WHAT?! - No Mini-14 Sub-forum here? . . .

[hueyville]

I will take your Century CETME. Just purchased three NOS H&K made bolt carriers with bolts that fit CETMEs as well as an assortment of rollers, parts sets and spare fire control parts sets. Never owned a CETME till a few years ago and have five or six now. In that time period have inspected dozens but only cherry pick the least molested and closest to tolerance units I find at a deal. All run 100% and are 2 to 2.5 MOA same as FAL's though doubt as durable. Have mounted picatinny rails on most and actually have a pair, one with irons and red dot, second with thermal optic upstairs in the main supply line of zombie invasion rifles.

Hard to pass on rifles that if run, will keep running and can still buy magazines and parts for near nothing. I feel someday when any new MBR sales are banned and people have to take whatever is already out in the wild a CETME with 20 aluminum magazines and spare parts kit will sell for real money. Meanwhile doesn't cost much to accumulate them and plenty to pick through to find the nicer ones.

Minis will shoot if go through the standard procedures. Can do the intermediate fix for a 1.5 to 2.0 MOA consistent rifle for minimal expense or can go in for a custom barrel, professionally tuned trigger group, proper bedding, barrel bands put in spare parts box, etc to have a sub MOA rifle. One of my customs will shoot five shot groups 5/8" at 100 yards cold or hot from the magazine with factory ammo. Am saving pennies and plan to send off my most abused Mini in 6.8 for the full custom touch and assume it will be sub MOA as well when returned. Do the basic make overs myself but send off the ones I want to be magical when return.

 

[Bama Steve]

Well,
For the last week I have been on a outage until yesterday when I laid off all my little hoodlums
Now that I got my life back from the clutches of the power company I found my flash suppressor box from accuracy Ststems has arrived at my house

Just the box , thanks USPS

,I can't wait to jump through these insurance hoops

Bama,
Is the front barrel band draw pressure as critical as it is on the mini's big brother ?
I had a M14 build that heat walked until I increased the draw pressure to 4 #
Ps
I have some older Colt ARs that won't group the XM855s as tight as it will with M193s .

Easy on the shreddage tendencies
I read on another forum that the minis won't group FMJ ball ammo at all
If you want to shred something let me come over and we can shred my century cetme together
Should be fun

So sorry to hear of your lengthy power outage, Sir. (BTDT and it ultimately sux)

Concerning your empty package - that suxx as well!!

It seems that the more I anchor everything from the gas-block to the trigger-group/receiver that the front-end/unsupported part of the bbl forward of the gas block wants to whip irradically - just like the FAL does when applying similar stabilizing forces.


The "crazy" has to get-out somewhere, obviously.

The strut addition is going to be the last effort I place upon this rifle before I have to cut the bbl length or send it off to a pro for further work/expense.

But what I do find is that if you just need a rifle to shoot reasonably well and take care of a problem for 2 or three shots this thing will take care of it, just fine.

Cold bore shots stay inside about 3" at 100 yards then it opens up . . .

As a .22 LR plinker it would be fine for blasting all day long.

The more crap I hang upon it to increase accuracy (Big scope, mounts, rings, strut, etc) the less utility it has.

At some point I am going to have to just embrace the AR system, as boring as it is . . .

:biggrin:

 

[superjc]

2006 Mini-14 Ranch. Added Mo-rod and Mo-reaper at the same time so not sure what helped the accuracy the most. Also a nice trigger job, and upgraded rear sights ( forgot which one offhand).

100 yards, lead sled, Lake City 62grn SS109: it can be done!

 

[Bama Steve]

Thanx, for the encouragement, Super-dude!

Still awaiting the strut to arrive for the Mini-14 while I have another project fixing to go into the lathe on the bench before me . . .

 

[Possum]

I don't miss my Mini-14

 

[Bama Steve]

Never met a possum who liked guns.


The weather has finally broken and I have the new SOCOM strut installed so keep checking back for updates here as I will update my findings and experiments/thoughts concerning this little rifle soon.

