Mini-14 Accuracy.

[jim]

I am interested in finding out the intrinsic and practical accuracy of the new production Mini-14’s. These are the ones with the new sights, stainless steel, synthetic stocks. What group sizes do you get with open sights… with scopes?

How about second sourced magazines. Ruger mags are way too expensive, and a reliable replacement is needed.

jim

[Kilroy]

I've got the NRA edition Ranch Rifle in .223. The open sights are OK, but I scoped it for a good varmint rifle. It's a workhorse of a varmint rifle. 225 yard shot on a coyote is the longest I've done so far. It didn't live long enough to take two steps.

100 yard 5 shot group on the bench with the sights ran between 1.5" and 2".
100 yard 5 shot group on the bench with the scope runs about 1" to 1.5".

Just standing and firing the groups ran (sights) 3" and (scoped) 1.5" to 2".

I wasn't going to scope it until I tried to shoot a groundhog at about 75 yards and lost him in the tall grass.

*No, I'm not one of those chairborne Rambo LazyBoy commandos. I probably put 400 rounds through it before I shot the "sights" groupings and after scoping it I did about the same. There seems to be a lot of the ole "Yeah, suuuure ya did" going around, but...well...you know what you know no matter what anybody else says.

You can check a lot of the on-line places like Cabelas, Sportsmans guide, Midway shooters supply, etc. for aftermarket mags. Ruger is kinda proud of theirs, I agree...but they work.

[rice paddy daddy]

jim, have you ever gone here: www.rugerforum.com/phpBB

[jim]

No. I'll try it from home, as it's blocked here at work.

[MissouriFree]

Here is another place that has ruger info.

http://www.gunblast.com/

mo

[NotSoFast]

The best forum for the Mini-14 I have found is Perfect Union. There is quite a group of Mini-14 enthusiasts there who have a lot of experience with that gun. Here's the link.

http://www.perfectunion.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=86

[Oblio13]

I've got the NRA edition Ranch Rifle in .223.... 100 yard 5 shot... Just standing and firing the groups ran (sights) 3" and (scoped) 1.5" to 2"....


Here's a link to the CMP EIC service rifle match results:

http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/matchResultSearch.cgi?designation=EICRIFLE

You can pick a match and then look at the scores in the "standing" category.

MOA of the 10 ring in offhand for service rifle is 3.25. (The X-ring is 1.25.)

All your groups would easily fit inside the 10 ring. That would break all records and win the National Matches. Fame and fortune are yours for the taking.

You'll have to compete in the "match rifle" category because the Mini-14 isn't a service rifle. It'll absolutely blow the minds of all those guys who spend tens of thousands on the finest target rifles. You'll be an instant legend with your picture on the cover of every shooting magazine, and the National Firearms Museum will be begging to purchase your Mini-14.

[Kilroy]

Oblio, I was nice enough to not try to start anything on your "bet ya $100 thread" soooo...please kindly refrain from bashing those of us capable of what we say.

My father taught me that a man had only one thing in life...his word. If he chose to lie, his word was worthless and so was he.

Are you calling me a liar?

The gentleman asked the capabilities of the rifle and I shared what the particular rifle in my possession is capable of.

I will not enter into a "discussion" about this with you in this thread or anywhere else.

Thank you.

[DM]

I can't see where he called you a lier at all. All he did was give you an avenue to make some money doing something you like to do. Heck, if i was you, i'd take his info and run with it!

DM

[Oblio13]

Oblio, I was nice enough to not try to start anything on your "bet ya $100 thread" soooo...please kindly refrain from bashing those of us capable of what we say.

My father taught me that a man had only one thing in life...his word. If he chose to lie, his word was worthless and so was he.

Are you calling me a liar?

The gentleman asked the capabilities of the rifle and I shared what the particular rifle in my possession is capable of.

I will not enter into a "discussion" about this with you in this thread or anywhere else.

Thank you.


I should not have offended you, and I apologize. I just can't accept that there are unknown shooters on the internet with plinking rifles who can outshoot the best riflemen on the planet and the most accurate rifles ever made. I'll need to see it to believe it, which is why I maintain that standing wager you referenced. Maybe you'll be the first to take me up on it and prove me wrong.

The main thing that gives me pause is that people read posts like yours and then become frustrated with their own rifles and abilities. The original poster, for example, might now buy a Mini-14 based on your recommendation, but he will be disappointed because his offhand groups will always be much larger than yours, no matter how much time and effort and money he spends practicing and tuning and taking lessons.

I enjoy introducing new people to the shooting disciplines and thereby winning more 'second amendment converts'. It bothers me when they become disheartened and discouraged by things they read on the internet.

