Considering buying a new Mini 14 ranch rifle. How do the currently built rifles perform? I would be happy with consistent 3 inch groups at 100 yards. No need to tell me to buy a AR as I already own a few. The Mini 14 is the compact package I am looking for provided it shoots decent.

They are fine now; Ruger stopped using Wilson barrels in 1990.

My Mini-14 shoots about a 2" group at 100 yards with factory ammunition. I think I could improve on that with hand loads, but so far I don't have dies for the 7.62X39 cartridge. The deer I "harvested" with it this year didn't complain.

My Mini-14 shoots about 2" groups at 100 yards with factory (PRVI PARTIZAN) ammunition. I think hand loads might do better, but I don't have 7.62X39 dies yet. The deer I "harvested" with it this year didn't complain.

Is it scoped or was that with the irons ?

I used a 4X scope and shot off a sturdy concrete bench. As I expected, the factory loads using cheaper steel cases and full metal jacket bullets did not perform as well.

I have played with 20 or so mini's they are on the average a 2 inch rifle.

Had one that was a 8 inch sent it make to Ruger they put on a new barrel. It came back a two inch rifle.

My ranch rifle with scope and good ammo is a 1.5 inch rifle.

It is deadly on yotes to 300 yards. Haven't shot it any further.

A huge problem with the early Mini's was the huge front sight.

Any noticeable difference in accuracy between the mini 14 and mini 30?

quote:

Any noticeable difference in accuracy between the mini 14 and mini 30?

I only played with one mini 30. that was decades ago.

I don't recall it being bad or being very good.

So it must have been average.

I bought a Mini-30 when they first came out....I believe around 1989. It shot 12" patterns at 100 yards with my hand loads.

Years later, I bought a Colt AR in 7.62x39 and with that exact same left-over ammo, it shot sub-moa.

Tony

I was issued one off and on, none of them impressed me and there were many to test..Only a few were accurate, most 3 or 4 inches but they were fun guns and seemed to function well, the AR16, shot much better at under 2 inches..All with iron sights as are most issue guns..Sniper guns were mostly Rem 700s, the always seem to shoot good out of the box.