Larry from Bend
Member
Your thoughts seem confused. If the Mini should be "heaved into a lake" why does it make an excellent farm/ranch rifle?
Ruger MIni 14 Thread
- Thread starter HOUSTON RICK
- Start date
Your thoughts seem confused. If the Mini should be "heaved into a lake" why does it make an excellent farm/ranch rifle?
GatorFarmer
Member
I should add that there is nothing wrong with the trigger on the one that I have now, nor did I notice any of the half dozen or so I had to be objectionable but then I spent a lot of time with old Mausers and Enfields.
I did have an ex Alaskan Mini 14 for a while. It was not rusted, but seemed well greased.
Any current rifles that do not shoot well can be returned to Ruger. A rack grade AR is withing spec as a 3.5 MOA rifle.
I did have an ex Alaskan Mini 14 for a while. It was not rusted, but seemed well greased.
Any current rifles that do not shoot well can be returned to Ruger. A rack grade AR is withing spec as a 3.5 MOA rifle.
I bought the first stainless one that hit the Albany NY area way back when. It has been a good dependable gun. I must have got lucky as mine the accuracy is decent. Being it had a peep sight and I know your eye automatically seek out the center I used my drill index and opened it up 2 drill sizes. That helps me get a fast site picture and did not hurt the accuracy one iota.
I have shot both factory and my hand loads with no feeding problems. Most of my mags are Ruger but I have a couple of off brands and contrary to what I have heard they worked well!
My son got a used blue mini a couple years ago and got rid of it within a couple months as his accuracy was nowhere near mine.
I have shot both factory and my hand loads with no feeding problems. Most of my mags are Ruger but I have a couple of off brands and contrary to what I have heard they worked well!
My son got a used blue mini a couple years ago and got rid of it within a couple months as his accuracy was nowhere near mine.
ColbyBruce
Member
I am not confused, a Mini makes a fine, but expensive, door and gate prop. When a product costs as much as a Ruger Mini it should work properly and shoot MOA, or at least dang close. A mini is an exercise in frustration.
I have played around with heavier bullets, re-torqued the gas blocks, re- crowned two muzzles, re-stocked two of them, had a 180 series D&T'd for a Redfield scope mount. All wasted energy.
I have a friend who owns two Mini's built by a specialty firm in Texas. Those two guns are not much better than a standard model..
sigp220.45
US Veteran
I love my Mini. I need it to be able to hit somebody in the chest at 50 yards, and mine does way better than that.
I kept my eyes open for a raggedy used one, and finally came across this one at a trading post just off the Navajo reservation.
I think I paid $325 for it five years ago. I took off the barrel shroud but left the flash hider. The rear sight was busted so I replaced it with a Williams sight. I got it dead center at 50 yards with the cheapest .223 I had on hand and secured it with a dose of red Loctite.
I had an old stock for a Mini that my kids had used as a play gun for years. I refinished it and left some gouges in it for old times sake. The one on the RezRuger was too blonde and the buttplate was broken.
When I was done it looked like this:
Still not a beauty contest winner, but this thing just keeps shooting. I traded some Garand clips I'd accumulated for mags. Now I have 8 reliable 30 rounders, which should see me through anything in my future.
I have no idea what kind of groups it would shoot at 100 yards on paper. At 50 it will do 2 inches all day off the hood of a truck. I know I can hit rocks in the desert way out there once I figure the elevation.
It has never jammed, even when I was testing out the mags by firing it until it got too hot to touch. I don't think it knows how to jam.
To the OP, I'd say just keep a lookout for one. They made a gazillion of them, so I'll bet you can find one cheap. I wouldn't be afraid to pick one up that is kind of doggy, since there are parts of all kinds available.
I kept my eyes open for a raggedy used one, and finally came across this one at a trading post just off the Navajo reservation.
I think I paid $325 for it five years ago. I took off the barrel shroud but left the flash hider. The rear sight was busted so I replaced it with a Williams sight. I got it dead center at 50 yards with the cheapest .223 I had on hand and secured it with a dose of red Loctite.
I had an old stock for a Mini that my kids had used as a play gun for years. I refinished it and left some gouges in it for old times sake. The one on the RezRuger was too blonde and the buttplate was broken.
When I was done it looked like this:
Still not a beauty contest winner, but this thing just keeps shooting. I traded some Garand clips I'd accumulated for mags. Now I have 8 reliable 30 rounders, which should see me through anything in my future.
I have no idea what kind of groups it would shoot at 100 yards on paper. At 50 it will do 2 inches all day off the hood of a truck. I know I can hit rocks in the desert way out there once I figure the elevation.
It has never jammed, even when I was testing out the mags by firing it until it got too hot to touch. I don't think it knows how to jam.
To the OP, I'd say just keep a lookout for one. They made a gazillion of them, so I'll bet you can find one cheap. I wouldn't be afraid to pick one up that is kind of doggy, since there are parts of all kinds available.
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Somewhere read....... "Mini-14/30 America's AK".......
GatorFarmer
Member
Rocky Mountain Discount Sports here in town has a 195 series in an ATI stock for $409 and they do ship. It needs a new rear sight. I traded it in myself for the stainless new one, but it worked fine and would cost half what a new one does if the idea is to tinker with one.
