Scope For Ruger Mini 14

[rugerman07]

Can anyone recommend a good scope for the Ruger Mini 14? I know the Mini 14 is basically a 100-150 yards rifle. But is 200 yards or a little more possible with a good scope?

 

[HOLY DIVER]

scope...if it was me i'd look at a simple 4x swift or nikon

 

[benEzra]

Are you speaking of a brand new one, or a pre-580-series Ranch Rifle?

The limiting factor for most mini's isn't being able to see the target, it's the the group size at that distance. My 188-series Ranch Rifle wouldn't shoot better than 5.5" at 100 yards, which would scale up to 11" groups at 200. Having said that, even my mini would stay on an 18" target at 200 yards, and mine was probably one of the worst.

My preference for a mini would be a red dot, or perhaps a 2.5x shotgun scope. I would not go higher than 4x with an older mini, since you will have difficulty getting it sighted in satisfactorily. With a newer mini that shot 2-3 MOA, a quality 2-6x variable might be a good fit.

For a mini of any vintage, I'd avoid inexpensive variables. Mini's are hard on scopes due to the vibration of the heavy op rod banging around, and a cheap variable may not hold zero very well.

 

[rugerman07]

I'm talking about a new Mini. Has their accuracy improved? Is 200 yards pushing the limit?

 

[chriso]

I don't know you tell us? How accurate is your mini? Is it worth putting a scope on it? I have a friend who has a new mini and it groups at about a 1 and a half or two inches at 100. Pretty damn impressive for a mini.

 

[benEzra]

Accuracy with the new mini's (580-series and up) is said to be considerably improved over the older Ranch Rifles, yes. Any new mini-14 should easily stay on a paper plate at 300 yards, from a rest with good ammunition. And .223 is a very flat shooting cartridge, which makes 300-yard shooting much easier.

 

[rugerman07]

I don't know you tell us? How accurate is your mini? Is it worth putting a scope on it? I have a friend who has a new mini and it groups at about a 1 and a half or two inches at 100. Pretty damn impressive for a mini.

I don't have a Mini, but I may buy one seeing as how hard it is to get an AR 15 nowadays.

 

[rugerman07]

Accuracy with the new mini's (580-series and up) is said to be considerably improved over the older Ranch Rifles, yes. Any new mini-14 should easily stay on a paper plate at 300 yards, from a rest with good ammunition. And .223 is a very flat shooting cartridge, which makes 300-yard shooting much easier.

300 yards? WOW! Their accuracy has greatly improved. How easy are they to field strip?

 

[umc180gr]

I had a 4X32 on mine. Looked good, not too long etc. I think it was air gun scope because the mini gave it a beating. I think I'll get something a little tougher next time in the same power.

 

[nefarmboy]

I read a post not long ago for somebody that had a Nikon Prostaff 39X40 on his Mini-30. I just bought a Nikon Buckmaster 3-9x40 BDC on eBay for $170 for my mini-30. I plan on using iron sights on my mini-14. BTW, I haven't even received the guns, yet. Tomorrow, they arrive. So, take that for what it's worth.

 

[browningguy]

I have a 1.5-4.5 on mine, but will probably try a 2-7 Pentax gameseeker. Yeah, the Gameseeker is a cheap scope, but it has been working great on my .50 Beowulf.

 

[Shade00]

I'd go with a fixed power Weaver or Nikon - something in the sub-$150 range. Either one should take a beating and keep on ticking.

 

[ThomasT]

Add buffers to each end of the op rod and put in a gas bushing. I used the middle size from ASI. That really helps with the banging that the mini puts out. Also my brass goes about 8' and lands in a neat little pile.

 

[Blacksmoke]

I put a 4X Weaver, an old old one on my Mini-14. It helps some. I shoot prairie dogs at 50 yards with it.

 

[owlhoot]

If you intend to scope a Mini, listen to Ratshooter. Additionally, consider adding a heavier recoil spring. That with buffers, and a smaller gas bushing ought to tame the Mini sufficiently to make adding a scope less risky.

 

[benEzra]

300 yards? WOW! Their accuracy has greatly improved. How easy are they to field strip?

Very easy. You pull the back of the trigger guard hard (it doubles as the dissassembly lever) and it pops loose, unlocking the trigger group from the receiver. The trigger group pulls out as a unit, then you can lift the rest of the action out of the top of the stock. Grab the aft end of the recoil spring/guide rod and pull it from the receiver, then the op rod comes off. You then slide a little cover up on the left side of the receiver and take out the bolt hold-open, and then you can wriggle the bolt out of the receiver.

You can download the factory manual in PDF format from the Ruger website: www.ruger-firearms.com