The offhand groups you say you are producing with your Mini-14 would sweep every competition and make you an overnight sensation. Even if you aren't interested in personal fame and wealth, you could make a wonderful positive contribution to the shooting world simply by being a good ambassador, and all while doing something you enjoy. If you are being honest with us, I hope you will begin competing immediately, because you're better than the folks who are winning gold medals.

[rice paddy daddy]

I have a 185 series Ranch Rifle that I use as a plinker and to carry in my little woodlot. I can bounce a 20 oz Pepsi bottle all over the berm of the 50 yd range. Don't know what kind of groups it will shoot, but I have no doubt I can hit a man at 100 yards, and if my eyes were younger than 61 years, I would have said 200.
Now, if your main goal is to make little holes in paper, the Mini is not the best option. Got a problem with coyotes or foxes getting too close to the hen house? Worried about mutant biker zombies after society finishes breaking down? The Mini will do just fine. Dependable, too.

[Kilroy]

Oblio, no offense taken.

I'm not an unknown shooter. I've got more trophies and medals than I care to brag about. I've held world records and broken them. Never got MGSgt. Carlos Hathcock's 13 miles into a 55 gallon drum, though. Terminated whatever targets the Army designated, fought in every conflict since VietNam until I retired before Iraqi Freedom (if mama and pops had gotten together a few years earlier I would have been in Nam, too), and helped instruct many sniper schools at Fort Benning.

I personally know a couple of better riflemen than some who compete and set world records. The "Fame and Glory" thing just doesn't appeal to them. One in particular can't stand to be on a crowded range...it gives him flashbacks.

I agree that I may be help screw up the bell curve when it comes to some weapons, but the only way to improve accuracy is to feed rounds through and adjust yourself as well as the weapon. The folks you speak of should take all claims with a grain of salt and not be disheartened. We failed more and more out of sniper schools every year because of the barroom commandos and then internet rangers.

Rice Paddy Daddy I agree. I wouldn't hesitate to drop a groundhog at 100 yards with the mini-14, but not anything smaller.

If someone's wanting gilt edge accuracy and keyholed targets it will take several thousand dollars and hundreds of range hours and then it will still probably be a one in a million thing.

Tell ya' what.....next spring when the weather warms a bit and the arthritis packs back up and moves out of my hands again I will have the missus set up a video camera at the range and I will post the firing and the target on youtube and link it here in the forum. No bets, just the proof. Sound good?

Jim, sorry if we hijacked your thread. It's a dependable and accurate weapon.

[MissouriFree]

I have a 185 series Ranch Rifle that I use as a plinker and to carry in my little woodlot. I can bounce a 20 oz Pepsi bottle all over the berm of the 50 yd range. Don't know what kind of groups it will shoot, but I have no doubt I can hit a man at 100 yards, and if my eyes were younger than 61 years, I would have said 200.
Now, if your main goal is to make little holes in paper, the Mini is not the best option. Got a problem with coyotes or foxes getting too close to the hen house? Worried about mutant biker zombies after society finishes breaking down? The Mini will do just fine. Dependable, too.


The mini's throw the shells about a mile away don't they ?

[rice paddy daddy]

The mini's throw the shells about a mile away don't they ?
:D And I'm glad they do, being a lefty. Nothing messes up your aim like hot brass going down the inside of your shirt.
I shoot the el cheapo Wolf steel cased for fun so I'm not worried about picking up the empties.
I've got the varmint mag (5 rounder) loaded with Hornady 40 grain poly tipped rounds, and another 20 round mag loaded with Winchester soft point.
I really like the little rifle, I just put a sling on it and bought some factory mags and left everything else alone. There's all sorts of do-dads you can buy, from folding stocks to 75 round drums.:eek:
The one thing I like about the new ones is the improved sights. Mine has a flimsy folding peep rear sight and a simple blade front.
I'm not much of a scope guy.

[Oblio13]

... I've got more trophies and medals than I care to brag about. I've held world records and broken them....

... Tell ya' what.....next spring when the weather warms a bit and the arthritis packs back up and moves out of my hands again I will have the missus set up a video camera at the range and I will post the firing and the target on youtube and link it here in the forum. No bets, just the proof. Sound good?...

How about just posting links to the match results and press releases for your world records? I'd love to know your scores and the particulars of your rifles. The current service rifle champion won with a 2385-102x, which isn't even close to what your Mini-14 seems capable of.

[whtdragn]

they have a newer target model that is said to be very good. I would not want to could on one out past 200 yards. Just what I have seen on them.

[rice paddy daddy]

they have a newer target model that is said to be very good. I would not want to could on one out past 200 yards. Just what I have seen on them.
At 200 yards the 223 round is rapidly running out of steam. That is one of the main problems in Iraq and Afganistan.

