min 14 that cost as much as an M1A?

3

357B

Inactive
Is their a real solution towards improving the mini walk?...One that doesn't cost more than a
brand new mini?

....Clarks solution is about $800.00 New weapon $1350
....ARSs solution is about $600.00 New weapon $1200

Is there really such an improvement with any of the above mentioned (or not mentioned)
methods that justifies the cost? I mean, heck, if it will perform like and M1A then maybe its
worth it, right?

I like the mini. It is durable, light, uses inexpensive ammo and the ruger and eagle mags work
fine...but it walks so bad that it drives me crazy. I will not buy an AR and I can't afford a
Galil. I
want a .223 and ruger almost gets it right...but the darn walk!

Can some one tell me about a $200-300 solution that will make my mini hold a 6" group
at 150 yards with a hot barrel? (The kind of hot you get during sustained
fire while protecting your position, or advancing on a enemy.)

This weapon could be relied on as an urban fighter if it would just put out the 6".

357B

ps
In return for this much wanted information I will alot you half of any luck I receive for the
entire
week following your revelation!!!
 
If I may ask....

Why are you going to spend that much on a Mini 14 whe you could get and AR15 with all the trimmings. You will have a more relable rifle with cheaper mags and it will stil be more acurate.

You say you will not buy an AR15. Is this just stuborn pride or what?
 
First of all, you're envisioning a scenario which is so improbable that you're peeing in the whiskey to even worry about it.

Second of all, that ain't what the Mini is built for, it ain't what the gun is intended to do.

Given the dimensions of a man-sized target, a 6" group at 150 yards is still small enough to do all the damage you're likely to ever worry about, anyway--no matter how improbable.

Last, I've owned four Minis. All of them shot within 2" at 100 yards, with five-shot groups. If you're doing 6" at 150 yards, it's you and not the rifle.

Regards, Art
 
Art:

You've been pretty luck with your Minis from my perspective. The one I had was a ranch model with a 2.5x Leupold compact. No amount of fiddling would get this thing to consistently group under 6 inches and sometimes much more. The final straw came one afternoon when my brother-in-law and I were at the range with two Minis, one ranch and one standard and an older Swedish Mauser. I shot better groups from the bench with the open-sighted Swede than either Mini even the scoped version. That was enough for me. The rifle was sold the next week.
 
Flaim, I think the reason most people are drawn to the Mini as opposed to the AR, other than cost, is the reliablity. True the Mini lacks the glamor of the AR but it goes bang when you pull the trigger. The Mini is much more forgiving than the AR when they are dirty. It is specualted that is the reason that they lack the accuracy of the AR. They are built to looser tolerances and therefore actually function without being meticualously clean and well oiled.

------------------
Gunslinger

I was promised a Shortycicle and I want a Shortycicle!
 
357B, I'm no expert, but if I were looking at spending that kind of scratch, I certainly wouldn't do it on a Mini 14. I would go ahead and get a M1A. The Mini 14 will not perform like an M1A because they're different purposes. The .223 is not a full power rifle round, it's an intermediate cartridge. If you don't want to pay that much, get one of the FAL clones, as they are in-between the M1A and Mini-14 in the accuracy dept. but with a battle rifle round and a good price tag. just a thought. Besides, if you spend $1300 on a Mini 14, then decide to sell it, what's it worth? $500 bucks. The price of the FAL's is only going up.
 
I've heard a few different ideas about making Mini 14 rifles more accurate:

1) Cut the barrel shorter and recrown. I've heard a number of people say that this helped cut the groups as much as half their original size.

2) Lap the barrel to smooth out the gas hole burr. Supposedly, when the gas whole is drilled, it leaves a small burr of metal jutting into the barrel.

3) Bed the action into the stock. I've also heard that the synthetic stocks are tighter than the wood stocks and might make the gun slightly more accurate.

4) Put on a BOSS system to change the harmonics of the barrel. This might help tame the barrel whip.

5) Cryo treat the barrel. I've been told that the barrel has a great deal of internal stress that, when heated, cause the barrel to bend unevenly.

All of these things have been discussed on the different net communities. These ideas seem to have some merit (some more than others). I haven't done any to my mini 14, but I plan to eventually. I think the first things I'll do are bed the stock and recrown the barrel. These seem to be the easiest things to try first.
 
