Picked up a Mini-14

[G26man]

Never had one before but always liked the design and looks. Found this 185 series (about 1989 vintage) with excellent condition wood stock and aftermarket wood handguard, recoil pad, and M14ish flash hider. I think it looks so much like a little M14 I had to have it.

I was also curious as to whether or not they are as inaccurate as everybody says. ...they were right. :supergrin: I got a 3" group at 50yds! :rofl: I think some of it has to do with the huge aperture rear peep on it. I found it hard to hold a consistent sight picture. The good news is that I did some reading up on these before I bought it and there are several tricks one can do for very little coin (now we're talking my language!) to improve accuracy. Its going to be a fun project, and when I'm done I hope to have it down to 2moa or so.

I've often heard that you can buy an AR for less than what it costs to buy a mini and make it shoot as good as the AR. That may be true, but the AR will never be wood and steel and have the Garand/M14 action. Given a Mini and an AR of equal accuracy the Mini would be worth more to a lot of people who favor a less tactical look and a less maintenance intensive weapon.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/AutoXdriver/SMabNUDo5tI/AAAAAAAAAtE/XvdjE37AW3E/s800/mymini14.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/AutoXdriver/SMabNp_22ZI/AAAAAAAAAtM/b4KhRa-y-Kc/s800/Mini%20RS.jpg

[Indy_Guy_77]

Looks great!

[slewfoot]

Nice looking rifle. Good luck finding mags for it. The proverbial hen's teeth are more common.

[G26man]

Nice looking rifle. Good luck finding mags for it. The proverbial hen's teeth are more common.
I've heard the Promag 20 rounders work well. They're readily available and $20.

[MrMurphy]

That rear aperature is not "huge".

Getting good accuracy out of a large aperature can definitely be done, though smaller ones help.

The Mini's inaccuracy is generally from rough barrels, bad bedding/lack of free floating, and thin barrels that heat up under any kind of rapid fire.

[armorplated]

I was also curious as to whether or not they are as inaccurate as everybody says.

The mini is not, and was never intended to be, a target rifle. It's a deep woods/combat rifle that can endure conditions the AR platform only dreamed of.

But if you want to extract every last ounce of accuracy, mount a decent scope and buy quality ammo. A lot of shooters were buying ammo by the pound from countries like Outer Botswana and then blaming the rifle for inconsistent results.

Invest in quality ammo. Better yet, reload.

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

[Apocalypse_Now]

Mini 14 accuracy is a crap shoot.. here's my experience

In the mid-late 80s I started buying stainless minis (185 series) I mounted the Choate M16 style flash suppressor and synthetic folders or syn fixed stocks on all of them

Mini #1 was a 1 MOA weapon out of the box with a drilled and tapped scope.. with military surplus SS109 ammo. It's now a safe queen with only a few hundred rounds through her, waiting for serious use should it be required. I have the original ammo batch of SS109 still in it's military cans saved specifically for this gun

Mini #2 was a shotgun.. 8 inch groups at 100 yards with iron sights. I tried several weights and types of ammo before I gave up. I traded it

Mini #3 was a 2 to 3 MOA rifle with iron sights at 100 yards. It is my daily truck gun sort of rifle

2 out of 3 was not bad. Today if I still had that shotgun mini I would without hesitation send it off to these guys to trick it out with a fluted heavy barrel, making it a real mini M14

http://www.ruger-mini-14-firearms.com/mini_14_30_accessories.php

As far as mags, the best currently available mags, bar none are the 30 rd Thermolds. Pro mag are junk. After that the John Masons are pretty good mags, and of course Ruger is now selling their mags at about $50 a pop. The huge MWG 90 rd drums also work well (The new production versions)

[MrMurphy]

ARs have endured some pretty bad conditions and kept running. Just from personal experience during exercises, firing (near continuously) after being dragged 40 yards or more through mud, in a Kentucky rainstorm, being submerged (going under barbed wire, a pit turned into a pool) and shooting blanks (which are notorious for making M16s jam, from lack of gas enough to cycle the action). Still kept firing.

