Suitability of Ruger Mini 14 Rifles and .223 Ammo

Self ^ | 10-2-2001 | Don Myers

[Don Myers]

This is a pure vanity. We have been doing a lot of talking about terrorism and the "war." I have two Ruger Mini 14s. Well, one is a Ranch Rifle and one is a Mini 14. They are virtually the safe rifle with minor differences. I have not even been able to fire them yet. A local police agency turned them in to a local gun store. I think that I should have bought more of them. The Ranch rifle has a scope.

Anyway, I am sure there are many of you who have these guns. I am curious as to what you think about the suitability of the gun and the ammo in a self-defense role in which rifles may be used. There may be a time when a rifle may be necessary to repel multiple hostiles.

[smolensk]

I would prefer a Colt AR15, or a semi-auto M14 308, but the Rugers aren't bad, just not very accurate relative to the two above.

[Mulder]

You might want to stock up on .223 ammo as you get the chance.

All of the places I buy ammo online from are having trouble keeping both the "inexpensive, but good" (like American Eagle FMJ) and the "inexpensive" .223 ammo in stock.

[dep]

pipsqueak cartridge, alas. you want to make bigger holes in things. a good 12-gauge riot gun with rifle sights and loaded with 000 buck and rifled slugs alternately will be as effective over the ranges you're talking about as the mini, and will make much bigger holes.

dep

[Pete-R-Bilt]

I call the master of mini 14 ping

[ozzymandus]

I own a couple of Mini-14's, and I think they're fun little rifles. They wouldn't be my first choice for fending off rampaging hoards, but the .223 is interchangable with the NATO 5.56mm round, and has proven it's effectiveness, despite the gripes of those who never really got used to the idea of smokeless powder. Seriously, as long as your rifles are in good mechanical condition, you're as well armed as you'll ever need to be.

[Travis McGee]

pipsqueak cartridge

Spoken like a true chairborne ranger.

[DCBryan1]

Travis,

We will let dep keep his shotgun and you and I will be in the field, 500m away from his house and just snipe him.....ha!

.223 is an excellent round...it works great in my HK53a1...

No, If I can just get Dillon to build me a minigun...sigh.....

[Lurker]

The Mini will do just about anything you ask it to do.

Just remember to use bullets which weigh 55 grains or less. (the Mini-14 doesn't have the same barrel twist as the AR, so it doesn't stabilize the 62 grain bullets properly.) I actually recommend the Mini for folks who don't have 1500 bucks laying around for a rifle. You can buy 4 Minis for the price of a single AR and that's a bargain in my book.

Regards.

L

[Lurker]

The Mini will do just about anything you ask it to do.

Just remember to use bullets which weigh 55 grains or less. (the Mini-14 doesn't have the same barrel twist as the AR, so it doesn't stabilize the 62 grain bullets properly.) I actually recommend the Mini for folks who don't have 1500 bucks laying around for a rifle. You can buy 4 Minis for the price of a single AR and that's a bargain in my book.

Regards.

L

[DCBryan1]

Don,

Check out:

www.cole-distributing.com

If you are in driving distance, he has a "load the pickup truck special". I've bought over 300,000 just from him.

He's not the cheapest, but very honest and consistant.

IF there are any Israeli Industry 62gr. "Green tip penetrator" left, pick up AT LEAST a box of 1200!

For plinking and general stockpiling, get the 55gr russian crap....it beats using your fist or throwing rocks.

[copycat]

I chose the mini-14 after many threads like this one, and I am not terribly disappointed. It has little recoil and I am told the .223 round goes in like a pencil and comes out like an orange.

I bought the mini for me and a 10/22 for my 11-year old son, but once he fired the mini, he will never again be satisfied with the .22. He handles it well, too, due to minimal kick.

I think I'm going to step up to either a mini 30 (7.62x39) or an Enfield in .308 to get a heavier bullet.

[The Cajun]

There is nothing like the sound of a round being jacked into the chamber of a shotgun to make someone think twice.

I'm kind-a partial to the sound of a lever-action 444 Marlin being cycled ;~)

[glock rocks]

There is nothing like the sound of a round being jacked into the chamber of a shotgun to make someone think twice.

otoh, there's nothing like the first twenty rounds of .223 bouncing off the road in front
of someone who doesn't belong on your property.

[dbbeebs]

I've read that the mini-14s are about as good as AR-15s. Hi-cap magazine availability is a problem.
I shoot IMI .223 in my rifles.

[DCBryan1]

Lever action Marlin 444...yeah, but the gang bangers here in Little Rock, couldnt tell that their life was soon to end by a shell as long as my middle finger.

[Joe 6-pack]

Any weapon is better than none, and Ruger is famous for reliability and quality. Those who decry the weakness of the 5.56mm have never been on the receiving end of one. I've never actually been deliberately shot at by one, but I've been in an arms room when an accidental discharge took place! I can honestly tell you that no one in the immediate vicinity stood there brave and tall, thinking..."oh well, it's just one of those pipsqueak 5.56's... Surely the round has less power than a 7.62, but I've never seen anyone voluntarily stand in the line of fire to prove that assertion.

Having said that, every weapon has its niche. I would far more prefer a 12 gauge pump or auto, or even a large bore pistol, in CQB situation. If you live in a remote rural area where you may need longer shots to defend your property, and will rely on the same weapon for the taking of game in a "balloon goes up," scenario, the Mini-14 would be hard to beat. All in all, it depends on one's comfort level, familiarity and ability to repetatively train with the weapon.

[mercy]

There are some really good reasons the 223 cartridge is used world wide for military use. Its fast. It is all you need to wound or kill a human being. The gun and shells are much lighter than heavier weapons. The cartridges commonly come in three different bullet weights. 64 grain soft points. 55grain soft points and fmj. and 47grain softpoints. The 47 grain softpoints are heading home at about 2200 fps. That's really fast. You can shoot at a walking or even running target and nail it between steps. Make sure the gun is sighted in with the weight bullet you plan to shoot. The difference in ballistic performance is significant.

[Pete-R-Bilt]

" Most people don’t even have to hear the crack of 2800 fps out the barrel to be impressed... "