Mini 14 help

[Karate]

I have just bought a used Mini 14 and need help with a couple of things...I got it from a friend at a bargin basement price so I can spend a couple of dollars if need be...

1. I need mags who make the best after market mags for the mini 14...I would love 30 or 40 rounders but 20 will do if they have to....is it better to stay with Ruger mags and only shoot 20 rounders...please give me a source

2. I keep reading about the barrel heating up...how many rounds can you fire before it needs to cool off...can the barrel be replace with a better barrel if so were is the best place to got one.

3. Why do some recommend cutting the barrel to 16 inches and adding a brake...what kind of brake is best.

Thanks

 

[3rdpig]

It's been awhile since I messed with Mini's but I'll give it a shot. The Ruger 20 rounders are good, but expensive. PMI 20's and 30's are also good mags.

It doesn't take much for than about 5 or 10 rounds for the barrel to get hot enough for your groups to open up. But don't worry, there's some things you can do without replacing the barrel. First and cheapest, putting a brake or hider on the end will help control the barrel whip and tighten up the groups a little bit. It doesn't really matter which all your're looking for is weight on the end. I hate brakes and used a hider on mine. Next a good bedding job will really help. There are some good kits and with some care you can do a good job of it yourself.

A trigger job will also help. There's a guy in the pacific northwest that does a nice job and all you have to do is send him your trigger group.

Cutting the barrel to 16" will also help control the barrel whip. A shorter barrel is a stiffer barrel.

Without spending a lot of money you can get a Mini to shoot 2 to 2.5 inch groups at 100. To go much smaller than that you need a better barrel, but they're expensive and weigh a ton.

Head on over to www.perfectunion.com, there are some real Mini experts there. You can get the name of the guy that does the trigger work there too, I can't remember it. Mike something or other.

 

[dacat]

Cryo job will solve the heat wrecking accuracy. The brake will maybe help barrel whip, did not with mine. I am waiting for kkina's accu-strut to take the whip out.

 

[Rexrider]

Here are the magazines you need. Ruger High Caps at Eagle Firearms

Eagle Firearms is a top notch company. I shop there frequently for AR stuff.

And yes, you are better off with 20 rd factory mags verses 30 rd crappy aftermarket mags.

 

[Karate]

Thanks guys...I am not very experienced with a rifle at all...so keep it coming

 

[lee n. field]

..can the barrel be replace with a better barrel if so were is the best place to got one.

Yeah, if you want to spend huge ammounts of money. Then it's no longer bargain basement gun time.

Why do some recommend cutting the barrel to 16 inches and adding a brake...what kind of brake is best.

Those are actually seperable recommendations. Both are supposed to reduce "barrel whip" which the Mini is supposidly subject to. A pin on muzzle brake can be had for less than $20.

. I need mags who make the best after market mags for the mini 14..

There's a lot fo cheezy no-name magazines out there. I've never had a problem with ProMag 10 round magazines. They're now making 20 and 30 round steel, and 30 round plastic magazines. I haven't had enough rounds through my examples to guarantee they're quality.

Look at Perfect Union's Mini-14/30 fora for lots of good info on de-inaccurizing the Mini.

 

[benEzra]

+1 on the Perfect Union mini-14 forum. Great resource.


Magazines I've had great luck with for my 188-series Ranch Rifle:

Ram-Line 30-round "Combo Mag" (fits mini-14, AR-15, AR-180, translucent polymer)

Triple K Brand 30-round steel magazine

A 20-rounder that may have been USA brand, but may not.


Magazines to avoid at all costs:

Nickel-plated magazines sold in a clear plastic wrapper with "Precision Mag" or somesuch on the front. Have purchased 2 or 3, and every one wouldn't even chamber the first round.


BTW, here's my mini (current stock is a Butler Creek folder):

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Ben---you've just listed the mags that 99.99% of Mini owners consider the worst god-awfull junk mags out there(Ram-line--Triple K---USA). I guess even a blind squirrel finds a nut here and there

And trashed the PMI---which most Mini owners consider the best after Ruger factory.

The mags that "most" Mini's like:
1. Ruger factory
2. PMI
3. New production Pro-Mag

EVERYTHING else is JUNK.

 

[dacat]

The Eagle and Ramline plastic mags will break in time. PMI and Promag are two good choices in mags.