Minis are reliable, but even less accurate than many AKs.

[G26man]

That rear aperature is not "huge".
I'd call it roughly equivalent to the night or close range A2 sight on an AR which is NOT what I'd use on an AR if I was shooting groups. They make target sights for it with replaceable precision apertures like the Williams sight, but I'd love to find an A2 style sight for it so I can switch aperture's on the fly.

The Mini's inaccuracy is generally from rough barrels, bad bedding/lack of free floating, and thin barrels that heat up under any kind of rapid fire.
I'm aware of all these things, been lurking on Perfect Union or awhile. I'm going to bed the stock, replace the gas port bushing with a smaller one, evenly torque the gas block, and probably spend a little to have a trigger job and the barrel cut back to 16". And oh yeah, a better rear sight! I'll probably put another $200 in it, but then I'll still only have $650 in it total. If it'll shoot 2-3 moa I'll be happy as I'm not going to scope it. Thats better than most AKs and SKSs and not far off from many out of the box ARs.

I'm not going to address Mini vs AR reliability, but the thing I like about the Mini is it is low maintenance compared to an AR.

[Apocalypse_Now]

Minis are reliable, but even less accurate than many AKs.


Try reading my post :tongueout:

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

There's rumor over at Perfect Union that the factory will be offering 20 rounders to the public in a month or two.

If Ruger did this years ago--there would be more Mini's out there than AR's.

[Apocalypse_Now]

There's rumor over at Perfect Union that the factory will be offering 20 rounders to the public in a month or two.

My distributor has already been offering them for a month. (I'm an internet retailer)

[Jeep Thing]

My distributor has already been offering them for a month. (I'm an internet retailer)


whats the price?

[Apocalypse_Now]

whats the price?

My pre shipping and biz cost is $35 each.. which is why you won't see them for less than $50 each, retail. The link I posted above to the mini 14 custom site offers them @ $70 each. Unfortunately most people only buy one or two, and that makes handling and shipping them less profitable than if average sales were 6 or more mags (which would allow a price reduction in my case)

[Jeep Thing]

My pre shipping and biz cost is $35 each.. which is why you won't see them for less than $50 each, retail. The link I posted above to the mini 14 custom site offers them @ $70 each. Unfortunately most people only buy one or two, and that makes handling and shipping them less profitable than if average sales were 6 or more mags (which would allow a price reduction in my case)

So, not really a difference in price from the last 2 years or so, other than these new one are not LEO only marked?

[G26man]

Today if I still had that shotgun mini I would without hesitation send it off to these guys to trick it out with a fluted heavy barrel, making it a real mini M14

http://www.ruger-mini-14-firearms.com/mini_14_30_accessories.php

You ought to check this guy out. His prices are much more in line with my pocketbook:

http://www.greatwestgunsmithing.com/mini14.htm

[rmc85]

My distributor has already been offering them for a month. (I'm an internet retailer)

Will they be for $29 like the rumor says?

and how do I order from you?:supergrin:

[Sharkey]

Many moons ago me and another guy attended a carbine class w/ mini 14's in a sea of AR's. A couple AR's had problems and our mini's kept right on firing.
Accuracy was enough to pass the class and we used open sights.

Not slamming AR's cuz I own those too. I have always liked the look and feel of the Mini and it is currently equipped w/ a light and in a bag ready to go. The PMI mags have been reliable for me. Don't think they make them anymore. I've bought a couple Promags recently and 2 out of 3 worked w/o problems but round count wasn't too much.

[Guyver]

I always viewed the Mini14 as the M1's little brother.... they look so similar... I almost bought one once, and didn't when I figured out all I really wanted was an M1, but couldn't afford it. I kind of wish I'd bought it, but, not being what I really wanted, I would probably have ended up selling it for a loss at some point.

