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**Vikingdad** · 12-10-2012, 04:35 AM

I have had a Mini 14 for many years and like it a lot. I have modified it somewhat (low cost mods) and it works well for me. My AR is new to me in the last 8 months and I also like it a lot too. Different guns entirely so I don't compare them to one another. I wouldn't buy a stock Mini 14 today, but I probably wouldn't pass up another one that has been tweaked some for the right price. On the other hand i will probably be putting together another AR in the future as the parts come available to me. I would like a varmint AR (note: Its not gonna be a Ruger!)

Quentin · 12-10-2012, 04:52 AM

Yeah I like the Mini-14 as far as looks and love the action. I came very close to buying one many times over the years but IMO the AR makes more sense as a new purchase. I also came close to buying a Mini-30 a few times but ended up going with a cheap AK to shoot up all that cheap corrosive surplus ammo. And instead of the 10/22, I'm a Marlin 60 guy. Ruger's having the toughest time selling me a rifle!

**Vikingdad** · 12-10-2012, 05:06 AM

Well you pretty much describe the 7.62X39 rifle missing from my collection. I cannot for the life of me buy an AK, but I would buy a Mini 30 and then modify it to suit me. I just like the action on it that much better. Still waiting for a deal too good to pass up on one though. Oh, and if a deal too good to pass up comes along on an AK before the Mini 30, I guess that will decide for me.

**Squawk** · 12-10-2012, 05:14 AM

My experience with the Ruger SR556e was the worst I've had from a new gun. Don't know the nomenclature but when I fired 55gr PMC XTAC, the BCG didn't cycle. Made my AR an annoying bolt action. Tried all 4 gas settings. Didn't matter.

Sold it to a private buyer who wanted to fix it. I know I could have sent to Ruger to be fixed for free, but that experience was enough for me to say screw the Piston-driven AR design.

**trip286** · 12-10-2012, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squawk

snip....Tried all 4 gas settings.....snip

This ^^^^ as a non AR owner, but prior military, is one more reason I won't get one. FOUR GAS SETTINGS!?!?
WAY more complicated than it has any reason to ever be, with no excuse that I can possibly think of.

**treehugger49** · 12-10-2012, 02:14 PM

I view the piston system for the AR platform as a solution in search of a problem....

**StainlessSteel215** · 12-10-2012, 02:25 PM

Thanks for these intelligent posts fellas. As a guy getting more and more interested in the AR platform I need to educate myself on gas piston vs direct impingement systems. Still learning the basics of how an AR is built and how it operates. I know my pistols pretty well by now, ready to graduate to an AR soon

Any quick links for a lay person like me? I own a KelTec PLR-16 .223 pistol which has a gas piston tube and understand the basic mechanics of how that works....but the rest is foreign to me!

purehavoc · 12-10-2012, 02:43 PM

You will hear about how much cleaner system it is , It is really not ,the gas has to go some where so instead of it going into the action which you do clean periodically anyway it goes under the hand guard , same gunk different place and if you have a free float hand guard it makes it a PITA to clean , my buddy sold his BCM to buy the Ruger 556 because he had to have the latest and greatest and is now still trying to unload the Ruger to buy/ build another BCM . He shoulda listened to me to begin with .