The Ruger Mink 14

So was just thinking of a little incident I had a while back when I was like 15 involing my dad's Ruger mini14 and how ...well long story short it needs a new scope mounting deal long back I just realized he probably hasn't fired the dang thing in close to 10yrs so what's eveyones favorite scope mouth for the mini 14.

Never saw the point of a good mount on a mini 14. Got rid of the gun. Never saw one that meets my accuracy min standards.

All a mini 14 needs is a front bead! They pattern like a shotgun anyhow!

No sites necessary.
I think they are meant to be shot from the hip, more accurate than aiming

Can imagine spending a dime on one.

I'm just using Ruger rings , thinking about a Hannibal rail and prism scope next. They ain't benchrest rifles , but they ain't as bad as most let on. Mine keeps Federal blue box inside 2" for 5 shot group.

They make some very accurate new ones. Of course the new ones don't need a special scope mount. I have an old one and not the ranch model. It is more accurate than a lot of them, it will shot 2-2.5 MOA but... it strings them up and down as the barrel heats, if you wait 10-15 minutes between shots it will group right around 1 MOA. I put a scout scope on it. Ordered an aluminum mount that is almost like a barrel shroud with a rail on top years ago and mounted the scout scope to it. I don't recall the brand but know I ordered from Midway. It is high enough you can use the open sights under it.

You made my point perfectly. 2-2.5 and if your waiting so long between shots I can put accurate fire rates much faster with a single shot

what series ?
I had a series 181 and the B square was the best I could come up with

if you have a series 185 or later that is a major game changer

I have shot a couple of them and IMHO they make great truck guns to knock a song dog over at 100 yards or so with open sights. But to put a scope on one the scope only saves as a " disappointment magnifier " Most budget AR 13's will outshoot the older Mini's ... not had a go with a newer one though.

Bought a new mini 14 years ago the Ranch type shot poorly sent it back to Ruger got it back and it still shoots like a dream. Go to buy one now they are not cheap. It had the lugs on top of the receiver I just Loctite everything to keep the mounts from coming loose.

Factory Ranch mounts the earlier models did a side mount I believe.

Interesting this thread starts up at the same time I’m mounting a scope on one that was left to me. Mine is a 1994 build going off the serial number. Here is the mount I put on it. Waiting for the vortex scope to arrive.

The main bolt that mounts on the side isn’t sturdy enough. As you can see, there are set screws that thread down to level the mount, then ones from the side to lock everything in place.

Side note, I did realize it patterned like crap when hot.

I wanted one for 40 years ! I got a new one last year and will never be without one . Killed gophers all last summer. I piddled with it to de gas it with smaller orifice in bushing and tamed the brass from flying 30 feet down to 8 feet . Trigger is still lousy,not a long range rifle BUT it does have DROP at the comb and feels way better than carrying a handyman jack (AR 15 ) It is the only semi auto that is lefty friendly that I have ever used ! Factory rings .

Mine has the factory Ruger mounts. It spent eight months in Colorado after I bought it.
Full custom job. Perfect trigger job, match air gauge barrel, bedded action and a long list of other improvements.
Shoots 1/2" groups at 100 yards. Deadly calling rifle!
Roy

Yeah that's the kinda he's running though now , borrowed it a long time ago and one of the mount bolts came out. I "fixed * it but looking back I doubt that thing can hold zero. That being said I think he's put 20rd though it the whole 15 odd years he's had it soooo yea

If you send me the other bolt, I can make you a copy of it that will fit better than your " fix"

Several years back I was wolf hunting from a super cub. Thought I'd try a mini-14. Man when I touched that thing off I thought it was coming apart in my face. Lots of clackety clack noise and I though the bolt was going down my throat.



I heard the navy is buying up all the old mini-14's they can find. They band them together and use them for anchors

I’ll be packing mine soon to check cat sets lots of yote opportunities on the drive and back. Just a good truck rig rifle if you get one that shoots straight.

Part of me wants to meet with it and try and get to shooting good ...but honestly I just don't like the things . I mean don't get me wrong building an EBR clone out of one seems cool


but ....egh ...it's on of the few guns out there I just kinda don't have much interest in tinkering with

Where do you get your silencers from?

I used Ruger factory bases and rings if I remember correctly.

Mini 14s are very fun to shoot. I’ve read about accuracy issues with earlier minis, but I’m satisfied with the accuracy of mine which is a 580+ series. Mine will shoot 1.5 - 2” groups or possibly even a little tighter at 100 yards with ammo that it likes. Group sizes open up on other ammo, but that’s why it’s important to try different ammo to see what a particular gun likes.

As an aside, if Ruger wants to make a serious improvement to the Mini, they need to change the type of rear site they’ve been using. I love shooting a mini, but I really dislike the factory rear site that requires removing screws, zeroing for a specific bullet and distance, and then replacing set screws. The adjustable metal sites that are on the M1 Garand and M1 Springfield are exactly what they should have been using all along. In my opinion, no other type of rear site would suffice. If Ruger started putting M1 sites, I’d consider buying another mini at some point.

https://www.tech-sights.com/mini-products/
these may help , they are sure nice on a 10/22 it gets you much closer to the M1 sight your looking for

Got a 30 ranch long ago
Put a trigger group that was adjustable to full, from a guy in Texas
Added his barrel
It does great in the woods to 200

The guns cost 300 in te 90’s

You'd think with all the hate you'd be able to round one up for a reasonable price.




