mini 14/30
mini 14/30. are the mini 14s and 30s accurate? and if so were could i buy a folding stock for it?
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The Ruger Minis are pretty accurate for low budget
plinkers or short range hunting(150 yds or so).
Of course, they aren't as accurate as bolt actions
and not as inherantly accurate as the AR-15 action
but at close to half the price it really depends on
if you need X-ring accuracy outside 150-200 yds.
Now to make a little confusion... there are after market
barrels and precision parts to build up a Mini-14
into a tack driver that in the long run wouldn't put
you outside the budget of most of the "match" ARs.0 -
I have a mini 14 GB model (183 or 184 series) with b-square scope mount and a tasco 3 x 12 x40 scope on it. I have taken deer, coyotes, ground hogs, and even dogs that were into livestock at 250+ yards. While I will agree that they are not as accurate as a bolt action, I will disagree as to being not as accurate as an Ar 15. I would not hesitate for one minite to shoot at a varmit with it at 300+ yards. As to the mini 30 I do not know much about them but I do have a friend that bought one for his son to begin to deer hunt with and he was pleased with it up to 200 yards. What are you going to shoot is the main question as to accuracy. Are you going to spend a lot of money for a tack driver which both the mini and AR can be made into or do you want something off the shelf to shoot varmits that is accurate enough without spending a lot of money? I prefer the mini 14 over my Colt AR! I would suggest that you shoot both the mini (both 30 and 14) then shoot an AR. Buy the one that feels right to you. Just my 2 cents worth.[8D] 0 -
They don't come near being as accurate as an AR15 style rifle. They are inherently inaccurate. That's why companies such as Accuarcy Systems gets about $700.00 to accurize one (not including initial cost of the rifle). Maybe one in 200 or 300 are "accurate" from the factory. Accurate ones are statistical aberations. For good information on why they are inaccurate, and what a person can do to help the accuracy a bit, go to the following site:
http://www.bajaarizona.org/mini14/mini14.htm
Unless it already had a folding stock, or both the flash hider and bayonet lug, it would be a felony to install a folding stock.
To err is human, to moo is bovine.0 -
Both the mini 14 and mini 30 are good out to 200 yards or so. They have a 18.5 inch barrel with a different twist rate than the AR type rifles. A 20 inch barrel on an AR is good to 500 yards. and thats better shooting than I do. my 2 cents.
Greg0 -
I have several Mini-14s and a Mini-30,my first experience with this gun is we used to carry them in our cruisers.The model 20GB that is,now we carry the AR-15 and I got alot of good factory,some not factory mags.The jam issue with cheap Hi-caps is their biggest down fall.As far as accuracy their not the most accurate gun,but I can shoot 4-5 in groups with either of mine.HTH BTW thanks for the Link Boeboe!
Best!!
Rugster
Toujours Pret0 -
I owned one briefly & I'm not a fan of the Mini14/30. If you're going to pay $400-$600 to get a new Mini 14/30, unless you are in California, I'd say take that money and use it as a down payment on an AR. 
http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=8651397
The problem with the mini14/30 is it's lightweight barrel & the difficulty of finding reliable hicap mags. The one I owned briefly worked great with it's 4rd factory mag, tried putting in hicap mags & it jammed every 4rds. Also those softball to soccer ball size groups at 100yds didn't help sell me.
For the same price as 1 Mini 14 you could buy two of these rifles one in each caliber. Which I will wager will shoot just as or more accurate than the Mini. Though they are limited to the 10rd mag.
http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=8663882
Or for $300 - $500 buy yourself a full fledged AK.
http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=8597607
IMHO, If you have a choice, as in you are not stuck in CA, get something else.
Regards,
FREE IRAQ0 -
Depends on your definition of acurate. They're both junk in my world, but are fun to shoot. Accurate they ain't and a folding stock just makes it worse. 0 -
A Stock Mini-14/30 leaves the factory with a quality test of 2" groups at 50 yards indoors. If they shoot inside that they ship. That works out to 4 MOA. Some of the stock 14/30s are more accurate, but all you can expect is 4 MOA. You can bring that down to 1.5-2 MOA with about $75 dollars in parts, but you have to do the work to it yourself (bedding, muzzlebrake). I have a Mini-14 that shot about 6-8" groups with Wolf steel case(not your most accurate of ammo by any means)at 100 yards. After about $75 in mods it now shoots 1.5" groups at 100 with Wolf. An AR might shoot a lil better with Wolf (not much, maybe 1-1.5 MOA), but I wouldn't even put Wolf thru an AR.
On the cheap mag issue, most of those can be fixed if your having problems by welding a button on the bottom of the tab (be sure to dip them in water pronto after welding or you'll melt the follower) on the back and filing it fit, so it fits nice and snug and taking some pliers and squeezing the sides of the mags so the rounds just have room in the mag and not any extra. I had some cheapies that were jam-o-matics until I analyzed the problem, they work like champs now after a lil tinkering.0 -
My mini-14 with open sights, from a rest at 100 yards, shoots a group that looks like a shotgun pattern. True, if it was a self defense scenario, a man sized target would be in trouble. I consider a 1/2 inch group at the same distance,same rest, with a model 700 Remington 30-06 to be routine. Granted, the 700 has a scope, but still, the difference is astounding. The mini 14 is Ok for self defense at short ranges, but for precision work, I would definately select something different.
Proud member of the NRA
If it ain't broke-it ain't ours!!!0
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