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Post by foxtrapper on Dec 7, 2016 5:50:11 GMT -5
Really want one! Lots of talk on how inaccurate they are . Haven't read that there are function issues ,just problems hitting a target and costly mags. Looking at the model in stainless and fires the 5.56 along with .223. What say those of you in the know! P.S N.Y so no AR 's
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Post by Rimfire69 on Dec 7, 2016 7:42:16 GMT -5
Mine is old, pre ranch rifle. With UMC bulk ammo it groups 1.5"-2" at 100 yds. Its been 100% reliable over the years, I have nothing bad to say about it. About 20 yrs ago I showed up at a 3 gun match with it and got a lot of laughs and dirty looks, funny thing is, It shot the highest score in the rifle component that day.
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Post by zeus on Dec 7, 2016 8:15:10 GMT -5
I had a ranch rifle in blue that was actually extremely accurate. Had a standard 3-9 scope on it and it really shocked me in just how accurate it was. I had heard the inaccuracy stories etc but was glad I went ahead and bought it.
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Post by contender on Dec 7, 2016 8:27:22 GMT -5
I guess accuracy is relative in this gun. When introduced, even Ruger advertised it "As the world's most expensive plinker." I have one of their banners with that on it. I also have a mini-14, blued, and it will shoot just fine. It is not a match accurate gun, but it's more than acceptable for general field work. It's not uncommon for them to shoot 1"-2" groups with matched up ammo. And currently, magazines are not as expensive as the were during the Clinton ban. I just helped a friend sell a stainless Mini with a factory folding stock. It sold quickly. But as far as accuracy,, I feel it's just fine as long as you do not expect a match rifle.
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Post by Encore64 on Dec 7, 2016 8:46:29 GMT -5
I owned a few a long time back that wouldn't do better than 3-4". With ammo it didn't like, I've seen groups of 6+".
Fast forward to the changes in the piston, etc. Decided I'd try a new one. Stainless with the black stock. Gets 1.5" groups and not nearly as picky about what ammo you feed it.
Bought the new one in 300 Blackout. Haven't given it as much range time as the 223 version. But, it sure seems like its going to be a shooter too.
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Post by bradshaw on Dec 7, 2016 9:57:21 GMT -5
Really want one! Lots of talk on how inaccurate they are . Haven't read that there are function issues ,just problems hitting a target and costly mags. Looking at the model in stainless and fires the 5.56 along with .223. What say those of you in the know! P.S N.Y so no AR 's *** Accuracy of the Mini 14 .223 depends on the individual barrel. Aside from that, the stock plays a part. Had a semi-auto variant of the KAC 556 with folding stock (“K” prefix means stainless); 18" bbl, eared front sight set back on barrel with integral bayonet lug, with Ruger flash hider at the muzzle. Five shot groups printing 5” @ 200 meters with factory peep rear/post front sight arrangement and Federal ball ammo. Totally reliable, which is typical. Much less load-sensitive than an AR-15, which cycles along a narrow pressure range. NATO desert tests reported the M-16 was more reliable than the exposed M-1 style Mini 14 in sandy conditions----as long as the M-16 ejection port cover is kept closed. When the port cover is not closed between firing, the M-16 falls behind the Mini 14. I pulled the KAC 556 action out of the folding stock and put it in a standard stained birch stock. POI (Point of Impact) shifted, and groups opened to five or 6” @ 100 yards, a terrible degradation attributable to the stock. Had the carbine not shot so well in the original stock, I may have pronounced the carbine inaccurate. Have not experimented with bedding. Suggest, if accuracy from your Mini 14 is poor, if at all possible try another stock before condemning carbine. In machine gun version, I’ve shot Mini 14s until they were too hot to hold, both lubed and dry, without malfunction. As is common to numerous autoloading firearms: many aftermarket magazines are hopeless junk. Fully charged Ruger magazines work perfectly, no need to short-count ‘em, including topped-up 30-rounders. David Bradshaw
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Post by grinanddull on Dec 7, 2016 12:14:00 GMT -5
Picked an old stainless one up in a trade, function and reliability was great, the gun was not set up to take a scope and getting the set up to do it was more than I wanted to put into it. With the iron peep sights seemed fine but I never really shot it for accuracy at any range. I already had ARs with optics and the mags with them so moved the Mini along to a new owner. I'm still thinking I'd like to get the Mini 30 but still AR gun guy with 5.56.
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Post by domino300 on Dec 7, 2016 17:45:45 GMT -5
I've go 2, a 581 series in 6.8 SPC and a 582 in 222 Rem. The newer ones in 580+ series are more accurate. Be advised they throw the brass into the next county, but you can get gas bushings to tame it down.
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Post by rangersedge on Dec 7, 2016 21:33:05 GMT -5
I have a couple stainless with factory folding stocks that were pre Clinton gun ban. Never really tested for accuracy and never really shot either much, but they were reliable. I only recall one failure and it was an ammo issue (old 5.56 ammo, case head separated leaving case in chamber, had to have someone else remove). Still have somewhere.
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Post by AxeHandle on Dec 7, 2016 22:03:26 GMT -5
Watch the old A Team reruns for the full story... Dang things look to be 100% reliable but won't hit a thing!
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cmillard
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Post by cmillard on Dec 7, 2016 23:45:41 GMT -5
we used to have them prior to being replaced by the m4 as our Tower rifles. I remember the first time I was posted up in Tower 3 at work and during count time, I happened to be look down the barrel of this rifle as it had seen some years of serious use by prison staff. I will say this, that was the first time in my life that I had seen absence of rifling in any barrel. most of it was towards the muzzle of the weapon. I was told by our armorer that that rifle still shot well and had been that way for a while.
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Post by Ken O'Neill on Dec 8, 2016 7:02:51 GMT -5
h
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rWt
.375 Atomic
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Post by rWt on Dec 8, 2016 10:50:44 GMT -5
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groo
.327 Meteor
I yet live!!!!
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Post by groo on Dec 8, 2016 15:56:01 GMT -5
Groo here I have an OLD Folding stock SS [police only at the time.] that was a jam-o-matic. Got mad , ran 100rds through it as fast as I could pull the trigger, burnt my finger on the gas block. Let it cool, cleaned and lubed. Has ran ever since. An old ford man told me of the SS rings in the 460 V8,needed to get real hot to seat. Might be the same thing with the Ruger. Ps Never worried about group size as it hit what I wanted. [even out shot all the other AR's in my class at Thunder Ranch]
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Post by DiamondD on Dec 10, 2016 16:55:16 GMT -5
+1 on the 580+ series guns being more accurate than the older ones.
Dean
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