Help with Mini 14 set-up.....please

[sonny]

Due to restrictions in NYC I have decided on a Mini 14 or Mini ranch rifle for my primary long arm (the shotgun thing is covered).
I suspect that I will get the typical responses that me and other folks that post mini questions get.

#1- overpriced
#2-can't hit the side of a barn when barrel is cold.....worse when it heats up.
#3-Bill Ruger is a traitor
#4-buy an AR
#5-High cap mags are expensive and hard to find......doesn't matter to me ...in nyc we are limmited to 5 rounders anyway.
#6-in my case....MOVE out of NYC, I know I've heard it before.
etc.
etc.

I honestly hope I can get some respect and help from fellow gun owners who are understanding and sympathetic to my situation,let's face it gun laws are strict in the big apple...I know... my roots are here and I don't intend on moving any time soon so me and many other NYC gun owners are making the best of it.......believe it or not if you don't mind jumpin through some hoops it's not that bad.

Anyway back to the Mini 14 ranch........I want to design it to fit my shooting needs and although it may end up costing a pretty penny due to restrictions I'll have to live with it.

O.K.....here we go....The thin barrel....how much and where is the best place to have an aftermarket barrel installed?......What kind of Iron sight set up would you put on to replace the flimsy rear folding sights that come with it?.....some sort of quick accusition sights like ghost rings or similar?....this is my major concern since I plan on using the Iron sights primarilly...should I get the standard mini model since this is the case?....How does a Red dot scope with see tru rings sound if I go with the ranch model?..anything I'm forgetting?

Bottom line is that I like the design and ergonomics of the mini,as well as its durubility and I would like to make it my GO TO rifle as silly as it may sound to you lucky many who live in gun friendly states.....so ........have a heart and help a guy out who has a geographic problem

Another way of saying this is to ask you if you lived in NYC what set up would YOU use on your....MINI 14....please try to stick with the question if possible, it would really mean alot to me if I could get some serious opinions here.

Thank You!

 

[Tom C.]

Mini-14 setup

I have a Mini. The accuracy was nothing special, so I sent it to Accuracy Rifle Systems in Odessa TX (http://www.mini-14-accuracy.com) to be rebarreled and smoothed up. Much better now. Clark (http://www.clarkcustomguns.com), also works on Minis. I have the original stock. Plan to eventually replace it with a laminated stock. I put the front swivel on the stock to relieve barrel pressure with a sling. Mine is a Ranch and I have a scope on it. Consider a ranch and look in Brownell's catalog for a better rear sight. There are several you may prefer to the original.
I have Thermold mags for it. They still aren't too expensive.
The Mini doesn't have the snob appeal of the better AR-15 clones, but it is better, in my opinion, than an older, light barrel ARs and can hold its own with a heavy, non-match AR (after the rebarrel). It is particularly nice for old geezers like me who were raised with the M-1 Garand and M-14.

 

[sonny]

Thanks Tom .....thats a good start...does your barrel have sights on it or do you only use the scope?

 

[SodaPop]

You can get 2 MOA or better if you shoot quality ammo. I have a Standard and Ranch-Mini 14, that both can hit the chest area of a Taliban farmer, standing in the doorway of the broadside of a barn-out to about 600yds.


My Ranch has a 3-9x40 scope and my Standard has a 4x scope mounted above the iron sights. I shoot about 4 MOA with the Irons but haven't sighted in the scope yet.


I personally like the Ranch model with a scope and the Standar model with irons sights. I like them the way they are and don't plan on putting on a heavy barrel until I shoot out the barrels on them.

Stick with good mags. If you have any questions feel free to PM or email me. I've been shooting Mini's for about 6yrs and never have problems.

 

[Kor]

How I would set-up my own Mini-14...

...if I still owned it - I sold it in order to finance the acquisition of a real Garand, converted to .308, which I like LOTS better, but that's another story.

