Howdy,

Generally looking for info on cutting the barrel down on my tapered barreled mini-14. It's the stock 18.5in right now, I was thinking of going as far as 14.5ish and pinned and welded, only problem would be front sight and someone to do the work.

Any thoughts or advice would be great. Thanks!

My google foo has turned up little, and not to many pictures

Not an uncommon mod for Mini fans. Some even do it them selves.

here is the forum to check for mini14 Tech

https://www.perfectunion.com/vb/ruger-mini-14-mini-30/213974-shortening-18-barrel-relocating-factory-sight.html

https://www.perfectunion.com/vb/ruger-mini-14-mini-30/208282-shorter-better.html

I did mine and added a homemade brace. Doubt I can find pictures as it was several years ago. I'll try to remember to take some tomorrow. Don't know of anyone doing it but any decent gunsmith should be able to.

Quick picture.

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There is an old thread from a few years back where it was described to cut/crown and then using a thread alignment tool one can typically re-thread 9/16-24 Ruger threads without turning the barrel down - depends on the barrel diameter.  If your going for a short look without precision for a sound suppressor - that may work - you need to permanently attach muzzle device to get the legal OAL.

OP has not stated his Series of Ruger Mini rifle--usually the first 3 digits will suffice.

Without knowing such, expert advice is difficult.  Cutting any Mini barrel is irreversible, and NOT always advised.  Cutting the barrel on any rifle reduces the velocity of the projectile, and must be carefully considered.  Cutting the barrel of Minis used be considered useful, but that was before aftermarket barrel struts became available.  Don't know of many savvy Mini-14 users, nowadays, who advocate cutting the OEM barrel.  Most advocate adding a Barrel Strut, and I concur, FWIW.

Assuming an undamaged muzzle, there are Dual-Clamp Accu-Strut devices available for all barrel configurations, such being FAR more useful with earlier "Pencil-barrel" rifles. Single-Clamp devices being not at all as effective as Dual-Clamp Struts, as per mfr.  If the muzzle is damaged, then fix that problem first.  In rare cases, the barrel might have to be shortened.  Most often, a simple re-crown or perhaps a counterbore will work.

FWIW, I have an OEM Pencil-barrel 186-series Mini-14, with Dual-Clamp Accu-Strut, and some other mods, that will do 2 MOA all day long, with decent ammo.

Don't believe folks that say even Pencil-Barrel minis are inherently inaccurate.

John Thomas can do the work.

I asked him a few months back & unfortunately he is too busy right now.

In for mini 14 SBR Pics

Here is the closest I came to an SBR; Mini14 Factory  Folder with the barrel cut down to around 14-14.5" with an AC556 Flash Hider pinned/welded to make it 16+" & AC556 gas block/Front sight. Work was done by an ARFCOM classic, Kurts Kustom Firearms, Kurt was a great guy who did great work, may he rest in peace.
I had to sell her to get her to a free state after the SAFE Act happened.
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Here is the closest I came to an SBR; Mini14 Factory  Folder with the barrel cut down to around 14-14.5" with an AC556 Flash Hider pinned/welded to make it 16+" & AC556 gas block/Front sight. Work was done by an ARFCOM classic, Kurts Kustom Firearms, Kurt was a great guy who did great work, may he rest in peace.
I had to sell her to get her to a free state after the SAFE Act happened.
Attached File

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Meaning no offense to above poster, but modern technique varies with previous practices. Time marches on, and we have more alternatives open to us nowadays than in times past.

With the advent of dual-strut barrel stabilizers, there is seldom a need to cut-down pencil barrel minis.  Even if the muzzle rifling is damaged, a simple re-crown or a counterbore will restore accuracy.  Retaining the OEM barrel length allows greater bullet velocity as opposed to cutting the barrel. This greater bullet velocity allows for greater effective range, all things being equal.

Adding a short, Choate muzzle device (A2-style flash suppressor) adds some desirable mass at the end of the barrel, and gives a much better sight picture.  Better sight radius (and better accuracy) than any front sight mounted at a location other than the muzzle.

Adding an "X-Drill" dual clamp barrel strut adds much-needed stability to the pencil barrel, with a minimum of mass/weight.  Quite effective.

Opinions will vary, as do personal tastes.

No offense to you but short barrels look cool + Handle great +   those strut things look like crap! + why would you want to add all th as t weight to a Mini 14, its supposed to be a lightweight, great handling ranch rifle in the tradition of the M1 carbine.
And If you want a gun that looks like an M1A buy an M1A!
The 1st thing I plan on doing when I retire shortly & move out of this communist shithole is build a nice 13" SBR from a stainless mini, factory folder, flash hider, gas block front sight. I've been sitting on the parts for a while now & can't wait!!!

Your rifle, your money.  Best wishes on your retirement and relocation!

When the time is ripe, suggest you go to https://www.perfectunion.com/vb/ruger-mini-14-mini-30/ for tips on how to set up your Mini.

Thanks for all the info. I'm thinking the 14.5ish with pinned comp/FH is the way to go. Looks pretty good in the pics.

I have a 583 and I'm not trying to make any smaller groups. Looking to have a short handy wood stocked rifle that doesn't draw attention while I'm working in the back-yard in the super not friendly gun state/city I happen to be stationed in.

If 2.5in less barrel means it's 2.5in less barrel handyer than it's worth it, depending on the cost. Just looking for some info.

My other thoughts would be trying to turn up a used 583 "NRA" model 16in barrel.

Thanks for the help.

The question is not just the "handyness" of your rifle, but its' effective range.  Some Mini-14s have an effective 16" bbl.  Others have an 18" bbl.

All other things being equal, the shorter barrel reduces bullet velocity, and thus effective range.  Physics.  Science.