[eddief4]

i have always wanted one....Just cause:supergrin:




Congrats on a cool gun:wavey:

[Tim13]

I don't know about the accuracy, but I sure do like the way they look. Nice rifle you have there.

Tim

[slewfoot]

There's rumor over at Perfect Union that the factory will be offering 20 rounders to the public in a month or two.

If Ruger did this years ago--there would be more Mini's out there than AR's.

If Ruger wasn't such a block head, he would have made the mini compatible with AR/AK mags. He could have sold a million of the damn things.

[liliysdad]

The mini is not, and was never intended to be, a target rifle. It's a deep woods/combat rifle that can endure conditions the AR platform only dreamed of.

Thanks, I needed a good laugh today.

[357wheelgunner]

That rifle looks fantastic with the wood handguard and muzzle break.

My Mini-14, with horrible junk reload .223, would shoot <2" groups at 100 yards for the first 5 or so rounds. After that it threw a pattern. I wish I had tried it with higher quality ammunition.

I had some Pro-Mags, and would get at least one malfunction in 100 rounds.

I think I'll be buying either a Mini or AR next year, I still haven't decided yet. Unless the cost of the Mini-14 comes down significantly, I think I'll just spend another hundred dollars or so and get a 16" AR.

[DFin]

We have found that those Ram-Line polymer mags that everyone hates have worked fine in Mini-14's and AR's. Same mag works in both rifles.
It is too bad that Magpul Industries does not make a P-Mag for the Mini 14 & 30. By the time they get around to it the Crats will have outlawed everything that shoots.

[DFin]

If Ruger wasn't such a block head, he would have made the mini compatible with AR/AK mags. He could have sold a million of the damn things.

Yeah. A Mini-30 that works with AK mags would be dynamite.

[ElevatedThreat]

The Ruger Mini is a great rifle, although I prefer the Mini-30.

Accuracy can be greatly enhanced by using AcraGlas Gel to bed the stock.

Glue the stock liner metal into the stock. Then use LOTS of release agent to bed the rifle action to the stock and liner. Work slow, a little at a time, to make sure you don't mechanically interlock the rifle into the stock/liner.

By making the liner and stock a unit, and putting bedding compound anywhere that the gun would otherwise touch the wood stock, you can greatly improve accuracy.

Frankly, aftermarket synthetic stocks like the Bell and Carlson work much better than factory wood, but the wood stock can work too -- it just takes more bedding compound. (Hog out the stock with a Dremel a bit anyplace that the bedding compound would be too thin if placed on the unaltered stock alone.)

-ET

[armorplated]

Deleted, cause whenever you wrestle with a pig, he has fun but you just go away dirty.

But, another idiot for my ignore list.

[DWhitehorne]

I had a stainless mini a few years ago. I wanted to love that rifle but of course let it go after getting so frustrated with magazines. I still may get another mini one day because they are fun to shoot. If the OP is willing I suggest shortening the barrel. I took mine down to 16 1/4 inches and added a stainless Eagle pin on brake. My 100 yard groups went for the normal 6-8+ inches to 3-4 inches with the iron sights. David

[HogGlocker]

:
The mini is not, and was never intended to be, a target rifle. It's a deep woods/combat rifle that can endure conditions the AR platform only dreamed of.

Thanks, I needed a good laugh today.

:rofl:

It may be a deep woods rifle.....but enduring conditions that the AR platform only dreamed of.......??????

Maybe I am alone in this opinion but my extensive use of and experience with the AR platform both in Military and civillian capacities, strongly suggests otherwise. Have owned the mini as well.....once for about 5 years and it is a cool little rifle. But, an M16, M4 or civillian platform variant it is not.

