# 582 mini 14



## mburgess (Aug 11, 2003)

Well I've never owned a semi auto before. Saved some $ for the last year and was debating between an AR vs the mini. I heard the mini had accuracy problems but the new ones were better. I never really was interested in semi autos until recently, thinking they would be nice coyote hunting. I've always been a little put off by hunting with black guns. Nothing against them, but just not my thing. Wow! I had a blast shooting this little guy this weekend. Put 50 rounds through it without a hiccup. It is FUN! Shot it at multiple distances from 25-100 yards open sites, and if I do my part it will do the job on coyotes. I'm debating on putting a red dot scope on as it comes with bases, rings, and a little rail to mount a scope. I kind of like it open sights though. Reading the G&F website I'm not sure if they are legal? Anyone know for sure? I usually try to call them in close and I've probably screwed up more sets having trouble finding the varmint in my scope then coyotes I've harvested because the power is set too high and they come in fast.


----------



## Habitat Hugger (Jan 19, 2005)

I have a mini14, one of the guns I bought when Clinton was elected and the scuttlebutt was that all autos, etc. would disappear from the face of the earth. Actually I have several " Bill Clinton" guns that. I affectionately call.
Anyway, I love it. I don't clean it as often as I should, kind of abuse it that way, but it always goes bang when I pull the trigger. I hate the two stage trigger pull on it, but have got used to it. mine is a SS model with a 3-9 L do plod on it. When I. Call Yotes I tend to leave the power,down to about 4, OMo a good all around power. Can crank it up if you have a standing long shot, though IMO it's better to be under we're than overpowered. The only yote I haven't been able to shoot at burst out about 2 yards away in soft snow, neither of us aware the other was there. He kicked snow in my face doing a hard 180 cookie , disappeared into the thick bruch!
Anyway, .223 ammo is cheap enough that it's the only cartridge I stopped reloading for, and shoot everything put there, cheap WOLF to black hills match. On a rest sandbagged it shoots about an inch MOA which is plenty for Yotes and P dogs up to a couple hundred yards or so, depending on the ammo. I'm talking honest 1moa, not the stuff you hear about on all hunting websites. Seems everybody can shoot .5moa offhand these days! LOL. 
Sure, a quality bolt will undoubtedly outshoot it, as some black AR's might, too. 
I wish there is an aftermarket trigger for it, like a T imney or Canjar, but doesn't seem to be. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
But it's reliable, shoots better than I. Can under field conditions. I have 5, 020, and 30 round clips for it, but tend to use the 5 round ones the most as they don't stick out the bottom of the rifle and click,etc. but I 've put 30 rounds through it as fast as my old fingers can pull the trigger, too. Yep they are fun and can make a lot of noise, but I have yet to need more than 5 rounds on one coyote, or even two. 
Like you, black rifles are not my thing, no particular reason. I have a closet full of rifles, no two gunsafefulls, and have shot all my life but even I. Have to admit I. Get nervous when I see someone with a black rifle in the field, as opposed to a bolt, a mini or say a Browning auto or whatever. Yes, no reason for it, illogical, etc. someone will say that a black AR is no different than any other auto, and they are right , illogical, but my point is that more and more black AR,s in the field Do make non hunters, even dedicated shooters like me, nervous. IMO......


----------



## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

both of you need to actually shoot some AR's before you form an opinion based on looks. The Rugers I have shot, have been minute of five gallon bucket for accuracy. EVERY AR I have fired has been 2" WITH iron sights AT 100 YARDS. Most AR's will throw 3/4" or less with a decent scope.


----------



## Habitat Hugger (Jan 19, 2005)

Lots of my friends have AR's, S &A. As I mentioned, there is no logic to my knee jerk reaction to a black AR vs a mini 14 or BAR. I'm not against them, just so far haven't added one to my mini armory! 
But like it or not, even in ND I see very pro gun people, including landowners who have similar comments about black rifles, and their use with large wicked looking magazines during deer season. Was with a landowner last fall when someone with an AR opened up a few miles away with a long string of shots and the landowner, who always has his AR in his truck commented on more and more of these Hail Mary idiots every fall. Sure, the AR owner might have been shooting at targets, but long strings of continuous shots makes even at least a few VERY PRO GUN owners a bit nervous? Rightly or wrongly.....
I have NO strong feelings one way or another, just making a personal observation.
My mini 14 may not be as accurate as an AR from what I hear from AR owners, but from a practical point of view it is close enough to not be A deal breaking thing. If I need real accuracy I 'll grab one of my bolts.
Not that I know much about black AR's, but the ones I've handled and fired on ranges and P dog towns seem a bit hEavy for an old fart like me, vs my lighter Mini. I once put an Ar type aftermarket stoCk on mine but it screwed up the balance and made it unwieldy so I sold it.
One of these days I 'll have to break my old fashioned traditional values and buy a black AR!


----------



## Habitat Hugger (Jan 19, 2005)

Hey Sasha , I. Sure agree with you and Will Rogers about Dogs!


----------



## striped1 (Aug 17, 2005)

Sasha and Abby said:


> both of you need to actually shoot some AR's before you form an opinion based on looks. The Rugers I have shot, have been minute of five gallon bucket for accuracy. EVERY AR I have fired has been 2" WITH iron sights AT 100 YARDS. Most AR's will throw 3/4" or less with a decent scope.


Exactly. I have owned Mini's and they were the most inaccurate junk out there. The ability to change the AR via changing uppers and all of the aftermarket parts out there makes it infinitely customizable. There are AR's out there shooting better than .5moa. See JP or GA precision rifles as a couple.

I am glad you are happy with your mini. I sold mine and never looked back and now have 8 ar receiver based weapons and another 5 receivers to build. You are shortchanging yourself with the mini platform, but to each his own. The black rifle prejudice is just plain silly though.


----------



## mburgess (Aug 11, 2003)

It isn't the AR itself that turns me off from the gun. It is the negative attention it draws on itself from the media, anti-gun people, anti hunting groups, that is the kind of attention I don't want to draw to myself when I'm out in the field. I'm especially conscious about the people that are riding on the fence about guns and hunting, and it is those people I don't want to develop a general negative attitude towards hunting, although they may have a negative attitude towards guns already. The guys carrying the black guns in the field may possibly fuel that fire and turn the fence riders against hunting as well. It is my thought that it can never be a good thing increasing the number of anti' s as this only leads to a louder and stronger voice. It is what it is and I'll probably own an AR sometime, but it won't be coming to the field any time soon.


----------



## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

educate the fence riders


----------



## striped1 (Aug 17, 2005)

Those fence riders are better off seeing that they are legitimate hunting guns. That they have they ability to be supremely accurate. I have shot antelope, whitetail and a number of feral hogs with an ar15.

There are those that you will never educate and change. They are just anti-gunners who hate all things gun and will trample on the 2nd amendment of the constitution at every turn while trumpeting every other amendment.

If you think your Ruger is good, you will be blown away by how great the ar platform can be. Free floated handguards, match grade barrels and amazing triggers that in no way can be matched by your ruger.


----------

