Aftermarket Stock

[RonJ]

Hi All,
I just purchased a lightly used Ranch Rifle in .223 with a wood stock. It came with a Simmons 3x9 scope, which I'll check out but probably change.
I've been reading with interest, this section on accurizing the rifle. In the sticky thread at the top of this section, the #1 suggestion is rebedding the stock......Question....Will purchasing a good quality synthetic stock be as good as rebedding the wooden one. What's your number one recommendation for a non folding, non pistolgrip stock?

Please bear in mind that I've had the rifle for about four hours and haven't fired it yet. Maybe it'll be ok as it is.
BTW, mine is apparently a 188 series, will this have any bearing on which stock I order?

Thanks for the opportunity to be a part of this forum. :)

[garza1290]

I'm not into tricking out my Mini's Ron, I like them just they way they are. I'd take that scope off and shoot it al natural just to get acquainted with it. Get a feel for it and then go from there. Just my advice.:)

[RonJ]

Thanks, that's my plan. Gonna put a couple of hundred rounds through it before I decide. Just hedging my bets for now.

[tri70]

There is alot of stock options for the mini from folders to thumbhole. I have a Hogue overmolded and it has a wide feel with the rubberized surface for grip. Do you have any gun shops that you visit and feel the different stocks?

[rutro]

Howdy RonJ and welcome to the forum by the way. I bought my 188 serries way back when and it was brand new in the box. That were many, many moons ago!!! As far as stocks go they all can benifit from bedding I think. I think the stock it comes in is always the best. Of course I always have a tendency to mod 'em to fit Ol'Stanley of course. Here's a link to some pics, http://www.perfectunion.com/vb/showthread.php?t=52813, if you're interested. You would do well to check the Ruger data base and see what twist the barrel is. This will tell you what weight bullits it will stabilize. Mine is a 1-7'' and that's fast. It will stabilize the heaviest bullits you can load for the Mini. It's also most likely to copper foul the quickest. If once you get it to the range it's shooting some rather large groups you may want to check and see if the copper has built up in the barrel. Some Hoppies Elite gun cleaner will get it out quicker than anything I've ever seen. Just push a couple of patches saturated with it then wait 15 or 20 min. and run a clean one through and if it comes out blue it's gott a copper build up. The Elite cleaner will make short work out of it, just repeat and throw in a good scrubing with a bore brush until no more blue shows up.

[RonJ]

Thanks rutro. The Ruger data base sounds interesting. I'll check it out.

[RonJ]

Rutro, I've been able to find a serial number/shipping date list on the Ruger site but nothing about rate of twist. Any suggestions? My rifle appears to have been shipped in late '95. After disassembling the rifle there is virtually no wear on the moving parts. Looks like it just came out of the box.

Tri70, went out shopping but no one had any thing in stock for me to try out!
Thanks for the suggestion though.

[rutro]

TWIST RATE FOR MINI-14

1978-1985 = 1 in 10" (e.g., 181 series)
1986-1994 = 1 in 7"
1995-2004 = 1 in 9" (e.g., 197 series).
2005- = 1 in 9"
So if you know your year of mfg, you're good to go. (Ref above post)

TWIST RATE FOR MINI-30

ALL MINI-30 = 1 in 10"

Otherwise, you can check by pulling out a tight fitting patch from the bore with the cleaning rod marked so you can count one complete rev - then simply measure the distance the rod came out.

[RonJ]

Thanks Rutro, sounds like you're one of the "go to" guys around here.

[quickblu]

Ron,

Congrats on the Mini purchase. I think you will come to love as most of us have. My mini is bone stock save for the Bushnell 3x9 sportview i have on there. I can tell you that prior to looking into it i never thought a thing of the mini's accuracy or lack there of. i have plinked just about anything one might want to with it and it will slay all the beer bottles that you want at about 35-40 yards clays at 50 old bricks are also pretty entertaining as they tend to burst into a cloud of dust. i guess my point is that as long as it shoots about minute of chest at 100 yards then you'll be fine. :D

Aaron

[RonJ]

Thanks Aaron,
I can hardly wait to get it to the range. My local handgun range can't accomodate a .223 and the outdoor ranges are iced over in the Missouri area of the country. My trigger finger is gettin' itchy!

[rutro]

RonJ said;
Thanks Rutro, sounds like you're one of the "go to" guys around here.

Glad to help RonJ. Since I'm retired and have more time than a lot of guys here I just try to help when I can. Ya'll have been in the deep freeze in Missouri quite a bit this winter. I haven't had to put up with that but we do get the wind. I can get to the range but timeing those gusts to get these little bullits to hit the same is a trick I'm still learning.;)

[timlt]

Hi All,
Question....Will purchasing a good quality synthetic stock be as good as rebedding the wooden one. What's your number one recommendation for a non folding, non pistolgrip stock?


Getting synthetic would be better, in my opinion. The Mini is a hard-working utility gun, and most people put a lot of rounds through it. A beautiful wooden stock is nice (I have a nice laminated one on mine), but really belongs on a different type of gun. Since the Mini is typically a working gun that you shoot a lot, you may prefer to get a good quality synthetic. If I were to do it over again today, I'd get a synthetic, and it would be this one:

Bell and Carlson Carbelite stock for the Mini-14
http://www.rifle-accuracy.com/

At around $150, this stock is a LITTLE pricey, but probably one of the best quality aftermarket synthetics you can get for the Mini. Also, if you're into the "cool" look, note that the company will apply a variety of sweet looking finish options for a pretty reasonable cost. Look at their page of finish options:

http://www.rifle-accuracy.com/bcstkfin.htm


Personally, I think this is the coolest available add-on I've seen for the Mini, and I'm kicking myself that I didn't know about this until after I had already bought my laminated stock, even though it's really nice too. So to answer your question about synthetic stocks, if you don't mind spending a few extra bucks, this is the one to get.

[RonJ]

Thanks for the links. Those are some NICE stocks!
Really great camo patterns too.

[tmaxturner45]

I think the most important factor in a new stock is a straight butt that will accept a Pachmayr type recoil pad to adjust the LOP.
The laminated aftermarket stocks looks nice and add some meat in addition to what I just mentioned. The Bell and Carlson makes it feel like a new gun with more of an "adult-sized stock" Kinda like holding an M1 carbine then an M1 Garand.

[timlt]

Just to reinforce what Tmaxturner said, if you go to the page at the following link, you can "configure" the Bell Carlson stock and see what your options would be if you bought it. Select the Mini-14 in the first drop-down box, then you can see what all the options would be for adding various finishes, different length-of-pull options, etc. It's really an amazing stock, I can't believe it can be had for only $150 considering all the options you can get on it. I'd love to get the stock plus one of their $29.95 camo finishes.

http://rifle-stocks-order-page.easystorecreator.net/items/bell-and-carlson-rifle-stocks/carbelite-rifle-stocks/Carbelite-Composite-Rifle-Stocks-detail.htm

**Note: One minor catch. On the selector page, do NOT select the Smartstock Accuracy system option if you really decide to buy it. That looks like an amazing accurizing setup that I'd really love to try, but I've been warned by several folks here that this particular option is not available on with the Mini-14 verison of their stock, because of where the gas block sits on the Mini.

[Hogwild]

I believe you are correct that the Smart Stock is not available with the mini 14/30. That being said, I would send them an email for verification.

I have to believe that their stock that is pillar posted to the mini would be a real step in the right direction. If not pillar posted then at least solidly glass/aluminum bedded in the action area to further solidify the action. The idea of being able to "torque" the receiver in to the same spec's each time is appealing to me. I also believe this to be beneficial for overall accuracy. Repeatability & Consistency.