Stainless better?

[Stevie]

I picked up an older stainless steel Mini 14 rifle last winter. This Mini is an early 1980's gun, same spindley barrel as any other Mini 14/Ranch rifle I've shot.

Comparing this stainless gun to carbon steel Mini 14/Ranch rifles I've shot, the stainless gun is definately a better shooter!

Doesn't seem to heat up as fast, zinging flyers around like my long traded-off Ranch rifle. Get it hot, and the stainless gun opens up the groups, but not nearly as fast or as extreme. The Ranch rifle would put two or three shots close to target, then spray them around....had to cool off before you could hit anything again.

Shooting the stainless rifle is considerably better. It ain't a moa tack-driver, but you can at least get 2-5" 100yd grouping with a fairly hot gun, even with an inferior B-Square sidemount scope setup I bought and installed to get scoped up.

Would seem to me that either Ruger's stainless steel Mini 14 rifles shoot better than carbon steel rifles, or my stainless Mini is just a randomly better fitted rifle through a quirk in Ruger's QC.

Are the stainless Mini 14 rifles better shooters than carbon/blued Mini's, or did i just get lucky for once?

Thanx. Stevie.

 

[G-Mac]

I've owned numerous stainless and blued Mini-14's and Ranch Rifles.

My experience was that the accuracy was equally crappy on all of them.

Reliable, yes. Accurate or consistent, no.

As Michael Savage says, "That's just one man's opinion".

 

[Dyerbill]

When the shtf I will grab my mini-14 first. jmo

 

[The Big D]

NOT an expert on Mini-14's by any means but they are quite useful, accurate, and easy to maintain. In my previous life we used them for LE marine patrol and special event teams. These were stainless, of course, with folding stocks. Nice.

Be safe.

 

[Snapping Twig]

It's got more to do with the strap that holds the gas tube to the barrel.

Evenly torque the allen screws, use a feeler gage if you like, make them firm but not tight, use blue loktite, verify the gap is even on both sides, front to back.

Once accomplished, go out and zero it, then tell me how inaccurate it is.

Mine is able to pump out 2" ~ 3" groups all day long @ 100 yards.

189 series blued mini 30.

Couldn't hit the side of a barn from the inside before I bought it. Guy sold it to me thinking he'd pulled a fast one.

I later showed him a target or two demonstrating my earlier claims, thought he deserved it for trying to take advantage.

 

[novalty]

I have an 80' blued Mini-14 passed down from my Grandfather. I do agree with it varying once it gets heated up. It does shoot pretty consistent to start, and decrease accuracy with heat. However, for hunting or defense I would not hesistate to grab it.

 

[n4zov]

Stainless or carbon steel has virtually nothing to do with the differences you noticed between the two rifles. Check here for tips on improving accuracy of the Minis:

Ruger Mini-14 Talk - PerfectUnion BBS

 

[Stevie]

I don't see any sign this Mini14 has been tweeked or missed with. Definately used though.

I figure this rifle must have come off the assembly line right...and my poor Ranch rifle came off the line wrong! Don't know....one person reports his Mini shoots great, and the next guy reports a turkey!

I can vouch for my ranch rifle being a bullet flinging machine. Can also report that I'm quite surprised my new/used stainless Mini delivers servicable accuracy.

Oh well...a mystery I can live with!

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

My mini (Late 80's) shoots minute of pie plate (9-10")offhand at 100 yards with peep sights-if I put down my beer and use abench rest and sand bags-I can get it down to 4" on a good day. Never bothered to scope it-but I do have a $65 Williams Peep sight on it. That's what the gun was made for-I'm good with it.