|
|
Post by oldschool on Sept 6, 2012 11:54:16 GMT -5
Hoss, I'm betting Ranch rifle has more than a 1 in9" twist to the rifling, so stick with 55 grain bullets. It's actually a .223 Remington, right? That steel case ammo you shot is probably 5.56mm; not necessarily a problem, but check the cases for signs of excessive pressure. Steel case ammo isn't your match-grade stuff, either. Try a couple of boxes of quality brass ammo from Federal, Black hills, or any of the bigger name makers. If you check Ruger's website (or the manual), they list the Mini-14 as being able to fire 5.56 or .223, so shouldn't be an issue. Agree on the steel-case ammo, though. In most cases, not the most accurate. I've been very pleased with Black Hills reloaded ammo. |
|
|
|
Post by lightningii on Sept 6, 2012 12:30:04 GMT -5
Today there are very few pieces of wood anywhere other than the shotgun area. Even these are a combination of composition pressed wood with a coating over the top. The handguns have very little wood. Depressing, isn't it? I've heard that WWII claimed a bunch of old-growth walnut trees in Europe. Tanks, sustained artillery, and aerial bombing quickly wiped out 100 years of nature. Personally, if I were to order a shotgun that allowed an upgrade to various features, I'd spend as much as i could on the wood quality and skimp on the engraving. To me, the color and grain of fine walnut makes the gun come alive. On the other hand, I sure like my AR. |
|
|
|
Post by humphrey on Sept 6, 2012 18:48:25 GMT -5
Hoss, I'm betting Ranch rifle has more than a 1 in9" twist to the rifling, so stick with 55 grain bullets. It's actually a .223 Remington, right? That steel case ammo you shot is probably 5.56mm; not necessarily a problem, but check the cases for signs of excessive pressure. Steel case ammo isn't your match-grade stuff, either. Try a couple of boxes of quality brass ammo from Federal, Black hills, or any of the bigger name makers. They are chambered 5.56 Nato. The .223 Rmington Cartridge is just their (Bill's) PC way of writing it. James Sullivan was one of armalites design team for the .222 special (aka 5.56 Nato). Mr. Sullivan changed employers and designed the Mini-14 a few years later to compete for government contracts. Google AC556 to see the military grade units. As far as twist rate the Mini tended to match up to the AR15 platforms year for year. 1:12, 1:10, 1:9 are all common. The Ranch Rifles are a different story. The ranch was available in 1:9 twist and the less comon 1:7 twist depending on year. Call Ruger and they will gladly tell you what you have. I have an 87' Ranch Rifle with factory folder (A-Team) sporting a 1:7 twist. With 70 grain bullets, a harmonics bar, a flash hider it and a good M1 garande style trigger job it shoots sub moa if I do my part. They tend to Jam with aftermarket clips. With the factory jobs they run flawlessly. |
|
|
|
Post by lightningii on Sept 7, 2012 11:07:52 GMT -5
I have an 87' Ranch Rifle with factory folder (A-Team) sporting a 1:7 twist. With 70 grain bullets, a harmonics bar, a flash hider it and a good M1 garande style trigger job it shoots sub moa if I do my part.
They tend to Jam with aftermarket clips. With the factory jobs they run flawlessly.[/quote][/color]
ARs used to run like crap with aftermarket mags, too, until the makers learned that they could sell a lot more if they actually worked. AR guys are mag-hogs. I know people that have bought them by the hundred. Now the aftermarket AR mags ( Magpul, CProducts) are among the best.
|
|
|
|
Post by humphrey on Sept 7, 2012 15:53:02 GMT -5
Ever compared a factory ruger mag to an aftermarket mag? You'd have to triple thematerials cost to get them on par.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2012 20:40:16 GMT -5
hoss- I was surprised to see Glocks openly discussed here.
|
|
|
|
Post by oldschool on Sept 12, 2012 8:30:37 GMT -5
Ever compared a factory ruger mag to an aftermarket mag? You'd have to triple thematerials cost to get them on par. Except for Precision Mags (PMI). I have several and prefer them over the current Ruger Mags. Unfortunately, the hi cap mag ban in the 1990s caused them to shut down production and they never started them back up. |
|
|
|
Post by flyfisher66048 on Oct 14, 2012 11:45:30 GMT -5
I've only seen one mini that would shoot worth a hoot, it was a custom benchrest rifle that local gunsmith built on a bet. There are some very good ARs out there. If you are looking for accuracy check out LaRue, for reliability look at the SIG 516. If you are dead set against ARs, the SIG 556 is a good rifle.
