Mini 14 Questions

Posted: 10/13/2004 7:41:52 PM EDT

I just bought a mini 14 juss for a plinking rifle to shoot cans and bowling pins. $400 with dros and tax

1.Is CLP ok to use to clean and lubricate?

2.What ammo do u guys use for ur mini?

3.On a stock mini 14 how far can u shoot a soda can at? I know its not really accurate just wanna know the potential,if any

Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Posted: 10/13/2004 7:43:50 PM EDT

[#1]

My experience was a mini thirty, but CLP is fine, and the chamber is 5.56. I would run XM193.

Posted: 10/14/2004 12:05:17 AM EDT

[#2]

CLP is fine, mine mini's eat any ammo I've come across though depending on the twist rate, which I can't recall, certain bullet weights will be better than others of course.

Ruger maintains 8MOA (8" at 100 yards roughly) is acceptable. If yours does 4MOA, you got a good one. If it does better than 4MOA you got damn lucky. It's pie plate accuracy at 100 yards.

Posted: 10/14/2004 2:53:57 AM EDT

[#3]

Cool thnx fellas.

Gotta go get alot of ammo now for a camping/plinking trip.

Posted: 10/14/2004 4:18:39 AM EDT

[#4]

I have little doubt that the mini's have a hell of alot of variation between guns depending on when you bought it and what model.

Mine is an older model and a nail driver shooting a sub 2" MOA. It has fed everything I could put into it with no issues and has not been mag sensative at all even with cheap mags.

Model 180 in background with flash suppressor and lighted recticle scope.
Saiga 7.62X39 in front with POP 24 lighted recticle scope with bullet drop compensator.

I've found my mini to be a lot more forgiving than my AR platforms in many respects especially cleaning, ammo selection, and mag selection, however definately give the edge to the AR for acruacy.

Tj

Posted: 10/14/2004 7:35:18 AM EDT

[#5]

Minis are very reliable out of the box. Expect to hit soda cans reliably at 50 yards and hit or miss at 100. Though some will do much better than that. I lube with grease on the bolt lugs/races, hammer face and op rod bolt hole.

Posted: 10/14/2004 9:01:07 AM EDT

[#6]

Refer to your owner's manual for lubrication points and suggested lubricants. If you don't have one, write away to Ruger for a free one. Personally, I use a light synthetic grease on most surfaces, and CLP on a couple of others.
My Mini will shoot about 1.5-2.0 MOA, but it has been tweaked slightly.
Go here:www.perfectunion.com/forums/index.php?s=dec48199ad9ccf8f2312388598953cb2&showforum=8 for any Mini info you need.

Posted: 10/14/2004 10:20:48 AM EDT

[#7]

CLP is good, Hoppe's #9 is better for cleaning. Don't forget to clean the little gas port under the forend clamp.

Wolf ammo shoots good but is really dirty. Ultramax is almost as cheep, shoots good and is pretty clean.

With a scope you shold be able to hit a can 3/4 of the time at 100. With open sights 50 yards is about it. There are a lot of aftermarket sights that can improve your open sight performance.

Nice utility guns.

Posted: 10/14/2004 11:28:58 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
I just bought a mini 14 juss for a plinking rifle to shoot cans and bowling pins. $400 with dros and tax

1.Is CLP ok to use to clean and lubricate? yes

2.What ammo do u guys use for ur mini? Q3131A

3.On a stock mini 14 how far can u shoot a soda can at? I know its not really accurate just wanna know the potential,if any agree with what's been said

Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
spend a couple bucks and stick a FH or muzzle brake on the end of the barrel--this can cut groups in half. bedding the action will tighten groups too. the mini can be made a lot more accurate for pretty cheap.

Posted: 10/14/2004 6:37:52 PM EDT

[#9]

Adding a tight fitting stock, such as Choate or Butler Creek folders, or the Choate E2 Pistol Grip stock will cut your group size. My two Mini's, with scopes and Choate stocks shoot 1.5" groups.

I have a Tasco 4x40 on one, and a Simmons 3-9x40 on the other. These are not great scopes, but the addition of a scope (these two are Ranch Rifles) are a great improvement over the irons of the regular Minis (I traded these off for the Ranch Rifles I have now).

If you want to expect any scope life at all, use an aftermarket buffer, such as the Buffer Technologies buffer.

Breakfree CLP is what I use, too.

My Minis like all the various 55 gr FMJ stuff, UMC/Remington, Federal American Eagle, Winchester Q3131A, Black Hills, Lake City, South African "battle pack", plus M855 from IMI and others.

You can get PMI mags from www.deltaforce.com PMI mags run with 100% reliability in my Mini. Most of mine are 30's, but I have one PMI 40, and it runs as well as the 30's.

Posted: 10/14/2004 7:01:50 PM EDT

[#10]

Ok fellas i just bought some Federal XM193 lot 58 and they look all old!

Are these still safe?

Posted: 10/14/2004 7:08:08 PM EDT

[#11]

That's the way it is. Since Federal preps the cases like they do for the military (read: just loaded and sealed, not tumbled to make it shiny), it always looks like that. Rest easy, cause its some of the better ammo available.

Posted: 10/14/2004 7:08:19 PM EDT

[#12]

From what I can tell by the picture, they just look like the necks have been annealed - fairly common, and a GOOD thing...

- georgestrings

Posted: 10/14/2004 9:11:38 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
From what I can tell by the picture, they just look like the necks have been annealed - fairly common, and a GOOD thing...

- georgestrings

Would u explain? Plz

Posted: 10/14/2004 9:16:02 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
Refer to your owner's manual for lubrication points and suggested lubricants. If you don't have one, write away to Ruger for a free one. Personally, I use a light synthetic grease on most surfaces, and CLP on a couple of others.
My Mini will shoot about 1.5-2.0 MOA, but it has been tweaked slightly.
Go here:www.perfectunion.com/forums/index.php?s=dec48199ad9ccf8f2312388598953cb2&showforum=8 for any Mini info you need.

Thnx for the link

Posted: 10/14/2004 9:24:14 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
Ok fellas i just bought some Federal XM193 lot 58 and they look all old!

Are these still safe?

photos.ar15.com/WS_Content/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?sAccountUnq=26482&iGalleryUnq=1439&iImageUnq=31074

Lot 58 is pretty fresh, from earlier this year......................If you dont want it I'll take it off your hands and pay the postage too

Posted: 10/15/2004 3:48:26 PM EDT

[#16]

I don't like to take my MINI-14 apart if it's shooting good. So I just take off the upper handguard and swab the gas piston with No.9 on a Q tip. If you oil the gas system, it will tend to foul up and you may get the dreaded "sticky piston".

I've been shooting MINI's for almost 30 years and have found that they need to fit tight when you clamp up the trigger guard. Shims, bedding, whatever you have to do.

You will ruin the barrel cleaning from the muzzle. Pull-throughs only.

Regards,
Mild Bill

PS Last year my old MINI went to Ruger for a new barrel. 160 dollars and I got a new barrel, new gas block, new piston, new operating rod and new bolt. They refinished the whole rifle with a military type oil absorbent finish. Shoots real good but likes 60 gr. "V" MAX. so no more WIN 55 FMJ.

Posted: 10/15/2004 11:39:56 PM EDT

[#17]

The neck discoloration is from annealing. They quite are heated with torch flame, and the heat relieves the stresses of working the brass at the neck and shoulder, which has been made brittle by being "work hardened".

Most commercial ammo, that discoloration is polished away, but this is cosmetic only, and an extra step not taken in making this (and a lot of other military grade ammo). It is not made to look pretty, it is made to kill the enemy.