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ThirstyBarbarian said:
Wow! That is gorgeous! The 10/22 is beautiful as well.

Accuracy Systems makes that stock for the mini? I looked at handguards on their site earlier and missed the stocks, but I did notice their accurizing services.

I dropped in to my local gun store yesterday and took a look at two mini-14s. It’s the first time I’ve actually had a close look. They’re nice! They feel very solid, and the only false note to me was the composite factory handguard seems cheaper than the rest of the gun.

The other thing that would be an issue for me but not a problem for most people is that my eyesight does not agree with the iron sights. I’d need an optic, and my understanding is that mounting optics on the mini can be a bit challenging with the open-top receiver. Scopes are less of a problem than red dots which tend to mount too high, or have to be mounted forward on special handguards.

One thing I really liked was the balance and feel of the gun. I’m a relatively new gun owner and have not handled a lot of guns, so I’ve been surprised how much of a difference the balance and weight distribution makes to how heavy or awkward a gun feels. My shotgun, PC Carbine, and the Mini 14 all weigh around 7 pounds. But the shotgun feels heaviest and most awkward. The PC Carbine is a lot handier and lighter than the shotgun, but still slightly nose heavy. The Mini-14 felt very well balanced, and the same 7 pounds didn’t feel as heavy.
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You can get a picatinny rail. It attaches to the cut outs for the scope mount.20240119_223653[4039].jpg
 
ThirstyBarbarian said:
The other thing that would be an issue for me but not a problem for most people is that my eyesight does not agree with the iron sights. I’d need an optic, and my understanding is that mounting optics on the mini can be a bit challenging with the open-top receiver.
Click to expand...
There seem to be lots of ways to mount scopes on Mini-14s, I thought I remembered that Ruger even made a version that came with scope mounts.
Depending on your eyes- you can use corrective lenses to help with the open sights. The Mini isn't as bad as something that has conventional open sights because you don't have to focus on the rear sight, only the front sight. If you are farsighted you can get glasses that are lower powered than what you might use for reading glasses, just enough so you can focus on the front sight.
 
There is a Version of the Mini-14 called a "ranch rifle" that comes from the factory with a fold-down rear sight and scope rings. Had one years ago and wish I still did! Great little rifle...

Went looking for one the other day and couldn't believe the prices. Well, especially compared to what I paid in 1983!!
 
LOL the Zebra Yellow pellet Gun. Fun at 8 or 9 for sure. They also made the Star Trek Tracer Gun that probably did a lot of damage to kids over the years. It snapped those things out! I had 2 and remember chasing my sister around the basement. Mom would find discs years later : )
Both of those toys are expensive or Russian copies now.

Cheers / Robert

https://www.dallasvintagetoys.com/images/products/detail/IMG_0697.2.jpg
KenECoyote said:
As a kid one of my favorite toys was a plastic version of this that shot yellow pellets!

View attachment 625054
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KenECoyote said:
Hard to find this one nowadays*... Russian Izhmash CM-2 .22lr single shot target rifle.
View attachment 625293
(*Unless you're a Russian conscript in Ukraine.)
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A club member sold me this one for a song and when I next saw him, he brought another 22 target rifle to a club gathering to show me (he told me he had one supposedly used in the Olympics, but couldn't get official paperwork and was looking to sell it since he was getting older and it was too heavy for him).

As he was showing it to me and talking about the history of it, another club member was listening and said "I'LL TAKE IT!" and he got it. :facepalm:
 
bjphoenix said:
There seem to be lots of ways to mount scopes on Mini-14s, I thought I remembered that Ruger even made a version that came with scope mounts.
Depending on your eyes- you can use corrective lenses to help with the open sights. The Mini isn't as bad as something that has conventional open sights because you don't have to focus on the rear sight, only the front sight. If you are farsighted you can get glasses that are lower powered than what you might use for reading glasses, just enough so you can focus on the front sight.
Click to expand...

You are right about scopes. From what I’ve read, Ruger now includes Ruger scope rings with the gun, and the receiver has integral mounting points milled right into the receiver on either side of the ejection port. You can see the integral attachment points:

IMG_0686.jpeg

So if those rings and spacing work for you, you are good to go with scopes right out of the box.