 

[benEzra]

And trashed the PMI---which most Mini owners consider the best after Ruger factory.

I've tried two or three and have yet to find one that will feed the first round.

Both my Ram-Lines worked flawlessly from the get-go, and the oldest is now 16 years old and probably has 2000 rounds through it.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

I've tried two or three and have yet to find one that will feed the first round.

Both my Ram-Lines worked flawlessly from the get-go, and the oldest is now 16 years old and probably has 2000 rounds through it.

Not doubting you, but my experience with PMIs has been 100% positive. I have 4 30 rounders and 5 20s, and they all work great in my 181-series gun.

 

[benEzra]

Are you sure PMI is the same outfit? The fit and finish on the ones I have are CRAP, and the mag catch is stamped on one and spot-welded on the other. Given that PMI mags generally get good reviews here, I wonder if the ones I have are another brand with a similar name? Could have also been "Pro Mag" or somesuch, but I know it started with a "P". Came in a clear plastic wrapper with an opaque front, black lettering, and a picture of a black bullseye, IIRC. Wish I still had the label.

 

[TangSafetyM77]

Pacific Northwest Mini Guru

The Mike referred to above is Mr. Mike Knifong. He is a good guy and a friend of mine.
[email protected]

We met when he turned my mini into a shooter with the trigger job, hider, bedding and reduced size gas port bushing. He is the guy for mini's.

 

[adaman04]

Promag are great mags for the money. Natchez has them for 15 bucks for 20 rounders and a little more for 30 and 40 rounders. You can get factory 20's for about 35 bucks if you look hard enough.

I like to let the barrel cool after every magazine. You will hear different opinions, but that is just me. I shoot a mag, reload, wait a few mins and shoot the next mag. Rebarreling is quite expensive, and I might recommend getting your gun cryo treated, which is freezing the shiz out of it, to tighten the molecules of the steel, therefore making the barrel stiffer, and it helps it not heat up so fast a little as well.

Shortening the barrel, stiffens it and reduces barrel whip. A muzzle brake dampens barrel vibration which can also help shrink groups a little. If you are considering a barrel chop, you can get a great price from www.greatwestgunsmithing.com. The man's name is John Baker and I can personally vouch for his great service and respect for the customer, not to mention his great prices. He also does great trigger jobs as well. He has done work for me in the past and he will also do some for me in the future. The package deals he offers are great. It can turn your Mini in to a totally new gun. At first I was skeptical about sending my gun to another state to have work done, but that's what USPS has insurance for. Okay, I'm babbling now. Take a look at the site and feel free to ask any questions you may have, just PM me.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Progmag aka PMI are great mags for the money. Natchez has them for 15 bucks for 20 rounders and a little more for 30 and 40 rounders. You can get factory 20's for about 35 bucks if you look hard enough.

Pro Mags are not the same as PMI! PMI is short for Precision Mag Industries, IIRC. As a matter of fact, PMI went out of business around the time the AWB went into effect, or shortly thereafter.

Are you sure PMI is the same outfit? The fit and finish on the ones I have are CRAP, and the mag catch is stamped on one and spot-welded on the other. Given that PMI mags generally get good reviews here, I wonder if the ones I have are another brand with a similar name? Could have also been "Pro Mag" or somesuch, but I know it started with a "P". Came in a clear plastic wrapper with an opaque front, black lettering, and a picture of a black bullseye, IIRC. Wish I still had the label.

That might be Pro Mag. My PMIs came in a plastic sleeve that was gray on the front and clear in the back. I can't remember if there was a bullseye on the wrapper. My PMI 20s are marked as such on the floorplate, while the 30s are unmarked. All came in the original wrapper, so I know they're PMIs.

These guys have Ruger factory 20s in stock for $34 each. I haven't bought from them myself, FWIW.

 

[chopinbloc]

mini-14s aren't all that accurate and some mags work and some don't. way i see it one should just experiment with the mags 'til you find ones that work. i love my mini and it's great fun but if i needed a rifle for serious work it would be the m1a or one of the ars.

 

[adaman04]

I apologize for the brain fart Dave, and thank you for the correction. I have been around Mini's good while now and need someone to slap me awake every now and again.

I have the Promag 10 rounders and if I want a mag that will function 100% and need the extra capacity, that's where I go.