[G26man]

If the OP is willing I suggest shortening the barrel. I took mine down to 16 1/4 inches and added a stainless Eagle pin on brake. My 100 yard groups went for the normal 6-8+ inches to 3-4 inches with the iron sights. David
Yep I'm considering exactly that, along with a trigger job and possibly stock bedding. I'm also going to reduce the gas impulse by putting in a smaller gas bushing and evenly torque the gas block, and probably get some higher precision iron sights. Some people put ugly looking strut bars on the barrels and they work well but I'd rather cut the barrel back, I think it looks a lot better and makes for an even more handy rifle.

[chewybaca67]

I have a a stainless Mini-14 and 30 and they both work fine. El-cheapo mags work fine IF you know what to look for when buying mags for 'em. Accuracy ain't nothin to write home after a few shots but like many firearms, a little TLC can make a difference as the OP stated. I'm gonna get one of the Hogue Stocks and do a little bedding job and see what that does. Accurizing them ain't too much of a chore if you have a little patience and can follow directions. As for AR's? I like them too and have had a few and currently have a Bushy M-4 I ninjafied. Modifying firearms is fun to me and not a chore at all. Just like reloading, it ain't work. It be good times.

[armorplated]

Thanks, I needed a good laugh today.


The laugh's on you. You know better, as does everyone who remembers when the AR was introduced (Vietnam) and how it performed (miserably).

End of discussion.

[El_Ron1]

Fascinating.

[freesw]

... The PMI mags have been reliable for me. Don't think they make them anymore. ...

No, they don't, but you can still get them here:
http://www.franksgunstuff.com/wvss/product_info.php?cPath=27_105&products_id=139

I agree they work very reliably.

[Apocalypse_Now]

Yeah. A Mini-30 that works with AK mags would be dynamite.

I would buy one in a heartbeat if it was in stainless. Yes, Ruger makes some sturdy firearms but blockhead is not an exaggeration for some of their dumb policies

[Apocalypse_Now]

Yep I'm considering exactly that, along with a trigger job and possibly stock bedding. I'm also going to reduce the gas impulse by putting in a smaller gas bushing and evenly torque the gas block, and probably get some higher precision iron sights. Some people put ugly looking strut bars on the barrels and they work well but I'd rather cut the barrel back, I think it looks a lot better and makes for an even more handy rifle.

This guy will do a nice target trigger for not too many dineros, and you only send in the trigger group:

http://www.williamstriggers.com/page3.html

[chewybaca67]

Fascinating.

Fixed for ya.'
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k298/chewybaca67/Goofs%20n%20Stuff/Spock.jpg

[ElevatedThreat]

The mini is not, and was never intended to be, a target rifle. It's a deep woods/combat rifle that can endure conditions the AR platform only dreamed of.

But if you want to extract every last ounce of accuracy, mount a decent scope and buy quality ammo. A lot of shooters were buying ammo by the pound from countries like Outer Botswana and then blaming the rifle for inconsistent results.

Invest in quality ammo. Better yet, reload.

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Amen, brother.

I ditched the AR entirely in disgust, after finding it would not run reliably under the stress of doing winter predator control via snowmobile. Nor did .223 perform well in that role (light "blitz" type varmint bullets blew up on snow-covered brush, while heavier bullets zipped through without expanding).

I'm now running a stainless Mini-30, with Remington 125 grain softpoints, and could not be happier -- either with the stone-cold reliability of the stainless Mini under field conditions, or with the ammo's terminal performance (which is truly "terminal" -- even through dead grass, twigs, and snowdrifts).

-ET

[Novocaine]

If Ruger wasn't such a block head, he would have made the mini compatible with AR/AK mags. He could have sold a million of the damn things.

