A Mini-14 Discussion

[303Guy]

A had a pre ranch rifle and mini 30 mini 14. I fitted a scope on it and buffers on the gas block. This thing shot one and a half inch ten shot groups all day long. I did dress the trigger making it crisp and smooth. A friend bought his at the same time. The only treatment his got was a polished trigger. His was pretty accurate too. At some stage I fitted a smaller gas port bush which greatly improved ejection. I never checked the accuracy like that. I did shoot it for a while with the gas port blocked and accuracy was about the same.

I found a note I had made in which I recorded a 1 MOA group with a different bullet. I must add though that with Speer 55gr SP's it shot a double group. I tried Hornady 53gr match bullets and those were the ones I stayed with because of the accuracy. Factory ammo groups were 3 MOA. No good for varminting.

My mini 14 was my favourite rifle. Small, light and handy.

[Outpost75]

Does adding a buffer on both ends help with that. I have read where the smaller gas port bushings tame the action and help accuracy quite a lot--by the users claim,of course

Key is proper fit of the bolt cam pocket and the gaged length of the slide handle/slide block assembly from the bolt cam pocket to the depth of the blind hole in the slide block, and the position of the gas block on the barrel and the relationship of gas piston to gas cylinder hole in the slideblock. There should be 0.05 clearance between the face of the gas piston and the blind hole in the slide block. The face of the slide block should have 0.02 clearance from the rear face of the gas block when the slide is in the full forward position and there should be 0.01 radial clearance of the piston with the gas cylinder hole in the slide block.

Adding a buffer system may dampen barrel vibration somewhat, but results in tolerance stacking.

A smaller gas port bushing will reduce slide velocity, but may cause malfunctions with some ammuniition.

[DougGuy]

So buying a recent production mini14 in 300AAC (model 5864) would be a good choice?

[Outpost75]

So buying a recent production mini14 in 300AAC (model 5864) would be a good choice?

I'm not saying that...

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Not exactly what you asked, but have you handled one of the Ruger PC rifles? I bought the PC9 and it met all my expectations for handling and accuracy. And yes it "feels" like a rifle to me?

Thanks for the suggestion, and for taking the time to make it. A friend comes around once in awhile in his Mule ATV and always displays his Armscor 9mm M1 Carbine lookalike. Just not quite what I'm looking for-- back to black plastic and a pistol cartridge. I'm thinking 100-150 yd. and a little more power.

Latest update: I again checked Gunbroker and found just 5 of the stainless model for sale, two being used. Even counting blue models there's only about 10 total for sale. They seem to be in demand. No problem at all if I wanted an AR-15-- new, used, long, short, all in great abundance. Well, there's no emergency-- plenty of firepower around here.

[Petrol & Powder]

I'm going to be a bit of Grinch here. I went down the Mini-14 path long before Ruger improved the design and it just flat soured me on the gun. And to be clear, it wasn't a single example that I based my dislike on.

The Mini-14 is unquestionably reliable. In fact, that may be its greatest strength. However, the early ones would shoot shotgun patterns.
I've heard all of the modifications that can be done to improve the accuracy of the early Mini-14 and there's no doubt they can be improved. At some point I just said, No More, and moved on.

The gas system was super reliable but by reversing the typical setup so that the gas piston was fixed and the op rod (in effect now the gas cylinder) moved; Ruger made a super reliable system but one the wrecked havoc on accuracy. Taming the amount of gas dumped into the blind hole in the op rod helps, but not enough. I'm sure a heavier barrel helps too but Ruger just lost me on that one.

Even an old A1 variant of an AR-15 platform would outshoot a Mini-14. When the cost of AR's came down and became competitive, Ruger finally corrected some of the flaws. By that time I was done with the Mini-14.
I've never been real enamored with .223 and that may play a role in my opinion.

[DougGuy]

I've never been real enamored with .223 and that may play a role in my opinion.

Same here, is why I never bought into the .223 or the 5.56. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the purpose of this round to tumble and cause wounds instead of terminal damage? A wounded soldier takes 6 men out of the firefight to carry him off the battlefield, a dead soldier doesn't take any men off the battlefield until the firefight is over.

In civilian life, IF you have the justification to shoot at all, you are usually justified to kill. I always wanted a 30 caliber round that would actually DO something when it hit it's target, so I waited until the AR market became such that it was easy to build a short, easy handling, light weight firearm of sufficient caliber and sufficient quantity of ammo before I settled on one.

However if the other side of the gun debate ever becomes reality and they go to banning AR or military looking firearms, the mini14 in 30 caliber would then have an instant market and you'd likely not be able to afford one IF you found one.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

P&P

Thanks for your observations, most of which match my experiences in my original post, and those of others in subsequent posts. I pretty much feel the same way about the .223/5.56mm cartridge, but I'm really aiming for a Mini 30, and the 7.62x39mm is quite a different animal with different applications and different limitations.

About all I can say concerning the evolution of the Mini is that the Spad fighter of WW I eventually evolved into the F-15. Earlier deficiencies don't turn me away from an improved product. The problem seems to be that currently another "great gun and ammo buy" is in progress (has been for awhile now), and enough folks have concluded that a Mini 30 would be desirable that the Ruger factory has them on allotment to their largest distributors, who currently seem to be sold out.

I can not deny the success, popularity, and utility of the AR-series of rifles-- they just hold no attraction for me. Not too hard to find one in 7.62x39mm either, but I'm more at home with the Mini's similarity to the Garand/M14 type of rifles. Just thinking that something a couple of lbs. lighter would be good.

