Mini 14 that lousy?
- Thread starter mopar92
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Spend the money. & have it frozen. http://www.cryopro.com/gun.html. Its under 50 bucks.
I was you, in 2006 ,with the ranch I own. Since then I have spent about a $100.00 and it will shot better than I can shoot it. You can make a rod for $15.00 but if you have it Cryoed, you wont need it. I bought the accu strut for looks. So i guess i have about $200.00 in it now. I haven't shot it since I put the new Accu strut on it. I got pissed off like you & it sat in the gun case for a couple years. Then I got board with my other rifles. & decided to try some of what i had read on other sites. Im glad I did. next thing will be a adjustable gas block. A lot of guys swear that if you take out the 4 bolts that hold the gas block & then put them back in at 18lbs torque. you will shrink your groups.
That being said their is only 1 way to stop them from stringing when they get hot. & that is cryo.
PS DAM! I thought Mopar made the first trans am
I was you, in 2006 ,with the ranch I own. Since then I have spent about a $100.00 and it will shot better than I can shoot it. You can make a rod for $15.00 but if you have it Cryoed, you wont need it. I bought the accu strut for looks. So i guess i have about $200.00 in it now. I haven't shot it since I put the new Accu strut on it. I got pissed off like you & it sat in the gun case for a couple years. Then I got board with my other rifles. & decided to try some of what i had read on other sites. Im glad I did. next thing will be a adjustable gas block. A lot of guys swear that if you take out the 4 bolts that hold the gas block & then put them back in at 18lbs torque. you will shrink your groups.
That being said their is only 1 way to stop them from stringing when they get hot. & that is cryo.
PS DAM! I thought Mopar made the first trans am
Average Joe
Member
Its just a fun gun, If you want a tack driver, get an AR.
I have a 25 year old Mini-14 that will shoot 1 1/2 groups at 100 yards with any ammo.
I have an Omega Ranges rail and a Leupold 2.5 power Scout scope on it .
Innacurate i dont think so It is a service rifle not a bolt gun.
I bough mine used about 20 years and never had a problem with it.
They have pretty sorry triggers so you have to take your time squezing the trigger.
A friend has a new mini 30 and complained about how inacurate it was , well I shot his rifle and at 100 yards I was able to hold 1 1/2 inch group, but he could not so go figure.
Blaming the gun was easier for him but after I shot it he had no excuse.
I have an Omega Ranges rail and a Leupold 2.5 power Scout scope on it .
Innacurate i dont think so It is a service rifle not a bolt gun.
I bough mine used about 20 years and never had a problem with it.
They have pretty sorry triggers so you have to take your time squezing the trigger.
A friend has a new mini 30 and complained about how inacurate it was , well I shot his rifle and at 100 yards I was able to hold 1 1/2 inch group, but he could not so go figure.
Blaming the gun was easier for him but after I shot it he had no excuse.
2 to 4 inch group ,is average for pencil barrels.& worse as they heat up. I think the new 580s average around 1-1/2, 2 out of the box. i have never shot one so I dnt no for sure. They are a fun gun to screw around with & try & fine tune. And old ones can be had cheap if you look around
Husker has made some important points about the Mini.
Having the barrel cryo-treated really helps. Cryo-pro is a good place to have it done. Had it done to my Mini Ranch.
Historically, the Mini doesn't shoot all that well straight out of the box. It will need to be "tuned and tweet'd" for get it to perform. There are numerous mod's that can be employed to improve its accuracy. But once tuned up it's a great little carbine. Mine will shoot tighter that 2" @ 100y, with no POI drift, after making the needed mod's.
Frankly, it's not a rifle for everyone. It will take time and effort and a bit of cunning to get it set up. It seems these days no one wants to take any time to develop a project. The Mini, being an old school design, like the M1 and M14, takes more skill to master.
Having the barrel cryo-treated really helps. Cryo-pro is a good place to have it done. Had it done to my Mini Ranch.
Historically, the Mini doesn't shoot all that well straight out of the box. It will need to be "tuned and tweet'd" for get it to perform. There are numerous mod's that can be employed to improve its accuracy. But once tuned up it's a great little carbine. Mine will shoot tighter that 2" @ 100y, with no POI drift, after making the needed mod's.
Frankly, it's not a rifle for everyone. It will take time and effort and a bit of cunning to get it set up. It seems these days no one wants to take any time to develop a project. The Mini, being an old school design, like the M1 and M14, takes more skill to master.
benEzra
Moderator Emeritus
My 188-series Ranch Rifle never did better than 5.5" at 100 yards, from a rest and rear bag with factory premium match loads (and I tried 40gr, 50gr, 55gr, and 69gr). I never did find a load that it shot much better than any other.
If I had the money and patience, I would have probably tried a smaller gas bushing (to make the gas piston launch less violent) and a flash suppressor (to add muzzle mass), and/or had the barrel cut back to 16.1" (which is effectively stiffer than 18.5") and recrowned. I'm sure it would have done better after that, but I decided to swap it and a .380 for an AR instead.
If I had the money and patience, I would have probably tried a smaller gas bushing (to make the gas piston launch less violent) and a flash suppressor (to add muzzle mass), and/or had the barrel cut back to 16.1" (which is effectively stiffer than 18.5") and recrowned. I'm sure it would have done better after that, but I decided to swap it and a .380 for an AR instead.
TexasPatriot.308
Member
my 581 series with the heavier barrel and a 2x7x33 Redfield deals hogs and coyotes misery (and I got lots of both to shoot) it'll do 1 1/2" 100 yard groups, I shoot it more often than my ARs.
