A Mini-14 should feed surplus ammo, right?

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Dave3006

New member
I posted earlier about my Mini-14 nightmare and it's failure to extract. It seems to do it most with the South African surplus ammo. However, I have had it fail with PMC and American Eagle. After 3 trips back to the factory and a replaced bolt and extractor (with no success), I suspect that the problem is a rough or out of spec chamber.

The lady on the phone says that they do not recommend surplus ammo. I was under the impression a Mini-14 could shoot just about anything. I am sending it back due to failures with other ammo. A tip for other potential Mini owners - Ruger customer service is very poor. I am sorry I bought this gun.
 
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KSFreeman

New member
Ruger Mini-14 shoot anything?:confused: Mini-14s are picky as a rule. Ruger does not rec milsurp as CYA. Have seen ones worked over by Chief AJ shoot even the Volk ammo without problems (wouldn't recommend it though).

The problem with the Mini-14 has always been fragility. Never seen one make it through a carbine class.

Could be you have a lemon. Gonna have that since they make so many.

Send it off to be customized or trade it on a Wilson AR (if you can)?
 
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Art Eatman

Staff in Memoriam
Looks like the best way to go with a Mini is to find an older one. My four dated from whenever they first came out to 1984-ish, and none of them ever seemed to care what you fed it. They all shot into two MOA or less when I did my part, with any old ammo. Factory, gunshow reloads, "liberated" GI stuff from Fort Hood...

I dunno. From the comments here at TFL, maybe it's a case of "They don't make'em like they used to."

Sign me, "Puzzled"
 
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cheygriz

New member
I've had three Mini-14s over the years. Each was a P.O.S. Your best bet is to trade it off for something reliable.
 
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Halffast

New member
Art,

I've owned 4 Mini's (I still have two) and, like you, haven't had a lick of trouble with any of mine. Three of them were earlier models (pre-87) and one was a late 90's manufacture. None of them were benchrest accurate, but that isn't what I bought them for. IMHO, the Mini- 14 is the jeep of rifles. It isn't a tank and it isn't a Porshe. You don't buy a jeep to crash through walls or to go 150 MPH. I think that some buy a Mini and want to use it outside of its intended purpose and therein lies the root of their disdain.

That's my $.02 worth, and I doubt it's worth that much!:)

David
 
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Art Eatman

Staff in Memoriam
Thanks, Halffast; I wuz beginning to think I and a dozen or so others had found the only decent Minis ever made. I reckon some folks are slow learners about jeeps not being F1 cars, or else they got a knack for shakin' a lemon tree.

:), Art
 
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KSFreeman

New member
Art and Half, you mean guns are just tools and nothing magical?
You guys are blowing my whole mirovozzreny of firearms!:(

Dave, you have to understand that the Mini is just a "fun gun." Indeed Bill "no honest man" Ruger termed the Mini-14 the "world's most expensive plinker." As long as you do not keep the Mini-14 as a weapon to defend home and hearth and just have to shoot tin cans or watermelons, the Mini has it's place.

I like guns that are tanks. The best way to determine this is to buy a bunch of different guns and shoot them.:D
 
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Dave3006

New member
KSFreeman, I think I am coming to the same conclusion regarding the role for the Mini-14. I am sending it back to the factory for the 4th time today. It would take about 1000 rounds over several trips to the range before I would ever trust it in a defensive application. I have had too many problems.

In Kalifornia, we are limited to 10 round mags. In my opinion, with such low capacity, my tube fed Marlin 1894P would be a much better tactical carbine anyway. No magazines to manage and the ability to top off the gun. AND, it is reliable.
 
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Jamie Young

New member
It would take about 1000 rounds over several trips to the range before I would ever trust it in a defensive application.
Click to expand...

I've done that with all My semi- auto rifles. I loaded up all of My Mini 14 mags and all My FAL mags and blew threw them all in one day. MY SKS was always My primary defense rifle, for home, and for camping.

My Mini 14 and FAL are now reliable rifles that I would trust My life with. Both have had minor bugs that had to be dealt with. Mostly concerning mags.

