Some video we shot on the 4th of July.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcfqZFWpk9s
TLDR version:
Mini-14 would not work dirty no matter the lube used or dry. Adding more oil got it running again.
H
There’s a reason that rifle isn’t considered for serious work
I agree completely. But try and tell that to some folks…
Over on Perfect Union they are coming up with all kinds of reasons why that test isn’t ‘fair’.
H
Informative vid… I only have limited exp with the mini 14, but I thought that they were GTG(non-combat). Have always seen them used as ranch guns, and the design being similar to M14, kinda figured they could walk through the mud with ya. After seeing this and how it handle dirt, meh… Ranch guns gonna get dirty.
One reason of many.
When I graduated HS I was given a Mini-14 . . . several years later I took it to a gun show and sold it, took those funds and purchased an Arsenal SLR-105 . . . haven’t looked back. 
They only looked cool on The A-Team.
If you’re going to run a Mini…
[ul]
[li]domestically manufactured, .223 Rem SAAMI spec ammo[/li][li]OEM 5rd or 20rd magazines[/li][li]lube generously, relube often[/li][li]stock a spare FP and extractor[/li][/ul]
See previous Mini-14 threads for more on the ins and outs of the above.
Oh the dudes that have Mini’s are for sure in love with them, go to the range about a half dozen times a year with a friend that has one( sorry don’t know exact model number, but it doesn’t matter anyway ) he always has an excuse for his Malf-O-Matic while in that time frame I’ve had 2 ammo related malfs ( one was a case that expanded and wouldn’t extract without a cleaning rod, and the other was a
primer that became unseated and twisted about 45 degrees when the firing pin hit it, both from the same box of Winchester white box ) with any 3 of my AR’s.
Link them to one of the Daniel Defense torture test vids, doubt that will have an impact on them though. I’m gonna show this vid to my Mini holdout friend and see what he has to say.
I have the most recent incarnation of the platform. It’s a nice plinker and critter gitter. Maybe an OK home defender, but by no means is it a serious work gun - even though the company that manufactures it tries to create the perception that it’s adequate for that role. I like it for what it is…a fun gun.
The minis worked perfectly on A team!!
But nobody ever died when they were shot with them.:sarcastic:
you’re one of the exceedingly few people that actually has “serious work” to do with a rifle.
i have personally seen many, many AR “malf-o-matics” - enough to conclusively deduce that the AR is an unreliable, overly complicated and incredibly overpriced squirrel gun.
and of course, my evidence-based conclusions are wrong (well, except for the price thing…)
everyone knows that mini’s can’t hit a barn, AK’s will run with the bolt rusted shut, and AR’s won’t run unless you clean them with a dental pick - right?
i had a mini-14 a long time ago. never had a problem with it.
recently inherited a mini-30. haven’t run it much, with the ammo situation, but it goes bang with boring regularity so far.
undoubtedly, the mini has plenty of warts. but for what they cost, none of you would be caught with a similarly priced AR - or you would make all kinds of excuses about it being a cheap AR rather than the basic design itself.
look at all the things that have to be “right” about an AR before it is considered serious…
Aside from the obvious question, why would you ruin a sifter 
I think that pretty much answers any “What’s wrong with the Mini 14?” complaints.
As far as excuses about why a POS is something that should not be bought… I’m at a loss to why that question is being asked. Jam-o-matics aren’t limited to any one type of firearm and frankly anyone whose “experience” finds the AR design to be a POS has limited “experience”.
My NRA edition Mini has been great. Just an example of one, of course, but I have had zero problems with it. Since I’m in CA, we have limited choices.
Have you guys done this same test with an AK? Your applying an insane amount of dirt to that gun.
Not saying I’m a fan of the Mini14 but do this to an AK and run the same tests. I’m curious how it will pan out.
An AK couldn’t possibly live up to the standard set by the Mini-14.
a local PD only recently disposed of their last mini-14 after 20 years of service. They didnt have any complaints and the local gunshop that purchased them sold out in short order.
Those who bought them report nothing but positive feedback. They do seem to prefer Ruger factory magazines. But Colt likes good magazines too, and of the ARs I’ve seen fail on a range, it’s 8 times out of 10 due to someone using an el cheapo aftermarket “magazine” made of cheap components.
Trade out magazines and they finish the course of fire without any further hiccup. Same ammo, same rifle, just different quality feeding device.
being only a casual mini-(30) user myself, this video was pretty disturbing. i had always heard that mini’s were/are very reliable (with factory mags).
but since the mini design is essentially “a tribute” to the garand & m14, i figured i’d look around and see about problems with those 2 combat-proven rifles.
after some time spent with The Google, it seems like the garand action is dependent on proper lubrication (and proper lubricant) to be “combat reliable.”
hmmm - sounds a lot like the AR so far…
and i’m no expert, but i’m pretty sure that video does not demonstrate a properly lubed mini - it sure doesn’t seem to show a properly trained mini operator.
before you get your torches out, i’m not at all saying that the mini is as good as a (modern, tier 1) AR.
couple of things though:
one would EXPECT that the AR, which was developed after lessons learned in several wars, would be more robust than a design fielded when hitler was still just a small time dictator.
and let’s not forget the reputation the M16 earned when it first went into combat.
and while the AR is undoubtedly more self-contained when it comes to dirt intrusion, it can still be quite unreliable when it comes to mags and lube. and staked parts, and m4 cuts, and MPI/HPT, and chrome lining, teflon coating, etc., etc.
and once that dust cover opens (which it is after the first shot, right? ), there’s all kinds of room for crap to foul the works.
anyhow, this video intrigues me enough that i’ve ordered “a proper” type of lube for the garand action and i’m going to run the same test again - (as soon as i can find some brass cased 7.62).
no idea if the mini will fare better, but it seems appropriate to level the field.
and just in case i’m attacked by a man with a dirt filled baking sifter, i’ll keep my AK’s by the bed in the meantime. 
I had one for a short time. It did need to be kept clean, especially the gas block. I lubed generously and as long as I used good mags it did run. But finding good mags at that time was hard and I learned a few lessons on factory vs aftermarket magazines. Sold it to fund something else.