 

[Randall]

Never met a possum who liked guns.
The weather has finally broken and I have the new SOCOM strut installed so keep checking back for updates here as I will update my findings and experiments/thoughts concerning this little rifle soon.

Looking forward to the update.

 

[Bama Steve]

UPDATE!

The thing is shooting as well as a rack-grade M-16 this weekend in the hands of several people.

I can consistently hit 4" steel plates at 80+ yards with it off-hand and prone if I do my part.

I plan to get some target paper shot soon to document the changes in accuracy soon but the additional bedding of the gas-block and the gas adjustable strut made it shoot very well this weekend!

It is throwing 62 gr and 55 gr MilSpec brass into a little pile about 8' from the breech as well and is very smooth shooting.

Even had an awesome guy's wife shooting it and she asked to do so because she said it was a pretty-gun and she wanted to try it.

That made my day!



Later . . .

:biggrin:

 

[Bama Steve]

CURRENT CONFIGURATION . . .

OK, Here is how it is set-up right now:

M1A Gas Adjustable Strut:

Once it warms-up I'll go shoot over irons at targets and post the groups.

 

[Randall]

Glad its working out for you sir.

 

[Bama Steve]

Thanks, Randall!

I hope everything works out well for those with the endurance to travel this road.

It is a fun rifle to shoot and a challenge to make shoot well.

Regardless of the outcome of the target groupings it is actually doing what I wanted it to do now.

 

[adam762]

I appreciate all the knowledge shared here. I have a stainless Mini at home, because as has been mentioned several times, women (the wifey) are attracted to it. You CAN'T teach someone proficiency on a firearm they don't like. Unless you pay them but that's different. But yeah she thoroughly turns her nose up at ARs. Quite likes the looks of the Yugo SKS but it's heavy for offhand work. I need something that she can do real damage to 'yotes and other critters out to maybe 100. Defend the chicken coop, bust larger varmints, and make intruders think real hard about their level of comittment. She loves the way the stainless Mini looks and I think it will fit the bill for her. I'd like to see 3 inch groups at 100 off the bench. That isn't asking too much and is all the performance I need from it. We haven't shot it yet but if it's bad, I know I'll find my solution here. Thanks!

 

[hueyville]

My wife likes 30 Carbines with some custom modifications like flash hider, trigger upgrade and padded stock extension topped off with tritium sights. She also like Mini 14s and SKSs with modifications also. She can rock and roll with an AR but prefers a more traditional looking rifle that is not so tactical appearing. Getting a Mini under 3" is dirt easy and sub 2 MOA with an Accustrut plus just labor of proper bedding and a trigger job away. Have two I sent off for professional full treatment and are 1/2 MOA capable if operator is capable.

I am now working my way toward a 6.8 Mini collection. Have two as shipped from Ruger with one NIB unaltered for collecting, second has trigger work, bedding and Accustrut with next going into a FN Factory Folder Stock with Accustrut. Third has been shipped off and totally customized by a professional and is shooting 3/4" and not done any load development for it or even tried many various factory loadings yet. Been keeping my eyes peeled for 6.8 Minis that have not been abused but used enough can warrant working them over and altering into clones of popular 5.56 Minis. Need my A Team rifles on steroids! Goal is at least a half dozen 6.8 minis with two that stay NIB. Have a NIB Ruger 6.8 Hawkeye and looking for another. They made so few need to get them in-house before the collectors get a realization of how few were produced and how many of them have been modified. Over at 68Forums most open up chamber from spc to spc II immediately. My NIB 6.8s will be left spc and rifles customized opened to spc II. The complete custom builder shipped all original parts back and it can be put back to factory trim if need ever arose. Just what I needed, another group of Minis to put into the vaults.

 

[rajah]

My stainless 185 (it's been painted - couldn't stand the shine) shoots pretty well with 62-68 gr bullets. It doesn't like 55 gr bullets at all. I added better sights (tech sight rear) a barrel strut, and a muzzle brake for the weight and the blade front sight. I don't use the factory front sling swivel, I feel that putting any tension from a sling at that point effects the pressure on the barrel for bedding issues.

