LGS has a Mini-14 for $740. Is it a good buy?

[philagothon]

I called my local guy yesterday for a price check on some cheap plinking pistols. As we're getting ready to get off the phone I ask him if he's holding a pile of AR's in the back room. He chuckles and says, "No, but I have something else you might be interested in." Apparently, some guy cancelled a layaway just an hour prior on a Mini-14 and very few people knew about it so far.

I went to the store to check it out. It has a black synthetic (non-collapsible) stock, 16" barrel, flash suppressor, and 20 round magazine. It appears to be the same as this one from Bud's: Ruger Mini-14 Tactical 20+1 Synthetic Stock $799.00 SHIPS FREE

I've never been crazy for the Mini-14 and would honestly rather complete my stripped PSA lower, but finding AR parts right now is crazy. The primary purpose of the rifle would be Appleseed events, coyotes, and possible use for crop permit hunting. It will be my first semi-auto centerfire rifle.

PS: It's back in layaway. I'm just wondering if I should consider cancelling the layaway.

ETA: I'd like to hear reasons from the "No" voters.

 

[fastang50]

The mini, and especially the "new" ones, are good functional rifles. I say go for it. Get yourself a few twenty round mags and you're good to go for most any purpose. The thirtys look funny to me in a mini unless we're watching an old A-team re-run.

 

[bobzilla]

Cancel the order.... you'll hate it. Oh... and let me know where it is located so I can go "dispose of it" for you.

 

[dbrier]

It's overpriced, but not as bad as many other guns. I think that was about a $500 gun a few months ago.
The Mini 14 is a very good gun, I like mine.

 

[Kedric]

I think you should go for it. It a good price, and the mini-14 is a pretty solid GP gun. I have a mini-Thirty that I have had for literally 20 years. I know many don't like them, but I have always liked the M14 design. I did put an accu-strut on mine, which helped cut the group size a bit.

I would grab the 14, wait out the panic wave, and then (assuming no AWB) pick up your parts kit when they are available and reasonably priced once again. Minis seem to hold value decently well, so you should be able to recover most of your money at a later date if you choose to get rid of it.

I also concur with 20 round mags over 30 round mags, but that is because I have always thought 'banana' mags looked ridiculous.

best of luck!

 

[philagothon]

It's overpriced, but not as bad as many other guns. I think that was about a $500 gun a few months ago.
The Mini 14 is a very good gun, I like mine.

Bud's sold out of them @ $800 and the cheapest one they've carried in recent history was $600. Searching our classifieds, it looks like Mini-14's have been going for ~$600 used even pre-CT shooting.

 

[downlinx]

i have shot alot of mini-14's and favorit is the mini-14 ranch, which i own, just because it ejects the brass on the side and not the top.

 

[bobzilla]

Bud's sold out of them @ $800 and the cheapest one they've carried in recent history was $600. Searching our classifieds, it looks like Mini-14's have been going for ~$600 used even pre-CT shooting.

Yeah, for a tactical (the Ruger name for that rifle, not the cool term) they were in the $700 range pre-CT. I had been looking for a while. I think they shoot fantastic.

 

[philagothon]

Yeah, for a tactical (the Ruger name for that rifle, not the cool term) they were in the $700 range pre-CT. I had been looking for a while. I think they shoot fantastic.

The sad thing is that I'd rather have a wood stock and I'd be fine with a 5 round magazine. I've already started looking for a nice walnut stock for it. In this market it seems like you take what you can find. I suppose that works though; I'll probably like a nice walnut stock a lot more than the birch ones the factory puts on them.

 

[UncleMike]

The sad thing is that I'd rather have a wood stock and I'd be fine with a 5 round magazine. I've already started looking for a nice walnut stock for it. In this market it seems like you take what you can find. I suppose that works though; I'll probably like a nice walnut stock a lot more than the birch ones the factory puts on them.

Buy it!!
Worry about the stock later.
I have the Mini 14 Tactical and with the new heavier hammer forged barrel it's every bit as accurate as my AR's.

