What would you own as a rifle for protection

[Rapier]

This post is the replacement for the prior post. This can be answered as a what do you own if you already own a rifle that you use for protection. A why post would be a nice addition.

[Rapier]

My vote was for the Mini. After three years of carrying a Mini-14, that I accurized, on my tractor, at the farm, I have come to really like the Mini. It is tough and shoots well, once you work on it a bit. The one thing that sets it apart from the AR is that it will shoot anything you can get into the chamber, like the AK, but with a trigger job, unlike the AK, it has a decent trigger. I own several AR guns and have owned several AKs including an MK-90, own a M-1 carbine or two and a few military bolt guns. Now a light weight AR-10 in 260 would be very nice but my last 260 AR was not light and a big heavy rifle to carry around is not the answer for me. I have not built a piston AR yet so it might just be the cat's behind.

Thought this would be a fun topic just for S&Gs.:D
Ed

[skeet]

Have had a few Minis..not very accurate..and a bit too fragile as they come from Ruger.. The AR s I have are both accurate..will shoot any ammo I can get for the darn thing and if push comes to shove in the future.. I am sure even with trouble in paradise I'll still be able to find ammo. and they aren't all that fragile..Parts are easy too..even with trouble in paradise. And with some of the bills Nobama has signed lately such as the enemy expatriation act and the last NDAA..I think we will have trouble.

[Rapier]

I do not think O'Bonzo is beyond doing an end around executive order or an ATF law by rules slight of hand trick. He is a very dishonest person and obviously spends a lot of time figuring out ways to skirt the law, a typical Chicago politician, in my opinion.

The secret to the Mini is about 120-150 in added work on an older gun. My current Mini is a SS version a 180 prefix gun with a 1-10 twist. It has a 6 inch over barrel muzzle break, an ASI adjustable gas block, a barrel that was pulled, de-coppered and recrowned, a glass bedded action, a trigger job and a centerline scope mount by Wichita (came on the used gun). It shoots 1 to .5 inches.
Ed

[skeet]

Didn't say i didn't have one Ed.. Just too fragile. I already cracked the stock on the one I have in the thin area around the mag. Of course a plastic stock would cure that..But i don't have to spend the extra in an AR package gun and mine happen to be much more accurate out of the box than any mini I have ever had. But with the right amount of money you can make the mini accurate.. I like the action..just kind of a mini Garand in looks. Also with the AR I can make a lightning link and go full auto easily(illegally too??). LOL

[oger]

The Mini is handy but you are still shooting a ground squirrel round. I have been fooling around with a 300 whisper in a TC. Has anyone converted a Mini to 300 whisper? I bet that would work just fine.

[Gil Martin]

These are a bit heavy, but they get the job done. All the best...
Gil

[skeet]

Never converted the mini to a whisper..but with the longer bbl it would no longer be a whisper. I had a friend who did a whisper in a Contender Carbine.. It wasn't loud but it made a lot more noise than my Contender. It did however shoot pretty good. I never saw him shoot anything. It isn't hard to supress a subsonic round.. I've done it with a Kitchen match box

[Rapier]

ASI (Accuracy Systems Inc of CO) is doing multiple larger caliber conversions on the Mini frame but they use primarily the Mini-30 with a barrel change for a new chamber which would be an easy Whisper project.

I am very familiar with the Whisper, going back about 15 years to several beside the fire style discussions, after silhouette matches, with Jim plus helping shooters at the range on a Spl Ops base work with the Whisper when new. It was a project undertaken by two IHMS silhouette shooters for the DOD at the request of the Seals. One of those was Jim Rock of RPM and the other was J. D. Jones of SSK both were former IHMSA match directors. J. D. registered the name, did the development and Jim had nothing, to my knowledge, to do with the project past the idea and design stage which I understand to be a couple of phone calls between Jim and J. D. J. D. of course builds the SSK Hand Cannons and Jim builds the XL pistol formally known as a Merrill pistol. I know both men and have owned several guns built by both men. They both do excellent work.

Last year I used J. D. 's base data on the Whisper as the inspiration in developing subsonic loads for the 6.5 Grendel and give J. D. credit as credit is due. These are the first loads published for the 6.5 Grendel to my knowledge, that function the AR action while remaining subsonic and that stay at or under .5 inches at 50 meters. The data on this can be found on the 6.5 Grendel web site sponsored by Alexander Arms.
Ed

[Adam Helmer]

Rapier,

VERY GOOD Post! I used to use one of my DCM ($20) M1 Carbines here on the farm until I bought several NEW SKS arms with all the goodies for $85 each in the early 1990s. I put the Carbine in the vault and carry a Chinese SKS on the tractor. My favorite SKS is post-ban for the bayonet, so I put a muzzlebrake on it and it is great. It likes my handloads and Ball.

This is my protection arm outside my home or barn. In dwellings, I prefer my Mossberg camo ported 12 gauge pump with shell slide on the butt stock and slugs and #4 Buck.

Adam

[Ridge Runner]

I have a custom 20" AR chambered in 458 socom, imagine a mid level 45/70 in an AR, had a co look at the end of the barrel once as he was checking for a loaded weapon, when he saw the hole in the barrel his expression changed and he said "your really serious about self protection aren't ya"
RR

[Rapier]

Adam,
Few people realize how hard a tractor is on a carry gun mounted on a tractor, especially with a bush hog that throws everything forward under the tractor, which causes the dirt and dust to boil up all around you. The carry gun best be a tough absolute functioning gun.

Ridge Runner, I have always been curious about the 458 Socom; have you figured out a way to get around the cost of the bullets? I shoot three 458 guns and none are semi-auto, so I imagine the Socom could easily get to be a hard hog to feed. No doubt it would be a good Truck gun...... kill a 69 Dodge in one shot. :D:D
Ed

[dovehunter]

My personal choice for a rifle for protection wouldn't be a rifle at all but a 12 ga. shotgun loaded with buckshot.

[powell&hyde]

My personal choice for a rifle for protection wouldn't be a rifle at all but a 12 ga. shotgun loaded with buckshot.

Bingo, same here.:)

[Larryjk]

Rifles for protection would be a 30 carbine in an urban setting and the M1 Garand for the rural setting. A shotgun would be fine in the urban setting for short range.

[dovehunter]

Rifles for protection would be a 30 carbine in an urban setting and the M1 Garand for the rural setting. A shotgun would be fine in the urban setting for short range.

I would also have said an M1 carbine had I not decided in favor of shotgun and buckshot.

[Joe Boleo]

I am pleased that no oner picked an AK. One fellow tried to shoot a 100 yard high power rifle match with an AK at our club and failed to score 100 points out of a possible 500. My preference would be an M1 Garand or an M1A, both are more than adequate. Take care...
Joe

[Adam Helmer]

Joe,

What ammo was the AK user firing? I bought some "Tul Ammo" at Walmart; it was metal cased Ball and not worth a darn in my SKSs. Does he possess a skill level beyond his AK's performance? I believe an SKS with good handloads would do better than 100 X 500. My choice would be a Garand with good handloads.

The AK may be fine for home defense.

Adam