ColbyBruce
Member
"Houston, we have a problem"
You actually are interested in buying a Ruger Mini. I am sorry; however, if you P.M. me your phone number and have a smart phone I will contact you tomorrow if I run across a Mini while shopping in northeast Georgia. There are a couple of shops I visit that often have LE trade-in firearms. No need to buy a brand new Mini, as it has been my experience a new one shoots as poorly as a used one. I also put some feelers out on a varmint hunting site and with a sheriff I know.
You actually are interested in buying a Ruger Mini. I am sorry; however, if you P.M. me your phone number and have a smart phone I will contact you tomorrow if I run across a Mini while shopping in northeast Georgia. There are a couple of shops I visit that often have LE trade-in firearms. No need to buy a brand new Mini, as it has been my experience a new one shoots as poorly as a used one. I also put some feelers out on a varmint hunting site and with a sheriff I know.
GatorFarmer
Member
When did you last purchase a new one? The major changes began with the 580 series circa late 2006 and have continued. The included 1913 rail and drilled and tapped receiver is even more recent.
The Ford F150 trucks have been made since 1948, obviously changes were made over that run. Same in the long history of the Mini 14. For unknown reasons, some say because of old man Ruger being stubborn, the Mini 14 has really hit its prime only in the last few years, relatively recently in overall terms. Thus just because someone had a lemon of a Ford back in 1988 does not mean one made this year won't work, earlier series of Mini 14s were much different than ones now.
ColbyBruce
Member
This thread has nothing to do with trucks GatorFarmer. The last brand new Mini I bought was in 1993. I have reloaded for and shot a target version and a 6.8 in the last three years.
Here is my son's Mini 30 and my CZ 527 7.62x39mm carbine. These are practically the same weight and length.
Here is my son's Mini 30 and my CZ 527 7.62x39mm carbine. These are practically the same weight and length.
GatorFarmer
Member
A standard model Mini made today is going to be substantially different than a 1993 model. The target models came out around the time the line started to change. Most should be decent rifles. Or so I have heard. I never owned one. It is certainly possible that some bad ones were made.
Any current production Mini 14 in .223, particularly with the shorter barrel and flash hider, should not have the past issues often experienced related to stringing/ shooting shotgun like patterns. The sights are also improved as is the ability to scope one.
OP
HOUSTON RICK
Member
Thank you for your interesting opinions. I will not be buying a Mini-14 before an M1A, but it sounds like an interesting rifle.
ColbyBruce
Member
Might I suggest you also search for a used M1A? A lot of people buy them and find that they prefer an AR style
The M1 carbine isn't a target rifle either. I think Ruger was attempting to bring something new to the market along the same line as the M1 carbine, since they are so popular and becoming difficult to find at a reasonable price. I have one of each, and they have their place. Shooting ity-bity groups at the range is neither's forte.
4330Inroute
Member
The Ranch rifle I own was purchased used in 1985. It is picky about the ammunition it will shoot accurately. It seems to like 55 gr. Winchester loads. I have been able to group 1 inch at 100 yards with it. It will not shoot military 5.56 ammunition at all or heavier bullets with any acceptable accuracy. 3 to 4 inch groups were what it shot with the heavier bullets. Like most firearms you have to try different loads until you find the one the firearm will shoot accurately. I have an 1948 Remington 721 in .270 that is lazer beam accurate with 130 gr. but not with lighter or heavier weight bullets i.e. the 115 or 140 gr. bullets.
I have fired a Mini 14 worked on by Accuracy Systems of Colorado. It was as advertised at 1/4 inch group at 100 yards but it cost a pretty penny to get it that accurate. I don't shoot enough these days to require that level of accuracy nor do I want to spend that kind of money on any firearm.
I have fired a Mini 14 worked on by Accuracy Systems of Colorado. It was as advertised at 1/4 inch group at 100 yards but it cost a pretty penny to get it that accurate. I don't shoot enough these days to require that level of accuracy nor do I want to spend that kind of money on any firearm.
Baloney! (Yes, I know I spelled it wrong.) I have a 581 series Ranch Rifle that, with a couple of very cheap mods will shoot sub MOA at 100 yards all day long. Those mods being 1) .040 gas bushing and, 2) a 1911 recoil buffer.
NIB, Ruger mini's are WAY over gassed. The major indicator of this is that your brass will land in the next ZIP code. Reducing the gas bushing to a .040 or even .038 will tame the beast. Secondly, when cycling, the bolt will contact the rear of the receiver. A simple 1911 recoil buffer will eliminate this.
Do these two very simple, and very cheap, things and the Mini becomes a VERY good and accurate predator rifle.
As for ammo, I shoot 62 grain Remington CoreLockt almost exclusively.
Below is a picture of my Mini Rancher and a target I shot at 200 years using a sand bag on a bench. Two shots to zero and then the rest.
Bob
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In the late 90'sI owned a mini-14 that shot the typical 4"-6" groups. Fast forward to today, I have a 583 series mini-14 RR that I bought for just over $600.00. With the standard gas port the ejection of a spent casing is, well, "enthusiastic". A .040 gas port from ASI tamed it down for little money. The accuracy is 2"-3" at 100 yards, well within my needs. Yes I have experienced the AR. Carried an M-16 for 20 years and was the first officer in my department authorized to carry an AR. I just prefer the handling of the mini-14.
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