Best sight system for Mini-14

[Stoli&Cranberry]

I can't stand the factory sights on the Mini-14 and was thinking about looking at any customized aftermarket sights available or adding a scope. What would be the best choice of sights and what would be a decent scope for the Mini-14?

 

[4V50 Gary]

Don't scope the Mini14 unless you have a Ranch model. The mini will pound the scope to pieces. The Ranch has a built in buffer and side ejection to alleviate the pounding on the scope.

 

[Art Eatman]

Learn sumpn new allatime. I didn't know about the Mini-14 and scopes. My K4s on my Minis survived a thousand or so rounds, each, with no problems...

Anyway, I've always suggested the Weaver K4 since I had success with mine...

, Art

 

[Kernel]

Williams makes an aperture sight for the Mini that's finger adjustable for windage and elevation. I had one on my Mini till I sold it and bought a Ranch Rifle. Brownells is one place that sells them. -- Kernel

 

[Deaf Smith]

Several ways to go. Eagle makes a polymer 'L' to replace the Ruger factory metal 'L' peep. Mine works very well. If you want a larger hole in the apendature, just get a drill bit to match, and drill the polymer peep larger.

In think Millitt makes a whole unit to replace the Ruger factory. Millitts all metal, like their pistol sights.

There may be more options, Ashly may make one.

In any case, the Eagle works find for a service rifle site. Note the Eagle is slightly oversized, and may require a bit of filing to fit, but once you have fitted it, it will NOT be loose, like the Ruger one.

If you want more adjustments, disassemble the sight, and get a drill, perferabley a fixed one, and drill 4 more holes in the drums so as to give you 8 holes to 'click' through, instead of 4.

I don't know about scopes, as the military mini-14, to me, is more of a battle carbine than a hunter. I plan on getting a Mini-30 and scoping it (it is ranch rifle style). Refit the gas block, and I bet I get 2 inch groups at 100 yards (I get that now with my 'Micro-14', as I call it).

Deaf

 

[Buddy Lee]

Red dot

I just bought a mini 14 and had a Simmons Red Dot system put on the rifle before I picked it up. Fired it for the first time today. It was great and amazingly accurate. The red dot covers most of the target at 50 yards and completely at 100 (6 inch diameter bulls eye). Hit the black every shot! I fired fairly rapidly too. Not exactly 1 MOA, but as good as I had expected. I think this type of sighting system fits this type of rifle with its questionable accuracy very well.

B. L.

 

[Stoli&Cranberry]

BTW. My Mini-14 is the Ranch model that requires the Ruger scope rings.
I've seen the weaver rail offered by Weigand Combat that may offer me more choices for scopes.

www.jackweigand.com/ranch.html

 

[Ziplok]

Got 2 = 1 of each

Have a Ranch Rifle and an older Standard Mini 14, both SS, The older model has a Millett replacement sight in place of the factory horror...shoots reasonable groups at 100yds (same # of holes found on the target as rounds fired)
The Ranch Rifle shoots somewhat better with a 6X scope, but the sight picture is slower to acquire...Looking for a sturdy Red Dot.
About as chancy as finding an accurate Mini 14

 

[Buddy Lee]

Simmons Red Dot

My Red Dot system seems to be fairly steady. First time through I fired over 100 rounds through the rifle with no effect on the sighting system.

What was annoying was that my eyes starting to get weird on me. In the beginning, I could fire with the light power at 7, then I had to up it to 9, then up to 11 (which is highest power level). After a while it kind of all blurred together, so I would get what I thought was the red dot covering the black area of the target and just fire. Apparently, if you read my previous message, I must have been seeing correctly 'cause the shots were all accurate.

The Red Dot is a very quick sighting system. Repeat shots were very, very easy. If the dot is on the target, fire!

Also, I think I have the same rifle as mentioned above. Mine came with the Ruger scope rings. The gun shop did not use the rings, instead put rails on the rifle and the Red Dot system on the rails.


I'll admit that I am kind of lazy. I asked the salesman what would be a fun gun, he said the mini-14 with the red dot system, gave me a price for the entire setup and I bought it. I've done thousands of dollars worth of business with this gun dealer and have sent him dozens if not hundreds of clients so he takes care of me (his cost + a couple of bucks). I did NO RESEARCH on the sighting system. I knew that the mini-14 was not a very accurate rifle. The combination is one thing...FUN.


I plan on shooting more during this Thanksgiving week, I'll let you know if the Red Dot craps out on me.

B.L.

