Accu-Strut on a 580+ Series Mini-14
- Thread starter jski
- Start date
Well, check this out for an accurized Mini-14:
Upgrading the Ruger Mini-14 “The Brownells Way”
Upgrading the Ruger Mini-14 “The Brownells Way”
As I answered to the same question you posted in the Ruger.net forum.
"I have a 583 Series Mini-14 with a SOCOM length Accu-Strut. I didn't add it for accuracy, I added it in conjunction with a Choate Handguard, to increase the barrel cooling as it acts as a heat sink to wick away excess heat from the barrel. It also gives my Mini more of a M14 look like my M1A. Combined with the other accuracy tweaks I did and using 62grn Hornady HPBT handloads, my Mini produces 1 MOA accuracy. That gives me the ability to shoot bowling pins at 200yds using my 'NM like' sights, a Mini200 rear sight with target aperture and a thinned front sight blade."
bamaranger
New member
sights
I've always been jealous of COSteves tweaked Mini. I've oyed with the idea of a strut on my Mini30 many times, but the price always turns me away. Mines accurate enough for the purposes I use it, but the rifle crank in wants to tweak it.
CoSteve, can you post a pic of your tweaked front & rear sight on your Mini? Mine wears a scope, but your sight sounds interesting
I've always been jealous of COSteves tweaked Mini. I've oyed with the idea of a strut on my Mini30 many times, but the price always turns me away. Mines accurate enough for the purposes I use it, but the rifle crank in wants to tweak it.
CoSteve, can you post a pic of your tweaked front & rear sight on your Mini? Mine wears a scope, but your sight sounds interesting
jetinteriorguy
New member
Steve, you’re killing me here. I don’t need another rifle, but the cool factor on your build is just too much. I do have a lot of empty brass on hand as well.
Stop whining and just decide to get one, already!! They are a hoot to own and with some simple and cheap tweaks that cost as much as a decent 2-stage trigger for an AR (something you have to add unless it comes with one at $$$ if you want any AR to shoot accurately) you'll have a Mini-14 that with quality ammo can be a near to actual 1 MOA shooter.
What tweaks you ask? Here they are and the prices of them. Note that without the Accu-Strut, they cost $111 which is less than RRA's 2-stage NM AR trigger costs and way less than the higher priced units:
If you really want your Mini to perform well, consider this list of tweaks I did to my NIB, wood stocked, 583 Series Ranch Rifle. I wanted a reliable, fun all around Irons-Only shooter with decent accuracy (1.25" groups at 100yds with my 62grn Hornady fmj handloads and 1" with premium 62grn HPBT bullet handloads) that is reminiscent of my M14 in the Army and the M1A I currently own along with my M1s and M1 Carbines.
It’s great for thumping those pesky bowling pins at 200yds with good quality ammo. And, on a great day with my HPBT loads, I've been known to smack some pins at 300yds but that's only on a great day. And stay away from the junk commie steel ammo as your Mini will not be as reliable or as accurate with cheap, blasting ammo. If you want to shoot a lot, learn to reload.
The list below shows what mods I made, how much they cost, and what they are for. In total (excluding my walnut stock, Choate Front Sight/Flash Hider, and the mags) they cost $211, about the same as a quality precision AR trigger that's an absolute necessity on an AR for it to shoot accurately as well.
Most will argue that the SOCOM length Accu-Strut I have doesn't add much rigidity to the newer, thicker barrels and therefore they are not necessary. I agree that I added mine primarily for the aesthetics of it but I've found that it does act as a good heat sink wicking away heat from the barrel. As it's nearly ½ the cost of the accuracy tweaks, you could save a lot by holding off and seeing how well your Mini does without it before you spring for one.
So, let's see what we have here.
• Barrel Strut: $100 - Accu-Strut (mine) or $105 Mo-Rod for dampening vibration and especially increasing barrel cooling. Not really needed with the newer 58x Series but it gives it that 'M14' look I was going for. Sunflower Outdoor Sports sells most things for the Mini.
• Mini200 Rear Sight: $65 - Tech Sights' Mini200 rear sight. Add their $15 optional ‘Insert Ready Aperture System’ with 3 different aperture sizes and when you use the target .042" aperture, you have a NM like rear sight. Great Bang for the buck. Sunflower sells these.
• Gas Bushing Reduction: $25 - Swap of the overly large stock Gas Bushing with a smaller one. It reduces the cycling violence which improves accuracy on the Mini14. I've found that with full power .223/5.56 ammo, a .045" bushing will work just fine with decent .223 or 5.56 ammo. ASI sells a set.
• Choate Handguard Swap: $15 - A Choate Handguard not only looks better but it cools the barrel much better than Ruger's. MidwayUSA or Brownells sells these. I painted mine brown using Rust-Oleum Flat Protectant Enamel.