This one shoots much better warmed up than cold. It will put 5 rds of 68gr Hornady HPBT with 748 powder in the 10 ring at 100 yds. It isn't an X ring shooter but the 10 ring is ok with me since my 65 yr old eyes struggle with irons these days.

I've owned three Mini 14s from a series 180 to the post 180s with the M1/M14 style ejector set up. The limiting factor to me was always the sights, the massive front blade is horrible for accuracy. The other two were not as accurate as this one, but I never got the shotgun pattern results that others mention.

I like my Mini but I feel that the gas system with the massive sliding gas receptacle does the rifle a disservice. They should have adapted the M1 carbine system especially since there is not any corrosive 5.56 /.223 in circulation in the western world.

 

[hueyville]

Add a Cogburn stripper clip adapter to that and it becomes the perfect California rifle. Ability to load as quickly from the top using inexpensive stripper clips is fast as magazines with practice. Plus as expensive as good Mini 14 magazines are if have several it's hard for some to justify owning several dozen magazines per rifle. The Cogburn stripper clip adapter loads a little differently than most as have to insert rounds at an angle rather than on a perfectly vertical plane but with a few minutes practice your rocking along.

My wife actually prefers stripper clips to magazines as less chance of fumbling a mag change under stress than missing a stripper clip insertion. She can also carry more ammo for a given weight and with 5.56 strippers being pretty much free if know where to find them or at most a few cents each do not have to flip out if damage or loose one.

All of our personal SKSs have the steel milsurp 20 round box magazines and she likes an SKS or a Mini 14 with a big sack of stripper clips. There s no worry of odd magazine insertion and lockup some rifles have and it keeps me from feeling necessary to buy at least two dozen magazines per rifle when rifles use expensive magazines but accept stripper clips. Below is a link to article on the Cogburn Mini 14 stripper adapter and they make nice spoons to reload Mini magazines from strippers.

https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/cogburn-arsenals-mini-14-and-mini-thirty-stripper-clip-guides/

 

[hueyville]

Sometimes a man discovers he is totally ignorant as been wondering why my 6.8 Mini 14 Ranch rifles shoot so much better out of the box than 5.56 till purchased a lightly used 5.56 Mini just a few weeks ago and had one chance to take out to find myself pleasently suprised at how well it shot first time out with a test scope. Noticed serial number began with 580 like my 6.8s and did a quick Google search to find this.

These upgraded rifles have serial numbers beginning with 580 and are sometimes referred to as 580 series Ranch Rifles. They also have a new modified gas system designed to reduce barrel vibration*and are capable of shooting 2 inch groups at 100 yards (2 minute of angle (MOA) accuracy).

Found dozens of websites discussing how much better the 580 Series Mini 14s shoot. They have not only an improved gas system but heavier barrel and some other tweaks. It's refreshing to discover Ruger did something to improve Mini 14 accuracy so am now looking for more gently used 580 Series units to see how well I can tweak them without major aftermarket parts swaps. Waiting on an AccuStrut and adjusting gas block to ship and when installing will do a trigger job and bed the action in its factory stock. It is shooting 1.5" to 1.75" with the two best ammunition flavors tested but had a 24x scope on top to help eliminate shooter error from tired old eyes. When done if has optic at all will most likely be a 1-8x top magnification at most or a 1-4x mounted forward in scout rifle fashion. If do scout rifle it's already accurate enough (almost) but am confident that the two parts plus some labor will get it close enough to 1 MOA can otherwise leave alone.

 

[starbuck]

In the 80's and 90's a mini 14 was our go to semi auto on the farm. I can tell you it will kill anything in Ohio out to 400 yards. Just keep shooting at it and trail your ground hits to the target. It was also acceptable at that time in a gun rack in your truck. An AR15 would give off a different vibe even back then.

