Mini 14 Ranch Rifle

I love mine but from what I have seen on here and other places, they don't seem to sell very well. What gives? They seem to be a great little rifle to me. Of course I love my M1 Carbine and thats what the Mini 14 reminds me of, just more punch.

I've always been a fan of them but haven't picked one up yet. I know what you mean though, not sure why either.

It seems their accuracy is limited (and can't be much improved even if $$ spent trying is unlimited).

Same amount of money spent on AR15 platform can yield equal/better accuracy & function, but with potential for for even higher accuracy possible.

I had a nice stainless/wood Mini14 ranch in 223; was as accurate as I could hold it - but sold it and went ar15 - for more options.

What about the Ranch in 7.62x39?

I've had one for years that my son had bought for me. I would break it out occasionally, get disgusted with it when it wouldn't group, and put it back in the safe for another year or two.
Every now and then, I would consider sending it off, spending bucous bucks on it to get it accurized. Nah.

But when I read about what an inexpensive bolt-on accessory could do for its accuracy, I went for it. An accurizing strut made all the difference. And I paid less than $60 for it (shipping included).

It may not be a tack driver in the strictest sense, but it groups very well...consistantly. Doesn't string as it heats up.

It's good enough for us girls. Thats for sure.

The Mini is kinda like the AK47, in that it will go bang when you pull the trigger, regardless of how grungy it may be, and I am just not crazy about the black rifles anyway.

Accuracy is the same if not a little bit worse. Mainly because the of the cheap ammo. I love the minis and owned one for years. They are great guns if you are willing to settle for minute of pie plate accuracy.

I got mine accur-ized from a guy that specialized on the Mini's, made a world of difference.

I don't care for the AR platform at all. However my stock Daniel Defense will group 10 shots that can be covered with a quarter at a 100 yards. I like the mini 14 setup but every one I've shot would throw them all over the paper at 100. I tried to load for my uncles mini 14 after I shot a deer with it and hit him in the shoulder when I was aiming for the neck. That rifle just pissed me off.

Way too much $ for the performance. AR offers more cool factor. Anything else is more accurate. And if you want it just because it's old fashioned, I think most folks would rather have an actual military gun than a look-alike.

Some of it depends on your age. I grew up watching old WW2 movies that featured the M1 Garand. In the 80s the mini 14 was at least 1/2 the price of an AR15. For me, it was my first military type rifle. It looked like a Garand andi basically used to to shoot cans or bottles rapid fire with my 20 round magazine . I still love the platform for the nostalgia but the accuracy typically sucks and they are priced much too high now with AR15 being so cheap. They should be priced about $350-400 new in my opinion. I have one in 6.8 and I think I may finally found a load that will do 2 MOA with a 3 shot group. I dont have the guts to take that 4th and 5th because i know I'll get a flyer that will drive me nuts.

I have a Mini-30, and consider quite accurate, or at least accurate enough to fit my hunting needs. I don't send cheap ammo through (any steel at all), in fact, 95% of everything that goes out the barrel are handloads.

I have a scout mount/scope and a tactical light on it and shot dozens of hogs with this rifle. This hog was shot with a 150-grain cast bullet of my design, at night, at 70 yards. Notice the blood below the ear. POA was right there, so yeah, it's accurate.



In the picture above, the rifle looks stainless but it is just the matte finished 5854 model. It also serves as a varmint rifle, a bobcat is a small target but didn't have any accuracy problem.



The scope has quick release rings and I shoot it with the receiver sights as well.

I've gone through 3 of them over the years, and have hand loaded for all 3 in an attempt to get a reliable MOA loading. Thus far, regardless of what combination of components I have used, I can't build a load I can depend upon. Like my daddy used to say, "I got no use for dull knives or rifles that won't shoot straight." I may try another one, since hope springs eternal, but I just can't understand why Ruger can't make some adjustments to this platform to make it a shooter. They've sure had long enough to work with it!

^^That sums it up well.

The same stigma follows the M-1A. Finicky, and only best shoot 1 MOA, for prices that are way higher than what one could step into an LR-308. That will most likely shoot very well, and afford the ability to adapt to the shooters needs..