We use Mini-14's at work. (prison) I've never been impressed with the gun. Do they make aftermarket barrels for them? Seems to me that the barrel is the weak point.

 

They do but a barrel swap is fairly pricey. It isn't just a screw in replacement. The extractor notch must be cut after installation, etc.

 

There is nothing wrong with the new Mini. It is MUCH MORE capable than 4-5 MOA. Sorry to be the one to tell you this, but you are the limiting factor here.

I had a late 90's 19x series rifle that loved the 69gr Match bullets and would shoot an easy <2 MOA all day long even with an untrained shooter.

the new 58x series shoots much better for me with 1.5 MOA being the norm... WITH 62GR HP BARNAUL STEEL CASED AMMO no less! (yes I tried a bunch of thing even high end match ammo)

the mini is a very capable gun when used with FACTORY MAGS. and YES i have had aftermarket plastic mags that functioned fine but gave horrible accuracy. I couldnt believe it myself, but I checked and rechecked with another shooter and verified it.

SO... if you want to imporve accuracy there are some very cheap and affordable ways to do it. they are:

-hone the trigger engagement surfaces with a fine ceramic. dont change the angles
-bed the action with some acraglass gel. there are great online tutorials about bedding the M-14 that show how it is done
-relieve the pressure of the forearm in the front stock ferrule
-even up the front gas block gaps and torques by cross tightening like you would with a tire, slowly tightening each crew maintianing even gaps on either side as you reach your torque.

these will yeild you a very accurate gun for about $25

There is nothing wrong with the barrel. it may be a bit rough from the factory, but following a "shoot-five, clean" regimen for the first 25 rounds or so will help. clean from chamber end only and use a boresnake. never drag a brass or steel bore brush back thru the muzzle end or use a cleaning rod from the muzzle. this will slowly erode the sharp release edges on the crown.

If you really want to get picky you might have a pro do a crown job on it. if he says he has to remove the barrel to do it, go somewhere else casue it's not worth it. you can buy a tool and guide to do it by hand and it will not need much. Probably un-needed and not worth it tho.

So, in summation:
-trigger job
-bed action
-factory mags only
-try different ammo
-locktite your scope screws and mount screws down
-learn to shoot with professional lessons. Appleseed use to work, but dont drink the koolaid.


Good luck

 

There is nothing wrong with the new Mini. It is MUCH MORE capable than 4-5 MOA. Sorry to be the one to tell you this, but you are the limiting factor here.

I had a late 90's 19x series rifle that loved the 69gr Match bullets and would shoot an easy <2 MOA all day long even with an untrained shooter.

the new 58x series shoots much better for me with 1.5 MOA being the norm... WITH 62GR HP BARNAUL STEEL CASED AMMO no less! (yes I tried a bunch of thing even high end match ammo)

EK, I need to take you on my next trip to Vegas! You are one lucky SOB when it comes to Minis.

Spade's experience is actually more common. While I cannot speak to the 58x series, I have owned a Mini and shot many others, and on average, they have around 4moa carbines. I can shoot my converted Saiga 223 offhand and keep it at 2moa, so it is not the shooter.

When I had my Mini, I tried all sorts of ammo and handloads. There were a couple of handloads that could come in consistently under 4 inches, but not by much. There was no commercial ammo, not even Federal GMM that could do it. I finally swapped the Mini for an AR upper and never looked back.

Conversely, I have never had or shot an AR that wouldn't turn in sub-2moa performance.

I could spend time trying to turn a sow's ear into a silk purse; in fact, I might even enjoy it. But for someone on a budget who has no confidence in their mechanical abilities, a Mini is going to be a crap shoot. They may get lucky like you did. Or, they may become another anecdote in the Mini's long standing reputation.

 

and yet i shot prairie dogs at 50 to 75 yards with a mini for years. someone should of told mine how it couldnt shoot inside a 2" group!

 

First let others shoot it to see if they get the same results. Also try different ammo types and sizes. Also try iron sights. If still a problem send it to this place.

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

Package B is $220 and should do the trick. If it is just stringing shots after the barrel heats up you could get one of these and clamp on.

http://www.accu-strut.com/

Either should help if it is the rifle. I think Gun Doc at Great Western would be the best route. Lots of info on the sister site to this place Perfect Union. Look under Forums- Mini-14/30. My wife loves her Mini. She shoots mostly the 1022 but uses the Mini monthly for a mag or two.

 

I had one of the "new" 581-series mini's, and I never really loved that rifle. They're still too expensive, accuracy was still so-so, magazine insertions are a bit finicky compared to AR's. Plus the factory mags are expensive, which you are pretty much limited to, since most of the after-market mags are junk.
I've been saying for years, that if the geniuses at Ruger would put a heavier barrel on it, give it some kind of corrosion-resistant finish, even a mil-spec parkerizing, and most especially, make it compatible with AR magazines,I think it would see a big surge in popularity.

