The Ruger Mini-14 Truck/Camp Carbine

amd6547 said:

I had a stainless Mini years ago that was wildly inaccurate...it’s groups at 50yds were larger than the M1 Carbine it replaced did at 100yds. I still prefer a good M1 Carbine to any Mini 14 made.

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I have shot one of the really old early Mini-14s and now the newer better made guns and there is a real difference. Maybe someone you know who has one will let you shoot it. It will change your mind.

And the barrel whip is not a problem on the newer taper barreled guns. No struts or sleeves needed.

I have one. I just bought it about 6 months ago. Had a trigger job done on it and changed the gas bushing so it doesn't eject brass into the next county.

I have a USGI carbine but it isn't reliable. The Mini was it's replacement. It's like an M1 carbine in many ways except the 5.56 is a more useful cartridge, it's as reliable as a hammer, and cheaper to shoot. I think the only downside may be the accuracy but it's plenty good enough for a carbine. As previously stated about 2.5 moa. I've tried 55 and 62 gr bullets without any improvement. I might try some heavier bullets loaded to 5.56 pressures but I think I'll just shoot the cheap bullets and enjoy it for what it is.

Garandimal said:

Can you flesh out what exactly an AC-556 is?

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It is a full auto police SMG no longer produced.

Regards,
hps

Garandimal said:

Thinking about the gas bushing as well.

How about some details?

Was also considering drilling/tapping the end of the gas block and rigging an adjustment - like maybe a hollowed bolt a-la Garand Ported Gas Plug.




GR

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I got a set from these folks.

https://www.ruger-mini-14-firearms.com/Gas-Reduction-Bushing-Kit.php

I think I used the 40 but I would have to check. It's pretty tame now as brass only goes about 6'. I also had the same company do the trigger job. I highly recommend a trigger job as it's now a very shootable 2 stage trigger. I remember about a 2 week turn around. You can do the bushing yourself, nothing to it. Your ammo will dictate which bushing works best. I load mid .223/62 gr.

The Mini 14 "grew on me" in an instant. The very torn, silver sticker on the buttstock said "State of Kentucky".
The newer Minis with the thinner front sight blades seem even better.

The short AR --despite perfect reliability-- never did "grow", even after 400 rds. Traded it for a Hungarian AK, by TGI.

Since we’re showing our minis, here’s mine...
Ex prison rifle, Ohio Reformatory for Women.

hps1 said:

Well, the proof is in the pudding; it obviously works! Thank you, sir, for sharing your solution.

Now you got my interest up again in a mini.

Regards,
hps

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Hps,
my quest was to prove the so called highly inaccurate mini 14 could be made to shoot moa. It started out like pic above!!!!!! This cut group in half! So I was off and running!
Once this was accomplished, I sleeved the barrel. This is where the sub moa was accomplished.
Then start cutting down the sleeve until accuracy started to suffer- to find the minimum diameter necessary to produce moa so to say.
But alas I got sidetracked and it still awaits my return to finish project.
But it was a fun quest!

I had a minute of trash can Mini-14 during the 1990's AW Ban. I think the same horribly inaccurate mini-14 got passed around the used gun market in the suburbs of Chicago Illinois and possibly South Eastern Wisconsin during that time period. I kept it for awhile and traded it for something else.

During the 1st gun and ammo rush during the Obama Presidency, I picked up a new Mini-14 Tactical. Always wanted to try the new heavier barrel Mini-14's. Mine shoots good. Significantly better than the one I had previously. Was easily hitting steel gongs with it out to 400yds using Tech Sights. I kind of wish I didn't get the Tactical as a standard Mini-14 (without the flash hider) would be a 50 state legal rifle (close to it at least). I have friends in California and expect I will visit them sometime via road trip.

My 90's era Mini had wood stocks. I wanted poly stocks for this one.

Catpop said:

View attachment 851561
Hps,
my quest was to prove the so called highly inaccurate mini 14 could be made to shoot moa. It started out like pic above!!!!!! This cut group in half! So I was off and running!
Once this was accomplished, I sleeved the barrel. This is where the sub moa was accomplished.
Then start cutting down the sleeve until accuracy started to suffer- to find the minimum diameter necessary to produce moa so to say.
But alas I got sidetracked and it still awaits my return to finish project.
But it was a fun quest!

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Very interesting project. Sleeve looks to be aluminum. Assume the sleeve is a press fit; does it contact the barrel band or is there a bit of clearance between the barrel band and the sleeve?

(Floating the gas cylinder so it does not contact the upper hand guard band on a garand is one of the factors in accurizing the M1).

Great fun wringing the last drop of accuracy out of a problem rifle; I applaud your ingenuity and persistence in achieving your goal!

Regards,
hps

Garandimal said:

Was also considering drilling/tapping the end of the gas block and rigging an adjustment - like maybe a hollowed bolt a-la Garand Ported Gas Plug.

