabbers and their politician allies separate us from the constitutional reason for the right to keep and bear arms. Miltary pattern weapons are precisly the weapons that should be MOST constitutionally protected. Even defenders of the right often neglect the constitutional aspect of it, and concentrate on their near non-existent use in crime.
We'll bet the assault weapon ban will expire in September, no mayhem will immediately ensue, but the easing of restrictions will be short-lived.
Sooner or later, Congress will reinstitute a ban.
Clearly, the government may restrict to some degree the weaponry readily available to the public. On balance, that's a good thing.
Who would like to see rocket-propelled grenades and stinger missiles available at the local pawn shop? The question is, where do we draw the line?
Yes, I support the Second Amendment. And I make no bones about its purpose or to whom it applies. It was not put in place so Bill and Hillary Clinton could go duck hunting with a shotgun or so Barbara Steisand could carry a derringer in her purse to stave off overzealous fans.
It's there because the founders wanted to ensure that we the people (ie, individuals) should remain armed to defend ourselves from a government gone bad.
As far as I'm concerned, we should be allowed to park fully operational Sherman tanks in our garages and commute via fighter planes (if we wish). Now, personal nukes capable of taking out large cities.... hmmmm.... I don't know if I want to trust some of the crazier antiwar libs with those.
1,219 posted on 04/17/2003 5:04 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
As we've watched a supposedly conservative administration pare back other civil liberties in overreaction to Sept. 11, the thought occurs to us that it might not take much to draw the line right through your gun rack.
Hmmm, -- that thought has occured to a LOT of us.. -- And as usual, - this coming election offers us absolutely no choice. Either side that 'wins' will "reinstitute a ban".
Bet on it.
I like the AUG. How does the AUG's reliability stack up?
Do some research when buying after market mags for a mini 14 many are junk.
"As we've watched a supposedly conservative administration pare back other civil liberties in overreaction to Sept. 11, the thought occurs to us that it might not take much to draw the line right through your gun rack."
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Hmmm, -- that thought has occured to a LOT of us.. -- And as usual, - this coming election offers us absolutely no choice. Either side that 'wins' will "reinstitute a ban".
Bet on it.
45 tpaine
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I don't see how, --
If it expires ok, we'll be set for some time.
48 GWTex
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Dream on. Your man will not block another AWB. Bet on it.
I have to admit that mine breaks small parts. The good news is that it still runs when broken.
There's a phenomenon with AUGs: Some of them have bolts where the extractor pin channel is out of spec. I have one of those, and it snaps the extractor pin in half over time. Since the pin is captive inside the bolt, it keeps on functioning until I do a detail strip and it falls out in two pieces. Once that happens, you have to put a new one in. You cannot use one from an AR15 because the diameter is too big, so you have to find the expensive AUG part. They're about $11 for a centimeter-long steel pin that's the diameter of a typical pencil lead.
The other part that commonly breaks is the spring that holds the bolt race cage inside the bolt carrier. It's made of fine wire and is connected to a plastic slug that serves as a cap. The tail end of the spring can break off, but this part will also run fine when broken; it just won't stay connected to the plastic cap. I stopped replacing this part, but I still buy extractor pins.
Otherwise, every other part is top notch. The magazines are by far the best and most rugged of any NATO 5.56 military rifle.
AUGs are also heavier than they look. When I hand mine to folks, the first thing they usually say is that they didn't expect it to be as heavy as it is. That's because it's built like a tank.
If there's a downside to the AUG that really sticks out, it's the weight of the trigger break. It's very clean, but heavy at 9+ pounds. Some people are also a bit nervous about the bullpup layout where the chamber is only about an inch from your eye. I've never heard of a premature ignition where the bolt isn't locked, but I would imagine that it can happen. As a result, I only shoot the best 5.56 ammo I can find and I do a lot of research into the ammunition's specs before I use it. I currently have a few thousand rounds of Swiss GP90 5.6mm ammo that I'm very protective of. The normal ammo I use is 55gr Winchester Q3131A from Israel. This is expensive ammo -- kinda like buying 101 octane UNOCAL race gas at every fillup for your car.
My AUG-A2 is a safe queen. I rarely bring it out. It always draws a crowd at the range, and I usually let people fire it a little if I can tell they're just dying to.
I know. Iv'e got two good twenties, one good out-of-the-wrapper 30, one thirty that required a little creative bending and filing, and one thirty that is an absolute P.O.S.
Side note: I found the 20s at Aaron Tippen's gun shop in Smithville, TN. Neat place. Buy guns and ammo in the back, beer and snacks up front. Unfortunately the "Honky-Tonk Superman" wasn't there to autograph them.
yeah.
That's about the only reason to buy one. Have you tried gunbroker.com? I used to see them on there at reasonable prices.
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