Ruger Mini 14

[fishnbob]

Anybody out there find any accuracy in a Ruger Mini 14? I think the two that I have tried averaged about 4" groups @ 100 yds with factory ammo.:-?

[Stork]

That's better than the one I had. Didn't have it long either. Everyone I talked to got the same 4-6" groups with theirs. The first 2 shots were pretty close until the barrel warmed up a bit, then it went to improved cylinder.

I've heard the new ones are better with the shorter thicker barrel. The one I had was in the 1980's. I gave up on 223 semi auto's until I started shooting Hi Power in 2005 with AR's. Of the 3 varieties I've got, the worst group is under an inch at 100 yds, best is a bit under 1/2".

FWIW

[GRUMPA]

I had a young guy tell me about his accuracy problems with his Mini-14, we got to talking a bit more in depth and come to find out he was using what ever cheapo stuff he could lay his hands on. It wasn't until later in the conversation that he was able to name a few of the brands he was using.

He was getting pretty much what you guys were on paper, the light finally went on in my head (dim one at that) and mentioned to him that there is more than 1 flavor of 223 stuff available. Some stuff he said did OK other stuff not so good. He was using 223 bargain stuff along with 5.56 bargain stuff, some steel some brass cased. So I gave him a brief explanation as to what differences there is in the 2, namely pressures, then the light went on in his head, kinda like a eureka moment, haven't seen him since.

My personal Mini-14, it does real well with my roll your own stuff, J-words that is.

[fishnbob]

My personal Mini-14, it does real well with my roll your own stuff, J-words that is.

I read y'all loud & clear. After I reload a few & try it again, I'll probably trade it or sell it and get another AR. They typically shoot pretty close. :D

[MtGun44]

I have heard that glass bedding will help, not yet done it on mine.

Bill

[GRUMPA]

bob,

When it comes time for you to roll your own try this if you don't already. Make a dummy round to find out what the seating depth length is, more than likely it'll be to long to fit into the magazine (mine is). I make mine just short enough to fit the mag and I still have more than .030 clearance before the J-word touches the rifling.

My twist rate is 1-8 and I keep the speed at 3000 FPS.

I also do not full length size mine I only neck size them, of course they got used in the rifle first, and I never had an issue.

Even at 200yds the coyotes never knew what hit them, and I use alot of the Ballistic tips (55gr)

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

i have had some luck with 50 gr Hornady spritzers flat base or 26 gr H4895 , but it needs a scope before i can say for sure and a bunch more testing

i found it interesting that the midway reviews for 50 gr bullets have a bunch of mini 14 users saying that they made their so so shooter into a better shooter

i think older minis like mine had 1 in 10 twist

[wallenba]

Ruger's target version looks quite a bit different than the others. Is this just a dress up job? Or is there something to it? I think about getting one sometimes, but only if I could have a good brass catcher.

[McLintock]

A number of years ago there was an article in a gun magazine (I've got it somewhere in my archieves), on accurizing the Mini 14. I tried it on my Stainless one that I bought new in 1979 and it worked very well. It involved glass bedding various parts of the stock and it's components. Mine went from a 4-6" group when I was lucky, to 1 1/2-2" group with no big deal handloads; i.e. nothing special in them, just FMJ bullets over Win 748.
McLintock

[Hardcast416taylor]

A number of years ago there was an article in a gun magazine (I've got it somewhere in my archieves), on accurizing the Mini 14. I tried it on my Stainless one that I bought new in 1979 and it worked very well. It involved glass bedding various parts of the stock and it's components. Mine went from a 4-6" group when I was lucky, to 1 1/2-2" group with no big deal handloads; i.e. nothing special in them, just FMJ bullets over Win 748.
McLintock


I think that more than just afew of us would like to read that article.Robert

[MtGun44]

Yes!

Please provide the source if you can find it, or much better would be scanned pages.

Bill

[McLintock]

I'll see if I can find it again, I think I tried to scan it into my computer once but couldn't get it quite right, not too good on that kind of stuff.
McLintock

[fishnbob]

Yeah Mac, I sure would like to read that also.

[McLintock]

OK guys, found it and it's the March 1987 issue of Guns and Ammo for those who may have a collection of them; I did at one time. Anyway, I took digital pics of the four pages and can send them to anyone who wants to send me his e-mail in a PM. They're very readable on my machine, just put them in "My Pictures" and then you can blow them up, print them or whatever you want.
McLintock

[tenx]

Had 2 stainless Ranch rifles and both were choked between I/C and modified. The real issue and what ticked me off about them was how the barrel walked all over the place as it warmed up. Really like the rifle otherwise, just couldn't hit squat with it.

[ebner glocken]

I didn't do so well with mine until I tried this one with ww748. If memory serves correctly was somewhere just above 26 grains.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/165935/berger-varmint-bullets-22-caliber-224-diameter-64-grain-hollow-point-flat-base-box-of-100

Ebner

[AK Caster]

After owning a couple I did the smartest thing in the world. Sold both of them and went to AR type rifles. A "bad" one will shot 2 inches, a good one, a lot better.