Mini-14 Stainless Ranch - New Project

[Sven]

Shot the Mini-14 Stainless for the first time this weekend. A fun gun. Here is my dad using S&B .223 - nice muzzle flash!




Groups settled around 2.5" at 50 yards. Not impressive so far, but a fun gun for sure. Mounted is the Leopold M8 2.5 x 28 scope - almost too much eye relief with the ranch configuration for this scope. A longer stock or buttpad would help with this - or another scope choice.

Predictably, I am interested in accurizing this gun as a long term project. A trigger job and muzzle brake are my first plans.... eventually, after the barrel is shot out, I'd like to put a long bull barrel on here, maybe a Krieger. There are other parts I'd have to swap out as well.... should be a fun project. Could even pin-bed it...

 

[buttrap]

fun guns there but it would be cheeper to acurize it by trading it in on a AR..

 

[SodaPop]

What kind of ammo are you using?

 

[45R]

They were using S&B .223 as mentioned on the very top of his post.



Nice photo Sven. Looks like you had a great weekend!

 

[Onslaught]

Try some PMC next time Sven... The S&B I had grouped terribly in my AR. GA Arms is good stuff too.

I keep talking myself out of a Mini-14, but it's hard. They're so neat, even if I do already have an AR.

Keep us updated on your progress.

 

[Sven]

Newsflash: I live in California, where ARs are illegal to own unless owned before our draconian Assault Weapons ban! (cry us a river) This is one of my only options for a detachable mag .223 in CA - and one I planned for buying by stashing mags in 97. Should have gotten into this hobby just a couple years earlier.

Will try the PMC - just making brass for reloading, is all.

 

[Sactown]

Sven,

I replaced my stock with the hogue overmold. It's a pretty nice stock. Good length and it's grippy. Here's a pic of mine with the overmold stock and Clark GBS. Scope is a leupold 3-9X40. I've since replaced the factory rings with a weaver base from Weigand and Weaver rings. Haven't had the trigger done yet, thinking about sending it to Mike Knifong, if he still does them. It sucks that we're stuck with only the Mini in Kali, but you can also get the SU-16 pretty soon, if you haven't got one on order already.

 

[SodaPop]

Ok, I'll try this again.......


Is it the 55gr stuff? I never shoot anything but 62gr and 69gr threw my Mini 14. My unaccurized Mini 14 is more accurate than most WWII sniper rifles.

 

[natedog]

Mini 14s are cool. I really like the UMC yellow box stuff or Winchester 45gr. white box. Mine wears a hogue stock and (sometimes) a 3x9x40mm scope.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

Newsflash: I live in California

The only option is to move, so you can buy an AR. duh.

 

[Sven]

I can see it now:

 

[Sven]

Sactown:

What does the hogue overmold look like on the top and right side?

How does she group?

Tell me more about that carbon fiber thing-a-ma-bob there... what does that do, besides look super cool?

 

[BamBam-31]

www.perfectunion.com has lots of info on the Mini. The Black Warrior Double Brake from Cheaper Than Dirt usually helps shrink groups in half. Something about barrel harmonics that's beyond me--I just know that it works.

Only thing is, my barrel strings vertically as soon as the barrel heats, and it heats quickly. I think that Clark contraption on Sactown's barrel is designed to correct this, IIRC. Also about $300, I think.

You've heard of Accuracy Systems, Inc., right? They'll install heavy barrels, new gas blocks, and bed your rifle for about $500. That's what I'm gonna do, as soon as finances permit.

Gotta love Kali, where you have to spend $500 on a $500 rifle just to get it near an AR. Well, we don't have much choice, but after the $1000, we'll have handy .223 carbines w/ detach hi caps that shoot 1.5 MOA. Better than a sharp stick, eh?

 

[Sven]

10-4 bambam!

 

[natedog]

Sven: My Hogue tightened up my groups some- it has a bit tighter fit than the standard wood stock. It is very comfortable, and an inch longer than the standard stock. I'm trying to figure out a way now to fit an M-16 trap door onto it instead of the rubber butt plate.

 

[dave3006]

Cutting the barrell back to 16" will eliminate the vertical stringing as it heats up.

 

[sturmruger]

Sactown that is one great looking rifle.

 

[mini14jac]

Ignore the Mini bashers, and enjoy your gun.

A trigger job will cost $45, (yes Mike Knifong still does them) and a glass bed kit from Brownell's will cost about $30 (delivered).
Those two things should get you under 2" at 100yds.

If you can't do the glass bedding yourself, it will cost a little more.
But... you'll still have less than a stock AR would have cost, even if you could buy one.

Shooting Mil. spec. ammo, I got under 2" with open sights.
With that awesome scope, you will probably do better.

I just had the barrel on my new gun cut to 16.5" and it rocks!