BrocLuno
Member
I tried looking for "bull" barrel as my shootin buddy has one. Have not found one yet 
What CornCod said.
I got a new all-weather Mini last summer for $599. Chose that one because it's light, reliable, will shoot minute-of-bad-guy at 100 yds (that being the longest shot I expect I would ever have to make in a SHTF situation)... and is known to go "bang" every time you pull the trigger. With a few 20-rd. mags loaded, I feel safe and secure. It's easier to clean and has fewer fiddly little parts than the ARs, also.
Now... can anyone recommend an inexpensive red dot for it?
I got a new all-weather Mini last summer for $599. Chose that one because it's light, reliable, will shoot minute-of-bad-guy at 100 yds (that being the longest shot I expect I would ever have to make in a SHTF situation)... and is known to go "bang" every time you pull the trigger. With a few 20-rd. mags loaded, I feel safe and secure. It's easier to clean and has fewer fiddly little parts than the ARs, also.
Now... can anyone recommend an inexpensive red dot for it?
rodregier
Member
I owned a Mini-14 years ago. It would string shots as it warmed up. Sold it, used the money towards an AR15 pattern rifle. Much happier with accuracy. I find the AR15 pattern rifle easier to clean too. Ever try to clean a Mini-14 barrel from the breech with a coated rigid cleaning rod?
Hammerhead6814
Member
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2009
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- 701
The Mini-14 is dying. In 1973 it was supposed to be a cheap alternative to the AR-15. Problem is these that days AR-15's are cheaper (whether you build them or not), the magazines are cheaper, the accessories are cheaper, they're more accurate, easier to scope, and come in more calibers.
It simply hasn't evolved. In 38 years the only change between a 2011 Mini-14 and a 1973 Mini-14 is the barrel, which is something Mini-14 enthusiast complained about for -wait for it- three decades. Another thing Mini-14 lovers hate is that Ruger hi-caps, from Ruger, cost upwards of $60 a piece and damned if they work properly. All this is known and well documented on Ruger's biggest fan-forum, Perfectunion.com. The only organization more deaf to the cries of it's fans than Ruger would be the Washington Redskins. Although thinking about it, that's not entirely fare. Bill Ruger had the courtesy to die. Something we Redskins fans know Dan Snyder doesn't.
Point is, the Mini-14 is on it's way out the door. With AR-15's becoming the cheaper, more innovative alternative to the Mini-14 you'd have to be an idiot to want one. Which is why it's so popular, in France.
It simply hasn't evolved. In 38 years the only change between a 2011 Mini-14 and a 1973 Mini-14 is the barrel, which is something Mini-14 enthusiast complained about for -wait for it- three decades. Another thing Mini-14 lovers hate is that Ruger hi-caps, from Ruger, cost upwards of $60 a piece and damned if they work properly. All this is known and well documented on Ruger's biggest fan-forum, Perfectunion.com. The only organization more deaf to the cries of it's fans than Ruger would be the Washington Redskins. Although thinking about it, that's not entirely fare. Bill Ruger had the courtesy to die. Something we Redskins fans know Dan Snyder doesn't.
Point is, the Mini-14 is on it's way out the door. With AR-15's becoming the cheaper, more innovative alternative to the Mini-14 you'd have to be an idiot to want one. Which is why it's so popular, in France.
JWF III
Member
Accuracy Systems, Inc. does heavy barrels on Minis. They offer a lot of different packages (styles), many of which come with an accuracy gaurantee of <MOA. (A couple of the "varminter" packages even carry a <3/4 MOA gaurantee.)
The packages include bedding the stock (sometimes a new stock depending on package choosen), trigger job, new gas block, rails and/or scope mount (depends on package) etc.
I've yet to have a rifle done (other "more important" things keep coming up). But I have had good service from the company on several different orders.
Wyman
Hangingrock
Member
I’m not in to making the Ruger Mini-14 into more than what it is. My rendition is the Ranch Rifle model blued with hardwood stock 581 series on average 2-MOA at 100yds with the Federal bulk pack 55Gr FMJ.
I didn’t acquire it for way out there but for 50yds an under applications. Its nothing more than a simplistic carbine and simple is what I wanted.
I have precision rifles that I shoot to extended ranges but those rifles are for different applications.
The comment about $60.00 dollar magazines is OOL
as 20Rd OEM magazines are mid to low thirty dollar range.
If I find a situation were I need more than 20Rds
then I’m back to being a mud Marine and those days are gone but not forgotten.
I didn’t acquire it for way out there but for 50yds an under applications. Its nothing more than a simplistic carbine and simple is what I wanted.
I have precision rifles that I shoot to extended ranges but those rifles are for different applications.
The comment about $60.00 dollar magazines is OOL
as 20Rd OEM magazines are mid to low thirty dollar range.If I find a situation were I need more than 20Rds
then I’m back to being a mud Marine and those days are gone but not forgotten.
1KPerDay
Member
1KPerDay
Member
............
2 to 4 inch group ,is average for pencil barrels.& worse as they heat up.
This has been my experience with probably 40-50 Mini-14s I've owned and/or fired over the past 35 years or so. When they heat up they shoot about the same as a warmed up AK.
This has been my experience with probably 40-50 Mini-14s I've owned and/or fired over the past 35 years or so. When they heat up they shoot about the same as a warmed up AK.
BrocLuno
Member
JWF III, thanks for the info. I'll pass it along.
As to why do it - well some folks already have a Mini14 and don't want another rifle, they just want better performance
This is a useful thread in that the bad points are coming out, AND being addressed
As to why do it - well some folks already have a Mini14 and don't want another rifle, they just want better performance
This is a useful thread in that the bad points are coming out, AND being addressed
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