Wayne02
Member
Now that the new mini 14 has been out for some time I'd be curious to know if the consensus is that the accuracy issues were actually addressed with this new model?
Thanks
Thanks
Have the accuracy issues with the Ruger mini 14 been addressed with the new model?
- Thread starter Wayne02
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Joni_Lynn
US Veteran
I haven't heard of any improvements.
I fixed the 2 I had. They're gone.
Too bad, I sorta liked them.
I fixed the 2 I had. They're gone.
Too bad, I sorta liked them.
shooboy
US Veteran
I spoke with my gunstore owner/gunsmith and he said the newer ones were improved. I was considering a trade on one for my Model 39 no dash and had some questions on the Mini-14. He said still not super accurate but fine for 100 yards or so. That's all I know, Shoo
CAJUNLAWYER
Member
It's a hundred yard gun. and with a Williams peep sight offhand I can do 5" groups all day long. That's what I bought it for. I've always viewed the Mini 14 as a stepped up 30 cal carbine-much better than a handgun ,223 is cheaper than 30 cal carbine and easier to get (and more powerful to boot), but never meant for serious long distance work.
crofoot629
Absent Comrade
Wish the Mini I owned shot half as well as my M1 Carbine.
I as well echo the "too bad, I sorta liked the gun."
Emory
I as well echo the "too bad, I sorta liked the gun."
Emory
GatorFarmer
Member
Not entirely, but they are better. If you can get one of the new "tactical ones" or recent GBs, those are better yet. The 580 series circa 2006 that I have is said to have been improved upon still further.
There's also a funky looking one with a muzzle device that can "dialed in" that is said to do 1 MOA.
Ruger does now sell 20 AND 30 rd factory mags to the public, BTW.
Improvements to the 580 series are a heavier barrel, repositioned front site, and a nicely fitted rubber recoil pad. Plus there's no longer a ranch or non ranch, they're all coming with provision for a scope and better rear sights.
You can put an Amega rail on, add a flash hider, or bed your gun, or else cut the barrel down to 11.5 or 12" and add a perm. attached flash hider to bring it back up past non SBR length to try to improve accuracy.
I've had four Mini 14s, still have one, my 580 series.
Of course I've have six ARs, and still have five with possibly two more on the way. Read into that what you fill.
There's also a funky looking one with a muzzle device that can "dialed in" that is said to do 1 MOA.
Ruger does now sell 20 AND 30 rd factory mags to the public, BTW.
Improvements to the 580 series are a heavier barrel, repositioned front site, and a nicely fitted rubber recoil pad. Plus there's no longer a ranch or non ranch, they're all coming with provision for a scope and better rear sights.
You can put an Amega rail on, add a flash hider, or bed your gun, or else cut the barrel down to 11.5 or 12" and add a perm. attached flash hider to bring it back up past non SBR length to try to improve accuracy.
I've had four Mini 14s, still have one, my 580 series.
Of course I've have six ARs, and still have five with possibly two more on the way. Read into that what you fill.
29aholic
Member
If you look around you can still find the 181- series guns which were the 1st two years of production. Those guns will actually shoot very well. Ruger screwed them up in subsequent series and the shoot patterns instead of groups
BobsSmith
Member
Not sure about the new model. I had one about 15 years ago. I was able to get about a 10" group at 100 yards with iron sights. My buddy had one too. His was scoped, didn't do much better then mine. We both got rid if em!
How Ruger could put out such crap is beyond me. I will take my 30 M1 Carbine or my SKS any day.
Best
Bob
How Ruger could put out such crap is beyond me. I will take my 30 M1 Carbine or my SKS any day.
Best
Bob
CAJUNLAWYER
Member
Gator where do you find the 30 round ones-I just checked their web site and didn't see them.
I wish everybody who owns a Mini 14 or 30 would take a few minutes to do some reading on:
http://www.perfectunion.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=86
The older Minis were not exactly tack drivers, but their accuracy can be greatly improved with some very simple mods. Simply adding a flash suppressor or recoil reducer costing about $20 can do wonders for the accuracy. My scoped Mini 30 would shoot 5 inch 100 yard groups until I added a slip on flash hider. It now shoots into 1-1/2" easily. I know it sounds too good to be true, but it works!
http://www.perfectunion.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=86
The older Minis were not exactly tack drivers, but their accuracy can be greatly improved with some very simple mods. Simply adding a flash suppressor or recoil reducer costing about $20 can do wonders for the accuracy. My scoped Mini 30 would shoot 5 inch 100 yard groups until I added a slip on flash hider. It now shoots into 1-1/2" easily. I know it sounds too good to be true, but it works!
gregintenn
Member
The only mini 14 I ever fired belonged to a friend. I don't know what he'd done to it, but it appeared to be factory original. It is an older model. I could shoot 3/4" groups with it at one hundred yards. I was pretty impressed with it's accuracy.
crofoot629
Absent Comrade
Drifting…….