Flaim - Did you read my post? I said I would not spend that kind of money on a mini unless it actually performed liked an M1A. And I won't buy an AR. I don't like them. They are plastic toy guns as far as I'm concerned. My mini is a POS when it comes to groups - but it never jams - so I wanted the forum members to tell me of their experience with re-tooling their own minis and was it worth the cost? Mostly, though, I am asking if their is a $200-$300 fix for the mini cause unless the mini performs like an M1A then their is no way I will spend $1300 on it!

Art- If your gun shoot good then great for you man! Improbable scenario? If my mini could hold 6" groups with sustained fire then I could and would rely on it in an urban warfare environment. It's the rifle, dude!

patrickt66 - If you read my post then you would have gathered that I have been to clarks site...hince the reason I know how much they charge to re-tool a mini and how much a brand new mini cost. Again, my question is...IS it worth the money to pay any of the after market people - more than a new mini cost- just to have it shooting well. And, is their an $200-$300 fix out there?

PJR - Better groups w/ iron sited mauser? I believe it!

Gunslinger - Hits the nail on the head!

Frontsight! Really? Did I say I would? Where did you read this? .223 vs 308 is not in question. The question is still the same my man. Please re-read the post.

Gino- THANK YOU!
1. Any suggested smiths for the recrown/cut down?
2. Interesting. Never heard of this.
3. I've seen prices from $50.00 to $200.00 to have the bedding done. I'll call these places up and ask them to justify the low or high cost.
4. ARS has something very simalar. I was hoping that someone on this forum would have had one installed on their mini.

Anyone else have any ADVISE?

With Best Regards,


357B
 
Originally posted by 357B:
Flaim - And I won't buy an AR. I don't like them. They are plastic toy guns as far as I'm concerned.
357B[/QUOTE


Plastic Toy Guns???????????

Opinions are like noses everyone has one. And what data have you used to form your opinion.

I have but one question have you ever used an M-16 in ground combat?

I have and I would bet my life on that Mouse Gun and have in the past.

Have a good day.

Turk
173rd Airborne Brigade (Seperate)
Click to expand...
 
TURK-

The pre-ban AR by Colt I had was nothing but high maintenance. A little dirt here and JAM! In fact, anything below 55 grain would always cause problems. Always! I don't care if you like the gun. I don't. And just because your in the Gov't and have your weapon worked on by an armory at someone elses cost doesn't change my mind about the AR. I'm a regular guy dependant on my own money and ability. I need a weapon that will go bang all the time. Even if i can't get the mini to shoot good groups I still trust it to hit an 18" target 100 yards out. (What size is your chest?) The AR on the other hand may be grumpy or sleepy or on the rag that day and not want to play!
It's funny, there is always someone who has to stand up and toot the AR horn. BFD! I don't like them. The fact is that I'm happy for anyone who has any weapon which they are satisfied with! If you dig your gun then Kick A$$! One of the greatest sensations is the confidance one gets knowing he/she has a trusted conection with their weapon. So kudos to you TURK for liking the AR.

Do you think the M16 was the better weapon vs. the FAL? No way! The only reason your draging an M16 in the first place is due to a policital move and not becasue the M16 was a better weapon. Someone sold the M16. Some one who was probably really good friends with Stoner. Man, he must have been one heck of a salesman!

Do you want to know my theory as to why Bill Ruger doesn't fix the problems associated with the mini? After Market. Plain and simple. I think maybe ruger would have fixed the probelm had in not been for all the people who are now making a (very good) living selling their fix for the mini. These people (businesses) keep cash pouring into the firearms market and most likely would, will or do lobby for old bill ruger to keep the mini just like it is so they can march on.

If you have any suggestions which may help me in my quest to find out how best to accurize my mini then I'm all ears.

And actually, I prefer the term Mattel instead of Mickey Mouse!!!


357B
 
357b,
The link I provided was for a Gun Barrel Stabilizer by Clark. At $245 it is EXACTLY what you asked for, $200-$300, remember? Did you even check out the link before you told me I was wrong?

------------------
Think!
 
I am simply amazed. I am amazed that the only one of us that "hit the nail on the head" was Gunslinger, who did not even address your question, and that all the rest of us addressed your question but did not give the answers you wanted.

YOU WILL NEVER GET A MINI-14 TO PERFORM LIKE A M1A. Do you know why? A Mini 14 with all the accuracy in the world will not havethe knock-down power that a .308 has at 100 yds,much less at 800 yds. That's performance...not accuracy.

Now if you want to redefine your quest to an accuracy based objective, you'll still have to limit the yardage, because a .223 will be blown more than the .308 in wind. That's performance, not accuracy.

So what you're REALLY trying to ask is this: (Quoted from you with my changes in brackets)

Is their a real solution towards improving the mini walk?...One that doesn't cost more than a
brand new mini?