 

[dbrier]

I guess the price has gone up since I bought mine a few years ago. We paid $600 for a NIB stainless Mini 14/5p at the Indy 1500.

The Mini 14 is a great gun. Because I still have it, it made selling the AR15 easy.

 

[bobzilla]

Yeah, I'd love to get my hands on one just like the pic in the opening post. sadly, funds and availability are just not there right now.

 

[ol' poke]

I love my Mini-14. I can't copmment on the price other than it is what it is....

ol' poke

 

[philagothon]

11 nay-sayers so far, but nobody has said why they wouldn't do it. Is it price? Accuracy? Reliability? Belief that the market is softening? Belief that no AWB will take place?

 

[Kedric]

11 nay-sayers so far, but nobody has said why they wouldn't do it. Is it price? Accuracy? Reliability? Belief that the market is softening? Belief that no AWB will take place?

because they want to buy it for themselves?

Some of the old Mini-14 rifles with the thin-wall barrels tended to string their shots a bit when it heated up. That is less of an issue these days. However, they still have a bit of that old 'rep', mostly from people who have never shot one. My

 

[sig1473]

because they want to buy it for themselves?

Some of the old Mini-14 rifles with the thin-wall barrels tended to string their shots a bit when it heated up. That is less of an issue these days. However, they still have a bit of that old 'rep', mostly from people who have never shot one. My

^Exactly^. I have owned both styles of the Mini14(thin barrel and thicker barrel). There is no comparison between the two. The nay-sayers have probably never even shot one to begin with. That seems to be the trend on here lately. People open their mouths and give an opinion with no experience to back it up. The newer Minis are very accurate, light, and easy to shoot. You can also still purchase mags from Ruger(limit you to 5). That is my only hangup on the Mini are the mags. They are expensive(but what isn't right now). I definitely say go for it and you want to sell it, I would definitely like to pick up another to add to the stable.

 

[bobzilla]

^Exactly^. I have owned both styles of the Mini14(thin barrel and thicker barrel). There is no comparison between the two. The nay-sayers have probably never even shot one to begin with. That seems to be the trend on here lately. People open their mouths and give an opinion with no experience to back it up. The newer Minis are very accurate, light, and easy to shoot. You can also still purchase mags from Ruger(limit you to 5). That is my only hangup on the Mini are the mags. They are expensive(but what isn't right now). I definitely say go for it and you want to sell it, I would definitely like to pick up another to add to the stable.

Oh no you don't! I called dibs first!

 

[wtfd661]

I have that same model Mini and its a great gun for me. Plenty accurate enough, the only issue will be that you will want to buy factory mags for it. From my understanding the off brand mags have a tendancy to not work. My factory mags I have never had an issue with. As far as the price goes its a tad more than I paid new for mine but with the climate being the way it is right now I don't think its as over priced as everything else seems to be getting. I would say buy it in confidence that you will enjoy it and if not you should be able to sell it without issue here on INGO (heck seem like a you would have a couple buyers in this thread )

 

[philagothon]

I called around a bit and another shop a bit further away has a used side-folder for $660. It comes with a 5 round magazine. I'm going to go check it out before work tomorrow. I don't know whether it's the newer heavy barrel or an older thin barrel. Does anyone know by serial number when the change was made? How obvious will it be if the side-folder is the thinner barrel, especially if I don't have a heavy barrel to compare?

 

[UncleMike]

I called around a bit and another shop a bit further away has a used side-folder for $660. It comes with a 5 round magazine. I'm going to go check it out before work tomorrow. I don't know whether it's the newer heavy barrel or an older thin barrel. Does anyone know by serial number when the change was made? How obvious will it be if the side-folder is the thinner barrel, especially if I don't have a heavy barrel to compare?

Older "pencil" barrel is 18"
New thicker barrel is 16" and has the flash suppressor.
Also if you're a lefty, steer clear of the side folding stock.
The hinge is placed perfectly to prevent a lefty from getting a proper grip.