Considering a Mini (again)

[PJR]

In the mid-90's I bought a Mini 14 Ranch. It was perfect for my needs except for the abysmal accuracy. Regardless what ammo was used groups were minute of dinner plate, 8-10" at 100 yards using a 2.5x Leupold. The rifle was sold when I shot smaller groups with a surplus Swedish Mauser with open sights than with the scoped Mini.

I read that the newer 58x Minis have improved accuracy. Is this correct? I'm not asking for perfection and would be satisfied with a rifle that could shoot 3" at 100 yards. Also should I decide to buy another Mini would accuracy be more likely better with a synthetic stock than wood?

 

[sliclee]

I have yet to see any range reports from many supposed mini owners. There have been several new owners that have not shot there mini yet. Myself, when I get a new gun of any kind track down accuracy reports or get info of bore and groove diameter but the mini is mum so i wont buy.

 

[huntsman22]

an applicable tune. whether for mini's, or wimmins.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2kekJa4giU

 

[groberts]

I've seen many reports of accuracy around 3" at 100 yards for the new ones. IIRC Ruger changed the barrel midstream in the 581 series to be thicker as it comes out of the stock and taper down to the end. I don't think synthetic versus wood makes a difference. You can also add on a device which improves the older ones nicely but doesn't do a lot more for the newer ones.

 

[groberts]

I have yet to see any range reports from many supposed mini owners. There have been several new owners that have not shot there mini yet. Myself, when I get a new gun of any kind track down accuracy reports or get info of bore and groove diameter but the mini is mum so i wont buy.

It could be that you need a glass belly button. There have been many reports here and on youtube. Even Hickok45 has done an update on the Mini where he talks about both the older and newer barrels.

 

[DGW1949]

If you're contemplating buying a Mini so's you can get bragging rights by shooting off of a bench, you are setting yourself up for disappointment because that aint what they're made for.
If you would be satisfied with a rifle that'll put US-made milsurp ammo into a 3"-4" circle @ 100 yds then take the plunge.
As Mini's go, the wood-stocked versions are notorious for sloppy bedding. If you don't wish to deal with that, you might want to try the plastic stocked version.

DGW

 

[south_ridge]

I have a 581-series mini. I have mainly shot Hornady factory ammo through it (55 grain v-maxes). The average group size is right around 1.5" for 3-shot groups at 100 yards.

I didn't buy the gun to try to shoot tiny groups at the range. I bought it to sling over my shoulder and hike around the farm, or throw in the truck and drive around. It does very well in that regard. I've killed a few things with it - coyotes, crows, other vermin. In that role it does just fine.

SR

 

[Go Navy]

PJR, as one who has owned both the older model Mini-14, and now a brand new Mini, I will attest to the fact that the new versions are way, way more accurate than the old. My new one is a standard Ranch Rifle, stainless with synthetic stock and 18.5 inch barrel. I will even say that I think the standard two stage trigger is pretty good.

So far I've only put 100 rounds through it using the standard iron sights at about 75-100 feet. We were plinking....shooting at water or milk bottles (not jugs), and some steel discs. I never shoot with irons as my eyes are getting "old", but I was popping some of these targets and when I missed it was pretty close. I did not baby the rifle at all, going through 20 round full magazines, and maybe resting it for 5 minutes or so between mags. The barrel got hot, but as far as I could tell, it was not stringing shots. The irons needed no adjusting out of the box.

The receiver/breech area was amazingly clean after the session. Recoil is very comfortable; no muzzle brake is needed on this rifle. I like the 18.5 inch barrel because it gets more out of the .223/5.56 round, and the rifle seems to balance well and hold steady.

There wasn't a single malfunction of any kind during these first 100 rounds.

I haven't mounted glass on it yet, but this time I'm going with a Burris TRS-25 red dot just for fun. If I don't like that choice, I'll put either a 1-4x or 2-7x on it.

