The M1 Carbine concept fully developed

[Woodsy]

I first saw the Mini 14 in 1974 when they were released in New Zealand. The rifle had just been purchased by a NZ Forest Service deer culler and was brought to me, unfired, to rebarrel to .222 which was the NZFS issue ammunition at the time. I felt the standard barrel was too light and I made the new barrel a heavier profile. This involved machining a radius in the upper surface of the cocking slide to clear the barrel and boring out the gas block about .050" to suit the heavier barrel, making a scope base, and a trigger job. The end result was a very accurate set-up and gave years of good service. The Mini 14's are popular here but have a reputation for mediocre accuracy (usually about 3-4" groups at 100 metres) but adequate for bush hunting. AR's in all their various mutations are more popular, although many of the owners are guilty of the after-market 'improvement' syndrome, with many rifles looking like they are built from Lego!