Selling my Mini 14...your thoughts.

[Texas_Bryan]

Dittos as well. The 5.45 is a fool's bargain.
A) not enough gun, its less than a 5.56
B) far fewer mags/parts out there
C) far less ammo available. Once the surplus runs out, you're screwed. And it wasn't a long production run like 8mm mauser, or 7.62x54 or 7.62x39.
Sooner rather than later, you'll wish you'd bought a regular AK. Just my .02.
FQ13

Really?  I was under the impression that 5.45 was the standard issue for many countries, in fact replacing the 7.62mm.  Not the same variety of mags but a quantity out there still at near the same price.  And its less than the 5.56 by eleven hundreds of a milimeter, but the Reds choose to replace the 7.62 with it?  I'm not particularly attached to either as a potential new rifle, but I don't want to blindly slander available options.

[Big Frank]

The 5.45mm is almost the same size as the 5.56mm but it's even less powerful. Why would anyone want a rifle with less power than a 5.56mm?

[fightingquaker13]

Really?  I was under the impression that 5.45 was the standard issue for many countries, in fact replacing the 7.62mm.  Not the same variety of mags but a quantity out there still at near the same price.  And its less than the 5.56 by eleven hundreds of a milimeter, but the Reds choose to replace the 7.62 with it?  I'm not particularly attached to either as a potential new rifle, but I don't want to blindly slander available options.

You certainly shouldn't take my word for it, but heres the rationale. The combloc went to 5.45 for the same reason we went to 5.56 (and any thoughts of us standardizing to make life easier for the grunts? ). Anyway, flatter trajectory, less recoil, less weight. Great. Still, less terminal energy. Now, we are thinking about going heavier, .308 again, while they are going lighter. Take your pick.
Still, for a cheap, easy to feed, fix, replace, do anything, shtf/hunting rifle, I'd take the old AKs in a heart beat. More availability of everything as I posted, plus enough gun to hunt with. If you want the smaller and lighter caliber, with more accuracy? I'd go AR.
Any of the three you'll have fun, but If I could choose free of charge, between an AK-47, an AR or an AK-74, a .545 would be my last choice. Honestly, I'd flip a coin between the AK and AR price be damned. Just my .02.
FQ13

[tombogan03884]

Really?  I was under the impression that 5.45 was the standard issue for many countries, in fact replacing the 7.62mm.  Not the same variety of mags but a quantity out there still at near the same price.  And its less than the 5.56 by eleven hundreds of a milimeter, but the Reds choose to replace the 7.62 with it?  I'm not particularly attached to either as a potential new rifle, but I don't want to blindly slander available options.

It was a cost cutting measure.
Their economy was in the crapper when things were good, during that era they were anything but.
Reagan scared the crap out of them and was forcing them to spend on high tech weaponry.
Meanwhile they had the war in Afghanistan which was also a money pit.
If you go to a smaller bullet you can make more of them with the same amount of resources, or , you can make the same number and use the saved resources elsewhere.

[billt]

Both the AK-47 and the Ruger Mini 14 are bullet hoses. Neither should collide with the word "accuracy" in the same sentence. With that said you can make both shoot better, but it's not what they were designed to do. A bit like trying to make a Silk purse from a Sows ear. Of the 2, the AK-47 can be had much cheaper, ($400.00 for a GP 1975 Romanian vs. $700.00+ for a Mini), and the 7.62 X 39 MM can be had cheaper, (1,260 round case of Yugo for right around $200.00). So based on that the AK-47 is a much better buy. I have both, but only 1 Mini and several AK's.

For what you would have to put into a Mini to make it shoot, you could have a nice AR-15 that WILL shoot right from the box. It really is apples and oranges, but if I had to choose, I would go with the AK-47 hands down. Cheaper, more rugged, cheaper, harder hitting ammo, same relative accuracy from either.  Bill T.

[Sponsor]

[Badgersmilk]

Pick your flavor

http://www.centerfiresystems.com/ak_firearms.aspx

http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/Centerfire-Systems-Inc/centerfiresystems_earlyfallcatalog_2010/2010091601/

[PegLeg45]

C'mon get happy..........

http://www.krebscustom.com/KalashnikovRifles.shtml


http://www.gunsmagazine.com/Rangingshots.html

[fightingquaker13]

C'mon get happy..........

http://www.krebscustom.com/KalashnikovRifles.shtml


http://www.gunsmagazine.com/Rangingshots.html

$2,000 for an AK?? That's for a three pack, right?
FQ13 who really wants to slap someone who wants to buy a "tactical' AK. As opposed to what? The other kind?

[PegLeg45]

$2,000 for an AK?? That's for a three pack, right?
FQ13 who really wants to slap someone who wants to buy a "tactical' AK. As opposed to what? The other kind?

Well, you get what you pay for. These are not your run of the mill AK's. They are reworked with precision internal parts to aid function and accuracy. No different than with the Mini.....and just like BillT said, it is "what it is" with both rifles. It depends on what you want to do and personal preference as to what you get and how much you spend.

Coyote/varmint/Truck gun that will shoot any ammo, anytime you press the go button, with mediocre accuracy= Mini-14.

SHTF, mediocre accuracy, medium-range man-killer that will also digest anything you feed it but with bigger bullets= AK-47 or variant.

Super accurate, potentially ammo sensitive, all-around multi-use rifle= AR.

Pick ya poison.
Any of the above choices can be made do do all of the above, but it will cost you.
Just like drag racing, speed cost money......... How fast ya wanna go?
 

[Texas_Bryan]

Well, you get what you pay for. These are not your run of the mill AK's. They are reworked with precision internal parts to aid function and accuracy. No different than with the Mini.....and just like BillT said, it is "what it is" with both rifles. It depends on what you want to do and personal preference as to what you get and how much you spend.

Coyote/varmint/Truck gun that will shoot any ammo, anytime you press the go button, with mediocre accuracy= Mini-14.

SHTF, mediocre accuracy, medium-range man-killer that will also digest anything you feed it but with bigger bullets= AK-47 or variant.

Super accurate, potentially ammo sensitive, all-around multi-use rifle= AR.

Pick ya poison.
Any of the above choices can be made do do all of the above, but it will cost you.
Just like drag racing, speed cost money......... How fast ya wanna go?
 

I like you Peg.