magsite20 1,664 Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 Looks like I'm getting one Monday as part of a trade. Always liked the look of them but I don't think I ever shot a round out of one, always went with an AR. Any one here into or have any range time with one? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jrance@iacwds.com 716 Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 I shot a friends about 25 years ago and it sucked. Accuracy was non-existent. JMO, your mileage may vary. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DLT 1,646 Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 My ranch rifle is very accurate. 2011 model if not mistaken. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChileRelleno 7,069 Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 Have a Mini-14, want a Mini-30. Easy minute of coyote, jack rabbit, paper plate or bad guy at 100 yards. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
storm6490 2,768 Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 The magazines make or break the rifle. Try different rounds till you find the magic bullet. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChileRelleno 7,069 Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 (edited) I shot a friends about 25 years ago and it sucked. Accuracy was non-existent. JMO, your mileage may vary. The consistency of the manufacture of these rifles over the years is non-existent. You seem to either get a good one or a bad one, and not much in between. Edited February 15, 2015 by ChileRelleno 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SuRrEaLNJ 182 Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 I have a newer 581 series. I added the tech sight rear wich was a huge improvement over the stock sight, and a accustrut wich I'm not sure how much of a difference it made. I did have a Problem with the sight running out of adjustment out of the box, sent it back to ruger and they sorted it out. It is not by any means a tack driver, but is combat accurate (minute of whatever the hell I need to shoot) where it really shines is it is a joy to shoot. There's something about it that is just fun. I was given the option to trade it recently ano declined and got rid of my .22 instead. Aftermarket mags are an issue for some (many?) but I have only run mine with factory 5 and 10 rounders. I took it out for the first time in a while the other day and wished I had more 223 with me. theyre fun little rifles Quote Link to post Share on other sites
magsite20 1,664 Posted February 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 (edited) I've got a buddy who is Joe Pro Ruger who said he'll do a trigger job on it and I'll love it. I've got 2 kind of .223 and one 5.56 ammo on hand to play with. I'm not poking holes in paper at matches anymore so even a gun that shoots 2 or 3 inch groups will be fine now days, if it shoots better great if not oh well. As part of another trade I just dropped off my last AR so the only rifle I have is a Mech Tech Glock CCU with a very cheap red dot on it, so chances are the Ruger will be my most accurate rifle without trying very hard. Still got about 800 round of ammo that will feed it. Kind of figuring just to play with it some and then move it on to a new home anyway I've only got about 50 yards of clear range at the house to shoot and the Mech Tech Glock CCU or even the shotgun pretty much can cover anything I need to shoot at that distance. They are a neat looking rifle anyway. Chance are I'd have rather got a Mini-30 but that wasn't in the trade offer. Thanks for the input folks. Edited February 15, 2015 by the 4th Doctor 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Capt Nemo 882 Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 The stock makes or breaks the rifle. The tighter the fit, the more accurate the rifle will be. With mine, the factory stock will give a group the size of a quarter at 25 yards. If I put the folding stock on (fits the action tight), the groups drops to one hole and keeps it past 100. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sim_Player 1,939 Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 (edited) Ruger redesigned the later versions to be much more accurate. Don't know which year they started. I have an old one (180 series) and the accuracy suffers (5 inches at 50 ft). I believe the barrel was found to be too thin and the gas-block clamp pressure could affect accuracy. They fixed these in the later models. Edited February 15, 2015 by Sim_Player 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gunfun 3,930 Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 I like them, but not for the money. Apparently the newer ones have a thicker barrel profile. When they were $400 for an SS and ARs were ~1100, they were a good deal. Now that you can get an AK or an AR for $399 or ~5-600, and minis are higher, plus the good magazines are over $40 each, I just don't see the point. Unless you need stainless. That's a good reason to get one. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sim_Player 1,939 Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 (edited) ^ A perfect analysis, when considered a new buy. I hope you get a new version, in your trade! Edited February 15, 2015 by Sim_Player Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Shandlanos 1,470 Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 Newer ones are good rifles, but a poor value versus an AR. Mags, furniture, and pretty much every aftermarket part is more expensive and less likely to exist versus an AR. The rifles themselves cost more, most replacement parts can only be purchased from the manufacturer at high cost, and the older rifles suffer from a severe accuracy problem - if you only fire a few rounds in a minute, it isn't problematic. For some reason, once the rifle gets hot the accuracy goes to shit. I've fired a few older Mini-14s and an AC556 (select fire mini14), all of which suffered from the same problem. In burst fire, two or three short bursts heated the rifle enough that the spread on a shoot-and-see target became noticeably larger. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tatonic 159 Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 One of my workers was a prison guard. He was in a watch tower and leaned his Mini against the open door. The stock slipped on the floor and the rifle fell out the tower about thirty feet and landed between the fences. He said all hell broke loose when he reported.(lock down and guards scurryring) He claimed the mini shot better groups after the fall. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spikester 93 Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 Love mine, 580 series with the thicker barrel. Pro Mag metal mags run as good as Ruger mags for half the price. Shoots all the cheap steel case stuff no problem. I put a Choat handguard on mine, looks better than the stock one that covers much of the slide. Tried a scope on it with factory rings and it shot 1 3/4" groups. I bedded mine tight to the wood stock by applying layers of heavy aluminum tape to the metal receiver so it would be snug. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ShadowFire 220 Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 I got an older one myself. Yes if you heat it up, it will screw with the accuracy. However mine is good to go, came with the wood stock and a metal sleeve so it fits nice and tight. Previous owner a retired Marine put a tech rear sight on it. It's pretty accurate. I use some of the old mags he aquired 30 round PMI mags. They don't always like loading on a closed bolt but it can be done if you rock and lock it real hard. I hear that thermold Mini-14 mags are actually real good for running in the mini as well. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
