Mini-14 Cash Price at a Gun Show

[xavier fremboe]

I'm looking to walk around the gun show in Fort Worth this weekend toting a Mini-14 stainless Ranch Rifle with a Tapco collapsible stock.  I've also put a picatinny rail where the normal Ruger scope mounts would go.  The rifle has about 300 rounds through it and the only problem is that the rear aperture is broken.  Getting rid of it because I've decided to go the Evil Black Rifle route.

I originally traded an Olympic AR for it since my folks didn't want me shooting an 'assault rifle' on their property, and the Mini looked much less threatening.  They've since come around.

Just curious as to thoughts of what fair cash price should be.

What say ye?

[HankB]

From an informed buyer's standpoint, the Tapco stock and broken aperture are both minuses; not sure about the Picatinny rail.

[AZRedhawk44]

A lot more if nothing were broken on it.

As is... I doubt you'll get offers you'd like to entertain since it requires immediate maintenance to bring it back to shootable status.

Someone with a visibly broken rifle trying to sell will usually see me offering 50% of the rifle's value if I'm interested at all.  $350.

Fix the rear sight before you go, and you could see $600 or so.

The receiver bolt-on scope mounts are crap for Minis, in my limited experience.  The stock ruger ones are better.  The M14 market does it properly, but the Mini-14 market treats them like toys rather than tools.  Put the rifle back in the Hogue or wood stock it originally came in.  Tapco = junk when it comes to resale.

Include the stuff as "extras" and put the rifle back to original config.  A stainless mini with Hogue overmolded stock, on the used market with a bag full of extras, should bring you at least $700.

[bedlamite]

Right after the AW ban sunset I bought a Mini 14 for $325, sold it 3 years ago for $450. The guy I sold it to still has it on his table at gun shows, last month he dropped the price on it to $585.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

You'll have better luck selling the rifle if you first repair the broken aperture and re-install the original stock.  Offer the Tapco stock on the side as an extra.

[lee n. field]

I'm looking to walk around the gun show in Fort Worth this weekend toting a Mini-14 stainless Ranch Rifle with a Tapco collapsible stock.  I've also put a picatinny rail where the normal Ruger scope mounts would go.  The rifle has about 300 rounds through it and the only problem is that the rear aperture is broken.  Getting rid of it because I've decided to go the Evil Black Rifle route.

What they been sayin' -- for better money, fix the sight, go with the regular Ruger stock, and ditch the rail.  Do that, and I assume it's not in decent shape and not unsightly, $400-something.  (OK, maybe more now.  I bought mine almost a decade ago.)  I assume this is a Ranch Rifle.  New model, or older?

[xavier fremboe]

It is a ranch rifle, so the rail is using the pretapped holes.  It's also has a trench machined in it so that you can use it a peepunder.  Assuming the rear aperture works, of course...

[xavier fremboe]

Whoops.  Just went and checked.  Obviously it doesn't have pretapped holes.  The rail mount uses the scallops for the Ruger rings.  My bad.  Sorry.  I appreciate the input.  Personally, I've liked the Tapco stock, but that's just one man's opinion...

[AJ Dual]

Whoops.  Just went and checked.  Obviously it doesn't have pretapped holes.  The rail mount uses the scallops for the Ruger rings.  My bad.  Sorry.  I appreciate the input.  Personally, I've liked the Tapco stock, but that's just one man's opinion...

A lot of Tapco stuff is okay. However, they've gotten picked on as a source for those who needlessly pimp their gear, and do it on the cheap.

So the current low opinion of Tapco is probably 1/2 truth, 1/2 snobbery.

[xavier fremboe]

Hmmm.  It's made out of the same reinforced plastic the collapsible AR stocks are made from.  Every other stock converting the mini to a pistol grip that I saw looked like unreinforced ABS. 

[zahc]

I wouldn't give more than $150 for any Mini-*. After sighting in my dad's Mini-14, I'd honestly rather have an SKS.

[AJ Dual]

I wouldn't give more than $150 for any Mini-*. After sighting in my dad's Mini-14, I'd honestly rather have an SKS.

I assume it's the older mini, that does not have the thicker barrel profile at the gasblock?

[MechAg94]

I wouldn't give more than $150 for any Mini-*. After sighting in my dad's Mini-14, I'd honestly rather have an SKS.

But he is looking for the going rate, not your opinion.  :D

I don't have a mini.  They were always just a little more expensive than I was willing pay.  I see a lot of them for sale at shows that are overpriced.  I rarely see them priced lower as those are bought very quickly.  So IMO, find the right price and it will sell quickly. 

[lee n. field]

Every other stock converting the mini to a pistol grip that I saw looked like unreinforced ABS. 

The Butler Creek folder is decent quality.

[Gewehr98]

The going rate is what people are willing to pay for it, period.

Me, I wouldn't give a plug nickel for another Mini-14 or Mini-30, but that's because the two I owned weren't worth the powder to blow them to hell.

YMMV, of course. 

[xavier fremboe]

Okay, aside from comments, the poll results seem to be in the $500-$600 range, and of course G98's offer to blow it up if I supply the powder=).

I think I'll go in at $650-700 and let myself get bargained down.  I may go into the show and see apples-to-apples prices first, though.

Thanks for the input!

[xavier fremboe]

Sold it for $600 cashy money.  Almost bought a long slide comped .40 glock, but figured I'd be shot with one of my 9mm glocks upon arrival.

[lee n. field]

Good deal.

How far will this get you on your EBR of choice?

[xavier fremboe]

It'll cover a Del-ton 20" upper. 

[Hawkmoon]

So the current low opinion of Tapco is probably 1/2 truth, 1/2 snobbery.

While that may be true (to an extent), it probably cannot be (effectively) refuted that the Tapco stock lowers the value rather than enhances it.

Personally, I avoid Bubba'd guns. If I want a gun modified, I want ME to modify it. That's the only way I can feel confident that it's done right. The two times I made exceptions (a Colt 9mm Combat Commander, and then a Colt M1991A1 Compact), I paid dearly. In fact, the M1991A1 still isn't back to original configuration, for reasons I won't go into. But at least it has become functional.

I'd recommend selling it with the original stock and putting the Tapco up for sale elsewhere. Don't even mention that it was ever near the rifle.

[Sergeant Bob]

Sold it for $600 cashy money.  Almost bought a long slide comped .40 glock, but figured I'd be shot with one of my 9mm glocks upon arrival.

Wow, I paid $340 for my Ranch Rifle a few years ago. I need to sell it and get my CMP.

[MechAg94]

IMO, the guys who would buy a Mini-14 at that price are the type who would prefer a wood stock anyway.  From what I see, the Mini-14 has a good reputation with a lot of casual shooters/hunters who don't spend a lot of time at the range.  I don't think you see too many guys like that on gun forums.

The other thing for me is that I already have AR's and have way too many magazines for them.  I doesn't make a lot of sense for me to invest in a Mini14.

Does anyone make a wood stock for an AR?  Just wondering if you could make an AR look like a more traditional rifle.  Put wood grips, wood (paneled?) stock, railed gas block, etc and it might work.  :D  Then again, it might look hideous.

[AJ Dual]

Does anyone make a wood stock for an AR?  Just wondering if you could make an AR look like a more traditional rifle.  Put wood grips, wood (paneled?) stock, railed gas block, etc and it might work.  :D  Then again, it might look hideous.

They do. http://ironwooddesigns.com/IWDsite/IWDAR15.html

[Harold Tuttle]

http://ar15wood.com/product_info_4.html