MIni-14 owners--any opinions on this?

[wearemisled]

This is the "tube of lipstick" for you pig, aka Mini 14.

So I am going to assume that you own an AR right? Is it pre-ban? If not I hope that you have fun with the fixed 10 round mag. I will have fun with the 10+ 40 round mags for my Mini.

[g17owner]

I can honestly say my mini 14 195 series ranch model is more accurate than my MAK-90. I can hit old gas BBQ propane tanks at my local 'range' while standing out to 200yds pretty consistantly. Like 7/10 times. If its at 100yds then its everytime. They get pretty hard to see when they get that far away!! I dont know if i just got a good one or what but Its all stock with a ramline FH and promag 20 rounders. I use factory remington 55grn green box MC ammo. I just put 640 rounds through it in the past 3 weekends and didnt have one stoppage. I really cant complain about it one bit.

[SAN_ Shooter]

I have an old, 1976-vintage, Mini-14. After three decades of gross inaccuracy, I finally installed a heavy 'muzzle-brake' on this SBR(spaghetti-barrelled-rifle). Actually advertised as, "The world's most expensive plinker...", I can finally hit targets beyond 100 meters. The total cost was something like 60 bucks. With the proper reloads, I now wish I'd kept that old B-Square scope mount.

Verify the twist of your barrel, add some weight to the muzzle and go for it.
Have fun and be safe, Miguel

[LAK Supply]

I would think playing with barrel length would yield better results (to determine proper harmonics). Having something clamped to the barrel (at the right spot) can work, but wouldn't it just be easier to buy a better barrel?

Rich

Playing with the barrel length does help, and it is because of harmonics. The original Mini design was for the AC-556 with a 13" barrel... when they used the longer barrel on the same platform it threw the harmonics off.

CRTGuns (on the board here) has cut down quite a few of the Mini 14's to 556 length.... the accuracy does improve and the brass doesn't end up across the range.

That said, I own a Mini that I can shoot 1.75" with, and I'm not a great shot. It's a 182 series that I picked up from a guy in Ohio.... it's in perfect condition. He said he had shot 1.5" with it and I thought he was full of it.... I've never seen a Mini that does that kind of group. I bought it and shot it and the sucker was actually telling me the truth. Usually a Mini can be expected to shoot 3-4", but this one is an anomaly. I've owned a couple of other ones and shot quite a few more and none of them did anything close to what this one does. I will not trade off or sell this one as I have with the others, nor will I cut it down.

I'm going to pick up another one here in the future sometime and have it cut down and add a folding/pistol grip stock.... maybe a 556 stock if I can find one at a reasonable price. It's going to be my little blaster.... they're fun little guns and they'll sit proudly in the safe next to the AR's and other rifles.

[SI-guru]

I took the expensive route and went to Accuracy System. Shorten (16.5") and beefed up the barrel and changed the twist to 1:7 (aka Recce style).



Results are very good with 69gr SMK HPBT. The twist makes a difference.