Prof
Member
Basic question here: on a Ruger Mini-14, what is that ugly, black box-like thing that sits on top of the barrel just ahead of the receiver. And can it be replaced with something that looks like it belongs on a rifle? 
Thanks.
Thanks.
Ruger Mini-14 Question
- Thread starter Prof
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The handguard can be replaced by a couple of different scout rail systems, the one I want is here, Ultimak Rail.
For more info on the Mini than you might ever need, check out Perfect Union. There are some great low cost projects for improving accuracy and some cool tricked out Mini's there.
Farnham
For more info on the Mini than you might ever need, check out Perfect Union. There are some great low cost projects for improving accuracy and some cool tricked out Mini's there.
Farnham
On my stainless standard mini-14, I hated the look and removed the part that covers the oprod. Looks much better, also opened up the bottom of the other side a bit and enlarged the holes on the top. My thought was to enhance barrel cool down, maybe a pipe dream. I also painted my ugly black cover (remember this served to prevent burns on your hands so don't simply remove it) a nice desert tan and refinished the stock with a little ebony stain, this looks a lot better and reminds me of the older military stocks. Rounded off the top of the rear peep sight (it is still a functional peep), this makes it less likely to snag and leads to a better sight picture. The gun will shoot 2-3 inch groups at 100yds with crappy ammo (pre-ban,1 in 7 twist, flash suppressor), never tried match ammo cause its a mini, not a tackdriver. would be nice to see something offeres that looks like that found on its daddy, the M-14.
Prof
Member
Farnham: That looks great! And it gets rid of the dorky-looking (good phrase) "box" on top! Student: when you say that you get 2-3 inch groups at 100 yards, is that after the barrel heats up? One of the knocks on the Mini-14 is poor accuracy but if it will continue to get even 3" groups at that distance when it is hot, that's acceptable to me. I have a Savage 12 LP Varmint and a Remington 700P LTR that I can shoot if I want really small groups! I would appreciate your input on this matter. Thanks!
Student: when you say that you get 2-3 inch groups at 100 yards, is that after the barrel heats up? One of the knocks on the Mini-14 is poor accuracy but if it will continue to get even 3" groups at that distance when it is hot, that's acceptable to me. I have a Savage 12 LP Varmint and a Remington 700P LTR that I can shoot if I want really small groups! I would appreciate your input on this matter. Thanks!Good point, this is with about one shot every 3-6 seconds for about 10-20 shots. I have never 'let her rip', and if I had to do so, I dare say that the accuracy would be far worse anyway. These groups are from the bench with iron sights, no way I could do this offhand. I got his gun used and don't know its history but based on the serial # it was made in '88-89 , maybe they had a good run in manufacturing for a while back then.
Prof
Member
Thanks!
Roland of Gilead
member
I have a 181- blue mini (not a RR), choate folding stock, BSquare scope mount. I just got a Ultimak, and a barrel shroud, and a flashhider/h&K style front sight. The last three mods, either one of, or in combination (I'd like to think its the Ultimak, its literature claims credit, and it saw so $$ I'd like to justify it) really cleaned up my groups. Since I installed all this stuff I have only taken it out once, for a sight in, and was able to produce consistent 2.75" groups with Winchester 45 gr. HP at 100 yards, shooting about every second and a half to two seconds until a 30 round was empty, walking downrange to check my ten targets, reposting them, walking back (three to four minutes total, maybe), changing mags, going again. Wind was light and variable. Temperature about 45 degrees.
I plan to post some pics of gun and targerts, when a shooting buddy of mine remembers to bring his digital camera. Also, I need to get some Winchester 55 gr and try it again, the gun has always shot better with it in the past, but all I had left was some 45's. I plan to try at least one box of Black Hills 62 gr. thru it when I get a little more scope on the gun. Four power is almost not enough with a standard reticle at 100 yards I'm covering a 50 yard small bore rifle target's bulls eye.