|
|
|
|
Post by malamute on Oct 14, 2012 12:34:43 GMT -5
I had an early ranch rifle. It shot about 8" groups @ 100 yds. I put it in a replacement stock (original style) that fit very tightly, it suddenly became a 2" rifle. It was obviously a bedding problem. I think many have stock stress issues also. There are several gunsmiths that have bult very accurate varmint guns out of them. Good barrels and bedding seems to be some of the things that help a lot. It makes sense that shortening the barrels and installing flash widgets can help. The factory barrels are pretty light, at least the older ones. The factory sights are pretty dismall also.
|
|
hoss
.327 Meteor
Posts: 716
|
Post by hoss on Feb 21, 2013 21:52:15 GMT -5
Finally had a chance to wring it out a bit: with the factory irons (newer Ranch Rifle sights)groups at 100 ran in the inch and a half range, and one great 3 shot group at 200 went into 2.25... that, as they say, will do. After all the left handed compliments I've heard or seen directed at the li'l rascal, I am quite content. I need a nice low power variable, perhaps a trigger touch up... and maybe a skim of bedding material.
|
|
|
|
Post by gscrasher on Feb 24, 2013 19:36:28 GMT -5
In addition to refreshed tooling on the recent mini-14, the barrel profile has been significantly altered. In the photo a very recent model, a 581-xxxxx is compared to an early "Ranch Rifle".  You can easily spot the newest barrels by the cone-shape in front of the gas block. This shape prevents to the block from moving under recoil. The other changes are the diameter of the straight portion is now larger, and there is a two-step down in diameter from the reciever. After all this, I can't speak to the accurracy of the new one as I have only function fired it to date. My old gun was a sort of 3" at 100 yard affair or minute of jack rabbit.  |
|
|
|
Post by bradshaw on Feb 25, 2013 19:55:25 GMT -5
I had a Mini 14, stainless with Ruger stainless folding butt, wood stock, plastic pistol grip and upper handguard, setback M14-style front sight with bayonet lug, and flash hider. Printed 3-to-4-inch, 5-shot groups @ 200 meters with Federal 55 FMJ and the iron sights.
POI jumped and groups scattered when I put the metal in a standard Mini 14 wood stock. Had the rifle come with that stock, I might have though the barrel bad. That is not to say that barrel quality wandered; it did.
The original ramp Mini 14 front sight was made for French gendarmes. Ruger then kept the ramp sight in production. The French had a taste for whacking people with rifle barrels, and supposedly the ramp sight wouldn't gash the victim as severely.
NATO desert trials showed the M16 more reliable than the select fire Mini (AC 556 series)----unless the M16 ejection port cover was left open.
I've shot the blue and stainless AC 556s, standard and 13", until you had to hold them by pistol grip and magazine only, without any sort of failure. Interestingly, the stainless version heats up more slowly, then takes longer to cool down.
I would suspect that the George Wilson barrels were replaced by Ruger's own hammer forged barrels between the middle 80s/early 90s. If so, the forged barrels should be more consistent. For consistent accuracy from a production gas gun, bedding must also be consistent.
David Bradshaw
|
|
|
|
Post by rkcohen on Feb 26, 2013 14:08:02 GMT -5
hoss,
did you mention:
- the caliber
- generation?
here's why:
- in 7.62x39, ruger has made them in both 308 AND 311
- in 556/223 they have had different twist rates
- almost as a rule, current gen mini/ranch units can be tuned to shoot 1.5" @ 100yd w/o much dificulty - my wife's shoots better than that routinely.
|
|
hoss
.327 Meteor
Posts: 716
|
Post by hoss on Feb 27, 2013 17:14:15 GMT -5
It's a 223 and a newer generation (500 series? is that it?) It seems to like the 55 grainers... I may try the heavier bullets, but I'm happy with the 55s.
|
|
robl
.375 Atomic
These were the good ole days!
Posts: 1,415
|
Post by robl on Feb 27, 2013 21:12:04 GMT -5
All this bad mouthing of the Mini 14 ask the FBI how they work...
|
|
