Mini-14 at the Range...........Range Report

[FMJMIKE]

This was my second trip to the range with my Ruger 580 series Mini-14. It is the stainless steel model with the polymer stock. I have a Nikon 2 X 7 X 33 scope mounted in Ruger rings. I started out at 50 yards and was testing various ammo I had at home. The rifle rest was a rolled up soft gun case on a shooting table. The Ruger has not been modified in any way. My first three shots with Winchester 5.56 X 45 55grain ammo clover leafed on the bullseye............... A grin the size of Texas crossed my face. A couple more shots were about an inch below the first three. I then tried Silver Bear .223 62 grain HP and Brown Bear .223 62 grain soft points. They both shot about 1 1/2 inch group at 50 yards. I then tried Privi Partisan .223 69 grain HP and it would not group at all. I then moved out to 100 yards and was getting 3 MOA groups with the Winchester 5.56 X 45, Silver Bear HP and Brown Bear SP. I also fired a few Radway Green SS 109 5.56 X 45. Even though I was switching back and forth between steel case ammo and brass case ammo I did not have one failure to feed ,fire or extract (about 120 rounds fired). I also did not notice any stringing due to a hot barrel. I feel the ammo used and moderately heavy trigger pull limited my accuracy. A trigger job and better ammo would probably put this Mini in the 1 - 2 MOA range. This is a keeper..........Thanks...........

 

[Redneck with a 40]

With my handload's, I can get 2" groups at 100 yards, 5 shots. It maintained this accuracy through a 25 shot string.

Hornady 55 gr SP spire point
25.3 grains H-4895
Wolf 223 primer
Remington case
2.200" OAL

This is THE load in my Mini.

I'm very happy with the accuracy of it, it was never designed to be a match target rifle.

 

[wow6599]

I can get 1.5" groups @100 yrds with mine using Federal 55 gr (100 rd WM boxes for $39.99) and I have also gotten lucky enough to get sub moa (3 shots, not 5) using those rds. NRA Mini and Nikon ProStaff 3-9x40.

 

[Ohio Gun Guy]

Nice.....

 

[Ignition Override]

Very nice.

Lots of guys feel that the older, unmodified Mini 14s won't hit any target worth shooting after the barrel heats up.
But they were not designed for any real range.

 

[mes228]

Mini

Well I don't know what to say. I supposed the two I've shot were flukes. I purchased a new Ranch Rifle in 6.8 and my friend purchased a new Mini in .223 caliber. These were the "new" accurized versions at a suggested retail of over $1000. Both were so inaccurate from the box it was unbelievable. So bad you would think something would have had to be physically broken to shoot so badly. After 40 rounds my 6.8 was shooting around 4" or so. I was so disgusted I sold it this weekend. My friends .223, even after several boxes did not improve to better that a 6" or so rifle. He is selling his off also. I can shoot pretty consistent 1 to 1 1/2 inch groups if the rifle/ammo is capable of it. My friend is an excellent rifle/pistol shot and shoots bull eye competitions. It's hard to remember when I've been so disgusted with a rifles performance. Love the concept but the execution sure lacked in these two. I sold it off and purchased a new Ruger RSI Mannlicher Hawkeye in .243 caliber. I mounted a Nikon Pro Staff on it and will let you know how it shoots. I've always been a sucker for a Mannlicher stock and have owned several. Some were accurate and some were not so hot. All would shoot rings around the Ranch Rifle.

 

[desidog]

Lots of guys feel that the older, unmodified Mini 14s won't hit any target worth shooting after the barrel heats up.

That is nonsense. The POI changes, so you lose your zero, if you had a cold-barrel zero....If you have a hot barrel zero, you just need to warm it up first. My Ranch goes up and right every time from a cold zero; if you're familiar with this "feature" they are very accurate guns.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

Well I don't know what to say. I supposed the two I've shot were flukes. I purchased a new Ranch Rifle in 6.8 and my friend purchased a new Mini in .223 caliber. These were the "new" accurized versions at a suggested retail of over $1000. Both were so inaccurate from the box it was unbelievable. So bad you would think something would have had to be physically broken to shoot so badly. After 40 rounds my 6.8 was shooting around 4" or so. I was so disgusted I sold it this weekend. My friends .223, even after several boxes did not improve to better that a 6" or so rifle. He is selling his off also. I can shoot pretty consistent 1 to 1 1/2 inch groups if the rifle/ammo is capable of it. My friend is an excellent rifle/pistol shot and shoots bull eye competitions. It's hard to remember when I've been so disgusted with a rifles performance. Love the concept but the execution sure lacked in these two. I sold it off and purchased a new Ruger RSI Mannlicher Hawkeye in .243 caliber. I mounted a Nikon Pro Staff on it and will let you know how it shoots. I've always been a sucker for a Mannlicher stock and have owned several. Some were accurate and some were not so hot. All would shoot rings around the Ranch Rifle.

