What variable to change next, or is this about right considering the equipment?

[au_prospector]

I have a 182 series Mini 14 made in early 1980's and it is fun to shoot. Ruger tells me it is a 1-10 rate of rifle twist. It has the original factory peep sight. If you have this Mini 14 series then you know the rear sight is not fixed in place. It moves just a little if you grab ahold and jiggle it. In other words my Mini 14 is not made for precision shooting.

I started reloading .223 for it and used powder on hand which is 3031.
I used NO CRIMP and my load below is published from Lyman 49

Xtreme .224 55 grain metal jacket boat tail with exposed lead at the base.
I loaded up 25 with 23.0 grains IMR 3031 and 25 with 23.5 grains IMR 3031
Each load was done by hand on a balance scale.
Standard SRP from CCI number 400.
Mixed cases trimmed to 1.74 inches deburred.
OAL from 2.221 to about 2.224 inches

I shot them and this is what I ended up with...
23.0 grains at 50 yards gives a 3.5 inch group with a concentration of shots landing within 2.5 inches. This group is slanted like this '/'

23.5 grains at 50 yards gives a 3.5 inch group with shots peppered fairly evenly in a circle.

My eyes are almost 50 years old but I have decided to try a couple variables. First, I went to Cabelas looking for Varget and I came home with X-Terminator. I am considering a different bullet, but I dont know. . .

Can you think of anything or is this about as good as it gets with the Mini 14?

 

[243winxb]

Bullets make a difference. You should be shooting 3" @ 100 yds. The 55 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip is a good one for me.

 

[Load Master]

What is the twist rate on your barrel?

 

[TimSr]

Bullets make a HUGE difference.

My greatest problem with 54 year old eyes is that when shooting at a 3" circle at 50 years with open sights, I am aiming for the circle rather than the center of the circle, so I really have to use a scope to know what the rifle is really capable of.

 

[kcofohio]

What is the twist rate on your barrel?

OP states a 1:10 twist rate.

 

[Nicky Santoro]

The Mini I had was 1:7 twist so the 1:10 might get different results. It did best with 50 gr Fed AE JHPs. What really helped was disassembling the trigger group and LIGHTLY polish any relevant contact surface. That didn't lighten the pull, but smoothed it significantly. Be careful if you do this as it is easy to overdo it.
Supposedly, some of the Mini accuracy issues in the older models had to do with how the barrels were made. If that is the case there isn't much to be done about it.

 

[Wildfire]

1 in 7 or 1 in 9

Ruger Mini's with serial numbers starting with 186 were made from 1991 to 1997.
All Mini's up 1997 had 1-7" twist. In 97 they made both 1-7 and 1-9" barrels.
Both should toss 55 grain bullets OK. If it is a late model and has a 1-9 it may want a slightly lighter bullet. But, I must assume it would be fine with 55s as my 1-14" barrels toss 55s perfect. They will not throw a heavier bullet at all.
No crimp could be an issue depending on how it is feeding. It could be pushing bullets back in the case and messing with you some. Maybe fire a round and then pull one out to see how much if at all the bullet that was pushed in was moved.
If they are in may be that you would need some crimp to keep them where they should be.
From 1998 to 2004 all Mini's had 1-7" twist.
And as it was already said, some .223s can be bullet fussy.
Powder likely makes less of an issue than the bullets.
Keeping the bullets in place can be an issue.

 

[Wildfire]

OOOOppps

Well, I blew a big hole in that.
I looked up a 186.
Your 182 was made in 1981 and has a 1-10" twist.
It should still push a 55 gr, just fine.

 

[ants]

Hi buddy. No guesswork here. I'm in the same boat as you.

My Mini is one of the first in stainless steel but before I got it
someone changed the stock to an inexpensive black plastic.
So that's what I own and I like shooting it at targets on the mountain side.
3.5" at 100 yards with ordinary 55 fmj and wobbly rear sight is just what these guns shoot.

I got a B Square ugly but functional scope mount and the groups are better
(about 3" and usually better) but not winning a national championship.

The way I see it: These guns are not going to win Olympic gold medal but they are
quite serviceable as wannabe 5.56mm versions of a someone's idea of a 'Mini 14' rifle.
Never ever going to win the National Championship but absolutely devastating on a mountain side.
We can hit the mountain side every time! Woo Hoo !!! That's what the gun was made to do in 1986.
Unless you change the barrel for an ultra-match-grade, you can shoot 3" every day.
Get happy with it and you'll be a happy shooter.

 

[au_prospector]

I have no illusion of making this a match rifle. It is purely a fun plinker. I am hoping for a combo that will give 2 inches or better at 50 yards because it is a lot of fun when you consistently hit cans and reactive targets pulling the trigger at 50-75 yards. Will try a different bullet. Looks like Hornaday makes some in the $10/100 range so I will try those next. Also hoping X-Terminator is a better powder for me than 3031. Thank you for all the replies!

 

[Rule3]

Perhaps get the rear sight changed,fixed,replaced whatever so it doesn't move.

I can not imagine a rear sight moving is conducive to accuracy.

 

[savagemann]

If you have a little wiggle room in the load data, you may wanna slightly up the charge with 3031.
My buddy loads some great shooting rounds with it and 55gr bullets.
DOn't hold me to it, but I believe his load was in the mid 24gr range.

Also, find the smallest sized target you can comfortably see at 50 yards to do your testing.
Aim small, miss small. It really does work.
I use a 3" dot at 50yds and 6" dot at 100yds.
If I shoot a 6" dot at 50, my groups open up every time.