Mini 14 What kind of distance can you do?

[bruzer]

I did a quick search and could not get any help so I will start a new thread.

What kind of shooting distance can you get from an older Mini 14? I have one from the 80"s and would like to shoot on the Camp White Range. Range goes out to 600 yards. Can a Mini do that? I am thinking of setting up an AR to do it but wanted to ask if anybody was getting that distance from their Mini and what it takes to do it. I do have a scope mount for it. The stock iron sights don't look easily adjustable for long distance and my eyes are no longer easily adjustable either.
Thanks,
Mike

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[sheepdip]

IMHO a mini 14 should be able to do most anything an ar can , set up in the same caliber and all. I have heard some say that the mini 14 doesnt group well. the one I have isnt a tack driver but shoots decent groups at 100 yds. I havent shot it at paper over 100 yds. but there was a couple of coyotes that would have said that it shoots ok at about 200 or so.

 

[Nwcid]

Depends on the kind of shooting you plan on doing. The Mini-14 is very limited in the poor scope mounting system and short light weight barrel. These things can be changed but it is not cost effective compared to other semi auto .223's. Anything can be done if you have the $$$ and it is really what you want.

 

[branson4020]

Best my series 187 Ranch rifle, probably the same vintage as yours, can do is 3.5" groups at 100 yds. It can't even do that with anything heavier than a 62gr bullet.

 

[KTM530XCW]

That's pretty sad. An off the shelf 16" AR will do .75" groups at 100 yards.

 

[branson4020]

That's pretty sad. An off the shelf 16" AR will do .75" groups at 100 yards.

And so will a modern Mini-14, but the old models just don't do it. Super light barrel, 1-12" twist (I think).

 

[bruzer]

My Mini was made in 1981 and doing a little internet research I found this:

(Until 1987, the Mini-14 barrel had a 1-10" twist. It was then changed to 1-7" to stabilize the new 62 grain military bullet. The old 1-10" handled the 62 grain satisfactorily, but wasn't deemed good for the new tracer round.

Law enforcement agencies primarily use the 55 grain bullet and the CA Dept. of Correction complained that their Mini-14s would hold a 8-10" group at 100 yards and a 1-2" group at 50 yards. Ruger dispatched its Chief Armorer who examined the guns and ruled out the ammo. CDC had a national match level shooter who demonstrated that their guns wouldn't group.

So, Ruger procured firearms from Colt and concluded that Colt enjoyed no advantage over the Mini. Ruger engineers then concluded that the twist needed to be changed and sometime in 1996, the twist was changed to 1-9".)

 

[branson4020]

Sounds like I have a pretty good one for it's age. It's a great rifle here on the farm. With a red dot scope its fine for pests, and as a property defense weapon, I'm sure I could hit a man size target at a hundred yards, which is good enough for me. But to answer your original question: NO WAY can your mini shoot out to 600 yds. Not sure a modern AR can do that. I'm sure experts here will let me know

 

[sheepdip]

sure it will shoot 600 yds. the question is can you hit anything with it at that distance.

 

[OR4X4]

Some guys us AR's for 600, but that's about max due to issues with the wind. The "heaviest" .223 bullets still dont cut it in anything above mild winds.

Seems everyone I know with an Mini 14 just accepts the 3moa average and has fun with it regardless.

 

[Dunerunner]

The Mini14 isn't intended to be a long range rifle. If you want that in a .223, I would suggest a Remington 700 SPS.

 

[Kaniffy117]

My Mini has a cheap scope that has a simple 3x zoom and I can hit targets effectively out to 100 yards or more, but even if it has a group of 3.5" if your shooting at an intruder or pest is that really going to matter? Its going to hurt if you hit em' regardless.

 

[sheepdip]

being a guy that likes mini 14 i would guess that if you worked with it you could get a mini 14 to shoot pretty well. i have never worked with mine much. i dont see how an ar 15 with a light/short barrel would shoot all that much better than an equally equipped mini 14.

 

[Slim83]

I've never even tried mine at more than 100 yards. But I seldom shoot anything other than the deer rifle at more than that.