born2die

I second BAC's suggestion of the mossberg. I really think that it would serve your needs quite well. If it has to be a rifle, then it really depends on your purpose for it. If you want to just throw on the boat and forget about it, then maybe the ruger would be better, but if you want it for a defensive weapon and range gun, then i think that an AR would be a lot better.

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garn

Rust?

I'm confused, AR's are forged or billet aluminum (some heavy target lowers in stainless and other materials), aluminum does not rust. it may corrode, but you would have to SEVERELY neglect the weapon for that to ever happen.

Just get a hard chrome lined bore and chamber for the barrel and a hard chromed bolt carrier assembly if you are paranoid about it.

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Rob72

Parked weapons happily rust in salt water environs (barrel, BC, trigger group, front sight assembly).

Most folks aren't removing the handguards on a regular basis, and in a humid environment, that's were most of your corrosion will occur. An epoxy over park coat is the current standard.

edr9x23super

+1 on the AR; Buy one and have it Hard Chromed. Hard Chroming is almost impervious to corrosion.

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garn

no-one said you couldn't get a stainless barrel on an AR, an aluminum gas block, an all aluminum 2 stage match trigger, and an aluminum front sight of your choice.

Heck you could replace the pins with KNS stainless pins.

You have 5,000 more options with the AR platform than a mini 14 if you really want to get crazy with rust/corrosion resistance hehe.

Look into Ion Bond, a super hard coating thats even superior to hard chroming. A couple of dealers on ar15.com offer if on entire carrier assemblies and barrels, or any part you can imagine really.

If you take decent care of your gun and dont leave it in a musty basement for 50 years without any protective oil coating, then i don't even think its anything to worry about.

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socuban

Thank you all for the great advice thus far

I do my boating in saltwater with excursions into the Bahamas for long weekends. Anyone that knows the saltwater environment also know how harsh it can be on most things.

I do own a Remington 870 marine magnum that is the primary boat gun. I also would like to own a .223 rifle. I try and factor in the boating environment when I look at equipment because I spend a lot of time on boats and hate to have something that will start to rust if I'm not all over it (read high maintenance).

So far it sounds like the mini 14 is a mechanically reliable gun (from the lack of negative operational performance issues), but lacks accuracy and the mags are expensive.

I'm also reading that the AR is the way to go in terms of accuracy and options, including special coatings to resist rusting/corrosion.

I was hoping to keep it simple with a no nonsense, low maintenance rifle in a popular round, but it sounds like you guys are going to suck me into the "dark side" with the AR rifle and the 5,000 different configurations

So, I have to ask (because I don't know any better);

If you were building an AR rifle from scratch, knowing that the unit would spend time in a harsh environment in terms of humidity, salinity and sand, what would you build price equivalent to a stainless steel mini 14?

garn

Actually,

for what you are looking for, I would go with a Cavalry Arm polymer lower to start off with. It's super lightweight, very durable, and being polymer would be totally impervious to any salt corrosion or rust issues.

Cavalry Arms

I have one myself and it is an excellent piece!

Then I would go with your upper receiver of choice, CMMG, RRA, Mega, CMT, LMT, etc etc. They are all pretty much the same, I would go with an A1 carry handle upper for the simplicity of the sighting system, rarely need windage adjustment on the fly using irons.

For the bolt carrier assembly, I would either go with a Young Mfg hard chrome assembly or an Ion Bond BCM assembly.

Here is the Ion Bond version: BRAVO COMPANY ION BONDED M16 BOLT CARRIER GROUPS OUT OF STOCK - BCMM16IONBOND

For the barrel, I'd go with a WOA stainless barrel, some of the better stainless barrels you can get, and they are priced fairly:

White Oak Armament POB 74 Carlock, IL 61725 (309) 376-2288

I prefer midlength gas system in 16" and a medium or light contour, throw in an aluminum gas block and a sabre defence stainless gas tube.

I think it would end up costing a tad more than a mini 14 but it would be a super versatile, more accurate than most shooters, and about as rust/corrosion resistant as possible!

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BAC

Don't be as quick to jump to that conclusion; like you said, salt water is a horrid environment for equipment, especially mechanical equipment. Many big name shooters and former shooters (Rogers, Vickers, those folks) have flat said they rarely, or haven't at all, seen a Mini 14 make it through a weekend carbine course. Take what you will from that, but I'd trust an AR over a Mini any day (ARs aren't near as fragile as folks make them out to be).


Garn is exactly right. Cavalry Arms is a fine company to work with and their polymer is a great base to start from to make a good "maritime" rifle (White Oaks is an excellent barrel maker). Couple Garn's suggestions with Pmags and you're good to go.

ETA: Actually, building of Garn's template above, you'd get a pretty nice rifle for just about $800, plus shipping: mid-length gas system, basic mid-length handguards, 16" stainless steel barrel, A1 fixed stock, A2 sights with standard front sight post, and a standard A2 flash hider. Add four PMags (arbitrary number) for another $60, and you still end up with a better rifle with three more mags, all mags having higher capacity, than a NIB stainless Mini 14. socuban, if you want I'll PM you the list of that build (or just email you the Excel spreadsheet I drafted it in).


-B

MR D

good advice - I got rid of my stainless mini 14 when I left Florida prior to 90...

AR will serve you better IMHO

johnisaly

socuban -

I have a new Mini for sale. Check for PM I sent you.

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