1) Sights - the Ranch Mini's sights blow chunks, but then again the standard Mini's sights ain't all that much better. Personally, I would get the Ranch Rifle, and replace the sights with Ashley Outdoors/Xpress Sight Systems units. Black front blade w/ white highlight stripe, all-steel ghost-ring rear. I'd also sink a bit more $$ into it and get their .218 threaded aperture and a set of Williams-style sight inserts from Brownells - there's a thread about Marlin 1894's and this sight from about a week ago in here. www.xpresssights.com

2) The heavy bull barrel seems to go against the Mini's design philosophy - consider instead David R. Clay's approach, where he lops the barrel off to 16.25" and re-crowns. According to him, the last few inches of barrel get roughed up in the manufacturing process, so he gets rid of the offending part and all is much better. www.drccustomsights.com (I think)

3) For scope, I'd suggest either a 2-4X pistol scope or a red-dot, mounted scout-style. The Ultimak guys have a Picatinny-rail scout mount, but I think it's a bit too spendy. I put a mount from Ranch Products, www.ranchproducts.com on my Mini, it replaced the top half of the gas block and took Weaver-type rings. I had a Burris 2-6X25 pistol scope mounted to it with Leupold quick-release Weaver(QRW) rings, and it worked pretty good. I also had a Tasco Optima(now discontinued) that I swapped back and forth on that mount. If you're gonna send the rifle to David Clay anyways, he also does his own custom Scout-style mount on Mini's.

Also, the guys at www.perfectunion.com (or .org, I forget) LOOOVE Mini's - you should be able to get mucho info there, also.

 

[Sactown]

Here's my Mini-14 Ranch. I put a Clark GBS and Leupold 3-9 on it. I didn't want to send it out to have it rebarreled so I bought the GBS. It's a stabilizer (basically a weight) on the end of the barrel which keeps the barrel from flexing when it's fired. It's reduced my groups by 1/2 at least. Rebarreling, just wasnt for me. Haven't had the trigger group adjusted yet. It's sitting in a Hogue Overmold stock.

 

[sonny]

Thanks for the responses guys..........since I only plan on getting one......should I just go ahead and pay extra for the ranch model even though I plan on using the Iron sights primerily?.....with the option of scoping it later.
Is there any iron sights that can be installed that are considered to be ...... the best.....regardless of the price?

 

[CWL]

You live in NYC, you don't need a 1000-yard shooter.

For plinking, gunrange stuff and urban defense, the Mini14 is fine as it is. Don't go overboard because you don't need it. Smithing a mini14 is a waste of money.

Just get the SS ranch rifle and put on a decent middle-range scope, or (my preference) a red-dot sight system and practice changing out 5-rounders. Spend the rest of your dough on ammo and other things.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

I'd leave it stock, myself.

ranch rifles aren't supposed to get used with iron sights much, hence the scope mounts.

I'd get a low power scope, like a 1.5 to 5, a good carrying strap, some good magazines and call it good.

 

[SodaPop]

the Mini14 is fine as it is. Don't go overboard because you don't need it. Smithing a mini14 is a waste of money.

I'd have to agree with that. The only way I'd sink more money into a MIni 14 is if I wore out something.

 

[SodaPop]

Here's a picture of one of mine.

 

[dude]

if you are a happy iron sight shooter like me--the best way to get around the Mini-14 sight-issue is to get a Mini-14 GB with M-14 sights.

The mini is a LEO carbine, not a Military rifle. It does the job just fine.

This one is about $150 overpriced but it has a good picture:
http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976290930.htm

I have seen them for $650 at gunshows in the past and will not pass another one up!

....shoot often and enjoy

 

[Art Eatman]

I've had two blued Minis, and two stainless. When I got my first one, back in their earliest days, I could see well enough to use the iron sights. No problems in hitting beer-can sized targets at 100 yards.

After that, I stuck one of those patented mounts that fits in where the rear sight is, with a pressure-lock against the front of the receiver. I used a Weaver K4. Commonly, around 1.5 to 2 MOA.

