new mini 14

butchloc

New member
on the cover of guns and ammo there is a picture of the new mini 14 target. its a heavy barrel laminated thumbhole stock that looks pretty cool EXCEPT shey have added a barrel weight to the end of the muzzle. looks like a piece of pipe that I guess you are supposed to slide back and forth kinda like brownings boss system. Still the article sounds like its only a 2 minute rifle. Why can't they just put on a decent barrel and get a 3/4 minute rifle without a piece of pipe hanging out in front.
 
It sounds easy, but it’s actually really hard to accurize a mini-14 and I have never seen one that shoots. One member at the club spend over $1200 of gunsmithing on his and with hand loads its still only 1.5” at best. He could have bought a scoped AR that shoots much better for less. I never had one so I don’t know the technicalities of the forend but to me, it looks like the gas system and hand guard is not free flowed, that could have a major affect on the barrel harmonics. With that said, it does matter how well the barrel is made, if you can’t get consistency and repeatability in each shot, you will not see much gain in accuracy.
 
Been there done that. Spent more money and time on those guns than a sane person should. Installed every barrel gadget and gizmo known to mankind. After all was said and done I shipped one off to get accurized as in a douglas premiun air gauged varmit barrel, bedding, trigger job, free-float barrel, custom gas block etc etc etc along with a laminate thumbhole stock. Now its a 2 moa gun on a good day with select ammo.Apparently the accuracy guarantee dont mean squat. 900 bucks plus the gun invested. There is no consistant repeatability with the thing either. Out of good conscience I wont sell it to anyone without telling the truth, so now Im stuck with a 10 pound hernea.

Sorry about my babbling, I just kick myself in the butt everytime I think about it. Makes me mad enough to chew on nails and spit out staples. If you like the mini than good for you, but for me all guns are good except one.
 
Not to hijack the tread, but your story reminded me about a friend. Long story short, a few years ago this friend got in it a pissing contest with another member at the range, both guys are bragging about how well their gun can shoot, the one guy had a tricked out mini-30 ranch gun and my friend had a Chinese SKS that he bought for $79. Anyway, $100 was at stake, me and another bystander were the judges....that night we ate steaks, drink beer and shot pool with the money he won.
 
I successfully accurized a mini 14. When I realized it wouldn't shoot for beans, I sold it and put the money towards a Colt Match Target rifle.

Mike
 
I ain't trying to be rude here......God only knows that I am independent when it comes to my OWN wants and wishes (everyone else can bite me, you know? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif)......but why in the world would you buy a Mini, and spend hundreds on it trying to get it to shoot, when you could have bought an AR for the same or less funds and have a better all-around weapon? Just don't make sense to me? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

You can do searches on this forum, at AR15.com, and others and you'll be hard pressed to find anyone with a Mini14 that is a really good shooter. They are accurate enough to kill a dog at 100 yards, but YOU better do your part or it'll be a clean miss. NO error factor.
 
Well Hidalgo its like this, Stupid is as stupid does. Thank you for exploiting my stupidity(LOL) After years of unsuccesful tinkering I became obsessed with making at least one of these guns shoot,so I sent one off to the pros. Its no secreat the the AR is a better gun. I dont expect you to understand why because even I dont, nor will I offer a good reason because there is none.

Junkie
 
Quote:
Well Hidalgo its like this, Stupid is as stupid does. Thank you for exploiting my stupidity(LOL) Junkie



/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif No man, I wasn't poking that at you! I was just foaming at the mouth in general. It seems like you and I have a lot in common.....Like saying "Bite Me" if you don't like my gun choices! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

It would take an abundance of bandwidth for me to tell you the $$$ I've spent by being hard-headed or trying to do what someone said that I couldn't do.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
I don't own an AR or a Mini but here are my thoughts...
AR's may shoot better but I like the feel of a traditional rifle in my hands. I think that if an AR had more of a rifle feel it would attrach the Mini shooters. One thing that the Guns and Ammo article said was that it averaged about 1.5 MOA but with the right ammo he shot under 1 MOA. And he did also say that a Mini keep shooting for a very long time without replacing parts but AR's need a little maintenance to keep shooting.

I didn't want to start a fire but just wanted to give my opinion and clarify what the article said.
 
Some folks live in states that won't allow them to own AR-15's so the next best option for a semi-auto rifle in 223 is... yup, a Mini-14. The idea is to somehow accurize it for a few hundred bucks and it'll cost you about the same as a real AR-15 or maybe a bit more. You can get them to shoot well, you can even send it in to a place and they'll trick it out for $400 with an MOA gurantee.
 