I had a .223 Ruger stainless/synthetic bolt rifle I bought new that was maybe a 2 MOA gun. The groups were always so poor I never measured them with calipers. I also had a 77/22 I bought new that I ended up selling because of poor accuracy. As I mentioned above I had a Mini that shot patterns. I don't know what series it was, but I bought it in the early 90's and it wasn't a Ranch rifle.
I'd be hard pressed to buy another Ruger rifle other than a 10-22. I really like the way their wood and blue steel guns look and function, and know the LC6 trigger is a big improvement, but I'm scared of their lack of accuracy. I think maybe Ruger needs to spend a few more bucks on their barrels?
Emory
I had a .223 Ruger stainless/synthetic bolt rifle I bought new that was maybe a 2 MOA gun. The groups were always so poor I never measured them with calipers. I also had a 77/22 I bought new that I ended up selling because of poor accuracy. As I mentioned above I had a Mini that shot patterns. I don't know what series it was, but I bought it in the early 90's and it wasn't a Ranch rifle.
I'd be hard pressed to buy another Ruger rifle other than a 10-22. I really like the way their wood and blue steel guns look and function, and know the LC6 trigger is a big improvement, but I'm scared of their lack of accuracy. I think maybe Ruger needs to spend a few more bucks on their barrels?
Emory
jag312
Member
I have had my Mini-14 for a long time. The serial number is 183-86XXX, and I have a Leupold 3X scope on it. It is sensitive to ammunition. It shoots well with my handloads, but it ain't no target rifle. One day a friend was shooting it with some Malaysian ammunition. At 100 yards, the bullets were hitting the target sideways.
By the way, Feinstein wants to include the Mini-14 and the Mini-30 as "assault weapons" to be banned.
By the way, Feinstein wants to include the Mini-14 and the Mini-30 as "assault weapons" to be banned.
Mike W.
Member
My friend bought a 580 series rifle from Walmart right before Christmas and we had some fun shooting it over the holidays. I wasn't impressed with the accuracy (4-5" at 100 yards)but he bought it for self defense and it's perfectly suited for that.
Accuracy is all important to me, so a rifle that needs an additional $100 or more to bring it up to an acceptable level just isn't worth it, considering that the prices for the bone-stock rifle are right around $700-$750. I could buy a really accurate bolt action rifle or an AR-15, if I wanted an accurate semi-auto.
I really do like the Mini-14 and I'd buy one if the price was reasonable for what you get ($500 or so).
Accuracy is all important to me, so a rifle that needs an additional $100 or more to bring it up to an acceptable level just isn't worth it, considering that the prices for the bone-stock rifle are right around $700-$750. I could buy a really accurate bolt action rifle or an AR-15, if I wanted an accurate semi-auto.
I really do like the Mini-14 and I'd buy one if the price was reasonable for what you get ($500 or so).
crofoot629
Absent Comrade
And AR's love that ammo. It's good 5.56 193 ball.
As to the posters original question. It's my understanding that Ruger has made some improvements to address accuracy. I believe the rear sight no longer wobbles around like it's ready to fall off? I'd go over to the Ruger Forum and look around, or buy a Noveske or Colt.
Emory
I had a Mini-14 about 10 years ago I bought at Walmart on sale for $240. It was a pretty cool little gun but I liked my AR better so I sold it to my nephew. I always wished Ruger would make a "Midi-14", something in size between the .223 Mini-14 and the .30 cal M-14, maybe chambered for .243 Winchester. I would buy one of those in a heartbeat!
Lee in Quartzsite
Member
I got a Mini-14 Tactical model, M-14/20GBCPC, about three weeks ago. It has a synthetic stock and a flash suppressor. It is shooting 3-4" groups at 100 yards with stock iron sights. I have only shot about 50 rounds so far, so the grouping might improve more when I have a few more rounds through it. Love it so far!
feldspar13
Member
my mini 14 that I bought in 82 or 83 shoots great, it does have a flash hider I installed
on it, keep in mind they weren't intended to be target rifles
on it, keep in mind they weren't intended to be target rifles