DG

[panhed65]

I had a mini 14 way back, due to my use of the m14 during the Army years. shot maybe not quite 1000 rounds during a year or so, then one day the lip on the extractor broke off. bought a few spares, fixed it, and traded for a colt sp1, which I still have. the mini was just not near as accurate as I thought it should have been.
Barry

[Gtek]

Thought about maybe one day shoot enough to get barrel warm with paced thirty rounds target #1, stop, install made solid pill and repeat cadence/count just easing the Op-Rod back and forth on target #2 just to see. I also have several spare Rods and they seem really heavy to me, thoughts were to skeleton cut one WAY down on mill. possibly calming one of Newton's laws and reducing impulse into gas block assembly. Also had crazy idea of solid hand guard (with rail on top) that would replace upper gas block half and be tension adjustable to front of receiver to help negate block impulse. See, almost four decades and not quite ready to give up on minute of pumpkin, something about the stinking things!

[murf205]

A had a pre ranch rifle and mini 30 mini 14. I fitted a scope on it and buffers on the gas block. This thing shot one and a half inch ten shot groups all day long. I did dress the trigger making it crisp and smooth. A friend bought his at the same time. The only treatment his got was a polished trigger. His was pretty accurate too. At some stage I fitted a smaller gas port bush which greatly improved ejection. I never checked the accuracy like that. I did shoot it for a while with the gas port blocked and accuracy was about the same.

I found a note I had made in which I recorded a 1 MOA group with a different bullet. I must add though that with Speer 55gr SP's it shot a double group. I tried Hornady 53gr match bullets and those were the ones I stayed with because of the accuracy. Factory ammo groups were 3 MOA. No good for varminting.

My mini 14 was my favourite rifle. Small, light and handy.

303Guy, did you have to turn that rifle in? A shame to blame us law abiding people for some nut cases committing terrible crimes in any country

[Der Gebirgsjager]

A couple of times now it's been mentioned that if ARs are outlawed/confiscated we'll get to keep Minis as a sporting firearm. Why do I doubt that? Semi-auto is semi-auto, and the Mini has had wide ranging use as both a police and military weapon in both semi and full auto modes, and hi-cap mags are hi-cap mags. Just offering this opinion so as not to mislead anyone.

[tazman]

A couple of times now it's been mentioned that if ARs are outlawed/confiscated we'll get to keep Minis as a sporting firearm. Why do I doubt that? Semi-auto is semi-auto, and the Mini has had wide ranging use as both a police and military weapon in both semi and full auto modes, and hi-cap mags are hi-cap mags. Just offering this opinion so as not to mislead anyone.

I agree. Whoever writes the ban will make it as broad as possible.

[gpidaho]

I agree with Der G and Taz. Just take a look at the list of banned automatic weapons in the Canadian ban, some of the banned items weren't even weapons. Gp

[murf205]

And...Joe Biden said"Bingo" when asked if he would"come after your guns". How would we like to have Chuck Schumer , Nasty Nancy and Joe Biden interpreting what an "assault " weapon is? It could be a slingshot for all they know.

[tazman]

Actually, I have been reading this thread with great interest, the last few comments notwithstanding. I have been considering purchasing a Mini 14 because I like the action type and the stock style.
All the reports of less than stellar accuracy put me off since I really like an accurate rifle. I don't really care much for the Ar style. I guess it is just my age and the guns I grew up with don't look like that.
I would like to get a semi-auto rifle in 223 that uses AR type mags due to their availability. Perhaps I need to look a little closer at the Kel Tec SB16.
The reviews, while not stellar, have been acceptable in both function and accuracy.

[Mk42gunner]

Despite my negative comments regarding the two that I had, I still kind of have the itch for a mini-14.

I wouldn't say no to one that turns up for a reasonable price, but I'm not going to spend a thousand dollars on one.

Robert

[FLINTNFIRE]

I had shot one back in the 90's and bought my first AR in about 99 , but it was not until 2010 or so that I saw some of the mini 14 gb prison gun trade ins at local gun shop Bought a couple for myself and one for my son , later bought another that is in a synthetic stock , not really a fan of stainless but the matte is better to me then shiny .

I like the bayonet lug fitting AR 15 bayonets , and saw someone looking for the straight OE mags on here and did research them , bought a few they run as good as the ones that are curved and marked ruger that cost more , to me it is the style of them , looking like a M-14 but short and handy , I like my M-1 Garands , and am happy with the mini 14 for its style .

I remember my older brother and myself looking at mini 14 in a coast to coast had to be early 80's but the owner would not dicker on a pair so we passed on them , then in late 80's I saw the ads for the mini 30 and thought that would be a good handy deer rifle , first one I saw it was the front sight that made me pass , as I wanted a finer bead sight like the 10-22 had , funny as some years later I bought a sks and hunted the brush and thick newer planted fir patches ( we called reprod , slang we used in the woods logging for replanted clearcuts) short and handy and not as good a sight as the mini 30 had , but a good brush gun for fast jump shooting .

Trips down memory lane , sorry for rambling .

[303Guy]

303Guy, did you have to turn that rifle in? A shame to blame us law abiding people for some nut cases committing terrible crimes in any country

No, I didn't have it anymore. I had traded it in when I migrated to NZ. I traded it for a 1431/32 Anschutz 22 hornet. That rifle fits me like a glove and has just as good a trigger. The safety on it is truly safe just as the mini-14 safety is, which I should mention is the best safety there is - in my opinion anyway. I really liked the features on the mini-14.

I strongly agree with your sentiments.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I did it! I took the plunge and bought a stainless Mini 30, used, made around 2000. What with sending in the money order, it being shipped, getting to the pawn shop to do the paperwork, waiting for the background to clear, I figure about 2 weeks before I can post any photos. Looks to be in almost new condition. I think it was before the redesign, as it has the original style front sight. I'll post the photos here and on the thread about what new gun did you buy?