If you look at Ruger P90 .45 mag you will see that it would be a dead ringer for 1911 mag except for the notch is cut in different place. Rumor has it that Ruger decided to go with a proven mag design but actually made a specific effort to make it non-compatible with 1911.
Reason being he did not want people to use already existing and abundant low-quality aftermarket 1911 magazines in his gun and associate mag induced malfunction with a gun. It actually worked until of course people started to produce low quality after market crap specifically for P-90.
I don't see any reason why Ruger would want to make Mini accept AR mags. First of all IMO Mini mag is better engineered than that of AR. Certainly more robust. More reliable (yes, even over USGI). It was not meant to be a disposable item. Complaints about Ruger mags are as prolific as complaints about AK mags. Secondly AR wasn't that popular when Mini was introduced. And once the ball starts rolling it's not that easy to stop. And why? Mini target customer probably doesn't know any better than not to buy anything but USGI. He will go to the gun show and load up on the cheapest aftermarket crap he can find and then blame the rifle for the problems that will surely ensue. Why give him that option? IMO nothing (not even original teething problems) had done more to ruin AR reputation than USA Promag and similar junk. Well of course as time went by Mini-specific aftermarket crap got developed too and (surprise) started to drag rifle's reliability reputation down. But I think the problem would be more widespread if AR mags entered the picture.
Bill Ruger was a good engineer and a shrewd businessman. There was a reason behind everything he did. He was always in control and doing fine with no big government orders through changes in economy and political climate while other big names were busy getting in and out of bankruptcies and being bought and sold by foreign interests. Not a nice guy, but blockhead? Well, stubborn- perhaps, stupid- no.

[liliysdad]

Ruger was a self absorbed hypocrite, nothing more. He was fond of proprietary magazines only in order to male sure Ruger was the only source of quality mags. His policies on parts sales and warranty work was and is ridiculous, and his utter hatred for the self defense market was sickening.

He designed a mediocre rifle in the Mini 14, and refused to make it better, plain and simple.

[Dyerbill]

Wow just like on the Ruger forum more bashing/praising of the mini-14 than you can shake a stick at.:yawn:
I bought my 90's mini-14 for shtf and general plinking. My shtf use would be under 30Yds so I don't worry about groups it goes bang EVERY time. I have 6 factory mags loaded with Black Hills 62gr hp ammo and I use almost anything for plinkin'. I love the feel and look of a mini-14, it's like getting to play army with live ammo. Have fun, be safe and be prepared.

[Apocalypse_Now]

If you look at Ruger P90 .45 mag you will see that it would be a dead ringer for 1911 mag except for the notch is cut in different place. Rumor has it that Ruger decided to go with a proven mag design but actually made a specific effort to make it non-compatible with 1911.
Reason being he did not want people to use already existing and abundant low-quality aftermarket 1911 magazines in his gun and associate mag induced malfunction with a gun. It actually worked until of course people started to produce low quality after market crap specifically for P-90.
I don't see any reason why Ruger would want to make Mini accept AR mags. First of all IMO Mini mag is better engineered than that of AR. Certainly more robust. More reliable (yes, even over USGI). It was not meant to be a disposable item. Complaints about Ruger mags are as prolific as complaints about AK mags. Secondly AR wasn't that popular when Mini was introduced. And once the ball starts rolling it's not that easy to stop. And why? Mini target customer probably doesn't know any better than not to buy anything but USGI. He will go to the gun show and load up on the cheapest aftermarket crap he can find and then blame the rifle for the problems that will surely ensue. Why give him that option? IMO nothing (not even original teething problems) had done more to ruin AR reputation than USA Promag and similar junk. Well of course as time went by Mini-specific aftermarket crap got developed too and (surprise) started to drag rifle's reliability reputation down. But I think the problem would be more widespread if AR mags entered the picture.
Bill Ruger was a good engineer and a shrewd businessman. There was a reason behind everything he did. He was always in control and doing fine with no big government orders through changes in economy and political climate while other big names were busy getting in and out of bankruptcies and being bought and sold by foreign interests. Not a nice guy, but blockhead? Well, stubborn- perhaps, stupid- no.

Bill made the mags incompatible so he could sell Ruger mags

And the military surplus AK mags are better than anything Ruger ever made

I like Ruger firearms but Bill Ruger the Elder (and gun control proponent) stinks