Posted on 06/13/2017 8:35:33 AM PDT by CodeJockey
My son is finishing up his two week National Guard training and I'm going to get him an AR15 as a token of my appreciation for his service.
While shopping at the local gun shop, (I'll wait until he is back before purchasing) I noticed a couple of Ruger Mini-14's. Ranch style and tactical.
I was drawn to the ranch style version. Something about the hardwood stock. Really liked the feel and the size of the rifle. 5/20/30 round mags are available.
We currently have no .223/5.556mm in our collection and gun shop will give a generous discount on a purchase of both rifles, especially with cash.
Comments/opinions on the Ruger Mini-14? I'd ask about an AR too, but I'm going to let my son make that decision.
You can buy a dozen better weapons than that. For instance the Wyndham Ar15. We have one. Price around $900.
Bought by younger brother a mini on the occasion of him completing Marine boot camp.
He traded it a couple months later against an AR.
It’s something I wish I could on living in the People’s Democratic Republic of New Yorkistan, so buy one with me in mind.
I have owned a bunch of them but not since around 1991. I liked them so much that I kept hoping to get one which was accurate. None of the dozen or so I owned would do better than around 5 inches.
I will take those people’s word who say they have improved the accuracy recently. If so it is a nice gun, reliable nice handling etc.
I have noticed since Bill Ruger died, the company has become much more right wing radical friendly.
I love wood stocks and the Garand style but I’m long in the tooth.
The AR will shoot straighter, be more familiar to a service member and have more after market doodads for him to experiment with.
Although I own a mini 30 and a couple of M1As, when purchasing a first defense rifle for my son, I went with the AR. Personally I don’t own one and probably never will but my son loves his.
Famously effective in the Florida FBI shootout
My God man, do you know what a STRAW MAN PURCHASE IS? It is a serious federal (and sometimes state) firearms crime!
It is where you purchase a firearm for someone else. You have just admitted you intend to make a straw man purchase and documented it on Free Republic. I wouldn’t be so sure that big brother isn’t watching.
My advice to you is to now document that you are really going to buy it for yourself. And may after you have used it a while you will tire of it and give it to your son, and have an FFL do the transfer and indicate to the FFL that you no longer like it, so you have an independent witness.
Ignorance of the law is not an excuse.
Don't do it. I could tell you why, but I'd be dead before I ran out of reasons not to.
The frechies bought a bunch of select fire mini14s long ago.
I've had three Mini-14s Ranch versions, love the actions and the looks, but none of them would shoot where I was aiming. Pie plate size patterns at 100 yards.
Ruger Mini-14 Tactical Rifle Review - Best Truck Gun! - Scout Tactical
Ruger is nice but AR’s are dirt cheap these days and have a zillion upgrade options.
The newer ranch rifles are great. The older ones with the pencil barrel are not very accurate. You can tell quickly by looking at the thickness of the barrel.
If you see anything about accuracy issues it’s always the older ones.
They are really fun to shoot. They have a different sound and feel to them and I found them easier to hold on target and empty a mag than AR’s.
Maybe you should get one of each and go out for some shooting competition. Can’t beat taking the kids out for a day of shooting. Those times are the ones you never forget.
AR.
More accurate.
Better options for stocks, grips, sights, etc.
More magazine availability, up to 100rnds.
The Mini-14 serves a niche where the AR is outlawed.
I’d go with the AR. That pistol grip makes it much more comfortable to handle.
Except for revolvers, Ruger guns sucked when Bill Ruger was still alive. I’m glad some good gun designers were hired and allowed to do their jobs after he died.
That really looks like a Benelli M4/M1014 shot gun, not a Mini-14.
And there are a gajillion aftermarket parts for the AR platform and with an upper change, you can quickly change calibers.
It is completely legal to purchase a firearm and to gift it to someone else. Even Sarah Brady bought a hunting rifle and gave it to her son.
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