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Mini 14 Ranch hardwood NATO 556

Posted on 9/19/25 at 7:52 pm
Posted by W2NOMO
Member since Jul 2025
1563 posts
Posted on 9/19/25 at 7:52 pm
Anyone have one of these with any recs on ammo? And magazines?
This post was edited on 9/19/25 at 7:53 pm
Posted by cgrand
HAMMOND
Member since Oct 2009
46445 posts
Posted on 9/19/25 at 7:59 pm to
any ammo is fine
only use ruger magazines
Posted by RichJ
The Land of the CoonAss
Member since Nov 2016
5027 posts
Posted on 9/19/25 at 8:19 pm to
Gov’t ammo is best, if you can source it…

I stick w/manufacturers magazines…
Posted by W2NOMO
Member since Jul 2025
1563 posts
Posted on 9/19/25 at 8:28 pm to
Any pref on 10 or 20 round mags?
Posted by captdalton
Member since Feb 2021
20118 posts
Posted on 9/19/25 at 8:35 pm to
They are cool guns, but notoriously inaccurate. Don’t spend tons of time or money trying different loads trying to make it shoot sub moa.
Posted by Theduckhunter
South Louisiana
Member since May 2022
1334 posts
Posted on 9/19/25 at 8:44 pm to
quote:

but notoriously inaccurate.


Not anymore.

I’m also convinced a lot of people suck with open sights.
Posted by cgrand
HAMMOND
Member since Oct 2009
46445 posts
Posted on 9/19/25 at 8:46 pm to
the newer ones with the thicker barrel are much more accurate than the pencil barrel ones. I have a mini 30 it ain’t winning any sniper awards but it hits minute of pie plate no problem. Accu-strut helps a great deal as well

the pros are you get a wood and steel rifle that is comfortable to shoot, cycles 100% and hardly ever needs cleaning
Posted by Theduckhunter
South Louisiana
Member since May 2022
1334 posts
Posted on 9/19/25 at 8:49 pm to
quote:

Any pref on 10 or 20 round mags?


For what I use mine for, I prefer the 10 and 5 round mags. But I have 20 rd as well. I just prefer it to be light and compact.
Posted by Trevaylin
south texas
Member since Feb 2019
9618 posts
Posted on 9/19/25 at 9:39 pm to
year 2007 or there about the R ranch rifle was completely reworked. Before that you had to stand inside a barn to hit it. the 2015 I have makes a great rifle with Leopold scope and all
Posted by X123F45
Member since Apr 2015
29465 posts
Posted on 9/19/25 at 11:18 pm to
quote:

Before that you had to stand inside a barn to hit it.


Not all of them. The problem was massive inconsistencies.

I have one that can shoot the diamonds out of a playing card at 200 yards.

I have a second one that if you aim at the center silhouette... You may punch the one to the left...or the right. There's no rhyme or reason to it.
Posted by ecb
Member since Jul 2010
10090 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 6:50 am to
I'll give you $350 for it
Posted by RichJ
The Land of the CoonAss
Member since Nov 2016
5027 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 1:16 pm to
quote:

Any pref on 10 or 20 round mags?


Absolutely! 20, if I could get reliable feeding 30 round magazines, I’d probably do those also…
Posted by W2NOMO
Member since Jul 2025
1563 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 1:28 pm to
Ordered Ruger 20 and 10. One each. Still $85. ??
Posted by cgrand
HAMMOND
Member since Oct 2009
46445 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 1:51 pm to
yes they are expensive LOL
aftermarket mags don’t work though I’ve tried
Posted by RichJ
The Land of the CoonAss
Member since Nov 2016
5027 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 3:17 pm to
20rnd from Ruger, $42.95. I bought mine 20+yrs ago @ G&H in Gueydan, I don’t remember paying anywhere near that…
Posted by Buck_Rogers
Member since Jul 2013
2067 posts
Posted on 9/20/25 at 4:48 pm to
quote:

you had to stand inside a barn to hit it

Ruger frequently changed rifling twists in them. This and the pencil thin barrels did not make them necessarily inaccurate rifles. They just had to be fed ammo that liked the twist ratio, but at the same time were able to reproduce the same harmonics shot after shot, which can be more challenging with a long thin barrel. Using the same ammo before and after, I've seen quite a few decrease group sizes significantly, just by adding a muzzle device. The reason is that the muzzle brake or flash hider adds weight to the end of the barrel and changes the harmonics. Simply put, certain rifles like certain ammo, and the thinner the barrel, the more picky they can be to an extent, but it can be overcome.

quote:

I’m also convinced a lot of people suck with open sights.

This is the most likely answer for the bad reputation though.
This post was edited on 9/20/25 at 5:00 pm
Posted by TideHater
Orange Beach AL
Member since May 2007
19798 posts
Posted on 9/22/25 at 6:17 am to
quote:

They are cool guns, but notoriously inaccurate. Don’t spend tons of time or money trying different loads trying to make it shoot sub moa



This comment is more accurate than the weapon.....lol.
I have one, have owned several versions of it. They are what I call a clanky gun. Great for defense and fun......but not a sniper.
Posted by Buck_Rogers
Member since Jul 2013
2067 posts
Posted on 9/22/25 at 9:30 am to
quote:

trying to make it shoot sub moa

quote:

not a sniper

Well no shite. I'm not sure why the experts find it necessary to judge a rifle on the ability to shoot sub moa and sniping. The mini-14 does what it was made to do really well. That is being compact, handy, reliable, durable, simple to operate and accurate enough to meet the same milspec standards (15" groups at 300 yards) as the M16 service rifle, which is NOT a sub moa or "sniper" rifle by any means.
This post was edited on 9/22/25 at 9:36 am
Posted by DownshiftAndFloorIt
Here
Member since Jan 2011
70962 posts
Posted on 9/22/25 at 9:46 am to
The problem with the mini 14 is that it's just plain outdated. An AR15 can be had for half the price, uses $12 magazines and 9/10 of them will be more accurate than the most accurate mini 14's are. The AR is just a more useful and more modern design.

Mini's are cool just like M1A's are cool, but both are easily out-shot by far cheaper rifles. Both are rooted in the first ever successful semi auto rifle designed for the US military. It's just a damned old design. It's expensive to make and not easy to make into an accurate rifle.

The one exception where the mini 14 outshines the other options is places where pistol grip rifles are a problem. It's really the only option for a normal-stock semi automatic .223
Posted by cgrand
HAMMOND
Member since Oct 2009
46445 posts
Posted on 9/22/25 at 11:10 am to
quote:

It's really the only option for a normal-stock semi automatic .223
which is why there will always be a market for the mini. Some of us don’t like the AR platform for various reasons and prefer wood and steel over plastic and aluminum. Pretty straightforward
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