RUGER MINI-14 .223 (LATEST VERSION MODEL 5816)
- Thread starter Bad Dawg
- Start date
Bad Dawg
New member
I heard they improved a couple of things with them and one of the improvements they made had to do with the barrel. I guess the older models had a pencil barrel and when it heated up it affected accuracy. There was another improvement they made but can't remember off the top of my head. Hopefully someone chimes in that has a lot of experience with guns. I'd like to hear their opinion.
gord mccoo
New member
I had one back in the mid 90's. It shot about 1 sob (side of barn) at 100 yrd. Don't mean to bash the mini, it is a fun gun to shoot. But the best groups I could get at 100 were 2 1/2 to 3"
On the plus side it didn't jam.
On the plus side it didn't jam.
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West.Mass.Hunter
Member
I've had one for about 10 years now. It's not a tight shooting gun but it is fun to shoot. I don't think I've ever shoot under 3" at 100 yards. As I said though. A blast to shoot
DannoBoone
Active member
I've been interested in the Mini-14 for years, but have been
leary of getting one for accuracy reasons. There was/is a
company which made some sort of gizmo attachment for the
barrel which supposedly increased accuracy, but it didn't
get away from the pencil barrel.
From what I have found, the Model 5816 can get 2 MOA of
accuracy with decent ammo:
https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2016/3/22/five-reasons-to-reconsider-the-ruger-mini-14/
There's a review section here in which people seem to like the
new model:
https://www.impactguns.com/ruger-mini-14-223-blue-wood-stock-20-rd-mag-5816-736676058167.aspx
I'm still on the fence.
leary of getting one for accuracy reasons. There was/is a
company which made some sort of gizmo attachment for the
barrel which supposedly increased accuracy, but it didn't
get away from the pencil barrel.
From what I have found, the Model 5816 can get 2 MOA of
accuracy with decent ammo:
https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2016/3/22/five-reasons-to-reconsider-the-ruger-mini-14/
There's a review section here in which people seem to like the
new model:
https://www.impactguns.com/ruger-mini-14-223-blue-wood-stock-20-rd-mag-5816-736676058167.aspx
I'm still on the fence.
Winny Fan
New member
with a Mini-14, several things are generally in play:
1. They are a lot of fun to plink with. By design, they are not a highly accurate hunting rifle.
2. Any Mini-14 you buy probably won't be highly accurate if that is what you are after.
3. If you put a scope on one, it probably won't make you happy with the rifle and maybe even with the
scope itself.
4. They are a lot of fun to plink with. By design, they are not a highly accurate hunting rifle.
1. They are a lot of fun to plink with. By design, they are not a highly accurate hunting rifle.
2. Any Mini-14 you buy probably won't be highly accurate if that is what you are after.
3. If you put a scope on one, it probably won't make you happy with the rifle and maybe even with the
scope itself.
4. They are a lot of fun to plink with. By design, they are not a highly accurate hunting rifle.
GC
Well-known member
Originally Posted By: Winny Fanwith a Mini-14, several things are generally in play:
1. They are a lot of fun to plink with. By design, they are not a highly accurate hunting rifle.
2. Any Mini-14 you buy probably won't be highly accurate if that is what you are after.
3. If you put a scope on one, it probably won't make you happy with the rifle and maybe even with the
scope itself.
4. They are a lot of fun to plink with. By design, they are not a highly accurate hunting rifle.
1. They are a lot of fun to plink with. By design, they are not a highly accurate hunting rifle.
2. Any Mini-14 you buy probably won't be highly accurate if that is what you are after.
3. If you put a scope on one, it probably won't make you happy with the rifle and maybe even with the
scope itself.
4. They are a lot of fun to plink with. By design, they are not a highly accurate hunting rifle.
IIRC, they were used alot in prisons. I've seen pictures of prison guards carrying them. I could be totally wrong. But, minute of man is plenty accurate for that purpose. I'm sure it would be accurate enough to keep vermin off the yard or out of the house but I sure wouldn't take it to a bench rest match.
IndexFinger
Active member
Never have shot and probably never will purchase a newer model Mini14 . 'BUT' I don't hate Mini14's . I still have one in the safe, plus have had several of them, enough to know the negatives to fix . My keeper in the safe . did little bit of Trigger group work, I cut barrel down to 16" with moving back and re-pinned the front sight blade, threaded the Muzzle and added a FH . Lathed a new gas bushing with smaller gas port hole, and added front and read recoil buffers to the OP Rod system . all who shoot it say that it the smoothest Mini14 they ever fired . and with hand loads it is about 2-MOA average group size @ 100 yard .
It's just that the biggest inherent flaw you are unable to fix, other than Hideous Ruger Trigger pull, and with it's using only proprietary Ruger Magazines . is the unchangeable main design & that's the OP Rod gas system that slamming back and forth adding stress for barrels accuracy . They all come from Ruger ( especially all the older models ) ' Rudely' and abusively way over gassed . Abusive to the rifle itself and abusive to all shooters sitting 6 or 8 benches down to the right of you getting hit with your Brass . . So.. cutting down the amount of needed operating Gas and the recoil buffers both front and rear are a must .