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Try the gas bushings first that coaltrain linked to. I read about one guy that was going to do that and found out the steel Ruger uses was very hard and he was having a lot of trouble getting it drilled.

This is the forum for all things Mini-14. https://www.perfectunion.com/vb/ruger-mini-14-mini-30/

I forgot to add but you can make your 5 round mags in to a 6 round mag by removing a small tab on the bottom of the follower. I had my Mini out last night because of this thread and loaded six in the mag. Thats was when I remembered I had modified it.

Be careful of those aftermarket bushings. I had one in my rifle for a while. When I wanted to change it,I found the end that sits in the gas block (lower end) had mushroomed out and was a nightmare to remove. The metal used was softer than Ruger's bushing and the heat and clamping force had deformed it. Ruger uses the large diameter orifice so it will function with all ammo. The op rod dents the casings anyway so I don't care if the casings stay in the same zip code. I save my AR brass though.

JohnB-40 said:

The op rod dents the casings anyway so I don't care if the casings

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Probably due to the over-gassing ejecting round so hard it flips into hump on op rod??? Have seen 308/7.62 M1's do that; they would "brass plate" the hump over time.

Regards,
hps

Garandimal said:

That's very nice.

Especially like the hand guard.

Can you flesh out what exactly an AC-556 is?




GR

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https://www.guns.com/news/2014/03/10/ruger-ac556-totally-legal-totally-full-auto-mini-14-video

I've shot some 3/4" groups with it at 60 yards, with open sights. Chopping the barrel 5.5" really stiffened it up, helping the pencil whip go away!

Garandimal said:

Good to know RE: the gas block steel. Will look into the bushings again.

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Good idea. The bushings did all I wanted them to do. My brass goes about 10-12 feet away in a fairly close pile. And no dents in the brass. I THINK I may have put in a stronger recoil spring but can't really remember. I did put in a buffer. Here are factory made gas adjustable gas blocks. Expensive but very well made and thought out.

https://www.mini14adjustablegasblock.com/

If it were me I would try the bushings and spend the left over money on better sights from Tech Sights. Then thin the front sight with a file. I have done that on one handgun and 3 muzzle loaders that had front blades that were way too thick. Measure the sight before you start. Say its .080. Now slowly file one side until it measures .070. Next file the other side until it measures .060. Now your done. You need to touch up the blueing. The numbers are just for illustration. Tech Sight link.

https://www.tech-sights.com/mini-products/

Other than smaller gas bushings, recoil spring and a buffer you really don't need anything else. And you don't really have to have those. The gun works fine right from the box. I just adjusted my rear sight to give a generic sight setting for 100 yards with 55gr bullets and it has worked for me. Its easy to make 200 yard hits on a small coffee can. Thats all I need it for.

Dang... This thread is REALLY making me wish I hadn't sold my pencil-barreled blued Mini-14 thirty-three years ago!

.

Sorry, wrong thread.

hps1 said:

Very interesting project. Sleeve looks to be aluminum. Assume the sleeve is a press fit; does it contact the barrel band or is there a bit of clearance between the barrel band and the sleeve?

(Floating the gas cylinder so it does not contact the upper hand guard band on a garand is one of the factors in accurizing the M1).

Great fun wringing the last drop of accuracy out of a problem rifle; I applaud your ingenuity and persistence in achieving your goal!

Regards,
hps

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Nope it is steel and heavy! I got a fairy good fit and secured with set screws. I can remove to continue work on it as need be. Don’t think it is touching gas lug.

JohnB-40 said:

Be careful of those aftermarket bushings. I had one in my rifle for a while. When I wanted to change it,I found the end that sits in the gas block (lower end) had mushroomed out and was a nightmare to remove. The metal used was softer than Ruger's bushing and the heat and clamping force had deformed it. Ruger uses the large diameter orifice so it will function with all ammo. The op rod dents the casings anyway so I don't care if the casings stay in the same zip code. I save my AR brass though.

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Lee Precision full length sizer die. Problem solved.

Catpop said:

Nope it is steel and heavy! I got a fairy good fit and secured with set screws. I can remove to continue work on it as need be. Don’t think it is touching gas lug.

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Wow, bet it is heavy @ 1.25". When I first saw your pic, I thought it was a short barrel w/a can.

Really appreciate this thread as I'm learning a lot about the mini's. Have always liked the little rifles, but accuracy always trumped my interest, so learning there is some hope has spiked my interest again.

Since I let my lathe go several years ago, making a sleeve is currently beyond my capability. The above link to accuracy strut https://www.mini14adjustablegasblock.com/
sounds interesting though, should I decide to get a rifle. I could live with minute of coyote at a bit over 200 yds and wonder what you guys think of the possibility of that w/the strut and a bit of load development?

Regards,
hps