cowboy77845
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That mini-14 must be a crap shoot. I have had 2 that shot minute of a pie plate. Many speak of how good theirs is. I would not have another even though everything about them is attractive to me except their accuracy. Bummer.
Is the gas system the reason for bad accuracy?
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N555
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I normally don't feed the mini14 lupula brass cased ammo. The lupula cases are loaded with a load the mini14 doesn't really like.A Seekins adjustable gas block is only $60, and is completely closable. Their new throw-lever gas block is adjustable without tools and is a paltry $130.
Titanium SLRs are thirty five dollars off at RTB.com $170. I just bought one, they are beautiful!
And, I just remembered we aren’t talking about an AR.
Sorry @N555. I haven’t had coffee yet today…
I couldn't answer the poll as worded.
For the Mini-14/Mini-30 in particular I would say the gas system can frustrate best accuracy, but there are other reasons. Quite a few people have reported improved accuracy with an adjustable gas system that allows them to turn the gas off, effectively giving the Mini the stability of a bolt gun.
That being said, if you're already getting sub 2 MOA from other refinements, like a trigger job, an adjustable gas system is a lot of investment for very little improvement.
For the Mini-14/Mini-30 in particular I would say the gas system can frustrate best accuracy, but there are other reasons. Quite a few people have reported improved accuracy with an adjustable gas system that allows them to turn the gas off, effectively giving the Mini the stability of a bolt gun.
That being said, if you're already getting sub 2 MOA from other refinements, like a trigger job, an adjustable gas system is a lot of investment for very little improvement.
Ritchie
Member
Just open the gas block, take out the hollow bushing, and replace it with a solid plug. My mini's key to accuracy was using a Speer 63 grain semi-spitzer bullet for better fit in the throat. Series 180.
citizenconn
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For several of my bench shooting ARs I simply moved the existing gas tube slightly to cover the hole in the barrel. Works best on my side charging ARs. I did this mainly so I would not have to chase brass since my shooting partner reloads.
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robin banks
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I would never think turning off the gas in an M1A would not make it shoot better being a lot of money and work goes into improving the gas system a different operating rod a gas system without the cut off. so have all those people wasted time and money trying to tame the violent action of the operating rod?
Reloadron
Contributing Member
I only bothered doing it for a small number of rounds and only to look for change in MV or POI. Nothing changed including cartridge dimensions. Shooting the M14 and now my M1A I have never had a reason, other than experiment, to turn the gas system off. I also never noticed the operation of the gas system to be "violent". My rifle functions as advertised.
Ron
I have a new one, and have shot off hand 3 or 4 inch groups at 50 yards more than a few times. It isn't a bench rest gun or a sniper rifle. 4" at 50 yards off hand is about how well I can shoot, and the factory sights don't seem like they are designed for pinpoint accuracy either. At some point I'll probably shoot some targets out at 100, and maybe shoot prone, and my guess would be if I try a few different types of ammo, a 3" or 4" group is what I would anticipate, and 1 or 2" of that would probably just be me not having any experience shooting at that distance. I think they have improved them, and people can expect better than barn door accuracy, but - they just aren't that tight IMHO, they are built to run and run reliably, that is a bit of a trade off on accuracy from my understanding.
Speedo66
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Were yours early models, or 581 or later with the tapered barrels?
jmorris
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The one I have was new close to 40 years ago, back then they were a deal vs AR’s and other stuff. Even if not as accurate. Not real sure why folks buy them today. In the car business they say, “there is a butt for every seat.” Same for firearms.
cowboy77845
Member
I had an older blue one and a brand new stainless. . Put a buffer and an accu-trac on new one in hopes of better accuracy. Well you know what they say about "Hope in one hand.....". I wasted a bunch of money on the thing and just got frustrated. My mini -30 is much better. I expected similar results from the 14.
robin banks
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I think the only real reason to buy one now is you simply like them.
They don't DO anything better than other options imo.