I would have gotten rid of that Mini after the 2nd time I sent it back.
 
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hanko

New member
"The lady on the phone says that they do not recommend surplus ammo. I was under the impression a Mini-14 could shoot just about anything. "

Negative surplus ammo is, as someone else posted, to cover Ruber's rear end. Anecdotally, I had one (early '90's) that fed anything I gave it, including Guatemalan, SA, and Malaysian ammo. My b'-in-law put 700 rounds of surplus Guatemalan through his 2 weeks ago with no ftf's or fte's. His mini is brand new & was purchased within the last month.

-hanko
 
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Dave3006

New member
I got to wondering after looking closely at the rear of the bolt on my Stainless Mini. The bolt looks like it is dented and worn slightly from where the hammer strikes the pin. It appears that the metal is dented.

Is there a difference in the hardness of the stainless vs. blued steel versions? I am surprized to see what looks like soft metal used on the bolt.
 
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KSFreeman

New member
Craigz, world outlook or outview on the world. Like Weltbild (conception of the world) in the Land of Dutchland.

I lapse into Russian at times. Must be the coffee. Many escapees of CCCP here on TFL. I feel free to use their language without being called names here.
 
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Mannlicher

New member
My Mini has digested thousands of rounds of mil surp ammo, with out a problem of any kind. That 2K of Malasian was dirty, but the gun never faulted.

Blanket statements about a type of gun seem to be in vogue. Bashing the Mini has become almost a cult thing. All I can say, is the 4 I have owned through the years all performed well. Not perfect, but well.

It is a constant source of amusment, to hear the AR crowd slamming the Mini-14 for not being a box stock wonder. Then they go on to tell you about all the mods on their Colt (or clone) and how well it shoots after spending double the orgional price to fluff and buff it.

Keep your Mini-14 clean, and it will reward you with years of good service. Don't forget, even the Roll Royce company, has service bays at the dealerships.
 
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Joovey

New member
My friends and I have used both south african rounds and brazilian in our minis. We order them in bulk on the internet. I've never had a misfeed that wasn't related to cheapo used magazines that I bought at a gun show. I've never had it not extract, period.

The biggest problem I've had is that my muzzle brake keeps coming loose. I spose I should use some loctite or something.
 
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Skorzeny

New member
As long as you do not keep the Mini-14 as a weapon to defend home and hearth and just have to shoot tin cans or watermelons, the Mini has it's place.
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Tell that to the FBI (say, about Miami).

Didn't COL Cooper say "amateurs seek perfection, professionals adequacy"?

Skorzeny
 
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KSFreeman

New member
Skorzeny, one can commit crimes with just about anything. Witness Hinckley. Just because he used a RG doesn't make a sound rationale for relying on one for self-defense. Just because Platt used one, doesn't make it a sound rationale for using one.

Professionals did try out the Mini extensively in the mid and late 70s. Very few adopted it, e.g. the RUC. I guess they thought it wasn't adequate.

Guns are just tools and depends on what you wish to do. If you are just a plinker then the Mini may be for you as Bill Ruger described. However, it's always the player not the piano (it's always the mall ninja, not his sword or golf cart).:)
 
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Art Eatman

Staff in Memoriam
KSF, I've never figured that any gun enhanced my manly prowess. :D Howsomever, there's no reason a tool cannot be aesthetically pleasing; I rather lust after Snap-On wrenches and such for my tool box, for instance.

Now, I may not be the brightest star in the firmament, but I rather doubt I would have owned Minis #2, #3 and #4 had #1 not been reliable and reasonably accurate. I've always taken it for granted that any centerfire semi-auto which goes bang every time you pull the trigger, and cycles after every bang, is quite adequate for self-defense uses around the house. (Might not be suitable for playing Ma Bell, but playing Ma Bell is not what I'd call a typical self-defense situation.)

Changin' emphasis: Anybody know what powder for a .223 burns just really, really dirty? I bought some gunshow stuff, one time, that is quite accurate in my Rugilator 77, but whether two shots or twenty, it really groadies up the barrel. Not hard to clean, but just a lot of black residue.

:), Art
 
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