I know they aren't popular with the tactical crowd but with a bit of work, you can make a pretty decent fighting gun out of a Mini 14, assuming you have one that shoots well.
It's actually a bit of a challenge to find decent upgrade gear for these things so I had to DIY a lot of stuff.
I cut down the stock 1" on this and added QD sockets and a pic rail/light to it along with an Aimpoint PRO, handles pretty well and shoots decent enough for under 100 yards.
I'd rather have an SCR but if I lived in a ban state I would for sure give in to my urges to get a Mini or two.
I'd also try to get my hands on an unconverted Saiga. A Magpul Zhukov handguard and an extended safety would make for a good featureless rifle.
Originally Posted by MattyD380
People have different assumptions. Mine are that a truck gun would be used at close range and that factory sights would suffice. For me the fewer items hanging off a truck gun the better. A Mini-14 should work well in this role. I no longer use a truck gun out of fear of theft when I park. However, for many years I traveled between Texas and Mississippi with a visible 870. I also had a handgun in a brief case which I would lock if stopped. After I left my area where I was known, I would have denied having a handgun in my vehicle which at that time was a prohibited weapon in Mississippi and Texas. Also, I would have denied permission to search my vehicle.
I did get a Ruger American Ranch in 6.5G. I swapped it into a compact stock and topped it with a 1-8 Strike Eagle. Pictured below is a three-shot group into a 2" circle target at 50 yards with the rifle laid over a backpack.
I'm very pleased with the rifle. The one drawback is that you really have to work the bolt with meaning to mitigate feeding issues. I have no data as to whether one in 5.56 or .300BLK would feed better, but I do think there would be better magazine options. I am considering setting up one in 5.56 for training/concept purposes. The other benefit would be travel with 10-round mags but being able to "source" 30-rounders on the road.
I had an ER nurse in a class. I noticed she kept taking all head shots. Her response when asked why, "'I've seen too many people who have been shot in the chest putting up a fight in the ER." Point taken.
You know I considered both of those options prior to going with the Mini 14 but neither are really very good.
The SCR is only available now with low-comb the wood stock which precludes having any kind of cheek-weld with the rail height of AR uppers, not to mention the fact that they are $600 plus now and the company has no customer service presence to speak of other than a full voice mailbox. The older "monte carlo" stock with the high comb is now unobtainium.
Unconverted Saiga prices are now north of $1000 if you can even find them. The ergos of the unconverted Saiga are pretty shitty and unless you are over 6' tall, you aren't gonna be able to comfortably reach the handguard and any forward light/laser controls, since the stock adds an extra 2-3 inches from where your face would sit on a standard AKM. In addition to that, the trigger linkage bar precludes you from ever having anything other than a terrible trigger with the sporter stock.
I have sometimes wondered if Ruger could/should re-engineering the Mini-14 to take STANAG mags.
Such a step would eliminate the MEH-ness of the Mini-14s proprietary mags and provide a good non-AR alternative for those stuck in ban states.
I know the Ruger-made Mini magazines aren’t bad, but a switch to a standard magazine of which there are a bajillion would be nice.
FYI: All the Fight Lite SCRs on their website show Monte Carlo stocks - https://fightlite.com/rifles/scr
There is also always opting for a cheek riser kit - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0188...F2Y?th=1&psc=1 which might be prudent even with a Monte Carlo stock with AR-height mounts.
Sucks that their CS is non existent though.
I liked my .308 Saiga before I did the conversion. I like it more after but it worked just fine for me before I did it. Yeah, they're all $1000+ now. Only a few years ago the 5.56 versions were reasonable but even they're expensive now. I scored a 5.56 a few years ago from a gun shop that was closing down, got it for right around $500 which was a good price even then. Did a rear conversion on that one right away, threw a Zhukov handguard on the front and left the magwell alone since SGM mags for it aren't super expensive.
I occasionally check GB for them hoping to luck into a reasonably priced one but I seriously doubt that will happen.
The stock I am referring to is the poly Monte Carlo which is about a half inch higher than the wood one. (Based on my half assed fumbling from memory at a gun store)
I really wish a competent company would take hold of the patent to give the platform the attention it deserves, based on my interactions with the company they *appear* to be a fly-by-night operation where the sales/CS have no actual knowledge of the product, availability, etc.
Gotcha. Didn’t realize we were talking the poly only.The stock I am referring to is the poly Monte Carlo which is about a half inch higher than the wood one. (Based on my half assed fumbling from memory at a gun store)
I really wish a competent company would take hold of the patent to give the platform the attention it deserves, based on my interactions with the company they *appear* to be a fly-by-night operation where the sales/CS have no actual knowledge of the product, availability, etc.
Fight Lite has always seemed a bit...flighty (flitey?)...
If I wanted one of these, I’d probably just buy through a third party vendor, assuming I’m sort of stuck with the configuration I get, short of modifying it myself. Buy two of them, since it’s a proprietary lower and proprietary bolt...
Or don’t and buy a Mini-14/Mini-30...
I wonder if the SCR is any more accurate than a Mini?
I have a Ruger American Ranch in 7.62x39. As an emergency tool, I think 10+ round detachable mags for bolt guns make them more practical than lever guns if your rifle needs to be stored unloaded. In my state, long guns have to be unloaded in vehicles.
A bolt gun in 5.56 that feeds off Pmags could be pretty handy and really fun to shoot. 7.62x39 Federal Fusion does pretty well through intermediate barriers (auto glass) and is still extremely pleasant to shoot; it also has the cheapest training ammo available. 6.5 Grendel has more performance at range without much recoil in a light platform.
I've practiced firing with the social finger, and I can produce pretty good results at social distances. These guys have been an inspiration to me.
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