Bought a mini 14 today.

[CoalCrackerAl]

Bought it for my Birthday. Got it at Cabela's. My son got me a knife set too. It came with 2 mags and a scope rail and steel scope rings too. Now to work up some loads.

 

[WendyZXZ]

Looks and sounds like a great birthday!

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I wanted one since the 80's. We used a mini to kill steer at the butcher shop i worked in. Never could afford one. So finally my dream came true. Still debating to scope it or not. It's a ranch. I think they send the casings out the side. I'll see how i do with the irons and go from there. Im loading 55 grain magtech from RMR with 24.2 grains of varget.

 

[57springer]

Nice , I am a big fan of 14s and 30s !

 

[Captain America]

I love mine…enjoy!

 

[maxfam]

I got a Mini 14 around 10 years ago. After firing it the first time, I just kept thinking and telling my friends, why did I wait so long to get one. Very fun gun, I’ve been looking for a Mini 30 lately. Good luck.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

This afternoon/eve. Im taking it out for it's maiden voyage. Going to shoot with the irons for now.

 

[Trooper Joe]

I had a Mini 14 about 1995 and then sold it a few years later.

Late last year, I bought a new stainless “tactical” model and then followed it up with a beautiful Mini 30 blue model. Both guns came with the Ruger synthetic stock so I switched them both to an older Ruger hardwood Mini14 stock (the ones with the curved plastic butt plate). Had to do a little fitting on the Mini 30 combination but finally got it to work. I switched the stock hand guard to a Choate Tool Mini 14 Ventilated Handguard on both guns.

I added that 2.5 fixed Leupold scope and it really works for these old eyes.

Both guns are flawless and very accurate. This new Mini 30 is using steel case 7.62x39 ammo with no problems.

Trooper Joe

 

[hittman]

,…. why did I wait so long to get one.

I couldn’t agree more.
Thought that about the Mini 14 AND the M1 Carbine!

 

[Trooper Joe]

We were using M1 carbines for patrol rifles when I joined the Michigan State Police in the 60’s. These Mini 14 and 30 rifles remind me of our M1 carbines, however, they are much better guns. The M1 carbines always malfunctionEd during training.

Trooper Joe

 

[arcticruger]

Congrats, and Happy Birthday!

I‘ve had a few Mini 14s over the years, mainly the 180 to 184 series, in both blue and stainless. Fun little carbines.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

It's zeroed at 50 for now. The sun was working it's way around and i was getting glare. So i stopped there. The shots at the top red dot are at 50 yards. With the Varget loads. I had to do 2 mag dumps too lol.

 

[Captain America]

Looks good…does it throw the empty cases into the next county?

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Yes it throws cases like a 10mm 1911 lol. I took the cardboard i used to do the 25 yard zero. And tucked it in between the planks on the bench to catch them then.

 

[Ka6otm]

Looks good…does it throw the empty cases into the next county?

Took mine to the range for the first time and wasn't thinking clearly about where it would eject. It went completely over the head of the guy shooting in the next lane and hit around 25 feet to my right.

 

[cjcutter1]

Enjoy the mini op, love the classic wood models.

 

[tunnug]

Very nice, I was in the same boat for a long time, finally found a Mini30, started doing all the do it yourself improvements found on YouTube, shoots like a dream now, last one was the throwing of the brass into the next county, fixed that by replacing the gas bushing, now the brass drops in a small pile about 10 feet away.

 

[cjcutter1]

Any one have any experience with Belom brass ammo in the 30?

 

[xtratoy]

I have a cousin who bought a first year Mini-30 in 1987-1988. We took it out out once and it it wouldn't chamber the steel jacketed ammo available at the time. Some worked but most didn't. Some we had to drive out when they got stuck before fully chambering. I told him to contact Ruger and send it back. As far as I know it is still sitting in the corner of his closet because he never sent it back.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Maybe you can re-spark his interest in his mini. And get him to get it fixed.

 

[mistermills357]

The Mini-14 is a good gun, but I talked to a deputy sheriff once, and he said that the barrels would not hold up with very heavy use. But those guns were full auto. I just thought that I would mention that.

I have had a Mini-14, but now I tend to favor the M-4 style of guns.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Im careful not to let my barrel over heat. Im really enjoying it. Had it out again today.

 

[57springer]

The Mini-14 is a good gun, but I talked to a deputy sheriff once, and he said that the barrels would not hold up with very heavy use. But those guns were full auto. I just thought that I would mention that.

I have had a Mini-14, but now I tend to favor the M-4 style of guns.

Probably true on the early "pencil " barrel models , I think the newer models would hold up .