I have just purchased a preban model 181 mini-14 with an all wood stock including the barrel cover. I am fairly knowledgable regarding guns but am not up to speed with the add on parts available for the mini-14. I have spent a couple of days looking at the stablizers, heaver barrels, triggers and flash hiders. There is no need for me to recreate the research that you guys have done with considerable work on your part. Can a couple of you please post as to all the recommended modifications to a pre-ban gun. I want to keep iron sights, but am open to improving them with replacements. Does the black warrior improve accuracy over the average flash hider such as a vortex. Thank you in advance for you help. P.S. who are the gunsmiths that you are using on this board?
Need opinions from the experts here
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Welcome to the forum maddog7. Here are a couple of threads, which deal with mods to improve accuracy. The Blackwarior is a muzzle brake. The muzzle brake cut my groups from 4 1/2" to 2 1/4", the other mods, and reloads droped the average 5 shot groups to 1.15". Those that have posted on the flash hider have seen some improvement, but not what a muzzle brake gives us.
As far as a gun smith goes, most of us have done the mods ourselves except for the trigger job. I sent mine to Mike Knifong, at Norhtwest Shooter Support.
For add on's, visit our gallery to get an idea of what you would like to do with your mini, use the search button, and enter key words, Usually several threads will come up on your subject.
Check out: http://www.perfectunion.com/forums/showthr...=&threadid=1818
http://www.perfectunion.com/forums/showthr...41&pagenumber=1
As far as a gun smith goes, most of us have done the mods ourselves except for the trigger job. I sent mine to Mike Knifong, at Norhtwest Shooter Support.
For add on's, visit our gallery to get an idea of what you would like to do with your mini, use the search button, and enter key words, Usually several threads will come up on your subject.
Check out: http://www.perfectunion.com/forums/showthr...=&threadid=1818
http://www.perfectunion.com/forums/showthr...41&pagenumber=1
maddog7: How about iron sight replacement?
I've just replaced the factory insert in the rear sight with XS Ghost Ring rear sight insert http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/Pro...?p=42&s=202#202. It's much better than original. See my post from last week.
You provided no info to make an advice - or rather, you've provided contradictory info - on the purpose you want for the gun.
Is that an all-around survival/paramilitary rifle? Close quarters rifle? Long-distance tack-driver/varmint shooter?
It would look drastically different in each case.
Just to understand what questions to ask and what co consider, you need to know a lot. Fortunately, reading all the messages on this board will unearh a wealth of experience.
It took me a few weeks - and I believe it was not wasted time. I was not entirely a novice to guns either - with military and combat servce under my belt. But not with Mini. So relax, read the board, meet the people. Welcome.
V.
I've just replaced the factory insert in the rear sight with XS Ghost Ring rear sight insert http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/Pro...?p=42&s=202#202. It's much better than original. See my post from last week.
You provided no info to make an advice - or rather, you've provided contradictory info - on the purpose you want for the gun.
Is that an all-around survival/paramilitary rifle? Close quarters rifle? Long-distance tack-driver/varmint shooter?
It would look drastically different in each case.
Just to understand what questions to ask and what co consider, you need to know a lot. Fortunately, reading all the messages on this board will unearh a wealth of experience.
It took me a few weeks - and I believe it was not wasted time. I was not entirely a novice to guns either - with military and combat servce under my belt. But not with Mini. So relax, read the board, meet the people. Welcome.
V.
voruzon, you are exactly correct. I didn't post good information. As to the purpose of the mini. I will not be using it for long range varmint work. I will only be using iron sights or red dots so that precludes long range work. I want a combat gun, but one that is accurate as possible. Probably don't need the weight or cost of a heavy barrel but a trigger job, bedding, some type of muzzle bread, expecially if it also improves accuracy due to lessening the barrel whipping and improved sights would be welcome. Click adjustable, return to zero sights would be great. It looks like the millet sights are not very well protected though.
Maddog,
Have you read my post http://www.perfectunion.com/forums/showthr...=&threadid=3778 on XS rear sight insert? With Ghost Sight, the front sight blade works as well as a red dot.
