More On My New To Me Mini-14 581

As a continuation of my learning/familiarization process with my newly acquired Mini Rancher 581, I returned to the range today for the third time to try some longer range shooting. Mind you, my range's longest is only 200 yards so that's the most I had to work with.

For this trip, I bought some Buffalo Bore Sniper 77 grain Hollow Point ammo. I had read a lot about it and had some really good reports on it from AR shooters so I wanted to try it in my Rancher. So I did.

First I fired 20 rounds from the 100 yard line to make sure my scope was zeroed properly. Well, I was astounded with the results and the groups that I got.

After that, I moved to the 200 yard range and fired 40 rounds. Again, I never expected results like I got from a Mini Rancher.

In this post I'm not going to make a lot of claims or make any boasts because I didn't have my camera with me. So, I'm going back Thursday or Friday again and will take pictures of the targets and groups at both 100 and 200 yards.

All I'm going to say for now is "If you Mini owners haven't tried this ammo you need to do so." If I hadn't actually done it and seen it with my own rifle and eyes I would not have believed it. It's just that good.

Bob

^^^What he said

Tho, honestly, you can just type it out...i've no reason to doubt or discount you...and i'm impatient. :lol:

Sides that, I've looked since seeing this post...i knew Buffalo wasn't cheap...but THOSE rounds...that accuracy would have to be pretty amazing, @ that price, i'd sure hope, in my opinion.

No matter what, DixieBoy is right...sounds good!

Just thinking out loud.....
.....I'm guessing that a carefull handloader could work up some perty-dern accurate ammo using that same 77 Grn (Sierra) bullet, and do it a lot cheaper than $32 a box.
I''m also left to wonder if the 69 Grn version of that same ammo might even work a little better with the Mini's 9" twist barrel.
If I had a real use for such ammo, and if weren't such a tite-wad I might try a box of each through my own Mini just to see....but I don't, and I am.

$64+tax (or shipping) for 40 rds of ammo?...I'm still trying to get over the sticker shock. Heck man, that same $64 will fetch me over 150 Rds of LC M855.
Yeah, I know....apples to oranges.

DGW

Planning to go back to the range tomorrow. As for the ammo/cost, the only reason I'm trying it is to learn more about my Mini for hunting purposes. Once I am satisfied with what I learn, those rounds will be fired at critters only. Like you said, at $32 a box it ain't for plinking. But, according to the ballistics numbers, it will be one heck of a hog/deer/coyote round with the accuracy I'm getting with it.

I don't reload so that's not an option. Plus, yes, I want to try the 69 grain as well because of the 1 in 9 twist.

Bob

You do not reload now but...

You should consider reloading.

I thought about it for years, like 30 years.

I had to turn 50 to start and wow, I wish I had started years ago.

Anyway, just saying.

Bill

Buckeye Bill said:

You do not reload now but...

You should consider reloading.

I thought about it for years, like 30 years.

I had to turn 50 to start and wow, I wish I had started years ago.

Anyway, just saying.

Bill

Click to expand...

Reloading might be fun but at my age I don't think I'll spend the money to get into it. I really don't shoot that much, usually just when I buy a new Bang Toy, like this Mini Rancher, or right before hunting season I'll go out and zero all my rifles. Other than that, an occasional trip out to fire my everyday carry weapon is it. so, not sure the expenditure for reloading stuff would be worth it.

Bob

You see lots of accuracy complaints with cheapo steel cased and military ammo, but if you feed a Mini decent ammo they will shoot. I have surprised quite a few AR shooters with my Mini and Federal 69gr GMM.

96/44 said:

You see lots of accuracy complaints with cheapo steel cased and military ammo, but if you feed a Mini decent ammo they will shoot. I have surprised quite a few AR shooters with my Mini and Federal 69gr GMM.

Click to expand...

I hear ya.
Most USGI ammo aint capable of shooting more than 2.5 MOA (or so) to start with....and the cheap Russian ammo?...why anyone would use that crap in a Mini and then complain about the gun has allways been a mystery to me. Yet we see it often, particularly with the Mini-30.

Unrealistic expectations I guess.

DGW

Hey, it's Monday. Where's the pictures?

groberts said:

Hey, it's Monday. Where's the pictures?

Click to expand...

In my "Range Report" thread.

Bob

Well my mini 14 mod 581 gets 3/4 to 11/4 in ch hits so a stock mini will get minute of man every time at 200 rds. Now if u r a competion shooter the yes do some fine tuning with the ammo. Now my results have been with PMC, Winnies, Remi's, and some really cheap korean stuff.