U.S. Pratorean 1,234 Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 Have a Mini-14, want a Mini-30. Easy minute of coyote, jack rabbit, paper plate or bad guy at 100 yards. I have a .30, .311 bore. I got it new right after they Ruger changed the bore dimensions. I have never had a problem with this gun. It has worked 100% and with the Accu-strut it's as accurate as any AR15. I only use steel case in it, all stainless. I have never been interested in the .223 version because of the accuracy reports and I prefer the 7.62x39 over .223 greatly. So much so that half of the AR's I have are in x39. I find it superior on many levels to .223. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
evlblkwpnz 3,418 Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 I look at it this way, the AR15 does that caliber so much better. The Mini magazine retention design is asinine (front lug), mags are expensive, it is not well balanced, accuracy is generally not adequate for a .223 rifle that costs that much, it is not as modular or as easy to work on as the AR, aftermarket support is fairly sparse, and it looks pretty stupid if you try to modernize it not to mention absolutely afterthought (no offense, just my opinion). I bought a 14 and a 30 at the same time about a decade ago and it took me all of about an hour to figure out the AK and AR murder them when it comes to those calibers. I couldn't get rid of them fast enough and do not miss them at all. Some people love them and I will never understand it. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
toothandnail 275 Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 I just got a new one in on trade, perfect cond. it's for sale if you know someone who just HAS to have one. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jmzzl 146 Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 I traded my Mini-14 for an AR, and I don't have any desire to go back. The mini was cool, and there are things you can do to accurize it, sorta, but I think it's hit and miss. The new ones are a lot better than the older ones. Never had a problem with mine, but I like the AR a lot better. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spikester 93 Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 I just love a Garand action. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DLT 1,646 Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 Agree on the love of Garand actions. Nothing says USA more than that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gunfun 3,930 Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 Improvement and innovation rather than sticking to dead traditions says USA to me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JoeAK 337 Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 I just love a Garand action. Me too, which is why I have a Garand. I did like shooting my friends Mini-14, but I can't comment on accuracy, we were just trying to get rid of ammo he didn't want anymore. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sjgusmc21 850 Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 OMG....I just saw the prices of these rifles. Holy crap. I think the last time I looked at one, I was like 17 and at a Furr's Cafeteria. They were going for around $200 I think, maybe less. Damn I'm old. One of my teenage friends had one...it was fun but I didn't think anything special. I will admit though, I have always liked them. Not for that price though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
magsite20 1,664 Posted February 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 (edited) well did the trade and picked up the mini 14 today, it's a stainless 182 series that has seen very very little use and has been maintained like it belonged to a former Marine (prior owner was). the factory wood is flawless and right now it has an aftermarket folding stock on it and a 4X scope kind of like the old ones made for mounting to the M16 / AR carry handle, plus a pinned on flash suppressor. I'll get a couple of pictures before I break it down and see how I like the factory wood on it the aftermarket stock just doesn't seem to fit me just right and the scope isn't what I'm looking for right now. when and if I go to sell it this stuff may be a selling point but for my wants right now think I'll try wood and peep sights. the trade was for my last home made 1911 parts gun on an Essex frame so in my mind I made out on the trade. Edited February 17, 2015 by the 4th Doctor Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gunfun 3,930 Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 I like the butler creek stock set. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
patriot 7,197 Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Users of the Mini-14 and/or AC-556: Users[edit] Bermuda Regiment Soldiers armed with Mini-14GB/20 rifles in Barbados for Cricket World Cup 2007 Australia: Previously used in the 1980s/1990s by the New South Wales Department of Corrective Services.[18] Bermuda: The Bermuda Regiment use the Mini-14GB/20 as their standard service rifle since 1983, original wooden stocks were replaced with Choate black plastic stocks in 1994.[19][20] France: Mousqueton A.M.D. variant used by French police forces (Police Aux Frontières, GIGN, CRS).[21][22] Honduras[23] Rhodesia: Mini 14s were used in Rhodesia[24] United Kingdom: The Surrey Constabulary Firearms Support Team (now known as the Tactical Firearms Unit) was armed with Mini-14s in the 1980s modified with Choate stocks.[25][26] United States: Mini-14s were used by the New York City Police Department Emergency Service Unit[27] with the rifles eventually being replaced by the M4 carbine.[28] The NYPD's Organized Crime Control Bureau is armed with the Mini-14s.[28]The Mini-14 is the main rifle used by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation,[29][30][31] the Georgia Department of Corrections,[32] and the North Carolina Department of Correction.[33] US Marines that serve as guards at certain US embassies are sometimes issued Mini-14s.[34] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruger_Mini-14 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Capt Nemo 882 Posted February 18, 2015 Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 well did the trade and picked up the mini 14 today, it's a stainless 182 series that has seen very very little use and has been maintained like it belonged to a former Marine (prior owner was). Mine is a 182 series as well. One nice thing on the AC-556 is that the burst resets when the trigger is released, and you have the choice of burst and full auto. Not so on M-16/M4. There are those times when FA is more useful than burst. (like that Hind-D taking a bead on you) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Shandlanos 1,470 Posted February 18, 2015 Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 well did the trade and picked up the mini 14 today, it's a stainless 182 series that has seen very very little use and has been maintained like it belonged to a former Marine (prior owner was). Mine is a 182 series as well. One nice thing on the AC-556 is that the burst resets when the trigger is released, and you have the choice of burst and full auto. Not so on M-16/M4. There are those times when FA is more useful than burst. (like that Hind-D taking a bead on you) I've seen select-fire AR platforms with both a burst and a full-auto setting - they're just not standard or even common. The AC556 is interesting because the safety is separate from the selector, unlike the AR and AK, where the safety and selector are the same. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.