 

I've been saying for years, that if the geniuses at Ruger would put a heavier barrel on it,

They did.

give it some kind of corrosion-resistant finish,

They did. It's called stainless steel.

and most especially, make it compatible with AR magazines,

That would require a completely different design than the Garand/M14 action the Mini is patterned after. You'll notice Springfield isn't redesigning the M1A to take SR25/AR10 mags either.

Ruger makes rifles that use AR magazines, in both 5.56 and .308.

I think it would see a big surge in popularity.

Almost 40 years after it's introduction, the Mini 14 remains one of Ruger's top sellers, and they're frequently backordered.

Maybe the "geniuses" at Ruger are smarter than you think they are.

 

I thought there was a heavy barrel version that is a lot more accurate. Of course that would defeat a lot of the attractiveness of the mini. If you are going to have a rifle as big and heavy as a M1A you might as well have an M1A.

I have had a couple of minis [I'm a slow learner] one was a GB model the other a Ranch. I couldn't live with the accuracy, so now I don't own them anymore. I could get 2 1/2 inches 5 shot groups out of either occasionally. I did this by handloading. I found that both rifles did best if I went the opposite of the most common suggestions. My best luck came with 50 or even 45gr bullets driven at modest velocity. Instead of crimping, I used a slow powder like W748 that was slightly compressed that prevented the bullets from moving.

I was also issued a government Mini, ranch for LE, that never shot anything but factory ammo and the accuracy with it was always BAD

 

I thought there was a heavy barrel version that is a lot more accurate. Of course that would defeat a lot of the attractiveness of the mini.

there was... but no one bought it. they even made it in the nice corrosion resistant stainless steel version and no one bought it. it was heavy ugly and shot like a champ and they hated it.

As to mags, $25 for a decent steel mag just aint the end of the world when you figure you already spent $400 less than a decent AR.

bottom line for me on the Mini-14 is that it works well it shoots every kind of ammo you feed it, it resists fouling, it's dead simple, feels good to shoot, accurate enough and it's cheap... Now put it away and go buy a Colt 6940 or an Arsenal SLR-107.

 

All you need is something like this:

http://www.accu-strut.com/ or http://www.gunblast.com/JessHardin-Mini14.htm

You could probably make it yourself if you have the time and find the bracket. There are several makers of them and I think it's just a matter of preference on who you go with. I have one and it made my 4-5" groups shrink to 1" groups. If anyone tells you that you're the problem, they don't know crap about this rifle. There is an issue with barrel wander as they heat up.

 

Ruger has actually tinkered extensively with the Mini for many years.
It was never intended to be a varmint or target rifle, and the design has its limitations.

Bill Ruger built it as a general purpose .223 for LE and the casual .223 shooter, not for the military & not for those who wanted one-inch 200-yard groups.

Ruger CAN do more with it, but that'd take it beyond the price levels most buyers would be willing to pay.
It is what it is.

I've owned a couple & worked with a couple others. Accuracy at 100 yards was 3 inches or less.
Denis

 

To each his own I guess: I love mine. and in addition; My wife LOVES to shoot the 14 and 30. Lord help those Zombies if they ever get in front of her and her Mini 14. Thank you for the post.

 

I was the one who posted. I used a Lead Sled during two trips to the range with various cheap over the counter ammo. I've shot great groups off the sled with my other guns so I doubt I'm the problem. I don't think 2" groups at 100 yds is too much to ask. I'm a former LEO and can't understand how LEO agencies could use this rifle. If someone is holding a hostage and you want to take out the bad guy a 4" group doesn't give you the accuracy you need. I have the Savage Model 12 Varmint Rifle in 223 and it shoots with the accuracy I need for this kind of a problem. If you just want to make noise, the Mini 14 is the answer. I guess I'll put some money and work into it and see what I can come up with. Even if the Mags are expensive, you only buy them once so thats not a problem. I love the looks and weight of the stock Mini and would hate to increase weight by going to a haevy barrel.

 

dang! well, if that was a benched accuracy you got some issues. try the stuff I suggested if you wanna stick with it, otherwise I'd just go on to the next thing.

 

I was told by a former Ruger engineer who worked with Bill Ruger & was one of the people who fiddled with the design that BR considered the Mini as more of a .223 plinker as an affordable alternative to an AR than a combat or varmint gun.

Like I said- it has its limitations.

I worked with a Mini-30 some time ago & was considering buying it as a light & trim mid-range .30-cal semi-auto, but it had a consistent first-round flyer that annoyed me too much.
Talked to a custom outfit well-known for their Mini work to see what they could do with it & was told they'd given up on the 30 version because of that flyer & the fact that they couldn't do much to improve the gun.

