[Ranger30-06]

Hello guys. First things first: Look at my location. I can't have this yet but I plan on having one when I get to a free state!

Ok so we all know about the Mini's thin barrel and how if you improve the harmonics, it shoots better. We also know that as of 2006, all of the Mini's come with heavier barrels to improve accuracy and slow down the heating of the barrel.

Now recently, I learned about barrel length and how the increased rigidity when it's shorter helps accuracy. My question is, is the shorter 13" barrel of the AC556 more accurate than a typical Mini-14? Hopefully one day, I would like to SBR one of the newer Mini's and have an AC lookalike, but that's going to have to wait...

Does anyone have an SBRed Mini? Care to put up some pics?

[NG VI]

Probably not more accurate than one of the new Minis, just because of the total package of improvements that they did to them.

I dunno if it would be more accurate than the Minis of the same graduating class, with the same quality and profile barrels, I'd guess maybe, but the Mini already has a short enough barrel that there may not be any real-world difference at that point.

[husker]

Not sure what SBR means? Short barreled rifle? Their is a man on here,that has 1 cut way down & has a ATN night vision scope on top. Allkinds of things you can do to improve accuracy.

accu strut
re-torquing the gas block
cryogenic freezing the barrel process.
flash hider,ect will all help with stringing
1911 buffers will help save your scope from being beat to death

[Ranger30-06]

Yes husker, SBR means Short Barreled Rifle. I know what could be done to improve the accuracy, but I was just wondering of shortening the barrel down to ~13" or so offers better accuracy over the typical 16" barrel because of the increased rigidity. I know the AC556 uses a 13" barrel, but it's a pencil barrel and 4moa is about all you'll get shooting full auto anyway. BTW, 13" on a Mini-14 barrel brings it about an inch past the front of the forend. If you thread it, it sticks out about 2" or so from the end of the forend...

Looking around now though, some of those shortened Sig 556 rifles with the folding stocks and 10" barrels come up pretty short... Hmmm... Looks like I'll have 2 projects for when I get to a free state!

[NavyEngineer]

I have a 13 inch AC-556, currently in a wood stock. It makes a very light, handy carbine. It was made in 1984, and I have found accuracy is on par with a 16 inch barrel Mini-14 of the same vintage (3-4 MOA with Federal 55 grain FMJ ammo, a little more with Wolf Military Classic). I don't have any experience shooting a newer Mini-14, or one that has been accurized. I could never achieve 4 MOA with any 5.56 in full auto - the first shot always goes to point of aim, and the second one is a few inches higher, and burst of greater than 3 rounds are generally a waste of ammo. The 13 inch carbine climbs quickly. With the .22 conversion kit installed, however, you can hold tight groups in the center of the target!

[Ranger30-06]

Thanks NavyEngineer.

Just curious, but how hard is it to find parts for the AC556's now that Ruger stopped servicing them?

[crazy-mp]

https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSoJ2vNXaDNDv57YC_LzseIwFqI7_rO2k2dqejNQgwbpcYG9h3Dew

Not mine, but am going to have one built

[WardenWolf]

Well, if the AK is any indication, a shorter barrel, to a point, will improve accuracy by reducing the whip at the far end of the barrel.

[Ranger30-06]

I figured that because it shares a lot in common with the AK. Thanks for your input

[NavyEngineer]

Just curious, but how hard is it to find parts for the AC556's now that Ruger stopped servicing them?

Many, if not most, parts from older Mini-14s are compatible. Of course, the full auto parts are specific to the AC-556. Aftermarket barrels are available. Complete parts kits (minus the receiver) are also available, although they sell for several hundred dollars. I haven't had to replace any parts on mine. The desire for greater parts support would push one toward the M16 platform, but you can buy (or have a machinist manufacture, if needed) a lot of parts for the price difference between even a converted AR-15 and an AC-556!