My most un-accurate factory rifle was a Kimber
Safari in 416 Rigby. 6-8" groups at 100 yds.

I checked the rifling, which would foul horribly with
just one shot, and it was 1-10 - way too fast.

So I sent it to Steve Nelson and he found that the
barrel had never been screwed completely in. Fixing this
would require moving the quarter rib and barrel lug so I
had him put a Krieger on it and it shoots just fine.

I know, putting a new barrel on an expensive collectable...
However, a rifle ain't worth #$%^ in the condition this
was and I would not have felt right selling it to someone.

A timely note. At the local range this weekend there was a shooter with his Mini 14. He had sent it off to one of the "Mini 14 accurizing" outfits, paid them damn near $800 for their "services". Best he and the rifle could with factory ammo @ 100yds was 6 inches. He invited others to try and see what they could do, and the results were pretty much the same. We weren't impressed. He was pissed.

i'm sure glad i've read this forum on the mini 14 i was thinking real strong about getting one......i'm like the rest of ya i think ruger should make these rifles shoot alot better than this out of the box...about that guy who $800 to get performance i bet he was pissed .......

rcasto,
Strong work dude! Screw collector's value, if a rifle is wrong, ya gotta make it right.
JCN

I can honestly say I have never had an accuracy problem with the M77 OR the No. 1 Rugers. Mini-30, yes!



No. 1A, 7X57

No. 3, .30/40 Krag

No. 1B, 7mm Rem. Mag., 200 YDS



M77 Round-top, 7X57mm

[image][/image]

Hi, Paul -



There is no doubt the work required to make the Mini-14 into a bench gun is more than a little. But then, that is not its intended purpose. For it's intended use by most of its buyers, it is likely adequate as is.



As to selling a lot more if Ruger took the effort to bring it to sub-1-MOA standards, there may be some doubt about that.



For one thing, it would likely cost more.



For another, there is always the "Pareto's law" effect. You can sell to 80% of the potential market for 20% of the cost of reaching the whole market. Why spend the additional 80% (cost) to be reimbursed an additional 20% in sales?



Life as a shooter ain't necessarily easy, but it gets whole lot easier if one identifies the use to which a rifle is to be put, then buys a rifle designed for that purpose.



Best wishes,



Alberta Canuck

Winchester Model 100 in 308. It would occasionally
get groups as good as 2" at 100 yds, usually went about
3 - 4". Also every once in a while shifted into full auto
mode.

Also loaded for a Savage 99 in 250 that gave about the
same size groups and some time even worse.

Lee..............

Well lets see.

The 4 or 5 M1 Carbines I have known well all shot around 3" groups at 100 yards, not bad.

The 3 BARs I have known very well have all shot AP better than 2" at 100 yards (actually one does better than an inch).

The only M77 I have ever used shoots under 2 MOA consistently (not great)

I cannot recall ever seeing a Mini 14 that shot better than 4" groups, but then I wasn't shooting and I didn't generally know the shooter or their skill level.

The only two 742s I have ever has any experience with were a 30-06 which was a shotgun at 100 yards (10" groups with ANY bullet weight), and a 270 Win which shot 3" groups at 100 yards.

The M1 Garands I have shot, all military stock form, shot around 3" groups at 100 yards (about the same as a carbine really).

Shot several SMLE that would not group better than 6" @ 100.

Shot many many milsurp mausers that would not best 6" at 100.

Had two FALs that would not get inside 8" @ 100 with any degree of certainty.

Shot a HK91 that typically did 5" groups @ 100.

50 Beowulf AR15 (Alexander Arms) that routinely printed 8" to 10" groups at 100 yards with bullets lighter than 400 grains. With the heavier stuff it settled down to 6", WOW!

Never owned a M70 that would shoot worse than 2" with the right load.

Owned a Weatherby 257 Mag MkV that shot 3" groups with factory ammo, but it came with a factory target that said it could do 1.437". Strange??

Winchester M94 30-30 (4) all shot around 4" groups at 100.

Well the list continues but I don't.

ASS_CLOWN

Ruger Mini 14 definitely.