My Ranch Rifle has a sweet spot with 25gr of W748 behind a 55gr Hornady BT. It shoots 1 moa with that load, velocity average is about 2700, don't care if I lose 300 if it puts em where I want em. Funny thing, I don't expect any two rifles to do the same thing but I got talking to another guy at the gun store that turned out to be a handloader. The subject somehow came around to Ranch Rifles and mentioned that load, his eyes got big and he said YES! that's my load, that makes mine shooter. Maybe it will work for more than our two rifles, who knows.
Mosin77
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I think there are some ban states where the Mini-14 is acceptable, but the AR-15 and AK-47 are restricted to old ones made before a certain date. I can’t think of any other reason, even though I do like the wood stock.
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N555
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Yeah +300fps ain't worth a dam if you can't hit what you're aiming at. Especially beavers.
someguy2800
Member
I keep telling myself if I ever find someone that is selling one for a decent price that can be proved to shoot decent I’ll buy it, but this is the laughable types of deals I find locally.
Reloadron
Contributing Member
A friend of mine had a father who sold off used cars. His belief on overpriced junk was there is a butt for every seat. Apparently looking at that price there is a shoulder for every gun.
Not mine but someone will buy it. Ron
someguy2800
Member
A friend of mine had a father who sold off used cars. His belief on overpriced junk was there is a butt for every seat. Apparently looking at that price there is a shoulder for every gun.
Ron
It’s no longer there so presumably someone did. Another used car salesman saying comes to mind, a sucker born every minute.
W.E.G.
Member
The Mini-14 is as accurate as the design tries to be.
So what does that mean?
Its a very basic rifle that makes no pretense of being a precision rifle. The sights alone tell you that.
The Mini-14 presents as an easy-to-operate, rugged, and (formerly) affordable utility rifle. Fires a common cartridge, and with little enough recoil to not be a problem for untrained shooters.
I realize some owners want to alter their Mini more accurate than the original design intended. That's fine if you enjoy such endeavor. With the wide availability of low-cost, AR-pattern rifles, the Mini is no longer competitive in the marketplace, except in places where the arbitrary design/feature differences between the Mini and the AR leave the Mini in the "legal" category as-issued, whereas the AR has to be bastardized/neutered if it is even legal at all.
I used to own a Mini. It was a good utility rifle for 50 and 100 yards. With careful aim, I could hit most things that I cared to shoot at using the factory iron sights.
If you manage to "accurize" a Mini, by all means enjoy your accomplishment. Its your gun. Do as you wish with it. Despite the stupid prices some are asking for Mini's, the Mini will never be much of a collector item. But if I were going to try to build an "accurate" rifle, I wouldn't spend my time tweaking the Mini. The modifications needed to accurize a Mini would likely take away from the rugged-utility-rifle character that it delivers well in its original basic form.
So what does that mean?
Its a very basic rifle that makes no pretense of being a precision rifle. The sights alone tell you that.
The Mini-14 presents as an easy-to-operate, rugged, and (formerly) affordable utility rifle. Fires a common cartridge, and with little enough recoil to not be a problem for untrained shooters.
I realize some owners want to alter their Mini more accurate than the original design intended. That's fine if you enjoy such endeavor. With the wide availability of low-cost, AR-pattern rifles, the Mini is no longer competitive in the marketplace, except in places where the arbitrary design/feature differences between the Mini and the AR leave the Mini in the "legal" category as-issued, whereas the AR has to be bastardized/neutered if it is even legal at all.
I used to own a Mini. It was a good utility rifle for 50 and 100 yards. With careful aim, I could hit most things that I cared to shoot at using the factory iron sights.
If you manage to "accurize" a Mini, by all means enjoy your accomplishment. Its your gun. Do as you wish with it. Despite the stupid prices some are asking for Mini's, the Mini will never be much of a collector item. But if I were going to try to build an "accurate" rifle, I wouldn't spend my time tweaking the Mini. The modifications needed to accurize a Mini would likely take away from the rugged-utility-rifle character that it delivers well in its original basic form.
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