I'm really not sure of the purpose of the "Ranch Rifle". About all I see is a sleazy handguard, and folks talk about the garbage-y rear sight. So? Why bother?

IMO, the best deal going for practical use for the Mini is a ten-round magazine. I've had all the high-cap stuff, and while it's fun to burn off ammo they don't seem to have much utility. Pretty much pointless...

To me, a stainless Mini, either with the irons or a low-poweered scope, oughta work just fine.

Art

 

[TCW]

Hey fellow victim of a liberal state! I live in the PRK (The Peoples Republic of California, with our "Dear Leader" Gay Davis), and I feel your pain, brother!

I got a mini-14 ranch and I'm very happy with it. I attached a Weigand mount (Weaver-style, specifically made for the ranch model, $50.00) and put a Propoint 5 (More expensive Tasco red dot scope, $90.00). I have also managed to find reliable 10-round mags. It works very well! The red dot is great for the mini (no recoil to speak of that would damage electronics in the scope, wide (1x) field of vision, works in any lighting and has the fastest target acquisition possible). I consider it a 150yd or less gun, and this setup is designed to work within those parameters.

I won't be taking any 500 yd shots at grizzly bears with it, but it serves its intended purpose.

TCW

 

[CZ 75 BD]

mini 14

I took my new in the box all-weather ranch rifle to the range yesterday. Using the peep and blade sights, I can hit a 4" x 6" plate from 110 yards. The heat from the barrel was visible through the sights, but the rifle hit the target.

 

[Onslaught]

I'd go with the Ranch rifle if you're serious about your irons.

Why? Because most of the aftermarket sights available only fit the Ranch rifle...

If I were doing up a Mini, I'd get the ranch.
I'd send it for an accuracy job (not the bull barrel replacement)
I'd add on the XS Systems irons.
I'd get Thermold mags.
I'd put a Hogue Overmolded stock on it.
I'd put one of the Ranch Products Scout mounts.
Then I'd invest in a good Red Dot (Aimpoint? ) and a bunch of ammo...

I actually considered doing this exact thing a while back, although I already own an AR-15. But I found some other projects that I wanted to do more.

 

[greyeyezz]

If you are primarily going to use iron sights go with the standard, i can twap the rear sight off a ranch with my finger. In an urban enviorment like NYC the standard will serve you fine. You can always get a side mount for scope.

 

[Nightcrawler]

There's nothing wrong with a Mini-14 for the uses you mentioned. If limited to five round magazines, the standard Ruger factory mags will do you fine. (That blows, by the way, I feel for you.)

In that situation, I don't know if I'd get a Ruger, though. What about an M1 Garand? It holds 8 rounds. Would it have to be castrated, too, per NYC law? Yeesh.

If so, there goes my idealistic belief that, as bad as things were, there was no place in the country where one couldn't own a stock, unmolsested, GI M1 Garand. *sigh*

I'd also consider the Remington 7400, in .308, .30-06, .243, what have you. But I'm a fan of full-power rifle cartridges. If you want a .223, then the Mini is the best choice, given your setup.

 

[bad_dad_brad]

We rave about semi-auto's but consider a quality lever-action rifle.

They look like something a smiling John Wayne would tote. Pretty non-threatening.

Many have tube magazines that load over 10 rounds, legally.

They are 100% reliable.

They point well and shoot straight.

Lever action rifles have staged quite the come back since the 1994 hi-cap magazine ban.

Think about it.

If I could not lawfully purchase a good AR-15, I would not settle for a Mini-14. I would get a quality lever action rifle in the caliber of choice.

 

[sonny]

I can't legally own a lever gun that has a capacity over 5 rounds.
unless I get the tube crimped by a gunsmith so that it it will only hold 5 rounds............which defeats the purpose.
Even my 10/22 has factory ruger 5 rounders
Same goes for shotguns...pump or auto loader
Can you see why a Mini 14 is attractive now?