My Carbines, Old and New - with a twist

[browningautorifle]

You can find a few people just frothing at the jaws about how bad the Mini 14 is. I've had a few and never had a problem. I could hit offhand at 200, which is about all I want now days and it never failed me. They handle nice and are light which also now days matters.

Information

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[imarangemaster]

Ruger has really created a new paradigm with the Mini-14 and 30s, starting with the late 580 series in about 2007. Ruger made the barrel on these post 2007 Minis heavier on the 223 (same as Mini-30 now), tapered and stepped it. My old Minis I had back in the day (a 180 and a 185 Series) had the thin pencil barrels and the zero wandered and groups opened up as the barrel heated. This 582 does not do that. In fact, I fired 300 rounds, and the groups stayed small (2 MOAish with iron sights) and zero did not wander, even after heating up VERY hot!

The new sights are also awesome, with a sight picture identical to M1 Carbine or M14. Ruger stole the M1 Carbine post and wing front sight (instead of the mile high, unprotected front post that was impossible to make tight groups with). The excellent protected rear ghost ring peep is great, too. While adjustable for zero only, that is sufficient for the 5.56 round. I have it set for a 250 Zero (+ .25" at 25 yards) with the AWESOME MK262 MOD1 77 OTMS. The trajectory is no more than 3.5 high or low out to 300 yards.

I have pre-2000 possessed Ruger factory 20 and 30 round magazines, and my feeding was 100%. Because the Mini is "over gassed" like an AK, it fed and functioned on every load I tried, including some 55 grain IMR4198 loads that would not cycle in my AR.

The weapon was so accurate, so fun to shoot, and so reliable, it passed my Inland as my favorite long gun. I put an M1 Carbine sling on it, and ordered a walnut top handguard to replace the lawyer designed fiberglass monstrosity that Ruger calls a handguard. It will make it look a little more Winchester .224 Light Rifle-ish, or at least more M1 Carbine-ish. Being old, I am still a wood and steel firearms kind of guy!

If you love shooting a carbine, you really should try a newer, heavier tapered barrel 580 series Mini. (Early 580s still had pencil barrels).

[browningautorifle]

try a newer, heavier tapered barrel 580 series Mini.

I know the ones.