• Wilson 1911 Buffers: $6 (set of 6) - Added 2ea Wilson 1911 bushings (yep, pistol bushings); one around the gas pipe in the front to cushion the forward travel and one on the Op rod spring at the rear to cushion the rearward travel. MidwayUSA or Brownells sells these. Note: Check the front of your op rod and if there is a sharp edge where it will contact the buffer, take a file and just break the sharp edge by rounding it off a bit. That way it won't cut into the buffer which would reduce the buffer's life dramatically.
• Thinned Front Sight: $0 - Thinning down the .075"-.077" thick front sight to .050", combined with a target .042" rear aperture gives you a 'National Match' equivalent irons sight set. Great for thumping those pesky bowling pins at 200yds.
• Trigger Job: $0 - It really helps your precision shooting and if you want small groups, it's money well spent.
• 'Lightened' Safety Lever: $0 - In keeping with the whole 'M14 Look' I was going for, I drilled a hole in the safety lever.
• Gas Block Torque: $0 - We've found that torquing the gas block bolts to about 30 in/lbs when reassembling and keeping the upper and lower halve gaps consistent aides in accuracy.
• Shimmed Receiver: $0 - I found that shimming the action with a bit of tin on both sides really tightened up things well. The plates are held in place with the stiffener screw so it's an easy fit.
As to mags, I strongly recommend that you get some Ruger brand mags over other aftermarket mags even though they are more expensive, as they are very reliable while many of the others aren’t. The 20rd curved are the best for balance and I have 5 of them.
As I said, I also made some changes just to give it that M14 vibe, not for accuracy. They include:
• Walnut Stock: $200 - What can I say? It just looks cool. While I added it for the look rather than for accuracy (my shimmed birch stock did just fine) I like the overall vibe. However, understand that it's a bit thicker than the Ruger birch stock and weighs about 7-8 oz. more.
• Choate Front Sight/Flash Hider: $51 - It just looks cool and gives my Mini that last bit of M14esque feel, however, it wasn't added for accuracy improvement.
• OE Brand 20rd Straight Mags: $15 - I found these at CDNN and they proved to be better quality, better fit, and even more reliable mags than even Ruger's. I have 5ea of these as well. At the price they can't be beat and with the rest of my mods, they really add to the M14esque look and feel.
Of note for irons shooters. Even though Ruger advertises that the Minis have a 'normal' 13.5" LOP, I found that the 'Heel to Aperture' distance (top of the buttstock to the rear sight aperture) on the current Mini Ranch Rifles with wood stocks measures 15.5". This is as opposed to a 14" Heel to Aperture distance on M1 Garands, M1 Carbines, M14/M1As, M16A1s, 1903 A3, etc., (all of which I have).
This caused me to strain my neck forward trying to gain the same sight picture I use to with the other platforms. I found the stock Mini rear sight awkward to use. Adding the Tech Sight's great Mini200 rear sight moved the aperture back .5" giving me a 15" Heel to Aperture distance but it still didn't feel right to me so I removed the recoil pad and cut down the birch stock 1" and re-attached the recoil pad and used my belt sander to shape it to the new profile. When I got my walnut stock I did the same thing. Now the Heel to Aperture distance is 14".
Good luck with your Mini. You know you want one . . . . . bad!!
It does look a lot like an M14's little brother, doesn't it?
bamaranger
New member
thanks
Great pics of the sight, thanks.........the triangulated front is really slick.
EVERY time you post pics of that rifle, I am quite jealous. I have managed to find a nice matching birch handguard for my Mini30.
Great pics of the sight, thanks.........the triangulated front is really slick.
EVERY time you post pics of that rifle, I am quite jealous. I have managed to find a nice matching birch handguard for my Mini30.
COSteve.... great posts... very helpful.
But... now I want a Mini 14.... Lol
Your Iron Sight, 200yd bowling ball comment may have just sold me.
( Along with the inexpensive parts upgrades )
I actually sounds very refreshing over a AR15... and the AR15 being a bottomless money pit, to my weak willed desires.... Lol
But... now I want a Mini 14.... Lol
Your Iron Sight, 200yd bowling ball comment may have just sold me.
( Along with the inexpensive parts upgrades )
I actually sounds very refreshing over a AR15... and the AR15 being a bottomless money pit, to my weak willed desires.... Lol
I've also got a RRA AR mid-length carbine I got back in 2004 that I lightened up and use as an irons only shooter much like my Mini M14, however, since I finished my Mini, it's been a 'Hanger Queen' as the Mini is much less bulky, has better ergonomics, and is just more fun to shoot.