 

[Bullmoose]

Just picked up my Mini and have not fired it, but I installed a 1x4 Leupold VXll that I wasn't using and it seems to be easy to pick up the crosshairs with the scope at lX and both eyes open. I was going to mount a 1 1/2 X5 VXlll that I am not using, but thought the 1 power setting might be better for really close in stuff. Also considered an AccuDot that I have, but it is 30mm and didn't have the rings for it. I use a Peo point on my tactical shotgun and like it just fine. I think that I am going to like the 1x4 scope and at 4x should show me the accuracy limits of the rifle. Before I take the patrol rifle class with TopGun out of Upland, Ca I'll remove the scope and put a better peep on it. I think that they have you just dropping the rifle when transitioning from rifle to pistol. They are really strong on practicing like you would fight and they don't want you saving mags, picking up brass, holding empty weapons, etc when someome is shooting at you.

 

[Dave3006]

If those guys suggest you drop your rifle, you need a different class pal. Don't ever ever drop your rifle just because some idiot instructor tells you to. If these guys are really that dumb, you don't need their training. Besides, I have been to the Frontsight, TFTT, Gunsite classes. They teach you weapons manipulations and some basic tactics. If you want to know what it is like to fight in dynamic environment, play paintball or do simunitions. It is not a perfect representation of fighting. But, it beats the shooting schools hands down.

If you drop your $500 weapon in the dirt because some instructor tells you to, I pity you.

 

[Buddy Lee]

Transitioning

Years ago when I was on my dept.'s SWAT team we practiced transitioning a lot. We always slung our weapons, so it was just a matter of controlling the rifle and keeping it out of the way and not having to hold it up. To this day the first thing I do is put a sling on my rifles.

It is very true to train how you would like to act when it is live. Policing up one's brass has gotten far too many officers killed.

Take care,

B.L.

 

[JIH]

I think that there is some sort of brass-deflector (basically, an angled plate) available for the standard Mini-14 if you buy a standard and you want to scope it.

 

[Bullmoose]

I have a sling on my Mini14 and if I don't really screw up during a transition and basically take myself out of the fight there won't be any 'drop the f--------- club and use the weapon on your hip befor you get killed' type of command. I would probably get only a few pushups or 10 minutes raking rocks for an attention getter. Works alot like the gunny sgt that some of you guys had at boot camp so you make sure that you don't make supid mistakes too often. He would like for us to make a pact to send $1 to some really bad group (Gun Control Whatever?) every time we have a miss. He wants for you to train for 100% hits and 100% gun handling. Missing or screwing up should cause some 'pain' rather than a smile. Some people do not want that type of training, but one of the top quotes used at the school is 'It is better to sweat in training than bleed in battle'. I am 67 and really enjoy the experience, dedication and ability of them to improve my skills. They say they aren't running a popularity charm school, they are trying to bring out the warrior that is in each one of us. Corney? You make your choice and pay your money. I won't worry about what anybody else thinks of mine... Jim : Besides if the instructor treating you like a recruit ruins your shooting and your day, just think how you will react when somebody is trying to slit your throat or shoot you. Helps simulate the terror, etc while using your carry weapons not some paint ball gun that in no way works the same. The basic test to decide what is really important is to hold your gun in one hand, grab you ass with the other and then decide which one you want to keep working.

 

[Buddy Lee]

Practice makes perfect

Bullmoose,

We use to train at a minimum once a month for 10 hours at a time. We would intentionally be run dry so that in a timed excercise we would have to transition from our long guns to our handguns. Other times we would be paired up so that when one of us went dry, the other had to keep shooting the specific targets over each other's head. You learn team work and to drop to reload REAL FAST! Can't tell you how many times I felt the heat, the pressure and sound of a HK93 going off inches from my eye and ear.

Oh well, to my point. If you don't practice a transition with consistency, then a one day, one week or one month class once or twice in a lifetime will not make you proficient. Obviously, at most commercial ranges, they will not let you carry a holstered weapon, let alone spin your rifle around as your grab your handgun, step forward with your stong leg and shoot. The only option as I see it is to learn good habits at these classes and then practice, practice, practice at home to the point that it becomes second nature.

Sad to say that when I first went to a commercial range I was scolded, because when my gun went dry, my natural tendency was to move and drop to reload. They weren't real comfortable with me moving from center and getting below the counter. Sadder yet, I now do like all the other lemmings and simply stand and reload, slowly and stationary

Good luck with your classes, train hard and stay hard!

B.L.