Good luck with that.

Becuse so few understand what accuracy and quality is. Honestly very few " gun guys" actually do much shooting and mostly do a bunch of talking/typing. If your happy with 2 + inch groups ( majority can't shoot any better anyway) go for it.

A friend of mine has the older version and added a barrel stabilizer to his to help tighten up his groups. It seems to help but only on the first dozen rounds or so according to him.

If I didn’t have a quality scope on mine, I’d have the ones you posted.


I do love my mini, but, considering what a person has to pay for one new, they should leave the factory with those sites imo. Especially since they’re basically like a miniature Garand

I bought a Mini-30 in the early 80s, thought it would make a neat deer rifle. Put a 4X scope on it and went to the range; could barely keep it on a pie plate at 100Y.
It actually shot better (marginally) iron sights than it did with a known good scope.
I shot a fork horn with it that fall at 40 yards or so. It was a good killer but sold it after that and went back to my 30 30.
My old 30 30 with Williams peep sights was WAY more accurate than the Mini 30.

I like mine but it stays in the safe most of the time. I generally grab an AR for the truck or targets. One reason is how far the dang Mini 14 flings brass. Accuracy isn't bad, but not great.

They were sweet weapons on the A Team.

Accuracy Rifle Systems of Odessa TX.? Tim Wilson was the guys name, passed on years ago, he did 2 for me.

I had heard those really helped, had thought about getting one for mine, but didn't know if it was worth it or not.

As an aside, from people I've known who had them, the older Mini 30s were notoriously inaccurate, much worse than the Mini 14s. Which is a shame, because they would be a pretty nice gun otherwise.

I will say that my Mini 14 has always been very reliable and never jams, unlike a lot of ARs I've been around, is stainless, and fits me a lot better than most ARs. I would guess the way it flings brass into the next county could help it in the reliability aspect. The only issue I've ever had with it(functionality wise) is that if you don't drop the bolt and let it slam it won't always lock forward. The action is almost louder than the gunshot on it though, sounds like you are taking a ball peen hammer to a garbage can. Not sure how much a suppressor would really help.

more of a "get out of Dodge", or "Welcome, Angry Hordes" kind of gun, rather than a sniper rifle; but it has its place.

I agree as long as it's in someone else's ownership.

how about if the Angry Hordes have them?

I can imagine the smart-aleck response [because I'm a smart-aleck, myself. LOL!]; but if they really DID have them, bet you wouldn't be so dismissive of the Mini.

Thats why one should have an M14 not a Mink 14 ... turning cover into concealment

Loading mine in the truck in the morning, thanks for the reminder guys.

I *LIKE* the way you think!!

(if only the budget would allow...)

White marlin

I prefer them have something not accurate, plus they most likely have little skill so I'm in better shape. I have better quality and more accurate guns. Most likely more of them more ammo more skill and an understanding of human anatomy.
The big question is will the Hords react trying to save their people from their group when they are shot in the hips and legs wounded and screaming for help making themselves the next target or will they be uneffected and leave them lay there? Only on way to find out I suppose.

not trying to pick a fight, Providence.

just suggesting that a handful of mini-14's firing rounds AT YOU, is not something to dismiss lightly.

Anything firing rounds in my direction is going to be dismissed or taken lightly. But accuracy and quality are primarily what I'm after and when a gun lacks one it has no place in my stable. Well I have a few exceptions like sks I picked up cheap years ago. Figured it's a good last ditch or trade item.

I'm pretty sure those were among Gen. Custer's last words, but...whatever.

Apparently I was in a hurry typing that here at work and didn't get the NOT in my mind relayed to the keys and then the screen. Not going to be taken lightly. Last time I was at a public range over a decade ago I had a full mag of rounds a jack leg was shooting at a target on a paint stick at 25 yards on the 50 yard range. The bullets hit the hard dirt skipped above the back stop and came back to earth about 175 yards down the 200 yard range as I was waking at that point to check my targets. At the time I didn't know where they came form just rounds were hitting dirt all around me. When I figured out what was happening I was less than pleasant.

That was also the last time I shot at a public range other than a clay range.

10-4.

Ever watch The A-Team TV show? Ever see anyone get shot by those mini 14s in spite of hundreds of rounds being fired?
To the Mini 14's credit, it was responsible for several dramatic overturned Jeeps every episode.
So if you want a rifle which turns over Jeeps, get you a Mini 14!

Carl the only way I have turned over a jeep is driving it. May have been some long hot work days in the sun followed by alcohol involved. Turning them over is expensive I found out. Good thing I didn have any mimi 14s around when I had jeeps. Sounds like it would have bankrupt me

I love my Stainless Ranch Rifle. I probably handled 10 looking for the nicest wood when I purchased it. Personally I find the black AR about as attractive as an AMC Gremlin. That Ruger can be filthy and the magazine sticky from Mountain Dew residue from riding in the cup holder for the last 6 months. When I reach for it I know it’s going to go bang !
I have heavy barreled bolt rifles when I get the urge to shoot paper targets at 250. But that Ruger would be my choice for the zombie apocalypse.

If you own a jeep, don't get a mink 14 or you'll find that jeep up side down in your garage one morning.