The receiver is also drilled and tapped at those locations on either side of the ejection port, and they include a picatinny rail you can mount there. The rail has a cutout on one side over the ejection port. You can mount your own scope rings to that rail, or you can mount a red dot on the forward end of the rail.

IMG_0685.jpeg

The main issue seems to be that everything mounted to the receiver has to work around the open-top action and the fact that spent casings eject from the top. You can’t mount a red dot to the rail that obstructs the opening. Rails and scopes can make it difficult to clean the action. And some mounting solutions make the optic sit higher than ideal, and you might need something to raise the comb height.

The other solutions for red dots I’ve seen online are like the Samson Hannibal rail. It’s a replacement handguard that has mounting points for several models of reflex sights that are made for pistols. That keeps the sight low enough to the gun that the ergonomics work a lot like the irons, and you won’t need to mess with the comb height. The handguard also has a long length of picatinny rail, and has mounting points at 45 degrees where you can attach sections of rail for things like lights or sling mounts. It’s probably the most tactical type solution.

IMG_0688.jpeg

Edit: here’s another interesting option for mini red dots. GG&G has a mount that attaches to the drilled and tapped receiver. It’s cantilevered forward over the handguard and is set up to fit mini reflex sights meant for pistols. Big cutouts on both sides to access the open-top action. That’s kind of nice.

IMG_0689.jpeg
 
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just wondering... CAA is having a BOGO on their MCK. i've got a SA XDM 9mm 5" and i'd like to get one.. but at 300 just a bit expensive. my son-in-law has one and we've got'er sighted in at about 75'. he has a Ruger MP 2.0.

anyone interested..?

caagearup.com

r-
 

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ThirstyBarbarian said:
You are right about scopes. From what I’ve read, Ruger now includes Ruger scope rings with the gun, and the receiver has integral mounting points milled right into the receiver on either side of the ejection port. You can see the integral attachment points:

View attachment 625323
Click to expand...

Factory Ruger rings are pretty crap. I've had multiple sets. Fortunately, Warne makes very much nicer ones that work directly with the Ruger dovetails. Definitely the way to go, IMO. https://warnescopemounts.com/bases-rails/firearm-specific/
 
KenECoyote said:
Correction "harder" 😆

These used to be imported and sold very cheaply and quality varied quite a bit (look up Russian T34 tank production lol). I got one that looks amazing and shoots exactly where you aim it.
Click to expand...
Bought a Kimber 82G from the CMP when they were $400.
I got lucky and got an accurate one. Reading some of the forums, they were also somewhat inconsistent.
 
Tech 68 said:
Bought a Kimber 82G from the CMP when they were $400.
I got lucky and got an accurate one. Reading some of the forums, they were also somewhat inconsistent.
Click to expand...
You don't know lucky until you see old Russian guns. They often have a stamp from the factory the parts came from and quality and fit vary wildly. However, the CM2 seemed to generally still have really good barrels despite they way they may look (last I researched) and the one I got actually looked excellent with spiral hammering marks on the barrel.
1000015586.jpg
Wood stock is also beautiful (pics don't do it justice) and this is imo unusual for Russian mass produced rifles where they care more about fast and cheap production than fine work.
 
KenECoyote said:
You don't know lucky until you see old Russian guns. They often have a stamp from the factory the parts came from and quality and fit vary wildly. However, the CM2 seemed to generally still have really good barrels despite they way they may look (last I researched) and the one I got actually looked excellent with spiral hammering marks on the barrel.
View attachment 625682
Wood stock is also beautiful (pics don't do it justice) and this is imo unusual for Russian mass produced rifles where they care more about fast and cheap production than fine work.
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That's a pretty barrel! I suspect that compared to AKs and SKSs, the Russians didn't make that many of these.
The Kimber contract to the Army was for 10,000 units, which again, compared to tactical arms, was pretty tiny.
I enclosed a copy of an article about the 82Gs... you might find it interesting. BTW, I get good accuracy with Wolf Extra ammo.
 

