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Posted: 2/23/2023 7:47:02 AM EDT
| Which is more accurate out of the box, the Mini 14 or 30? |
Give ‘me Hell Virginia Boys
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Originally Posted By Bhart89: I was afraid this was going to be the answer. It’s a shame because the design is pretty cool. Who wouldn’t want a 5.56 M1A? Why can’t they market it was accurate as the M1A? They can be but most people don’t even shoot good ammo through them. They are made to be ranch guns and they work fine for that. M1A’s aren’t as accurate as AR’s. They took a ton of work including bedding which very few people are willing to do on a mini. |
BikerNut:
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles.
People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird.
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles.
People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird.
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Originally Posted By Bhart89: I was afraid this was going to be the answer. It’s a shame because the design is pretty cool. Who wouldn’t want a 5.56 M1A? Why can’t they make it as accurate as the M1A? Both of these skinny Mini 14s shoot as well as my rack grade M1A, about 1.5 MOA 5 shot groups. Getting them there took the addition of an AccuStrut, a .045” gas port bushing, a Choate Browning style flash hider (the A1 style works as well), and a better rear sight (Tech Sights).   |
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The newer Mini-14s have the thicker profile barrel that the Mini-30 always had. Both are adequate, but neither is a "sniper" rifle and they were not designed to be such. With some inexpensive user-done tweaks, both the newer Minis can be improved to "good" level of accuracy. Starting with good ammo, suitable for your particular barrel and its' Rate-of-Twist is a very good starting point, but each Mini is a little different so do experiment and take careful notes. The older Mini-14s had a thinner "Pencil-Barrel" and a Dual-Clamp AccuStrut is pretty much a necessity. Same user-made tweaks to them apply. My highly tweaked Mini-14, using very good ammo, reliably shoots about 1.5 MOA, sometimes a little better on a good day. It still has its' original "Pencil-Barrel". There are "other" Forums where experienced users of the Minis post. All the "experienced" users have made nearly identical "tweaks" to their Minis, and to very good effect. It is common to see a poster ask questions about their Mini, apply a few tweaks, and when using good quality ammo, shrink their original groups significantly. |
Promoted to Member by Ed, Sr.
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Originally Posted By raf: The newer Mini-14s have the thicker profile barrel that the Mini-30 always had. Both are adequate, but neither is a "sniper" rifle and they were not designed to be such. With some inexpensive user-done tweaks, both the newer Minis can be improved to "good" level of accuracy. Starting with good ammo, suitable for your particular barrel and its' Rate-of-Twist is a very good starting point, but each Mini is a little different so do experiment and take careful notes. The older Mini-14s had a thinner "Pencil-Barrel" and a Dual-Clamp AccuStrut is pretty much a necessity. Same user-made tweaks to them apply. My highly tweaked Mini-14, using very good ammo, reliably shoots about 1.5 MOA, sometimes a little better on a good day. It still has its' original "Pencil-Barrel". There are "other" Forums where experienced users of the Minis post. All the "experienced" users have made nearly identical "tweaks" to their Minis, and to very good effect. It is common to see a poster ask questions about their Mini, apply a few tweaks, and when using good quality ammo, shrink their original groups significantly. We’ve probably disagree about this before, but I’ve found the single clamp AccuStrut to work just fine, with the same 1.5 MOA accuracy you cite with what are most likely the same additional tweaks. I’m not convinced the 2 clamp strut is any more effective in combination with a bit more weight at the muzzle, a smaller gas port bushing, and better sights. — This site does a good job covering the rifling twist rate changes and dates. I agree some of the accuracy issues Mini 14 owners have is related to not knowing or understanding the different twist rates used and the impact on accuracy with different ammunition weights/lengths and bullet quality. http://sunflowerammo.blogspot.com/2012/11/ruger-mini-1430-barrel-twist-rates.html |
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Originally Posted By DakotaFAL: We've probably disagree about this before, but I've found the single clamp AccuStrut to work just fine, with the same 1.5 MOA accuracy you cite with what are most likely the same additional tweaks. I'm not convinced the 2 clamp strut is any more effective in combination with a bit more weight at the muzzle, a smaller gas port bushing, and better sights. This site does a good job covering the rifling twist rate changes and dates. I agree some of the accuracy issues Mini 14 owners have is related to not knowing or understanding the different twist rates used and the impact on accuracy with different ammunition weights/lengths and bullet quality. http://sunflowerammo.blogspot.com/2012/11/ruger-mini-1430-barrel-twist-rates.html Don't want to de-rail this thread. I suggest folks go to Accu Strut site and carefully read what the mfr has to say about relative effectiveness of both devices. Not me making statements, but the manufacturer. |
Promoted to Member by Ed, Sr.