The biggest Positive the mini14 has is, that it is designed a short OAL rifle . It a nice lightweight little packing rifle . Also ( my opinion ) it pretty [beeep] reliable and that it will eat and extract anything you feed it for ammo, and that makes it a blast to shoot . It will never be half as accurate as your low-end retail AR15, but it runs cleaner than Impingement that barfs dirty gas back into the Receiver, So that make it fun and easy maintenance also . Just run it hard and then spray a little break free on the bolt and put it away .
.
It's just that the biggest inherent flaw you are unable to fix, other than Hideous Ruger Trigger pull, and with it's using only proprietary Ruger Magazines . is the unchangeable main design & that's the OP Rod gas system that slamming back and forth adding stress for barrels accuracy . They all come from Ruger ( especially all the older models ) ' Rudely' and abusively way over gassed . Abusive to the rifle itself and abusive to all shooters sitting 6 or 8 benches down to the right of you getting hit with your Brass . . So.. cutting down the amount of needed operating Gas and the recoil buffers both front and rear are a must .
The biggest Positive the mini14 has is, that it is designed a short OAL rifle . It a nice lightweight little packing rifle . Also ( my opinion ) it pretty [beeep] reliable and that it will eat and extract anything you feed it for ammo, and that makes it a blast to shoot . It will never be half as accurate as your low-end retail AR15, but it runs cleaner than Impingement that barfs dirty gas back into the Receiver, So that make it fun and easy maintenance also . Just run it hard and then spray a little break free on the bolt and put it away .
.
tripod3
New member
These mini-14 threads always get a lot of traffic and then about everybody goes home without one. Sad.
I think HK 630 was the answer but they are gone. Really sad.
Hope this gets answered someday by a conventional rifle.
Can't recall offhand the most recent attempted failure, but it didn't last long.
I think HK 630 was the answer but they are gone. Really sad.
Hope this gets answered someday by a conventional rifle.
Can't recall offhand the most recent attempted failure, but it didn't last long.
^^^^^
Agree completely. If I didn't already own one I wouldn't have one. Mine has never had a jam after 30 plus years and fits nicely in my boats center console cabinet (where it resides). Between it and a stainless pump 12ga I don't fell under gunned if out fishing in the gulf stream at night.
Agree completely. If I didn't already own one I wouldn't have one. Mine has never had a jam after 30 plus years and fits nicely in my boats center console cabinet (where it resides). Between it and a stainless pump 12ga I don't fell under gunned if out fishing in the gulf stream at night.
Bad Dawg
New member
Originally Posted By: IndexFinger Never have shot and probably never will purchase a newer model Mini14 . 'BUT' I don't hate Mini14's . I still have one in the safe, plus have had several of them, enough to know the negatives to fix . My keeper in the safe . did little bit of Trigger group work, I cut barrel down to 16" with moving back and re-pinned the front sight blade, threaded the Muzzle and added a FH . Lathed a new gas bushing with smaller gas port hole, and added front and read recoil buffers to the OP Rod system . all who shoot it say that it the smoothest Mini14 they ever fired . and with hand loads it is about 2-MOA average group size @ 100 yard .
It's just that the biggest inherent flaw you are unable to fix, other than Hideous Ruger Trigger pull, and with it's using only proprietary Ruger Magazines . is the unchangeable main design & that's the OP Rod gas system that slamming back and forth adding stress for barrels accuracy . They all come from Ruger ( especially all the older models ) ' Rudely' and abusively way over gassed . Abusive to the rifle itself and abusive to all shooters sitting 6 or 8 benches down to the right of you getting hit with your Brass . . So.. cutting down the amount of needed operating Gas and the recoil buffers both front and rear are a must .
The biggest Positive the mini14 has is, that it is designed a short OAL rifle . It a nice lightweight little packing rifle . Also ( my opinion ) it pretty [beeep] reliable and that it will eat and extract anything you feed it for ammo, and that makes it a blast to shoot . It will never be half as accurate as your low-end retail AR15, but it runs cleaner than Impingement that barfs dirty gas back into the Receiver, So that make it fun and easy maintenance also . Just run it hard and then spray a little break free on the bolt and put it away .
.
Hey man thanks a lot! I was waiting for a response like this. You obviously know what you're talking about! I'm picking mine up on Saturday and will post some pics. Thanks again!
It's just that the biggest inherent flaw you are unable to fix, other than Hideous Ruger Trigger pull, and with it's using only proprietary Ruger Magazines . is the unchangeable main design & that's the OP Rod gas system that slamming back and forth adding stress for barrels accuracy . They all come from Ruger ( especially all the older models ) ' Rudely' and abusively way over gassed . Abusive to the rifle itself and abusive to all shooters sitting 6 or 8 benches down to the right of you getting hit with your Brass . . So.. cutting down the amount of needed operating Gas and the recoil buffers both front and rear are a must .
The biggest Positive the mini14 has is, that it is designed a short OAL rifle . It a nice lightweight little packing rifle . Also ( my opinion ) it pretty [beeep] reliable and that it will eat and extract anything you feed it for ammo, and that makes it a blast to shoot . It will never be half as accurate as your low-end retail AR15, but it runs cleaner than Impingement that barfs dirty gas back into the Receiver, So that make it fun and easy maintenance also . Just run it hard and then spray a little break free on the bolt and put it away .
.
Hey man thanks a lot! I was waiting for a response like this. You obviously know what you're talking about! I'm picking mine up on Saturday and will post some pics. Thanks again!
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