Also, I hoped to mount my red dot sight on the Ultimak, and co witness it thru my peep, the dot at the top of my pin. This is not possible though, I can't find a red dot low enough. So my red dot is now at 3 O'clock, on a weaver rail that I already had there. I got inspired when a guy at the gunshop told me to start watching IDPA shooters flip their guns over, and do this. Why they do it with ARs, which can have their red dots mounted like I wanted, is beyond me (I guess they want their scopes low), but it seems to work.
Upgrades:
Choate folder
BSquare scope mount
BSA 4x32 scope
Ultimak scout mount
H&K style front sight/birdcage flashhider
barrel shroud
(2)Ramline 30 round mags, other assorted metal mags that don't get much use
Weaver rails at 3 and 9 o'clock, (2" and 6" respectively) screwed into stock
6V Lithium light (generic) in weaver ring on 6" 9 o'clock rail
BSA 30mm RD30 red dot sight on 2" rail at 3 o'clock.
All included, counting giving $425 for the gun blue, wood, used, in 2000 when "pre-ban" mattered, and giving $75 for the folding stock, also used when their maufacture was illegal, and including taxes and shipping and every penny I have in this gun, about $850. So I could've gotten a fixed stock post ban style AR clone at the time, or maybe a "pre-ban" style gun now for that money, but no optics/accessories. I wound up with what I hope will be a 2MOA gun with 55 gr. over the counter ammo. We'll see, and I'll keep you posted.
Coming upgrades:
Recoil Buffer (I should've gotten one a long time ago, I have them in some Glocks and a CETME, and think they are worth the $10-$20 they run.
folding foreward handle to mount on 9 o'clock rail behind light to aid in control when the gun is flipped up to use 3 o'clock red dot.
More Ramline mags
4-12x50 scope of decent quality (less than $250, this is a mini after all)
I plan to post some pics of gun and targerts, when a shooting buddy of mine remembers to bring his digital camera. Also, I need to get some Winchester 55 gr and try it again, the gun has always shot better with it in the past, but all I had left was some 45's. I plan to try at least one box of Black Hills 62 gr. thru it when I get a little more scope on the gun. Four power is almost not enough with a standard reticle at 100 yards I'm covering a 50 yard small bore rifle target's bulls eye.
Also, I hoped to mount my red dot sight on the Ultimak, and co witness it thru my peep, the dot at the top of my pin. This is not possible though, I can't find a red dot low enough. So my red dot is now at 3 O'clock, on a weaver rail that I already had there. I got inspired when a guy at the gunshop told me to start watching IDPA shooters flip their guns over, and do this. Why they do it with ARs, which can have their red dots mounted like I wanted, is beyond me (I guess they want their scopes low), but it seems to work.
Upgrades:
Choate folder
BSquare scope mount
BSA 4x32 scope
Ultimak scout mount
H&K style front sight/birdcage flashhider
barrel shroud
(2)Ramline 30 round mags, other assorted metal mags that don't get much use
Weaver rails at 3 and 9 o'clock, (2" and 6" respectively) screwed into stock
6V Lithium light (generic) in weaver ring on 6" 9 o'clock rail
BSA 30mm RD30 red dot sight on 2" rail at 3 o'clock.
All included, counting giving $425 for the gun blue, wood, used, in 2000 when "pre-ban" mattered, and giving $75 for the folding stock, also used when their maufacture was illegal, and including taxes and shipping and every penny I have in this gun, about $850. So I could've gotten a fixed stock post ban style AR clone at the time, or maybe a "pre-ban" style gun now for that money, but no optics/accessories. I wound up with what I hope will be a 2MOA gun with 55 gr. over the counter ammo. We'll see, and I'll keep you posted.
Coming upgrades:
Recoil Buffer (I should've gotten one a long time ago, I have them in some Glocks and a CETME, and think they are worth the $10-$20 they run.
folding foreward handle to mount on 9 o'clock rail behind light to aid in control when the gun is flipped up to use 3 o'clock red dot.
More Ramline mags
4-12x50 scope of decent quality (less than $250, this is a mini after all)
sturmruger
Member
I have an early 80s stainless Mini 14. It is a really nice wooden hand gaurd that is many times more atractive then the black plastic gaurd.
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