(Posted under SKS forum also)
Not that many years ago very many Peace Officers bought the Mini 14. I don't see many of'm for sale or being carried by LEO. Did the SKS kill off the Mini 14?
I do know that Bill Ruger's refusal to market high capacity mags hurt sales to LEOs.
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Aim real good we're nearly out of ammo.
I had a Mini-14, it was o.k. but it couldn't do anything that my SKS couldn't do at a third of the price, and with the larger round. I eventually traded my mini 14 towards an AR.
(Posted under SKS forum also)I do know that Bill Ruger's refusal to market high capacity mags hurt sales to LEOs.
I responded in the other thread to the general question. To the magazine question though. Ruger has had the 30 rounders available to law enforcement only all along.
i shot a friends mini 14 a few times and loved it. now iv never shot an sks but that same friend says that he wants one bad and there better than the mini 14.
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you guys are crazy , the mini - 14 is made after the m-14 <and garand>
Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO (.223 Remington); also 7,62x39 M43 in Mini-30 Action: Gas operated, rotating bolt Overall length: 943 mm (851 / 603 mm for AC-556F) Barrel length: 470 mm (330mm for AC-556F) Weight: 2,9 kg empty Magazine capacity: 5, 10, 20 or 30 rounds detachable box magazines Rate of fire: 750 rounds per minute (for AC-556 only)
Bill Ruger, one of leading US arms designers of post-WW2 period, began development of a new semi-automatic rifle circa 1970. The rifle was intended for either civilian and para-military use; it was patterned after current US issue military rifle, the M14, and was chambered for relatively new 5,56x45mm (.223 Remington) ammunition. Since its commercial introduction in 1973 the Ruger Mini-14 rifle found wide acceptance among both civilian shooters and a variety of police and security forces around the world. For government users, Ruger produced two specialized versions of the basic rifle - the Mini-14GB and AC-556. The former is still a semi-automatic only weapon, but is fitted with protected front sight, flash-hider and a bayonet lug. The latter is a selective-fired weapon, and thus can be classified as a true assault rifle. All weapons in the Mini-14 family share same basic design, although there are differences in certain parts; for example, AC-556 rifles had slightly longer receiver, which hosts the fire mode switch at its rear part.
The first major modification to the Mini-14 family appeared in 1978, when Ruger introduced an all-stainless version of the basic rifle. Until now, all Ruger Mini-14 rifles are available either in carbon or stainless steel versions. In around 1982 Ruger introduced its next civilian modification of the Mini-14, known as the "Ranch" rifle. This version was optimized for use with telescope sight, and thus was produced with integral scope bases on receiver. Ejection mechanism was changed to eject spent cases to the right side, clear of the scope, and rear sight was fitted on the folding base. In 1986, Ruger introduced a Mini-30 rifle, which was same basic weapon but adapted to 7,62x39 M43 ammunition of Russian origin. The last change in the Mini-14 line-up appeared as late as in 2005, when Ruger company introduced a new version of the Mini-14, which incorporated integral scope bases of the earlier "Ranch" rifles with protected front sight and non-folding diopter rear sight, which has smaller mount that of previous rifles.
In general, Mini-14 rifles are known for their good reliability and durability. Accuracy is usually quoted as somewhat inferior to AR-15 (M16)-type weapons, which are very popular in USA; however, Mini-14 rifles are accurate enough for most purposes, and are excellent weapons for hunting, home defense, and general plinking.
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you guys are crazy , the mini - 14 is made after the m-14 <and garand>
Right...but it's a Ruger, not a Springfield. They may be similar, but they're not the same. I've heard many reports of the Mini-14 not being as accurate as it should be (The SKS isn't accurate either, but it isn't shooting a .223cal bullet). I've also heard that the Mini-14 jams more than it should.
I know this won't change your mind, you just bought an AC-556, and I'm jealous
But in all honesty, I'd probably take an SKS over an AC-556 in a SHTF situation...
If you decide on the SKS, how about the Yugo SKS versus the Norinco?
I've only had my first SKS since March, but after carrying it a round a short while, then handling the longer, heavier Yugo, mine feels much more like a carbine, having no grenade launcher, bayonet and the extra leverage needed with the weight on/near the end of the barrel.
The Yugo is reportedly better-built, but could not detect any difference, and the Norincos and Russians have chrome-lined barrels. No mis-feeds with mine.
My (1990 model) used Mini 14 is even handier and about as reliable: three mis-feeds in 300+ rounds, using the Ruger Factory (20-rd.) magazine. Maybe I was lucky...my plastic aftermarket Promag has never mis-fed, but instead of cramming in up to thirty rounds and wasting ammo, have only inserted about 6-8 each time.
If money is not a major issue over the mid-term, I suggest buying both an SKS and a used Mini 14 (wood in stainless). You will then (if not already), have fun, reliable applications for two very common types of relatively lower-cost 'combat caliber' ammo. And consider how many other popular guns use the same types of ammo.
Maybe I'm mistaken, but having a dependable carbine in only one caliber seems like an unnecessary limitation. We don't know what will happen to access or prices in the future (global politics).
I don't think we are comparing aples to apples. 762X39 is balistically closer to t 30 carbine a pistol round. The 223 is a high power rifle round. I have had both guns and liked both guns. My mini 14 worked fine, but was expensive for me to shoot at the time, I found it to be more accurate than the SKS. Both were OK for deer out to abt. 200 yds with iron sights., but that could have been my limitation, not the guns. The heavier 30 cal bullet is better in brush than the easily diverted 223. Each round has it's good and bad points. I have 223's and 30 cal rifles and punch paper with both at 600 yds.(not a mini or SKS) both are adequate for the job. If I was shooting at ranges past 200 yds for self defense on a regular basis I'd take the SKS, if not I'd take a mini 14 over the SKS.
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You can't have just one
If you decide on the SKS, how about the Yugo SKS versus the Norinco?
I own a Norinco, so I'm going to be biased toward it, but I honestly believe that the Norinco is the better SKS. It has a chromed lined barrel for one, and I've never had it jam, ever. I've heard of some Yugo's having issues, namely because of it's grenade launcher port being an issue.
Having used both frequently I choose the SKS...a simpler weapon, sturdy and accurate, cheap to shoot and very forgiving. Ruger makes too much noise, hard to clean better for investment.
For SHTF, I will take the mini (I have two mini's and three SKS's).
5.56 ammo will be easier to get than 7.62.
Also I think the mini just looks better.
Soory to change the subject but I am just getting back into shooting again after many years. I am thinking about buying a 30.06 and was wondering if there where any comparisons on the Remington 700 SPS Vs Smith & Wesson I-Bolt.
I have a Chinese SKS and ench a Mini 30. I find that they are very close to each other in group size from the bench - 2" with factory sights - but I can group smaller of-hand with the SKS. This might be due to the folding stock on the mini (a little on the short side for me). The SKS stock fits much better and the rifle seems to balance better in the off-hand mode.
