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M-14 vs Mini-14

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J

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Discussion Starter · #1 · (Edited)
I am a fan of the Ruger mini-14 and also have been a fan of the original M-14 for a long time. When I picked up my Mini-14 581 series a couple years back, I was hoping to be able to create a fairly close look to the original. Being that I live in California I am restricted to some items that can be added to the rifle to complete the look, and I was forced to compromise on some parts but all in all, thought it looks pretty close at the end.

I would like to see some other folks' efforts to create a true M-14 clone based off of the Mini-14. -- How close did you get?

Here is mine, sitting next to it's big brother, my FedOrd M14SA for comparisons.....

I have on the following upgrades made to mine: the Tech Sites rear site, SOCOM accu-strut, John Masen muzzel brake (it says it wont fit a 580 series but fits perfectly on mine), John Masen large body magazine, USGI carbine sling, Federal Ordnance upper slotted hand guard, and hand stained and refinished OEM stock.









Let us see some of your results!
 
J

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Discussion Starter · #3 ·
dstra said:
Wow! If you had gone with the LT accu-strut your Mini could easily be mistaken for a M-14. Great job!

Do you have a stainless bolt? At least in the pics it doesn't look blued.
Click to expand...
I have the normal blued version but it has been 'aged' via steel wool, just like the rest of the metal surfaces. I think it gives it a bit more of a 'vintage' look. :)
 
J

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Discussion Starter · #5 ·
hottarod said:
They look like twins. If mine had come with the wood stock I would have gone this way too. Nice looking pair of guns. Which one shoots better?
Click to expand...
Not necessarily a fair comparison, the .223 is great and easy to shoot and does well at 50 and 100 yrds, but the .308 can 'reach out and touch someone' with ease at those distances and much further, and with the muzzel brake it has, it really makes an authoritive report and the AR guys stand up and take notice when it goes 'BOOM'! :D
 
NJ2ATX

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#6 ·
jismail said:
I am a fan of the Ruger mini-14 and also have been a fan of the original M-14 for a long time. When I picked up my Mini-14 581 series a couple years back, I was hoping to be able to create a fairly close look to the original. Being that I live in California I am restricted to some items that can be added to the rifle to complete the look, and I was forced to compromise on some parts but all in all, thought it looks pretty close at the end.

I would like to see some other folks' efforts to create a true M-14 clone based off of the Mini-14. -- How close did you get?

Here is mine, sitting next to it's big brother, my FedOrd M14SA for comparisons.....

I have on the following upgrades made to mine: the Tech Sites rear site, SOCOM accu-strut, John Masen muzzel brake (it says it wont fit a 580 series but fits perfectly on mine), John Masen large body magazine, USGI carbine sling, Federal Ordnance upper slotted hand guard, and hand stained and refinished OEM stock.









Let us see some of your results!
Click to expand...
Awesome job!!!!! All you are missing is a trap door butt plate :D
 
COBrien

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#9 ·
You guys and your M14s are KILLING ME! :lol:

I've had my eye on the SA Scout Squad and the FA M14 Scout for over a year now, but used the "M1A money" I'd stuck back to buy a Colt Defender this summer. Love that Colt, but damn.
 
C

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#10 ·
Here's my pair. Spliced a Garand stacking swivel to AR15 sling loop to fab a proper front loop, routed out a hole and epoxied in an AR15 rear sling loop into the buttstock. Trimmed an M14 handguard to fit, held using the original spring clip and a reformed M14 handguard clip. Boyd's walnut stock. It's now glass bedded but haven't shot it since.


 
qcarr

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#12 ·
Wow! I'm so jealous! Love the M-14s, but have had to "make do" with two Minis for budget reasons. Hopefully someday soon I'll be able to add an M-14/M1A to my collection.

I prefer the traditional look of both guns, but I have to admit that the scout versions of the M-14 are pretty cool. Thanks to everyone for sharing!
 
headedtotexas

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#14 ·
Chilly said:
Click to expand...
I've been working on a way to mod the M1A rear sling swivel into my Mini 14 stock and I'm looking for an outcome just like you've got here. My idea was to find the right length and head design for a screw to mount it like the M14. Did you look into that? Drilling the hole at a flatter angle and deeper into the stock is pretty simple and I can imagine Dremelling the slot the swivel "foot" fits in, but I'm hung up at finding the right screw. The angle needs to move up about 20 degrees and the countersink on the butt plate is not deep enough to accommodate the whole screw head without leaving a sharp edge. Any thoughts?
 
C

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#15 ·
I was wanting to do just as you are saying, run the screw up through the buttplate and into the sling loop like on an M14, Garand, or AR15. However, I could not come up with a satisfactory way to make all the angles and dangles intersect at the intersection so I went caveman-simple. I routed the slot with a Dremel with a small end mill type attachment, eyeballing the right angle to the loop leans forward like with the M14 or Garand. To give the epoxy more purchase on the part of the loop that goes into the stock, I notched the sides with a dremel cut-off wheel. I packed a dollup of epoxy into the hole, smeared it around in there with a stick to get good adhesion to the wood, then smeared a little onto the sling loop. Before you jam it in the hole mask off the stock and cut the slot in the tape with a razor knife. It's important to mask the stock in case excess epoxy squishes out. Be ready with some way to clean up excess so it doesn't look like crap all over the exposed part of the loop. I don't recall what Accra-Glass calls for for cleanup. Vinegar maybe?

Epoxied as it is, it surely isn't EVER coming out. Not how John C. Garand would choose for production purposes, but it's more than strong enough. If you have any intention to parkerize the loop you'd obviously want to do it before gluing into the stock.

headedtotexas said:
I've been working on a way to mod the M1A rear sling swivel into my Mini 14 stock and I'm looking for an outcome just like you've got here. My idea was to find the right length and head design for a screw to mount it like the M14. Did you look into that? Drilling the hole at a flatter angle and deeper into the stock is pretty simple and I can imagine Dremelling the slot the swivel "foot" fits in, but I'm hung up at finding the right screw. The angle needs to move up about 20 degrees and the countersink on the butt plate is not deep enough to accommodate the whole screw head without leaving a sharp edge. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
 
C

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#17 ·
Someone with metal-forming skills might be able to get a Garand or M14 buttplate on there, but it was more than I was caring to deal with. M1 Carbine buttplate is too small. A 1903 buttplate (flat steel) might be a better candidate but I wasn't willing to sacrifice one.
 
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