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Originally Posted By cb4017: I voted Mini 14. Mostly based on availability of match grade ammo. I'm not aware of any for 7.62x39. Their Mini-30 rifles have been "tweaked" so that such experienced users can tell the difference. Many Mini-30 users who handload their ammo report very decent results, but that is a different subject. Personal experiences with handloading "Generic" Mil equivalent ammo for my 5.56 and .30 cal rifles shows that the more care taken in making the ammo, the more accurate the ammo. This is to say, simply taking great care in reloading 5.56. 7.62 NATO, and .30 cal ammo, and not "tailoring" such ammo to a particular rifle; just carefully made and using Mil-spec bullets and Mil-spec bullet velocities. Most "acceptable" USGI Mil-spec ammo is about 2MOA. Decades old surplus ammo is likely to be of degraded quality. My carefully made handloads, again being "Generic" and not at all "Tailored" to any specific firearm, are very accurate out of all my firearms. I'm certainly no genius, and anyone can replicate my ammo. Most of it is in case prep, and then dropping uniform powder charges, and then using decent bullets. Regret thread digression, but if I can learn to make 1MOA ammo, so can you. |
Promoted to Member by Ed, Sr.
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Originally Posted By Sajer: My mini 30 from the late 90's was minute of pie plate. Condemning an entire firearm platform on one example might be going too far, and no personal offense intended. FWIW, there is an ongoing "reclamation" of Minis by expert users who find Minis which have been discarded and re-sold for various reasons, most of them being trivial. Most of such "re-claimed" Minis work very well with a little TLC. Former owners often having discarded their Minis for bad and inaccurate ammo, bad magazines, and other easily correctible issues. New owners, being aware of easily corrected issues have had very good results with same firearms. |
Promoted to Member by Ed, Sr.
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Originally Posted By emccracken: I think it's like asking who's more attractive, Rosie O'Donnell or Lori Lightfoot? No offense to Ruger Mini owners/lovers, of course.  |
Promoted to Member by Ed, Sr.
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Originally Posted By raf: Interesting analogy. I the same vein, allow me to add that with a little bit of user-made "preparation" either alternative might be the best thing "some" users have ever experienced. Originally Posted By raf: Originally Posted By emccracken: I think it's like asking who's more attractive, Rosie O'Donnell or Lori Lightfoot? No offense to Ruger Mini owners/lovers, of course. 
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Originally Posted By 3-gun: What is the bore size on the mini 30? 308 or 310? Another response, apparently from Ruger said this: "Response: The first production Mini-30 had a bore size of .308-.309, after several years of production; the .310-.311 bore size was manufactured in 1990 on the Mini-30. With factory ammunition, it is ok to shoot the .310-.311 ammunition through the first production .308-.309 bores. Your gun has a bore size of .310-.311." This was from On-Line Ruger Customer Support Request Form, and apparently the person posing the question supplied Ruger with his rifle's series number and serial number. Assuming the above quote to be factual, I have never heard of any problems encountered in shooting common 7.62x39 ammo in a Mini-30 with a .308 bore. Then again, I don't hear everything. Shooting a (.308) 7.62x39 ctg in a .310-.311 bore might have less than desirable accuracy. Mini-14/Mini-30 Series/ Rate-of-Twist/Manufacture Date chart: https://www.rugerforum.net/threads/ruger-mini-14-30-manufacture-date-and-twist-rate-update.134773/ |
Promoted to Member by Ed, Sr.
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