Besides the overall look, is it worth the extra money to get a Stainless tactical vs a blued tactical Mini-14.

Are there any disavantages to having a stainless mini-14?

I love my stainless 580, I traded the black stock for some nice wood.

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10/22, Henry survival rifle(AR-7), SS 580 Mini 14, Mosin 91/30

Avoid the stress of this choice & get yourself one of each...

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www.SunflowerAmmo.com

Thats exactly what I did, now, no more stress.

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There are some people here who strip and clean their mini every 100 rds. For them and most others it's only aesthetics that differ.

I spend upwards of a month at a times backpacking or canoeing. A stainless weapon is 100% easier to keep rust free than a blued weapon. Both require care but I've found I can ignore my stainless mini and after a week of rain just wipe it off. I refinished the wood stock so I don't worry about warpage either.

I LOVE the look of Stainless/Wood!! I bought a blue/wood & it is great. I couldn't find a stainless unless I went with composite. I have a great looking/shooting little gun, but when I look at the stainless/wood models, I get all weak in the knees & start trembling! I think they make medication & support groups for this. HELP!!

ditto, I can't count the bad weather I've been in with my M30 s/s.
I've heard from some familiar with both s/s and blued that the blued 'shoots better'

I like the all weather ss but if you like the tactical black out look then the blue model will work. Depends on your appication, I like to hunt and don't care what the weather is doing. I have seen someone take a ss and completely polish it to a shine, very cool to look, mini bling if you will, I may buy one just to do that too!

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My mini is an old 187 series. Blued. The thing I see about them is the gas system. I clean mine after shooting, but I have still gotten corrosion between the gas tube and op rod in the gas piston. I recently replaced the blued gas tube with a stainless gas tube to try to prevent this corrosion.

Yes it's worth the extra cost.
Only disadvantage is concealment because it is kind of SHINY.

AFAIK the short barrel "tactical" model is not available in SS.

I could be wrong tho'.

I'm thinking of doing some kind of polish or bead blasting to mine that would give the SS a more shiny silver finish to better match the scope I have mounted on it.

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Every Mini shoots differently. Two guns from same production run may be more accurate with different ammo or so I am told.

I don't believe the finish has anything to do with it myself.

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Lon

Life is hard. Wear a helmet.

the matte stainless "shines" less then the blueing on most weapons.

"matte" SS is not shiny at all. My M1A's SS barrel is VERY shiny....not too tactical!

The SS in Mini actually looks like "as forged" to me.... it is definitely NOT shiny .. in fact, more like "dull".

SS tactical does exist but not as easy to find.

http://www.impactguns.com/store/5829.html

Mine is a stainless/wood stock 580. 2006 vintage.

Gundoc got ahold of it in early '07 and now the whole stick is matte black guncote. Stock, barrel, action, smith brake, amega scout mount, whole enchilada.
Best of both worlds to me, shameful behavior to others. YMMV.

My stainless 580 shoots rings around (inside of? ) my brother's blued 197, but I attribute that to better tooling and (after the fact) Gundoc.

You are.

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Bill Tidler Jr.
Good men must not obey the laws too well.
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wetidlerjr if you don't mind me asking, how much?

This is stainless.
...But only me and Gundoc know for sure.

I basically envisioned a "Mini-14 SOCOM" and secured the parts.
Gundoc did the rest.

Stainless 580 series 16" straight bbl, wood stock
Matte Black Guncote
Amega Ranges Scout Mount
Smith Brake (permanent attached)
Glass Bedded
Trigger Job
Gas Bushing
Recoil Buffer
Bipod Lug
Masen 10rd mags

Fooling around with a Konus Atomic, can't pony up for a T-1 and IMO my FACOG looks stupid on there. This is a flat out shooter. Sorry for the poor image.

Too much...

__________________
Bill Tidler Jr.
Good men must not obey the laws too well.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

SandShark,

That is a beautiful rifle.

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Thanks! it's part of a beautiful family..

Ok where the hell to get a stainless tactical ?

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1) depends on where you live, and the operating conditions you would be subjecting it to. If you live east of the mississipi, or another humid or coastal area then get a stainless mini.

2) The stainless mini has a reputation of heat stringing of groups when the barrel gets hot, so that is a disadvantage if you shoot lots of rounds in a short period of time.