The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Hi,

Well the addiction has reared it's head again and after a bit of research (including searching on this site and SimG's "tune up" thread) I've settled on purchasing a Mini 14 for a short/mid range "fun" gun. I'm aware and appreciate that it's not going to be a bench rest standard rifle.

Anyway, after doing the rounds on guntrader etc there's one for sale at Fultons. It just so happens I'm also at the NRASC Open day next weekend with a few guests. I think you can see where this is going!!

It would seem that there was a manufacturing change on the UK spec rifles and the barrel was beefed up a bit which helped controlled the flex.

Is there anyway of identifying new/old spec guns? I could just Fultons but I'd like to go in a bit more informed before I part with my hard earned cash money.

Thanks!

The "heavier" barreled versions were known as the "GB". It stands for Government Barrel. They are a little heavier, but from what I'm aware of, they didn't make that much difference. The way to spot it is the GB has the fore sight at the muzzle and the standard barrel had the fore sight half way down the barrel.

If the sight on the original has been removed, there will be a line scored into the surface where it was.

Either way th barrel of both types needs to be stabalised. A device such as the Mo-Rod or even a moderator will make a hell of a difference.

Excellent - thanks for the advice.

Sim, I've read your other thread on what you did to your Mini 14. Have you shot it out to any distances much further than 100yds?

What sort of groupings can you get? I'm aware they aren't built as a tack driver, but wondered how effective your mods were to longer distance shots?

Yep, certainly have!

At 300 I was getting 5 inch groups which is roughly the minute and a half I was getting at 100 yds, but, I generally shoot five round groups and doing so would give me four rounds into five inches, sometimes with the best three within two inches of each other, but always getting a flyer, just a single one, that would open it up to around nine inches! I couldn't call this flyer either, so if it was me or gun, I can't say.

Now I have had it out a tad further, say, er, 1400m!! The club was on serial 45 multi ETR last month and the gun would drop 5 and 600m fig 11's and 12's with decent regularity and, I was able to comfortably bounce some tracer off a BMP and other armourded vehicles at 7/800m. I know that's not a real test but the real test on this srt of range was passed with flying colours, it was reliable and a shed load of fun!!

This is still a wrk in progress. I've settled on the load, so no mre there, but, I intend to shorten the barrel to the end of the Mo-Rod, making it around 14 inches. In theory this should stiffen it a little more. And, there were after market triggers made a while ago, I may just try sourcing one of them or indeed, go to the stock trigger with some stones and paper.....!!

Thanks for that... it sounds like just the kind of rifle I could be after. Cheap too :)

pigsy wrote:Hi,

Well the addiction has reared it's head again and after a bit of research (including searching on this site and SimG's "tune up" thread) I've settled on purchasing a Mini 14 for a short/mid range "fun" gun. I'm aware and appreciate that it's not going to be a bench rest standard rifle.

Anyway, after doing the rounds on guntrader etc there's one for sale at Fultons. It just so happens I'm also at the NRASC Open day next weekend with a few guests. I think you can see where this is going!!

It would seem that there was a manufacturing change on the UK spec rifles and the barrel was beefed up a bit which helped controlled the flex.

Is there anyway of identifying new/old spec guns? I could just Fultons but I'd like to go in a bit more informed before I part with my hard earned cash money.

Thanks!

Have you tried Andy Allwood, a dealer in Bracknell, Berkshire? He always has a few new ones and possibly some second hand. He will tell you all about the differences in models and years etc.

Andy can be contacted on 01344 484215.

I have to say that even new, they do seem to be cheap compared to your average new AR15/M4 derivative.

PaulR

Once again, thanks for the good advice, Certainly seems they can be fettled well enough.

PaulR - I've had a gander at Andy's website and he's certainly got a lot of stock in. I'll give him a call. Thank you.

Adam

Adam, if you have another look at Andy Allwoods site, on the centerfire gallery page, right at the bottom, you will see two Mini 14's pictured. The one with the scope is the orginal barrel and the GB version is beneath it.

Andy has provided the perfect picture for what I tred to describe. You can see the GB is heavier, but not by much at all.....

SimG - funnily enough just p*erving at the picture at work as you typed. Very clear description thanks.

The Fulton ones both seem to be the original version. I'll have a look at those on Saturday but I'll definitely give Andy a call. There's not much price difference between the s/h and new.