The Mini 14 takes a bad rap for accuracy.

I own three of them, an early 180 series Mini 14, a 184 series Mini 14, and a 187 series Ranch Rifle.

The 180 series shoots 2 MOA five shot groups with M193 with no mods other than a Choate flash hider and a Tech Sights rear sight. The 180 series had a lighter slight and wasn't over gassed like the 181 onward, so they tended to be more accurate.

The 181 and the rest of the pre 58x series Mini 14s had poor accuracy out of the box due to the heavier slide that operated a lot more violently that it needed to due to being over gassed. It was also complicated by Ruger switching from 1-10 twist in the early series to 1-7 twist and then to 1-9 twist. Many shooters get poor accuracy due to a lack of knowledge of the barrel twist and feeding it less than ideal bullet weight ammo.

However, with a barrel stabilizer, a choate muzzle device, a gas port bushing and a recoil buffer, both my 184 and 187 series will shoot 5 shot 1.5 MOA groups with M193.


To put that in perspective, it's the same accuracy I get with my Colt made 20" skinny barrel SP1 and M16A1 upper halves with M193.



I own a number of ARs. My 1-9 twist varmint AR will shoot 1/2 MOA with high quality ammo, as will my 1-8 twist Match AR. I get 1 MOA out of my Ballistic Advantage barreled 9mm ARs, and as noted above my Colt made 20" M16/M16A1 styled ARs will produce consistent 1.5 MOA accuracy

But when it comes to the average off the rack AR-15, 2-3 MOA is common for 16" carbines and 4-5 MOA isn't uncommon in a lower tier M4gery.

In comparison the recent 58x series Minis 14s with their heavier tapered barrels will almost always shoot 2 MOA five shot groups out of the box.