Ruger mini-14 ranch ??

I had a Ranch Mini for awhile. Accuracy was awful using the HP Silver Bear Ammo. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 3-4" at 100. I then worked up some reloads using 50gr V-max's seated very shallow so they were almost touching the lands. Accuracy was in the neighborhod of 1.5" at 100 (3 shot groups). Much better. But the cartrige OAL was so long I could only get 3 rounds into a 5 round Mag. Thought about trying some other traditional HP's without the poly tip but ended up selling the Mini off instead.

I bought mine for $350 with loads of accessories in the early 2000's. Since then the price has gone up substantially. If you can get a great deal on the Mini it might be worth a try. But I wouldn't give more than $300-$350 for an older one.
 
The mini has a bad rep for accuracy, but there are some easy and CHEAP fixes for that in the vast majority of them. too detailed to list here, but join up at perfectunion.com and look at the mini 14 forums.

Most are amazed at the low cost and easy mods that make them accurate.

I have two. An older Ranch and Target model. The target model will pop clay birds at 300yds, the ranch at 200. Both with 55gr Hornady, loaded to SAAMI COAL and 26gr of Varget.

And for finding ANY semi auto rifle nowadays for under $700, good luck.
 
I bought a Mini 14 brand new at one of the local pawn shops.. here where im from the pawn shop owner can get u awsome deals on new ones.. for instance my best friend n hunting partner bought a savage model 12 22-250 and payed about 200$less for what its listed for.. anyways gettin back to the mini i love it when i first got it, fun rifle to shoot put a scope on it and just could never get on target , now ive heard from alot of ppl about that stuff.. i finaly sold it.. and now lol wish i never just fun all around
 
I had the misfortune of buying a Mini 14 Ranch rifle years back. It was, and still is, the most inaccurate rifle that I've ever owned. BTW, I had tried all of the magic Mini fixes, including playing with the gas block, flash supressor, etc. It was replaced with an AR and I've never looked back.

Fast forward to a few years back. Two friends purchsed a couple of Mini Ranch rifles against my warnings, one a 14, the other a 30. These rifles were also very inaccurate. They both dumped them and now, they too, have ARs.

On a sidenote, I built several ARs before the current rush to own one, for $600-$650. No comparison in the rifles for the dollars spent. MI VHNTR
 
75% of the accuracy problems on a standard Mini are from the fact that the pencil barrel is flexing. The parts list in the back of my Mini manual lists the barrel for $39.
Put a $39 barrel on an AR and see how accurate it is.
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There are a whole bunch of tricks to wring accuracy out of them, adding struts to the barrel and a heavy brake/suppressor (which really detracts from the balance and weight) helps a lot. Torqueing the gas block, reducing the gas port bushing diameter, adding recoil buffers and a good trigger job and bedding the stock liner and action all get you improvements.

But you're still shooting a $39 barrel.

The new heavy-barrel models are quite a different story. I've seen some of those that shoot close to MOA with just a trigger job.

There's nothing wrong with the basic design, ASI turns them into MOA rifles for around $500 by replacing the barrel and gas block.

I own 2 Minis and neither one would kill a coyote much beyond 50 yards unless luck was involved.
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I have a newer 580 series and it is a blast to shoot. Is it a tack driver....HAHA never. But it will keep them inside about 4" or so at 100 yards IF and a big if you keep the barrel cool. The barrel heats up quick and the shots go everywhere.
 
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