[Teg]

This is the new Special Ops rifle, still 5.56 but they have a 7.62 version in the works. I'm not sure if it will make it to a standard issue weapon for regular troops, but it is a nice looking weapon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_SCAR

[dksac2]

The mini's do throw the brass a great distance. You can buy or make a smaller gas bushing or buy a new lower gas block that is adjustable. It will even drop the brass at your feet if you want it to. I've modified my mini quite a bit and made a smaller bushing for it. It did cut down on the distance the brass was thrown. I ended up going back to the stock bushing because I know that it will pull the case out of the chamber no matter what. Since the mini is my short to mid range self defense weapon, the brass can go as far if it wants. If your shooting from a bench with other shooters, you may want to take the far right position. It really pelts shooters to your right after bouncing off the overhead covering the benches.
The mini is really under rated by a lot of people.

Best Regards, John K

[Stinger]

...... I'm not an unknown shooter. I've got more trophies and medals than I care to brag about. I've held world records and broken them. ......

:) OK, I've got no horse in this race so ..... I really do have to say that NOW the original remarks are more comprehensible. Damn fine shooting for such a piece of iron! Better than I could do, for sure.

(And, that's saying something.) ;)






Hello, John K. I see you've discovered BHM!

[patience]

The Mini must have improved a lot over the years. I had one 20-odd years ago, and was disappointed with the sights in particular. Blaming the sights, I put it in a vise and tried grouping, to see what the action could do. Not so hot either. With mil-spec handloads that grouped under a nickel at 100 yds. out of my Remington 700 BDL (in a vise--I can't do near as well), the Mini got 3 1/2" groups at 100 yards. I wanted a coyote gun for our brushy country, so I sold it and bought a Springfield Armory M1A. Very happy with that.

I did look into some basics of bedding and general fit, and found the gun to be rather poorly made, IMHO. The trigger was dismal, the sights could not be adjusted with any repeatability at all, and there were a lot of very loose fits in the ejection parts. Ruger's fondness for investment castings to save a buck was fine for some parts of this one, but not so good for others.

I'm REALLY surprised to see people writing good things about this rifle! From what has been said here, Ruger did some improvements, but they lost me as a customer long ago. Maybe it IS a good one now, but I don't like to be the guinea pig for new products. Ruger really burned me on that one. Sorta like the sticking gas pedal on new Toyota's? Otherwise, a fine car, but one "Oh, S---", and it's over for me.

[rice paddy daddy]

I own seven Rugers, handguns and rifles. Never had a problem with any one of them.
Is a Mini 14 a 300 yard varmint rifle? No. Is it a good all around farm/homestead rifle? In my opinion, yes.
But, hey, what do I know?

[MissouriFree]

I don't know, but it seems that we put to much emphasis on paper targets but if thats what floats your boat and why you buy a gun then more power to you .

[dksac2]

I'm pretty sure the M1 rear sight can be adapted to the mini 14 with just a little bit of work. The factory sights are not the best. Since re tooling the mini and adding the heavier barrel, the mini has become a very fine weapon for it's intended uses. One of it's strongest points is the reliability. As long as you have good magazines and Ruger makes the best, the rifle will work. It's pretty much the american version of the AK on it has better accuracy.

Best Regards, John K

[patience]

I didn't know they had retooled it. Glad they did. Mine had the original small diameter barrel, which had heating issues.

It was good concept from the start, and it sounds like it has finally become a really useful piece now. Had a 10/22 the I liked a lot back then, and a Mark IV, with no problems either, provided you fed it what it liked--true with any semi auto to some degree I think. Also had their heavy barrelled bolt rifle in .308, that I liked. Rolled over coyotes at 200 yards +, and they didn't go very far, no matter where they got hit.

But I still don't like the idea of a manufacturer letting their customers road test their stuff to find the bugs in it. Doesn't matter. I'm not buying any guns anyway.

[dksac2]

I didn't know they had retooled it. Glad they did. Mine had the original small diameter barrel, which had heating issues.

It was good concept from the start, and it sounds like it has finally become a really useful piece now. Had a 10/22 the I liked a lot back then, and a Mark IV, with no problems either, provided you fed it what it liked--true with any semi auto to some degree I think. Also had their heavy barrelled bolt rifle in .308, that I liked. Rolled over coyotes at 200 yards +, and they didn't go very far, no matter where they got hit.

But I still don't like the idea of a manufacturer letting their customers road test their stuff to find the bugs in it. Doesn't matter. I'm not buying any guns anyway.

Ruger's later runs of the mini were not the best as they used the tooling until well worn. The first years were good quality. All the new one's are made on the new tooling. See my other post for how to build a barrel support strut for less than $30.00. The strut combined with a muzzle brake/flash suppressor will make a huge difference in accuracy. It should shoot 1.5 inch groups from the bench with factory ammo, maybe even better after the mods. It cuts the vertical stringing down drastically.The mods in the post will only work on the skinny barreled mini's, not the new tapered barreled weapons.

Best Regards, John K