Mini-14 or AK

[TANSTAAFL]

Here's a twist, which one will be easier to find parts for?

 

[KurtM]

Hmmmmm....I'm late to this one, but as for the dilemma posted, isn't there a baseball bat or 2X4 laying around?

 

[mtngunr]

Hmmmmm....I'm late to this one, but as for the dilemma posted, isn't there a baseball bat or 2X4 laying around?

Or a cane (wink!). I ignored the scenario, as the most likely scenario for most is dealing with the ammo shortage caused by the scenarios which never play out, and in that scenario I am pretty much ok.

 

[JamesB]

Here's a twist, which one will be easier to find parts for?

Definitely AR parts and ammo would be easier to find in America.

 

[HFS]

I would lean toward the Mini14 because the AK might have come from Century Arms.

 

[Gideon]

My riot control niche is filled by a Saiga 12 so that’s technically an AK.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Definitely AR parts and ammo would be easier to find in America.

I'd say yes to that, but mini 14 versus AK?

 

[WoodsCraft]

I'd say yes to that, but mini 14 versus AK?

Neither rifle is great from a spare parts perspective because all AK's with the exception of the Sig 55x rifles are built with a large amount of hand fitting. All you need to know concerning this is having built your own AK once or twice. Jim Fuller has spoken about this at length on numerous interviews.

AK parts are more available but the country variations and quality differences means its gonna take work or maybe they won't work at all Zastava for instances has said don't use aftermarket parts in our guns it can cause issues.


The Sig 55x which I own a few of , the parts are all well made and precise but expensive and hard to obtain


The Mini you probably better buy a spare rifle because Ruger doesn't sell spares to the public or find one that was turned into a parts kit

 

[JamesB]

I'd say yes to that, but mini 14 versus AK?

I’d still go AK on that choice just because failure is not much of an issue with the AK and there’s not much for failure except headspace issues and at that point you should be in the 20k ish round count I would have to guess

 

[Fyrtwuck]

I’d go AK.
I’ve owned several Ruger Mini 14’s and their biggest weakness is that they were finicky with magazines. I tried one of every brand of aftermarket magazine that I could find for the Mini and they all failed. Factory Ruger mags worked great, but expensive.