[grumpy_old_man]

Hi Aim2MB;

Great find and a nice project. If your heart is set on the red dot, then the Amega mount is probably your best bet. You could also try irons with the tech sights package if your eyesight is good. I'm with Gameover on this, the mini really shines with good irons, but you need good eyesight to go with it so if you want an optic then the replacement forearm seems the best solution to me.

Good luck on your project and the main thing I would suggest is that you stock on magazines and parts as well as ammo, when you can find it. We're not out of the woods on a magazine ban and Ruger mags are available straight from the factory.

Hope you kept the wood stock, since you can lengthen it by using a Choate buttstock extender and then use either the "boring" wood when you want to go low profile or the cool camo'd plastic when you want to go tactical. I used one of those extenders on my first mini 14 back in the old days and its a "must have" accessory in my book. It just screws on in place of the old plastic butt plate and adds about an extra inch of pull.

Best,
Grumpy

 

[grumpy_old_man]

Hi Aim2MB;

Please don't take this the wrong way, its just a word of advice, but since you're in Kali, make sure about the legality of any modifications you do to your rifle to make sure you won't get burned on their damn' AWB. I'm sure you already have been careful and have not violated anything inside the state of Kali (my perhaps flawed understanding is that a rifle can be taken outside the state, fitted with any parts you want on a "gun vacation" target/competition shooting someplace like Nevada, then returned to Kali legal for the trip home - check with a lawyer before you do such a thing though). Just want to make sure everyone else knows not to give advice to someone from Kali who may get in trouble if he or she takes it without checking. My understanding is that their laws are extremely byzantine and I in no way profess competence in them. I am not a lawyer, nor am I an LEO. Just a tired old guy who likes guns and can't figure out why the left hates gun-owners so much.

Good luck on your project, the mini 14 is one of the really good ones!
Best,
Grumpy

 

[grumpy_old_man]

Great find, I was blessed to trade a Remington 597 .22 and some cash for a 186 series Mini 14 just before the New Town crime. The gun came from a friend who had bought it and fired less than 50 rounds threw it since year 2000. I found Perfect Union when I had an upgrade question and went for the all out do it yourself upgrade project. I just completed
the upgrade and went to the Okeechobee gun range today with my mini and my AR. The Mini is my new favorite gun. Here's a pic , I went for the M 14 look and it turned out nice

Hi RohaWaha;

That is one sweet lookin' mini 14!

Did you install the Choate M14 style cage yourself, and if so how difficult was it?

Thanks for any info and again my compliments on a fine rifle!
Best,
Grumpy

 

[grumpy_old_man]

Bullet Buttons/Mag-locks meets the requirements of the CA AWB when it comes to configurations like mine. This one doesn't require heavy modification at all; and only takes a minute or less to set or remove. And while top-loading sucks, it's doable and for myself, well worth the cost of modding a rifle my way.

mini-14 mag lock is here!!! and its free. - Calguns.net

Great, glad to hear it! Sorry, I felt like I was p****** on someone's cornflakes when I posted, but I wanted to make sure no one would get the wrong impression. These damn' fora are open to all, and I have no doubts there are some gun grabbers who lurk these halls.....

Hadn't even thought of a bullet button solution (DOH!) but you're right that takes care of any features issues at all, so long as you stay with 10 bangers. Any impressions on the stock - how tight, more/less accurate than the OEM wood? I've never used the Choate stocks, though I've got a BC folder for one of my mini's. Still looking for a factory folder over here, just like the one I had in the mid '80's.

One of the things I really like about the mini is how quickly I can change its appearance and configuration. So in my older gen "goes (almost) anywhere" bag I kept a standard stocked stainless 580 series with the folder in an accessory pouch. Idea was that if I'm headed to a locale where its bad, bad, bad I can leave the folder. Just passing through, locked in the trunk not mounted on the rifle. And even where legal I've found it best sometimes to go low profile on the mini - it draws less attention in wood furniture. An AR will always be an AR but a mini is the master of disguise!

Best,
Grumpy