[No]

....Clarks solution is about $800.00 New weapon $1350
....ARSs solution is about $600.00 New weapon $1200

Is there really such an improvement with any of the above mentioned (or not mentioned)
methods that justifies the cost? I mean, heck, if it will [have accuracy]like [the] M1A [assuming that I'm within 100-150 yds and only shooting at paper] then maybe its
worth it, right?

[that up to you and how much you're money is worth to you]

Other guns do what you want the Mini 14 to do, but they do it better and cheaper.

No one that responded with argumentative statements except you and a minor one by Flaim. The rest of us did not deserve your attitude.

Here's the botom line. If Ruger made a Mini 14 that did what you want it to do, it would cost $900 instead of $500. Sure, you can make it do it, but Ruger has already done the cost analysis on that, and they aren't making any MOA Mini 14s for a reason.

As I said earlier in this post, it's up to you whether it's "worth it." If you ask me, it's not worth the $500 you paid for it, and certainly not 1K or more.
 
My goodness. Don't hold back, let 'em have it with both barrels, 357B!

(Think I will hide my pre-ban Colt Competition HBAR in deference, heehee!)

Seriously, there's a point of diminishing returns with dumping money into something that was never meant to be, as Art stated, know what I mean?

I have a Bulgarian AK (SLR-95), I've stoned the lockwork, built match handloads, and the best I can do is 2" at 100 yards off the bench. WIth a decent, solid scope mount and glass, maybe it'll go down to 1.5". Does that make it a bad gun, not worth keeping around because of it's less than stellar accuracy? No, I still have it, it was my Y2K gun, with a 75-round drum of Winchester FMJ, of all things. My wife got the Colt, because she was familiar with it's operation and light recoil. But if there were a threat to my home and family, I didn't feel undergunned by any means.

I agree with Gino, the tried and true tweaks won't set you back that much financially, especially bedding it and recrowning. If it's grouping but walkint the groups, I'd lean towards the bedding and freefloating what you could. Loose groups are a different story. Good ammo can make a world of difference, too.
 
357b,
The link I provided was for a Gun Barrel Stabilizer by Clark. At $245 it is EXACTLY what you asked
for, $200-$300, remember? Did you even check out the link before you told me I was wrong?

------------------
Think!


Yes,I've been to the site many time befroe I posted this topic. But all of the information is biased. Do you have any experience with this fix? Does anyone? ARS also has a simalar fix. but does it work? "Sure it does" is what I get from ARS. But who knows for sure? Does anyone?

No one that responded with argumentative statements except you and a minor one by Flaim. The rest of us did not deserve your attitude.

Gino is the only one who answered my qustion and gunslinger was 'right on the money' with his statement about the reason some people like the mini over the AR. It is becasue of those reasons that I am interested in improving the minis accuracy.

If you think my attitude sucks then I'll sugar-it-up just for you!

357B
 
You want the truth?

You said:
Yes,I've been to the site many time befroe I posted this topic. But all of the information is biased. Do you have any experience with this fix? Does anyone? ARS also has a simalar fix. but does it work? "Sure it does" is what I get from ARS. But who knows for sure? Does anyone?

No, they don't, because no one is stupid enough to spend that kind of money on a Mini 14, just as Art and Gewehr98 have said in so many words.
 
Fair enough. I certainly don't want to risk the money to find out the fix is not a fix after all but just good marketing ;)

If in the future any of you run across some one who has had the ARS break or Clark GBS or a Shielin barrel installed maybe you'll let me know if they were happy with the price and the results?

With Best Rgards,


357B
 
Fair enough. I certainly don't want to risk the money to find out the fix is not a fix after all but just good marketing ;)

If in the future any of you run across some one who has had the ARS break or Clark GBS or a Shielin barrel installed maybe you'll let me know if they were happy with the price and the results?

With Best Rgards,


357B
 
The latest issue (November?) of Guns and Weapons for Law Enforcement has a brief review of the aforementioned mini-14 muzzle stabilizer. I have yet to read the article so I'm unable to give you a synopsis but you may want to drop in at your local newstand and give that issue a read. I love discussions regarding the mini-14 as I'm a California resident and it's one of the few semi-auto centerfires that I can legally own. I like the mini but I wish there were a few more options that are California legal. Maybe whoever makes the M96 Expeditionary rifle will make a special "California" model with a sporter stock (I'm not holding my breath). Anyway, check out the article, it may help you decide one way or the other.
 
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