Other than very low light - where you just can't see the front blade in the darkness - the red dot's advantages are not obvious in tactical situations.
There are things that can be done to improve front blade visibility, which I intend to research soon.
Red dot sight is an added weight. It restricts your vision. It makes your rifle less streamilned. It is not 100 reliable - and mini is rough on the optics. It may cause glare and reveal you position. It needs batteries, which will die in the most inopportune moment. It takes practice time away from iron sights.
Training with a red-dot rather than iron sights is likely to prevent you from learning instinctive/reflexive shooting or at least slow it down. Your eye's role is overemphacized compared to your body's.
Besides, if SHTF, there is a chance you will have to use a gun other than your own.
If you do go with the red dot, consider a mount that allows you to co-witness the iron sights - which may only be possible on Mini if mounted on a scout rail.
V.
Have you read my post http://www.perfectunion.com/forums/showthr...=&threadid=3778 on XS rear sight insert? With Ghost Sight, the front sight blade works as well as a red dot.
Other than very low light - where you just can't see the front blade in the darkness - the red dot's advantages are not obvious in tactical situations.
There are things that can be done to improve front blade visibility, which I intend to research soon.
Red dot sight is an added weight. It restricts your vision. It makes your rifle less streamilned. It is not 100 reliable - and mini is rough on the optics. It may cause glare and reveal you position. It needs batteries, which will die in the most inopportune moment. It takes practice time away from iron sights.
Training with a red-dot rather than iron sights is likely to prevent you from learning instinctive/reflexive shooting or at least slow it down. Your eye's role is overemphacized compared to your body's.
Besides, if SHTF, there is a chance you will have to use a gun other than your own.
If you do go with the red dot, consider a mount that allows you to co-witness the iron sights - which may only be possible on Mini if mounted on a scout rail.
V.
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There is (unfortunately) no more rugged rear sight available than the stock MINI-14 rear sight and it can be called "semi-protected" at best. No question whatsoever about going with the XS Sight Systems rear aperture. The factory aperture is simply too small for fast acquisition.
There is also no more rugged front sight than the factory front sight. You would have to bend the barrel before you could bend this sight. There are front sight replacements with smaller posts (Choate, e.g.), but if you go this route get it silver soldered (not pinned) on.
If you're looking for accuracy and don't mind getting the barrel chopped, try DRC Custom Guns. He's got good reviews on this site. If you've got a pre-ban, he can install the Choate dog ear site with integral flash suppressor (or you can have him convert it to a muzzle brake).
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110 Posts
You may also want to consider painting the front sight ramp fluorescent orange. Kind of like a "poor man's" red dot, if you will. I did this on my stainless and find it helps in faster target acquisition, both in normal and low light.
Thanks guys, this is just the type of information I was looking for. I have read the entire achives and there is a wealth of information. I had overlooked the XS express sight though. It looks like a good addition to the way I am wanting to go. Do you lose any accuracy in the 100 - 200 yard range with the larger peep? I called Accuracy Inc. in CO. They talked about their pin bedding verses epoxy. Does anyone have any experience with that bedding method. Am trying to call DRC to talk with him about his services but he has been out. Most people seem to be using the Black warrior brake and increasing accuracy, DRC uses the choate flash hider/front sight that they can modify into a muzzle brake and silver solder it on the barrel. Does anyone have any experience with this sight/brake. Did it improve accuracy like the Black Warrior? Does that sight/brake work with the existing rear factory sight and still leave plenty of vertical adjustment. Thanks for all of your help.
I just spoke to Dave at DRC on the telephone, he seemed very knowledgable on the Mini. I have about decided on the following mods to my preban 181 series Mini. I will have dave shorten the barrel to 16 inches, install the choate Muzzle brake/front sight (silver soldered) with the cone option. Do A trigger job on the gun and install an XS express leaf in the rear factory sight. He will also throw in any tuning that is needed for reliable operation. Thanks for all the help and information that you guys have provided. I will let you know how it shoots in around 6 weeks.
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