Thinking about selling my Mini in 6.8 SPC

[Ronin]

I have a Ruger Mini-14 (Ranch Rifle) in 6.8 SPC that I haven't shot in almost two years. I'm debating whether I should keep it and accurize it or sell it and get a 6.8 upper. I really like the Mini platform overall, but I find myself grabbing other rifles when I go to the range. I don't want to give up the 6.8 cartridge, hence the thought of getting an upper.

My Mini is tons of fun to shoot (albeit expensive - 6.8 is not for plinking) and it's decently accurate, but it suffers from the same problems that all Mini's suffer from and that's stringing once the barrel gets hot.

From a cost standpoint, if I put on a new stock, bed it, get a trigger job, and add an Accustrut, I've got the same money invested in the gun as a decent 6.8 SPC upper. I'm just not sure if I'd get more bang for my buck going that route or selling it and going with an upper; which theoretically should be more accurate/stable right out of the box.

Any thoughts?

[JW1914]

Since it is a 6.8 isnt it a new model with the thicker barrel? My 581 series has not shown any signs of stringing. It is a .223 though so maybe the difference is there. Ive heard really good things about the accustrut. You could also just get a new thick ass barrel and get the thing shooting sub MOA. I know there are really nice barrels for the .223 mini and Im sure someone is making some nice 6.8 ones

Depends what you want this rifle for I guess. The mini platform is extremely reliable. Im sure most people you know with a mini can tell you they've never had a malfunction with the several hundred or thousand rounds they've fired.

If this is just for fun Id say sell it and get an upper. But if the rifle is for anything else like something you may want to rely on later then I would either keep the rifle or wait till all this assault weapon ban nonsense is over so you dont over pay. At very least line up a good deal before you sell anything.

[DClan]

The mini is a well designed, reliable platform. When properly gone thru, it can do almost anything an AR can do. Mini's in 6.8 are, if not rare, reasonably hard to come by. The only real advantage I give the AR, is the ability to swap calibers with just an upper change. If you've already got an AR, and it is you're go to gun ( the one your most proficient with ), getting a 6.8 upper would make sense. However, if your use of the 6.8 is more or less only occasional, and you like the mini platform, then keep it and mod it as you see fit. The nice thing about going this route is your changes can be done over time. It also keeps you with a separate, fully functioning ,firearm at your disposal should you need a back up arm. An AR upper is nice, but without a functioning lower, its just a club. If the shit hits the fan, your mini may just save your ass.

[ungawa]

The mini is a well designed, reliable platform. When properly gone thru, it can do almost anything an AR can do.

That's true. But they are less reliable than ARs in general and also suffer severe failures (broken parts or mechanical adjustments required) earlier than ARs. They are great firearms but they are inferior to ARs in almost every measure.

The advantage of the Mini is POI close to POA out to 100 yards, which is pretty darn cool. Plus it looks nicer, is nice and small and stout, and looks less scary.

[tlnzz1]

If you decide to sell, take a look at what the Mini 14's are going for on Gunbroker. Better to be selling one than buying one.

[JW1914]

That's true. But they are less reliable than ARs in general and also suffer severe failures (broken parts or mechanical adjustments required) earlier than ARs. They are great firearms but they are inferior to ARs in almost every measure.

The advantage of the Mini is POI close to POA out to 100 yards, which is pretty darn cool. Plus it looks nicer, is nice and small and stout, and looks less scary.

I strongly disagree. Id say a mini 14 is certainly more reliable then any DI ar15 aside from your top of the line noveske/DD/LMT type rifles. Actually scratch that, I KNOW they are. With the boom in production in ARs the last 10 years Id say the gap is closing but the system that drives the mini 14 is just so much cleaner and generally more reliable then your direct gas AR15. You're saying no AR needs a gas block adjustment? One reason a mini is so relabile is that it does pump out a lot of gas and gets your action clear of ejecting brass every single time which is why it sends empty brass into the next county. The only part that may need replacement on a mini is the firing pin but only after 10,000+ rounds.

Fire a few thousand rounds through an AR and a MINI without cleaning anything and tell me which has more failures......

And this is coming from someone who would sell their mini for the right AR in a second by the way. but just to keep the info straight lets not kid ourselves here.

[ungawa]

I strongly disagree. Id say a mini 14 is certainly more reliable then any DI ar15 aside from your top of the line noveske/DD/LMT type rifles. Actually scratch that, I KNOW they are.

I've owned two Minis. One made in the 80s and one in the mid 90s. Both have malfunctioned dozens of times, although not often. They have about 3-5000 rounds through each.

I own one Colt. It has about 30,000 rounds through it. It has never malfunctioned. Not once.

With the boom in production in ARs the last 10 years Id say the gap is closing but the system that drives the mini 14 is just so much cleaner and generally more reliable then your direct gas AR15. You're saying no AR needs a gas block adjustment?

No. I'm saying none of mine ever have. And, coincidentally, both of my Minis completely failed due to loss of gas block (or whatever it is called on a Mini) alignment.

Fire a few thousand rounds through an AR and a MINI without cleaning anything and tell me which has more failures......

Both of my Minis will fail whether you clean them or not over a few thousand rounds. My AR will not fail whether you clean it or not over a few thousand rounds.

Just my experience over 25 years.

Incidentally, if you call any of the people that run carbine courses, they will tell you the same thing. Even though they don't see that many Minis, apparently they see enough to see the difference.

[Ronin]

Since it is a 6.8 isnt it a new model with the thicker barrel? My 581 series has not shown any signs of stringing. It is a .223 though so maybe the difference is there. Ive heard really good things about the accustrut. You could also just get a new thick ass barrel and get the thing shooting sub MOA. I know there are really nice barrels for the .223 mini and Im sure someone is making some nice 6.8 ones

Depends what you want this rifle for I guess. The mini platform is extremely reliable. Im sure most people you know with a mini can tell you they've never had a malfunction with the several hundred or thousand rounds they've fired.

If this is just for fun Id say sell it and get an upper. But if the rifle is for anything else like something you may want to rely on later then I would either keep the rifle or wait till all this assault weapon ban nonsense is over so you dont over pay. At very least line up a good deal before you sell anything.

It's a 581 series and has the thicker barrel. It takes about 20 rounds before it starts stringing. It's not terrible, but enough to open my groups up. It functions flawlessly with the 5 round Ruger mag it came with, but the 20 round ProMag magazines are spotty. I have two and one works and the other only works sometimes.

I'm not sure what purpose it serves, that's why I'm not sure if I'm going to keep it or not. I have two rifles for SHTF scenarios that I would grab before the Mini. When I bought the Mini I didn't have a semi auto rifle, so it was my SHTF gun. That's not the case now. Now it's just sitting in the safe