Not saying the gun isn't worth owning, just saying don't expect too much of it.

I've heard of the inaccuracy complaints for many years, my first Mini-14 was about 1980 or thereabouts, one of the first stainless ones I could find. Wanted to carry it at work, but the chief wouldn't allow rifles in company cars at the time.

I've never had one here that couldn't stay well inside 4 inches, with the right loads. I've produced 2-inch groups with more than one sample.
Denis

 

I shoot about 5 inch groups at 100 yards with mine standing up. When I put it braced on the table I can git around 2 inch groups. My guess is that the bracing changes the harmonics of the barrel

 

roflmao

thanks, I needed that ::thumb:

 

A precision rifle it is not, but it's certainly better than 5 MOA. But to each their own...

 

Do yourself a favor and get an SKS.

I had a Mini-14 in the 80's that gun had so much room for improvement. To this day I'm not sure they made much of an improvements on the rifle it's a shame because I think the platform has a lot of potential.

Good Lord Ruger you know how to make a good rifle! To say the least I'm disappointed in the Mini-14 and always have been.

 

A Mini 14 actually can shoot. I had a chance to shoot on of these.
.
http://accuracyriflesystems3.homestead.com/index.html

I understand the owner passed away and the shop closed. I hunted the west Tx varmint contest circuit for several years and knew several varmint hunters that used these rifles. These hunters are as good as they get.

 

Ruger should not sell a rifle that is flawed in design to the public. If the buyer needs to spend time and/or money after purchasing it to make it shoot accurately then Ruger should not be trying to sell it to the public. What a cheat.

 

It should be capable of being a good pick up rifle as well as a home defense/survival rifle.

I guess I'm not understanding the kind of accuracy you expect from a "home defense/survival" rifle. I love my Mini for it's reliability. It never jams (unlike the Oregon shooter's AR) and eats anything. 4-5" MOA at 100 yds translates to about 1-1 1/2" at 25 yards. How far away are you shooting potential home invaders?

Mike

 

How far away are you shooting potential home invaders?

Mike

500-600 yards is my threshold...

 

It's not a "flawed" design, it does exactly what it was built to do.
It just doesn't do what many people want it to do.

The combat standard in a rifle is 4 inches at 100 yards. The Mini can do that, with ammunition it likes.
If you want a one-inch group, get something else. It typically shoots as well or better than a run of the mill AK47, and millions of those have been built as main battle rifles for over 50 years.
Denis

 

The mini-14 is not the only rifle Ruger makes that has spotty accuracy, Its a shame because they make some great looking rifles, but I guess I'll take a doggy looking Savage thats accurate as hell instead. There are so many companies making/selling rifles that are 1 moa at affordable prices why cant Ruger do it?

 

It's been my experience that there are just good and bad rifles regardless of manufacturer.

If you get one that is unsatisfatory, get rid of it. If you find one that gives you what you want, hang on to it.

Everyone talks about accuracy, what is that? No one ever gives a definition of what they want or expect.

A Mini 14/30 in my experience is just as accurate as an SKS, AK, AR and other semi auto rifles give or take an inch or two

My definition of accuracy, none of the above rifles qualify. Most bolts won't even qualify, some will though.

If you are looking for MOA past 100yds, get ready to start spending money

Some dogs hunt and some don't

I've owned my Mini for 30 years, it does what I expect.

In that same amount of time, lots of rifles have come and gone.

 

Rip Van Winkle go back to sleep.

 

Check the trigger puller,more than likely the main problem.

 

I bought the first stainless Mini that showed up at the gun store. Shot the hell out of it. You could hit a 5 gallon bucket just about every shot at our 300 yd range with improvised rest,, and I thought that was pretty good for a rifle like that. That easily equals minute of enemy. After reading all of these posts, I see that is only the 3-4 moa we are talking here......lets not play math.
Sounds terrible, but is it????
Like ManyFeathers said, money goes a long way towards accuracy. We can find ya a bolt gun that will shoot much better than .200. if that's what ya gotta have. It's like fast cars, whiskey and women it just takes money to run with the best.

 

Never shot one, but been along side one a few times at the range. Yeah, I got pelted with the brass, and I was two tables over! That's ridiculous. They were even hitting cars behind me. That's power that could be pushing the bullet instead of the brass. I mean, how do you even collect the brass for reloading (and avoid confrontation with the guy getting pelted or got his car dinged up) ?: That should be adjustable somehow.

 

Simple- just change out a bushing to a smaller size. A five minute fix. Cost about 5-10 bux. Great Western Gunsmithing carries them with instructions for the install. Thing is a Mini WILL extract that empty and load the next.

 

30W, You forgot to mention how hot that brass was!