 

[SWOHFAL]

I thought we already had a shotgun forum?

 

[hueyville]

I thought we already had a shotgun forum?

So when do you go on tour and will make it a point to buy tickets at whichever Atlanta comedy theater your appearing. Kind of funny but sadly true with some but have a pile of Mini 14s guarantee nobody wants to be inside of the 600 yard line even if shooter is given just one round and able to have accurate reading on range to target. That's not counting two full customs with match barrels as would not want to be at 800 yards especially if shooter is using the 6.8 custom. That said, have a few GB Factory Folders that will hurt a two legged varmint at fair ranges and a 13" barrel AC 556 "buzz saw" can walk short bursts onto targets to 500 yards before the magazine runs dry with relative ease.

The accuracy issue with Minis has always been the factories inability to properly torque and fit the parts in a wel, engineered rifle. Have disassembled many, hand fit and reassembled using the factory parts properly and cut their group size by half or more. Never understood why they either don't have torque wrenches on the assembly line or either have not trained workers how to use a torque wrench. Baffling but am discovering a little more consistency in the 580 Series rifles which is a pleasant surprise.

 

[Randall]

Just ran across these old videos. These used to be posted on youtube. Now on Facebook. These videos are the ones that I used on my rifle and they helped my Mini's accuracy considerably. I'm hoping they help somebody down the road. And, no. you do not need to be a member of Facebook to view the videos...yet.

Ruger Mini® Receiver Bedding by The GunDoc | Ruger Mini® Receiver Bedding by The GunDoc This video was done with the hobbyist in mind, with simple and cheap tools. When I did stocks with... | By Great West Gunsmithing | Facebook

2,005 views, 24 likes, 1 loves, 7 comments, 6 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Great West Gunsmithing: Ruger Mini® Receiver Bedding by The GunDoc This video was done with the hobbyist in mind,...

www.facebook.com

 

[professionalidiot]

Add a Cogburn stripper clip adapter to that and it becomes the perfect California rifle. Ability to load as quickly from the top using inexpensive stripper clips is fast as magazines with practice. Plus as expensive as good Mini 14 magazines are if have several it's hard for some to justify owning several dozen magazines per rifle. The Cogburn stripper clip adapter loads a little differently than most as have to insert rounds at an angle rather than on a perfectly vertical plane but with a few minutes practice your rocking along.

My wife actually prefers stripper clips to magazines as less chance of fumbling a mag change under stress than missing a stripper clip insertion. She can also carry more ammo for a given weight and with 5.56 strippers being pretty much free if know where to find them or at most a few cents each do not have to flip out if damage or loose one.

All of our personal SKSs have the steel milsurp 20 round box magazines and she likes an SKS or a Mini 14 with a big sack of stripper clips. There s no worry of odd magazine insertion and lockup some rifles have and it keeps me from feeling necessary to buy at least two dozen magazines per rifle when rifles use expensive magazines but accept stripper clips. Below is a link to article on the Cogburn Mini 14 stripper adapter and they make nice spoons to reload Mini magazines from strippers.

https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/cogburn-arsenals-mini-14-and-mini-thirty-stripper-clip-guides/

That's dumb, I need one

 

[Flypaper]

Is this considered a mini mini 14 ??

 

[OLDMANPBK]

Is this considered a mini mini 14 ?? View attachment 240622

I think that's a Mini-30.

 

[nightschneider]

I’m guilty of going down the mini 14 path.
Totally nostalgic…meme gun

found a 584 series mini 14 tactical SS…then waited 7 months for the Samson ateam stock. Got some factory mags cerakoted to look SS, but also actually feed ammo.

haven’t gotten it to the range since the stock came in.

have a cheap bushnell red dot on it…might scope it just to see what it can do.

was at about 4/5” with irons at 50 yds…

 

[OLDMANPBK]

Yeah I love/hate these things. I picked up this one before the boating accident. Only had to send it back to Ruger once. The trigger group would fall out every time I fired it. Shot good after I got it back.