What is your opinion on the Ruger Mini-14? Are they accurate? How is the reliability? If I were to buy one it would be a used one in 95% condition and it would be used to shoot targets at the range. BTW, this will be my first rifle since I am heavily into the shotgun sports. Thanks.
You'd have to define accurate. Out to 100 yards or so, mine was not bad , I could consistantly hit clay pigeons at 100 yards, but that still gives a lot of room for big groups. Get out to 200 yards and I could hit all around the pigeon and sometimes hit it. It didn't matter if I had a scope on it or not either.
Man, if you are looking for something along the lines of a mini-14 for a little more money you could get into an AR. You can probably get into a Rock River AR for about the same money as a mini and you would have a shooter. I have a mini and it is not accurate unless you can live with 2" groups at 100 and that is on its best days and only the first 2 shots. I have never seen a mini that was a decent shooter. You can have them tweaked but you are well in the range of a top AR. I have mine for a truck gun which means it never gets taken out of the truck and if I don't have a real rifle in the truck I will spray and pray with the mini should I need it. That is one overpriced piece of crap but again that is my opinion. The worst part is Ruger actually keeps putting these out and nothing ever gets any better about the gun. Long and short, my opinion only, don't waste your money look for an AR.
Ar's are a little higher but you have a much better shooter. I have pieced AR's together for less than $500.00. Just my opinion for what it is worth, the mini's aint worth the price.
Clayshooter take a look at accuracysystensinc.com,they do police work and sportsman work and they use a harmonic stabelizer to make any mini 14 shoot 1/2 the size they used to shoot.Drop-Shot
I've decided not to get the Mini-14 after seeing one in a gun shop. I'm not very serious at this point in time but I might start looking at a rifle in 308 or 30-06. I'm still very unsure, I need to join the local rifle range first because my skeet club doesn't have a place to shoot rifles.
clayshooter you can't go wrong with Remington model700 or Winchester model 70,both are great guns,I own both.Drop-Shot
clayshooter I make money at gunshows most of the time and get to keep alot of the guns I wanted.Here are some basics I look for.On the winchester model 70 look for smooth bolt throw,buy a bore light,they are cheap and I bring magifying glasses(Reading glasses)With the bolt back look in the chamber throat with bore light in muzzel,look for small cracks in the chamber throat,If ok look for carbon or copper build up in throat,most can be removed with the stinkingst stuff in the world,sweets #762 I think it's called,just ask for sweets copper remover and get a good one piece rod for cleaning and bronse bristle brushes to get the embedded copper and carbon.Look for good trigger release and look for even slight buldges in the barrell.I even look at the locking lugs and make sure they arn't rounded,Make sure the stock isn't cracked and make sure it fits well,good luck friend.Drop-Shot
