You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Mini-14's -- returned to the factory
- Thread starter Flashman
- Start date
Badger Arms
New member
When you hang a wooden stock from the barrel with a clamped gas-block and then have a spring-pressure handguard snapped on the top, what do you expect? There is nothing the factory can do. The XGI was a Ruger gun which didn't make it to the market because no matter what the designers did, they couldn't produce an accurate gun. It was a .308 version of the Mini-14. Imagine how many they would have sold?
You want a tack driver, buy an AR-15.
You want a tack driver, buy an AR-15.
FireForged
New member
The Mini's accuracy is not poor, its just not a tack driver. Its combat accurate within 100 yards. You can hit a pie plate all day long in that range. Its fine for med sized varmits and personal protection. Just dont plan of winning any shooting comps with it.
Flashman; What kind of accuracy do you want? Do you want to punch little holes in paper at 200 or 300 yards? It all depends on the MISSION of the weapon. What is an inaccurate rifle? I live out in the middle of nowhere with few neighbors. It's up to me to defend myself and my family for a lenghty period if necessary. For my purposes, the Mini-14 is perfect. Stone cold reliable, high-capacity, powerful, affordable, and COMBAT accurate. There's simply no definition of accuracy. It depends on what the weapon is used for. Can anybody guess what's more important than accuracy? If you need to shoot somebody at 100 yards get Mini. If you need to shoot a rock chuck at 300 yards get a fancy bolt action. The AR series falls somewhere in-between (ie, expensive compromise). Just my thoughts, J. Parker
Badger Arms
New member
Some more thoughts here. The AR-15 was tweaked and purpose-designed so as to effectively engage human targets in realistic combat situations out to 600 yards. It did that very well and still does now. The Mini-14 was designed to arm police and civilian users with an eye towards military sales to third world countries. Many police agencies both here and abroad adopted the Ruger and used it successfully. Fact is that police and military requirements differ in enough ways that the Mini-14 worked well enough.
Unfortunately, the AR-15 was adopted before it could be DEVELOPED into a reliable as well as accurate. Armalite (sans Stoner) corrected the reliability problems with the AR-18 but even that gun was prone to parts breakage. Todays M-4 and M-16 are mature versions of a flawed design. The Mini-14 has matured well also. They never did or will solve the accuracy problem. There are a few guns that are reliable, accurate, and durable. Unfortunately, accuracy and reliability are often mutually exclusive.
Unfortunately, the AR-15 was adopted before it could be DEVELOPED into a reliable as well as accurate. Armalite (sans Stoner) corrected the reliability problems with the AR-18 but even that gun was prone to parts breakage. Todays M-4 and M-16 are mature versions of a flawed design. The Mini-14 has matured well also. They never did or will solve the accuracy problem. There are a few guns that are reliable, accurate, and durable. Unfortunately, accuracy and reliability are often mutually exclusive.
I guess the answer to my question is no. No one returns Mini-14's to the factory for unacceptable accuracy--at least, what the owner believes is unacceptable. The reason I posted this are the continual gripes about the design and manufacture mistakes of the Mini-14 but no one seems to return it to see if the factory can repair it (or will). I note many complain about accuracy of Ruger firearms then proceed to discuss what they tried to do to remedy the problem (usually to no avail) and forever curse the name Ruger. Few seem to take advantage of Ruger's excellent customer service. This combined with the fact, there are Mini-14's (and other Rugers) that are claimed to shoot exceptionally well without custom modifications. What does one loose by sending it back to Ruger. The worse they can say is there is nothing wrong/nothing they will or can do. And just maybe they will return it better than it was.
cuerno de chivo
Moderator
IMO if Ruger had not been pioneer of political correctness and had sold hi-cap mags with Minis and had also put a lot out on the market, then there would be much less criticism of what is a nice non-target lead spitter.
IIRC the Ruger standard for a Mini-14 is 3" groups at 50 yards from a machine rest. If it will do that they will send it back to you saying it falls within their specifications.
I once read that two happiest days for a Mini owner is the day he gets it and the day he sells it. I've had my two happy days and no longer own a Mini.
I once read that two happiest days for a Mini owner is the day he gets it and the day he sells it. I've had my two happy days and no longer own a Mini.
Ruger will check the barrel for straightness. They have a jig which holds the barrel and receiver assembly. Attached to the jig is a gauge which tells how many thousands of an inch the barrel is tweaked when the barrel/receiver is rotated 360 degrees. The barrel is then tweaked and returned to the jig. It is possible to get it to 0 degrees deviation but this takes a little more time and Ruger generally seeks a 4" group at 100 yards. Mind you, the test range at Ruger is only 25 yards.
Where the barrel is bad, Ruger can replace it. In case you didn't know, Ruger does not manufacture their own barrels for the Mini14. They have only 4 hammer forges besides some rifling machines; and this is not enough to meet overall production demands. So, Mini14 barrels are subcontracted out.
On the matter of the XGI (.308 semi-auto), Ruger's engineers had a problem with the 5th shot which was always a flier. They finally solved it by making the slide heavier; a solution Bill Ruger really didn't like. 20 pre-production prototypes were made and all that was needed was Bill Ruger's final approval. Bill Ruger decided not to go ahead with the XGI for economic purposes. He would have to retool a production line and this would cost him about $1 millon. With the Mini14 in regular production (and making him plenty of profits), he saw no need to produce it as it would take him too long to recover his expenses. So, he cut his losses short and cancelled the project. BTW, the XGI reciever must have been a whopping 10" long (I handled a wax casting of it).
Where the barrel is bad, Ruger can replace it. In case you didn't know, Ruger does not manufacture their own barrels for the Mini14. They have only 4 hammer forges besides some rifling machines; and this is not enough to meet overall production demands. So, Mini14 barrels are subcontracted out.
On the matter of the XGI (.308 semi-auto), Ruger's engineers had a problem with the 5th shot which was always a flier. They finally solved it by making the slide heavier; a solution Bill Ruger really didn't like. 20 pre-production prototypes were made and all that was needed was Bill Ruger's final approval. Bill Ruger decided not to go ahead with the XGI for economic purposes. He would have to retool a production line and this would cost him about $1 millon. With the Mini14 in regular production (and making him plenty of profits), he saw no need to produce it as it would take him too long to recover his expenses. So, he cut his losses short and cancelled the project. BTW, the XGI reciever must have been a whopping 10" long (I handled a wax casting of it).
The little Ruger Mini-14 has been one of the most sucessful and best selling rifles of all time. Even with the stunt the Bill Ruger SR. pulled. And with all the hi-cap mag problems we as Mini owners face. That all says alot for the design of the weapon. The accuracy and reliabilty the rifle offers me is all I need. Best Regards, J. Parker