Ruger Mini-14 Accuracy

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kayaks

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All,

I purchased a new stainless Mini-14, with a laminate stock about a year or more ago. Based on the information I have seen about the rifle, it isn't noted as being very accurate. That said, it seems like the reviews and articles I'm found about it would support expected accuracy of something around 2 to 4 inches at a hundred yards.

I can't come anywhere close to this and wonder it anyone has any suggestions on improving the accuracy of this rifle. I have been trying different handloads and types of factory ammo. Can't say that I have found the best choice yet. It looks like after market barrels are available, but the prices are high.

Any help would be great...
 
Have you shot anything besides the Mini-14? If so, what kind of groups do you get with that?

First thing you have to figure out is if it's you or the gun.
 
kayaks,
I've read countless articles and talked to those that have own mini-14s and they've all said the same thing... They make excellent tomato stakes. :p

That being said, you can spend as much money as it would take to get the accuracy of an AR or purchase an AR and you'll get the accuracy you're looking to attain. Otherwise, you can sell it, cut your loses and purchase an AR. This has been the solution of people that I know that have owned min-14s.

It's a shame that Ruger doesn't improve this rifle, as it is very reliable and a good looking functional weapon. :rolleyes:

Good luck with your choices!
Bowhunter57
 
Bowhunter57 said:
kayaks,
I've read countless articles and talked to those that have own mini-14s and they've all said the same thing... They make excellent tomato stakes. :p

That being said, you can spend as much money as it would take to get the accuracy of an AR or purchase an AR and you'll get the accuracy you're looking to attain. Otherwise, you can sell it, cut your loses and purchase an AR. This has been the solution of people that I know that have owned min-14s.

It's a shame that Ruger doesn't improve this rifle, as it is very reliable and a good looking functional weapon. :rolleyes:

Good luck with your choices!
Bowhunter57
Click to expand...

Right now, minis are going for about the same price as lower-end ARs. It is hard to get good accuracy out of them, but 2-4 MOA should not be too difficult.
 
There are too many issues to work on. Trigger, action, and bedding. Like an M1/M14, it is possible to make it shoot well temporarily, but if you want accuracy, look for something else.
 
I had always wanted a Mini-14, once I got one I struggled to get consistent accuracy out of it. The Accu Strut helped some, the biggest improvement I got was getting an AR. Just one man's experience with one Mini, lot's of people love their Mini, it didn't work for me.
 
Mini's seem to be inconsostent. Some of the newer versions seem to shoot much better than the older guns so I'm surprised at accuracy this poor. I've had Mini-14's when they were signifiacantly cheaper than AR's. That is no longer true so I sold them and went with AR's. Can't think of any reason to go back at current prices
 
I can think of many reasons, but if target shooting is the thing, then an AR is just fine. Of course, in Alaska, reliability can be an issue with an AR - there's a reason many guys up there go with the Mini.
 
It's a shame that Ruger doesn't improve this rifle, as it is very reliable and a good looking functional weapon.
Click to expand...

They have, years ago.

Old Mini's were somewhat inaccurate, its true. Newer Mini's, 580 series or newer are 1.5-1moa guns, with the load they like. All the old Mini info is totally incorrect when speaking about the new ones. If anyone tells you a new Mini is inaccurate, its pure BS.
 
How are you firing this thing? Not bouncing it off a hard surface right? If you have not already try assuming the barrel is flighty and high strung as a sparrow on the wing. Cuddle the forearm, soothe it, hold it the same each shot. Using a scope? Mounts and rings snug? Exhaust all the free and easy things. Iron sight not wobbling?
 
In 2010 I bought a new Davidson's "Deluxe" Mini in a Circassian walnut stock. Cost was higher than the stainless "Ranch Rifle that a close triend bought at the same time. Both rifles quickly had Leupold scopes mounted.

We are both handloaders, and neither rifle has fired more than a few score factory rounds.

I once watched my friend fire FIVE CONSECUTIVE handloaded 100-yard groups with his Mini, all of which were very close to one inch, aome under, and the largest of which was barely 1,25". My own rifle, with its favored load using Hornady 55 V-Max bullets, will CONSISTENTLY group TEN rounds in 1.25" @ 100, and sometimes less than that.

A steel full-size IPSC target (meaning: man-sized) is easily hit 100% of the time at FOUR HUNDRED YARDS with this rifle.

Added to the 100% reliability (with handloads, yet), I ask you....what more could I ask??? My AR15 is a reliable package, too... but I don't see that it's one bit better than the Ruger. It's the BULLET that does the work, and I use the same bullets at the same speed in both rifles.

Anyone parroting this "inaccurate Mini-14" line to me has (a) not seen my rifle at work, and (b) will have a HELL of a time selling it to me. The same applies to that Mini of my friends, and his opinion.

I will add that we are both long-time riflemen of over seventy years' age.... we've been around the block a few times.
 
Adding an Accu-Strut improved the accuracy of my 182 series a lot. Also check out the Accuracy Systems Inc, link posted above, a lot of good info there. Also you might check out www.perfectunion.com, it is a mini-14/mini-30 forum. (sorry I couldn't make the address a link). Good luck and don't give up, I got mine shooting to my satisfaction for around $250, this included an Accu-Strut, new set of iron sights and Mo-Reaper muzzle brake.
 
OP:

Do you have the skinny barrel or tapered barrel? The tapered ones shoot noticeably better.

Are you shooting from a padded rest with rear bag? A must IMO.

Did you open up that tiny rear peep-hole to something big enough you can actually see through?

Try shooting at clay pidgeons at 100 yds. You should be able to hit them every time with good ammo (lose the Wolf) and with careful aim. I find using a smaller aiming point (like a clay target) helps me shoot tighter groups.

Visit the Perfect Union forum for more accuracy tips.

Good luck.

M
 
I've owned two Mini's. The first was a one of the 580 Series with the pencil thin barrel. Any attempt at accuracy was maddening. I bedded it, installed a scope, an Accu-Strut and worked over the trigger and still this:

PPUM193_zps843764a1.jpg

I finally ran across one of the newer 581 Series with the somewhat thicker, tapered barrel in a pawn shop. I traded my old one with an el cheapo scope and $75 for the new one. All I did was a trigger job. Ahhh....much better:

Mini63grSierra.jpg

Added a Tech Sight to it and since then my AR, which looks like an albatross sitting next to my Mini, sits in the safe gathering dust.

Like others have said, make sure it's the rifle and not you, especially if you're firing it with sights instead of a scope.

Good luck.

35W
 
Is the laughs because it is a target for one handed pistol shooting?
Click to expand...

allaround, I'm sure part of the joke is that a Mini is supposedly less accurate than a pistol.
 
I had a 180 series that was lucky to do 3" at 100 yards. I bought one of the new 582 series rifles a few years ago. It was much better. Often printing 1.5" 100 yard groups with hand loads. 2" with factory.
 
I put a few thousand rounds through my four early Minis. (Kept trading; profit is profit. :)) What I found was that the first shot from a cold barrel consistently went to the desired point of aim. That's about all a hunter ever needs. Worked just fine on coyotes and jackrabbits.

Three-shot groups were consistently about 1.5 MOA with a Weaver K-4 on top. I never worried about five-shot group size. Waste of time.

For hunting, plinking or defense, the Mini is as good as anything. I never figured the early "skinny Minis" as a choice for paper-punching.
 
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