I have 2 mini's that shoot pretty well, and my wallet is a lot lighter foor my efforts. I sent them to ARS of oddessa tx. years ago, the man who ran it has since passed on.
The first is a mini-14 rebarreled with a 1/12 Lother Walther 22 bull barrel, I gave instructions to do what was needed to make this rifle shoot 60-64 gr bullets, well that didn't happen, but it will shoot any factory 55 gr into an inch or less.
#2 started life as a mini-30, wouldn't shoot for squat, so I had it rebarreled with another lother-walther 1/12 and chambered in 6mm PPC, this gun my friends will shoot with your AR's. it has shot into the .2's pretty often.
Still have alot of money in them compared to what I have paid for my AR's
RR
 
Quote:
#2 started life as a mini-30, wouldn't shoot for squat, so I had it rebarreled with another lother-walther 1/12 and chambered in 6mm PPC, this gun my friends will shoot with your AR's



Well my friend, that's pretty good, consider that's what the custom benchrest guns shoots in this caliber and that's with top dollar front rest & bags over wind flags. I like to know what you use for magazine, do you think the follower will work in an AR mag? please post some pictures.
 
Just to stir the Pot, I prefer a Mini over the AR.
Here is my Mini-14
It shoot's under MOA all day every day, Never a Hick-up.
I have a total of $150.00 in Mods.
The AR I built up cost me $1,100.00 and shot no better.

Mini-14Juliet.jpg


50V-Max.jpg


BLC-226.jpg
 
WEll, I have owned both and dont like either one.

The mini "feels" much better handles much better, works well, and is accurate enough for hunting or calling easily.

The AR was VERY acurate, off a bench, handled like a club, awkward, almost impossible to get a "cheek weld" with a scope.
I'd really like to try another one, and am hoping that the AR has some fix for the Cheek Weld problem I have with them. Or that the Mini will be made a bit more accurate.

A rifle that groups in 2MOA is perfectly adequate as a calling rifle.
One last question I have is: Why is it no one pushes the Armalites? RR are reccomended, Bushmaster, etc. Is it cost$$?
Carl
 
I for one like the looks and feel of the Mini and will have one just as soon as opportunity and finances cross paths. With all the griping about the accuracy you would think the things couldn't hit the side of a barn from the inside. I have shot several of them and as stated above they are perfectly fine for a calling stand or just shooting for fun. I personally try to not get caught up in expecting to shoot Internet "dime sized groups all day" with all of my hunting rifles. And I know, I know before anybody says it not all of you have my same low standards and expectations.
 
I'm sure a few accurate Mini-14's exits, but in most cases, the term "accurate Mini-14" is comparable to other terms we joke about like half naked, deliberate mistake, postal service, and death benefits.

It will be interesting to see just how accurate this new Mini-14 really is, but I'm not gonna hold my breath.

JMO - BCB
 
Quote:
With all the griping about the accuracy you would think the things couldn't hit the side of a barn from the inside..................I have shot several of them and as stated above they are perfectly fine for a calling stand or just shooting for fun..........And I know, I know before anybody says it not all of you have my same low standards and expectations.



Well, I gotta concede that one to you.

You're right. The Mini would "probably" make a great calling rifle.......inside 100 yards. I wouldn't want to push my luck outside that distance. And not everyone likes the mechanics of the AR. As far as your "low" standards, I don't think that any of us here should pass judgement on anyone. If a weapon lives up to your expectations and performs adequately for your use, and feels good in your hands, then that's all that matters. It's YOUR decision, and I have no right to challenge what will or won't work for you.

Sometimes it's hard to back away from the need to have a "Tack Driver" after you've owned one. Personally I like to go to the range and see those itty bitty groups. Makes me feel good and gives me confidence in the field, when the conditions are not near as controlled. That, I believe, is the big difference in opinions. Some people want that accuracy, others may not feel it's necessary. Maybe it is, maybe not. It's just my security blanket that I carry around, you know? JMHO. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
I would actually prefer a mini for a woods rifle. I like the look and feel of them better than an AR. The one I had would keep all of the rounds on a sheet of notebook papaer at 100 yds from a rest. That is using cheap Cabela's reloads. Using good Winchester or Federal ammo, it would keep everything on half a sheet of notebook paper. I called Ruger and they said if I sent it back, and it produced a 4 inch group with good ammo, they would not touch it. So I sold it. Now if I found one that would shoot 2 inches or less, then I would be perfectly happy using it for critters. In the mean time, my AR shoots .75 MOA with my reloads, and not much worse with cheap ammo.

Mike
 
Back
Top