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Tech 68 said:
That's a pretty barrel! I suspect that compared to AKs and SKSs, the Russians didn't make that many of these.
The Kimber contract to the Army was for 10,000 units, which again, compared to tactical arms, was pretty tiny.
I enclosed a copy of an article about the 82Gs... you might find it interesting. BTW, I get good accuracy with Wolf Extra ammo.
Click to expand...
Ironically this CM2 shoots best with Wolf Extra as well just when I couldn't find it anymore last I checked.

The Kimber 82G is beautiful and I actually shopped for one for a while.

Where's the article?
 
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The only "Bull Barrel" 22 I still have is a non-semi auto 22Mag Ruger that is like their old 10/22mag rifle with the 9 round rotary magazine, but in a bolt action. Called the 22Mag Ruger Target American Rifle. Nice dark finish on the wood stock.

22Mag ammo can be excellent to sketchy, and why I "think" they discontinued the semi version due to jams and such. [Any also hard to get that ammo now at decent prices]

I always take a cleaning rod with me on the 22Mag, as even some better ammo can fail to eject with the shell still in the chamber of the Barrel and need poked out from the front.
 
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We've talked a lot about great firearms, but have you had any that you hated?

I got a 6" Chiappa Rhino revolver years back since I loved the looks (they're often seen in movies) and I thought that firing out from the lower cylinder position would be novel and more accurate.

Someone at the store called the brand "cheep-ah" and I understood the joke after I got the gun.

The cylinder fit was sloppy, the cylinder advancement heavy and clunky, and the trigger was mushy and vague. I couldn't wait to get rid of it.
 
Art Upton said:
The only "Bull Barrel" 22 I still have is a non-semi auto 22Mag Ruger that is like their old 10/22mag rifle with the 9 round rotary magazine, but in a bolt action. Called the 22Mag Ruger American Rifle. Nice dark finish on the wood stock.

22Mag ammo can be excellent to sketchy, and why I "think" they discontinued the semi version due to jams and such. [Any also hard to get that ammo now at decent prices]

I always take a cleaning rod with me on the 22Mag, as even some better ammo can fail to eject with the shell still in the chamber of the Barrel and need poked out from the front.
Click to expand...

It was battering of the bolt in the action that did in the semi auto 22mag and 17hmr versions.

Volquartsen and others produced harder bolts and spring packages, but the problem persisted.

The bolt action you have is an excellent rifle. I use one on some turkey and crow shooting adventures.
 
Banzai88 said:
It was battering of the bolt in the action that did in the semi auto 22mag and 17hmr versions.

Volquartsen and others produced harder bolts and spring packages, but the problem persisted.

The bolt action you have is an excellent rifle. I use one on some turkey and crow shooting adventures.
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The 10/22 and 22/45 I have the volquartsen extractor on them. Have you had a failure to extract on a decent 22mag round like CCI or any round at all? When I am plinking with mine I tend to use cheaper Winchester X, DynaPoint, and the Overseas Italy version of the CCI blue plastic box have left.

If needed for Hunting I would use the CCI Maxi-Mags I have still, But I won't plink with those anymore $$$
 
KenECoyote said:
We've talked a lot about great firearms, but have you had any that you hated?
Click to expand...

I've never seen an S&W that I would consider serviceable out of the box. Severe (spectacular) defects in several.

The only firearms that IME are ready to go without anything but a little lube, out of the box, are H&K, Tikka, and Beretta shotguns. Everything else gets detail stripped and unfrickerated before being fired, based on lengthy inspection checklists developed from past observation of defects requiring correction.
 
KenECoyote said:
We've talked a lot about great firearms, but have you had any that you hated?

I got a 6" Chiappa Rhino revolver years back since I loved the looks (they're often seen in movies) and I thought that firing out from the lower cylinder position would be novel and more accurate.

Someone at the store called the brand "cheep-ah" and I understood the joke after I got the gun.

The cylinder fit was sloppy, the cylinder advancement heavy and clunky, and the trigger was mushy and vague. I couldn't wait to get rid of it.
Click to expand...
When I read Chiappa Rhino, I said oh no you didn't. Everyone that had bought them wanted to get rid of them. The owner wouldn't even make them an offer. We only had one in the store to sell. I pity the guy that bought it. I can't believe it even made it to market.
 

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