Awhile back there was a comment that Mini-14s were hard on scopes, got me wondering.
Mine shoots four-inch groups at 100 yards, an embarrassing thing to behold.
Maybe I should re-install the original aperture sights or put it in a return-to-battery rest to re-evaluate the matter?

Anyone else wonder about this, or is it really just a Mini-14 characteristic?

Put a barrel strut on it. It cut my groups by almost half



https://www.accu-strut.com

quote:

Originally posted by Smokin Joe:
Put a barrel strut on it. It cut my groups by almost half



https://www.accu-strut.com

Hmmm...

Mine responds well to the right handload with bullets seated out as far as possible and still able to cycle from the magazine. Group shown at 100 meters off the bench. Scope is a Bushnell Legend 1.75-5x32mm.

The mount could be a lot of the problem.

I found that the mini-s ranch rifle or newer ones with the ruger standard mount work and shoot well.

If you are using a base that fits into the rear site base I suspect you are getting a lot of play

Ammo is a factor as well.

depending on the rifle -mini's dono have a good rep for accuracy - they have gotten better now that ruger is making their own barrels but if you really want one that shoots - bedding,trigger job and new barrel - i have done up in 6x45 that hold 3/4 minute groups - but but but by the time you do it all it get a bit pricey

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:
The mount could be a lot of the problem.

I found that the mini-s ranch rifle or newer ones with the ruger standard mount work and shoot well.

If you are using a base that fits into the rear site base I suspect you are getting a lot of play

Ammo is a factor as well.

I do have that base, but decades ago had the front attachment point (originally just a setscrew) tied down to drilled and tapped hole.
The gunsmith told me he'd worn out two carbide taps on the stainless steel and would not do another one.
I doubt it's the base, but have to consider the issue unresolved.

This morning I'm wondering about an aluminum sleeve for the last few inches of barrel where the barrel strut would go...

My brother and a friend both had mini 14s, and both had very poor accuracy. They had them rebarreled and accurized, and they are quite accurate now. Not aware that they had any scope issues.
They have as much or more money in those two rifles as a good quality AR15, many of which are very accurate out of the box.

The ranch rifle was designed to use a scope.

IIRC At TSJC gunsmithing school I learned that the ranch rifle was different than the plain Mini-14. The ranch rifle had a buffer in it. The mini14 did not causing it to eat scopes. Although using an airgun scope would work with one of those rube goldberg scope mounts on the standard Mini14.

Looking at parts diagrams for the 2 DIFFERENT rifles clearly shows the Ranch rifle has a buffer and the mini14 does not. Maybe the newer ones do. I don't know. This is based on info when I went to TSJC back in 89-92.

Off hand shooting practice is lots of fun. And more challenging than using the bench rest. My Mini-14 groups as shown off hand at 100 meters with select ammo.

That looks like one of my weld jobs!

I had a Mini Ranch Rifle that wasn't as bad as most, it grouped about 2.5-3" or so, I added a buffer, and did a gas block torque regimen and added a pinned on flash hider and it started shooting about 2" and a bit under.
I eventually sold it and went to the AR15 platform and get all my AR's to shoot around an inch and some way under.

quote:

Originally posted by Snellstrom:
I had a Mini Ranch Rifle that wasn't as bad as most, it grouped about 2.5-3" or so, I added a buffer, and did a gas block torque regimen and added a pinned on flash hider and it started shooting about 2" and a bit under.
I eventually sold it and went to the AR15 platform and get all my AR's to shoot around an inch and some way under.

I have an early Mini-14, is the gas buffer a common fix?

It is actually a recoil buffer and yes that is a common fix and also re torque the gas block.
If you google "accurizing mini14" you will find references to those items however the google search is flooded with "accurizing " companies so you need to sort through that chaff first.
I added a pinned flash hider to mine as well, everything helped some.

My 6.8 would not do better than 2-1/2 moa. Of course for a lot of shooting that is OK. Handloads and re-torqueing the gas block did not help.

The biggest problem to me was the sight picture. The stock is just way too low for a good cheek weld (your mileage may vary). I ended up with Warne QD medium height rings (Ruger mediums would work about the same). Functioned OK, but still too high.