Don't take my word for any of this, though. Randy Wakeman is a well known, credible gun reviewer/hunter who publishes on his own site and also on Chuck Hawk's site. These guys don't accept advertising from gun makers, so they call them the way they see them.

The link below, on Randy's free site, is Randy's follow up session with the new Mini-14 in which he has mounted a scope on it and shoots at a paper target for the record. It's a short video and you'll see the target. There's a link within this story to his original, lengthy review of the rifle. He flatly states that it is a minute of angle rifle, box stock. He's undoubtedly a way better shooter than I'll ever be, but I've found his reviews to be spot on. I've even bought a couple of firearms based on his reviews.

http://randywakeman.com/ABitMorewiththeRugerMini_14.htm

You won't be disappointed with the new Mini-14.

 

[huntsman22]

I'm going with a Burris TRS-25 red dot just for fun.

Burris makes the fastfire......

 

[steelshooterco]

Call customer service in Newport and say you have a mini-14 Ranch that you feel may be shooting too big groups. Ask them what the factory acceptable group size is, how many shots and at how many yards.

You should get an answer and that will tell you the worst case you can expect.

If you get the answer, please let us know as well.

 

[Mini14fan]

Hi, new here. Own a new mini 14, hi point 995ts and a henry frontier. Anyway with the iron sights at 50 yards am hitting all in the center of the target even quick firing. However had to send it back to ruger to replace the trigger group. Kept falling out, just started to do it again and asked ruger for the part to do it myself this time. We will see.

 

[Fatdaddy]

I swore off the older mini after experiencing the pie plate + accuracy you described.
Recently I picked up one of the new models and found the accuracy to 4"/100yds at best.
Just when you thought you were working on a decent group....unexplained flyer.
If you want 1'' groups you might want to pass.

 

[Voyager28]

I have yet to see any range reports from many supposed mini owners. There have been several new owners that have not shot there mini yet. Myself, when I get a new gun of any kind track down accuracy reports or get info of bore and groove diameter but the mini is mum so i wont buy.

Well, here you go. 580 series Mini Rancher. Shot at 200 yards. Three rounds to zero the scope (3-9X42 Redfield Battle Zone), then the rest, elbows on a bench, no bench rest.



Bob

 

[Major T]

My newer Mini does way better than 3" with anything I have tried in it. Some Lake City mil surp does close to two and one lot factory Rem. 55 grain does just over an inch wearing a 3-9 Redfield Revolution. I did polish and lighten the trigger.

My first one ( a GB from the eighties) wanted to shoot, but I could never anchor the Rube Goldberg base well enough. It shot two distinct groups of not much over an inch each

Jack but about 2.5" apart @100 totaling about four or a bit more.

 

[TRanger]

Being something of a contrarian, I took one of the new 581 series Mini 14s to our annual rifle qualification today. As expected, everyone else showed up with an AR, mostly decked out with various forms of gadgetry. To sum up, fully half the ARs experienced functioning problems, no doubt due to the tinkering done to them. Even one Colt repeatedly malfunctioned, which turned out to be due to an out of spec bolt carrier. I loaned its owner an older spare Mini with which he completed the course.
At the end of the day, my Mini had produced a perfect score and the tightest group on the course; 3 3/4 inches over the course 50-100 yards under time pressure, used in box stock condition with only a sling added. Neither Mini experienced a malfunction despite becoming so hot the handguards were burning our fingers. This was not careful precision shooting, but a rapidly moving police qualification in prone, kneeling, and standing positions.
This demonstrates a couple of things. The current Mini is up to whatever job it is suited for accuracy wise. No one buys a Mini as a precision varminter, after all. Second: good basic equipment and focus on shooting skills trumps gadgetry and gee whiz shooting hardware.

 

[22/45 Fan]

I'm going with a Burris TRS-25 red dot just for fun.

Burris makes the fastfire......

Right, and the TRS-25 is a Bushnell.

 

[Major T]

Agree with TRanger. They are not 300 yard ground squirrel accurate, but they are minute of jack rabbit and coyote sized targets to way out there. AND, they work.

Jack