Used to be common to cut Mini-14 barrels to improve accuracy. and it worked, at the sacrifice of bullet velocity, and effective range of the rifle.

Modern technique is retaining OEM barrel length, and adding a dual-clamp Accu-Strut  to the barrel.

My Pencil barrel Mini-14 does 2 MOA all day long, with tight-fitting syn stock, an Accu-Strut, and decent ammo.  BTDT.

raf, calling it "modern" doesn't make it anything but your preferred technique.  The Accu-Strut has been one of the best aftermarket improvements to the Mini - but it doesn't make it any shorter.  And shortening the Mini isn't giving up much effective range - there are a handful of folks on the AR side running 18" bbls, but most have 16" and the 14.5" is far more popular than 18".

Besides, this is ARFCOM - get both.  Chop AND get the Accu-Strut.

Here is an old thread of how I did a DIY cut down.
https://www.ar15.com/forums/armory/Mini-14-SBR-Project-Somewhat-Retro/52-492241/

Mine is surprisingly decently accurate if shot carefully from rest (why do that with this gun?- I use better choices for that)  I was able to do proper facing, crowning with brownells tools and perhaps cutting it short reduced the whip of the pencil barrel.  In reality I don't use it for shooting woodchucks and small targets anyways. The open sights, wide front short radius I have on it just are not conducive to precision.

I need to take a group at the range next time I go and take a picture.

cherenkov

Thanks for that. Pretty good looking rifle and close to what I'm looking for.

Everybody has their preferences.  My preference is to keep my Mini's barrel at original length, in order to maintain (not reduce) bullet velocity and effective range.  What others choose to do is their business.

It is quite possible to have a 16" taper mini with Accu strut, as noted.  Also as RAF noted, it's quite possible to tune it to shoot quite accurately.  I wanted a shorter 16" barrel with no muzzle device to reduce OAL, and I have the Ultimak and accu strut for capability and looks, respectively.  While I can't testify to any accuracy increase by the additional parts (all work done before I shot it), for me it shoots as well as my 18" (2-3 MOA offhand, about as good as I can manage with most iron sighted rifles), and is much more handy.  YMMV.

RAF's advice comes from a different perspective than my own, but doesn't mean its any less valuable.  I have done a lot of stuff to my Mini's because I wanted to, while RAF has done much more to accurate his rifles than I would do (and is a wealth of knowledge for how to do so more efficiently than any of my bolt-on additions).

Just for info.,  I ran the average vel. for .223 from a 18 and 16 in. bbl. on the "Bullet By The Inch" website.Their difference was 80fps loss going down by 2 in.. A shooter
is going to have to weigh the slight vel. loss against handiness in a weapon meant for close/ mid-range distance. I'm not sure if 80fps. (or the slight accuracy loss) would be
noticed by the target within that range.

I just re-read relevant section of "Boston's Gun Bible" by Boston T. Party, pgs 9/5-9/7.  I also looked at the site you mentioned.

To paraphrase BTP, the 55 gn 5.56 military bullet relies on its' construction, and on its' velocity, to create a wide wound channel, usually by bullet fragmentation at the cannelure.  Below 2800 fps, the bullet will not reliably fragment.  Above that velocity, it usually will.  Given that 2800 fps velocity, the 16" barrel will provide such out to about 75 yds, and the 20" barrel within about 150 yds (with military ctgs).  Below such critical velocity (Or, conversely, above the stated ranges), the bullets will not reliably fragment, and will simply drill 5.56 holes in the soft tissue of the target.  Understood that the bullet hitting a bone will change things, but hitting a bone cannot be counted-on.

If one wishes to make their firearm more "handy" (and this is usually a Good Thing), then there other ways to go about it besides cutting the barrel, such as installing a decent folding stock and/or  changing firearm's  center of gravity/balance so the muzzle is a little "light".  Timothy J Mullin's book "Testing the War Weapons" has sections which discuss the benefits of "handy' rifles.

So, with that said, my disinclination for cutting 2.23/5.56 barrels is explained, I hope. But that's just me. You all do as you see fit.

Thanks for the help Raf. As stated in the opening I have a desire, both legally and for less questions, to maintain the full size stock length. Only option I have is to shorten the barrel to make more "handy." I'm also not concerned with velocity loss in the 18.5-14.5 length. I'm fully aware of the fragmentation requirements of the 5.56mm round and dependency on velocity.

Thanks for the help.

Understood. Owners of firearms with hollow, syn stocks can often remove the butt plate, and store some emergency cleaning/maintenance/ammo supplies in the hollow buttstock, thus shifting the balance point of their rifle a bit rearwards, and making the muzzle a bit "lighter".  Utility of such emergency supplies speaks for itself.  This is an old trick.

Users of wooden-stocked rifles can carefully drill holes on the rear of their wooden stocks, insert appropriate supplies, and shift balance point of rifle.  This is also an old trick  1903 Springfield, M1, and M1A/M-14 rifle stocks are equipped for this.

Just saying you have options. All the best!

I can tell you this, not all Minis will accept the barrel struts.
The lower gas block half on a taper barrel factory folder is
one of these. I have plans to sent my action to Accuracy Inc
to have the barrel cut, threaded and a Ruger device pinned

Replacing the gas block on a Ruger Factory folder is a reversible mod, as is adding an Accustrut afterwards.  Cutting the barrel is not so easily reversible.  If I owned an original, legit Ruger Mini rifle with original Ruger side-folding stock, I wouldn't make any irreversible changes to it.  YMMV.

But, your rifle, your call.  All the best to you.

Yes,
Completely aware of all that. Do you READ what you post?
I was a moderator on PerfectUnion for years, I know a thing or two about the Mini
Rifle won’t be sold, so value is of no significance