So a inherited a mini 14.

It is a 180 series the first ones produced so parts are kinda rare.

It is has been handled a bit rough, nothing major but worn, but it still shoots as normal.

Sell, trade or keep?

Trade for a 180+ series?

You should be able to get parts online from Cabela's and Midway. Also, we don't typically trade or sell on this forum for liability reasons. If there are any deals, do it over email when the time comes.

You might be able to sell for 450-500 dollars, I would imagine.

Thanks RL,


I wasn't going to sell it on here, I was just asking a general question, if I should sell it, trade it, keep it.



And I can't find parts for the 180 series anywhere :(

Hmm. That is a tough question that only you'll be able to make ultimately. Do you like the mini-14? If you want to sell, now might be the time to do it with prices going up. Then again, you might want to wait until a ban if you think more regulation is coming and really cash out.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of the mini.

You know, walking through the bush with a mini-14 has its' advantages if you get spotted.

It's a semi auto in a military calibre. It doesn't look threatening. It can take high cap magazines. It is short and pointable.

Mainly though, it looks like a hunting rifle, and very non threatening. Well compared to something like an AR or a anything with a synthetic stock. Provided you got the wood/blued combo and not the synth/stainless or wood/stainless combo.

Shape, shine, silhouette etc etc etc.

Well to be honest I kind of like it, without a high cap magazine it looks like a hunting rifle, it doesn't attract attention like carrying an AR or AK. But I am just concerned about keeping it as a shooter because the parts are hard to get.



I am currently convincing myself to trade it in for a new one or a saiga.

Holy crap Gold n Green we just wrote the same post at almost the same time....lol :D

Great minds bro!

Mini 14 = M14 - decent gas system + crappy ergonomics.

Or, more bluntly M14 minus the "win".

I wouldn't complain about owning one, I just wouldn't buy it over the alternatives.

The "hi cap" (stupid term, no offense to anyone using it innocently) magazines are expensive, especially now, and those not from the factory (which are rare because Ruger doesn't make them for the average civilian... even though they are the only ones buying their rifles) are unreliable.

i bought one for $250 and felt ripped off, i hate the damn thing.

I could say 20/30/40rd mags and drums, but hi cap is faster. :(.

I've heard that South American governments have ordered the full auto factory mini's which are called something else entirely, correct me if I'm wrong.

You got to look at why you are buying it. If you are looking for a semi auto .223 there are plenty of better options. If you are looking for something that is semi auto, in a military calibre, can look like a hunting rifle, fire off 5-10 rounds then pop a 30rd mag in it when required, it's a good rifle.

I've heard that South American governments have ordered the full auto factory mini's which are called something else entirely, correct me if I'm wrong.


AC-556's I believe they are called.

Ruger sells 20 rounders on their website for like $30.

People also say that the $15 ProMag (yes, ProMag) 20 rounders are really good, but the ProMag 30 rounders are trash.

I only have 6 magazines for my Mini (well, my dad's Mini, but he isn't as gun literate as me so I buy all the accessories for weapons in the armory), and I only trust my life to 4 of them.

-The PMI 30 rounder
-The PMI 40 rounder
-The Bingham stainless 40 rounder
-And the 5 round factory mag

The other two are John Masen "Black Warrior" 30 rounders that I got for $10 from CDNN. I had to file the hell out of the inside of one to get it to feed and the other is a complete piece of shit that you can't load more than 6 rounds into. So one is a trash can mag and the other is a range mag.


But if my only rifle was a Mini I would track down some PMI (Precision Magazine Industries) 30 rounders and only use them.

Too bad PMI is no longer in business and the magazines are hard to find.


I really think you should trade that Mini towards a GP WASR 10/63.

I have promag polymer and metal 30rounders and they are not too expensive, like 20-25$.

A few years ago I attended a gunsite course, there were two minis is the class. Neither survived. One of the instructors claim there has never been one thats made it though the course.

Just food for thought if you are ever going to push this gun hard.

With todays prices, I bet you could fetch a fair price for it and put it towards an AR or somethin.

nice clip of the ac556.. looks like it has a drum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDjcNipTpCs&feature=related

The A-Team used A-566s. I don't really know how you can diss Mr. T by dumping a Mini-14; it's practically his cousin.

You should definitely trade it in for a Mini-14 Tactical brah.