I'm sorry to hear you had a bad experience with Mini's. If they are shooting that bad, Ruger, under warrenty, will fix it at no cost to you.

 

[Hammerhead6814]

If only they didn't sell for more than new AR-15's I'd be interested in a Mini-14.

 

[Chainsaw2]

Poor accuracy and expensive magazines is the reason I don't own one.

jim

 

[FMJMIKE]

mes228............. Mini-14s I have learned need to have a couple hundred rounds through the barrel before accuracy settles down. The Ruger barrels have metal debris in them from having the rifling cut into them. It takes 100 plus rounds to shoot this debris out. I have noticed a definite increase in accuracy from my first trip to the range and this trip. It may not sound scientific but appears to be true in my experience.

 

[Sgt. Stiglitz]

Ruger Mini-14 Bashing

Ok enough of the Mini Bashing.........I did twelve years in California. I got there just before the Assault Weapons ban. I was unable to secure an AR. I had a Mini-14. The money I had saved for an AR went into my old Mini. Yes they blow chunks stock. This is what is on My Ruger Mini-14:

http://www.homestead.com/accuracyriflesystems3/
Accuracy Rifle Systems
810 N. Dixie Blvd. Ste. 107 Odessa Texas 79761
Phone 432-362-6840 FAX 432-362-6840
9AM to 6PM C.S.T.

A S/S Walther 1x9 twist 20" length .223 rem SAAMI. It had an ARS heavy gas block installed. Trigger job set at 3.5 lb pull, pillar bedding, ARS scope mount. replaced the gas port bushing, extractor plunger The work was done in 2000.
I didn't care for the scope mount they installed so I had a low mount installed. Besides being too high, it always liked to come loose no matter what I did to it. The low mount is much better........Note that I was shooting long 77 Gr OT BTHP Match out of a 1 in 9" twist barrel and they shot pretty well! An AR out of the Box will out shoot an Mini-14 any day. I was at the Pima Pistol Range the other day and hadn't played with my Mini-14 in a while. I tried 3 loads. Speer GD 64 Gr HP's Factory, my old time favorite, 69Gr Sierra BTHP Match over 20 grs of IMR 4198 and a new load of Sierra 77 Gr OT BTHP Match over 24 grs of Varget. The Mini really likes the 77 Gr stuff today.....I have 3 AR's. One RRA 20 Inch Varmint A4, A ASA in M-4 Configuration, a 9 MM ASA M-4 an AA 16" Beowulf. Mini's can shoot but they need work..........






http://www.thehighroad.us/showthread.php?t=412747

 

[67rschev]

:banghead: I really dont know why when someone posts about shooting their Mini , There is always people who have the compulsion to reply what a POS the mini is . It's a fine little carbine that does exactly what it is designed to do , to be ' The worlds most expensive plinker '

It doesn't take a whole lot of money and or time to make them shoot . Mine will go 2 all day with factory ammo , and go under 1 with my handloads , WITH a factory barrel . Yeah , Its not even close to my most accurate weapon and if I wanna play bench-rest God , I will choose a different toy .

A BIG yes , they do take alot of rounds down range to break in , my 581 didn't start really shooting till around 350 rounds or so . Very rough barrel from the factory , and it still copper fouls easily , but it never ever refuses to go bang . Funny , I have a Hyper accurate AR , and when I bring out newbies for an evening of introductory shooting , they gravitate to the Mini every single time . Its just fits , and ITS JUST PLAIN FUN TO SHOOT ....

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[husker]

i put mine in a vise & bent the barrel & now it shoots 1/2 MOA

 

[stchman]

It's been my experience that folks that say the Mini shoots poorly are poor shooters. On a good day I can get about 3" groups. I mostly shoot those little orange clays that I lay out at about 100 yards.

While a Mini might be as accurate as an AR, it will pretty much eat any ammo. I have shot Wolf, Brown Bear, Tula, Remington, Fiocchi, PMC, Winchester, Prvi, etc. and all have shot with no problems. In a SHTF situation, I want a rifle that will not jam up on me. A Mini is far less of a picky primadonna than an AR.

I had a guy at the range that gave me quite a bit of Wolf .223 because it jammed in his AR. I offered him money and he said no. It all shot without any problems. He asked me why hi AR had these problems and I maintain it is most likely the DI system on an AR. That was the cheapest range trip I ever had.

 

[dougw47]

Ruger customer service...

I'm sorry to hear you had a bad experience with Mini's. If they are shooting that bad, Ruger, under warranty, will fix it at no cost to you.

Really, I must have sent my two to the wrong address!