Single-Shot Mini-14

[0306_Fossil]

I bought a single shot mini-14 today, cheap, guess why?

Once I get the gas block re-installed and aligned I want to shoot Lee C225-55 projectiles-Pure Linotype <2000 fps. Anyone have any experience good or bad they might be willing to share.

 

[RBHarter]

No experience with the platform or the particular bullet.
I did load a pile of 223/556 with the NOE 225-55 @62gr. Straight WDWW with H322 and H4198 worked well for gas checked bullets lubed with an STP rich ,vasoline poor Darrs lube at 2050 to 2200 fps in an AR with a 16" bbl mid length gas and 1-8 twist. They end up about 18 BHN . As of yet I haven't needed lino for any bullets that I've attempted to push but I haven't challenged 2500 fps in fast twists either.

 

[Ian]

Straight linotype would be my next to last choice of alloy for that.

 

[0306_Fossil]

Straight linotype would be my next to last choice of alloy for that.

Not my first choice either but I inherited about 4400-lbs of it. I won't live long enough to shoot it up so why add cost. Is there some reason I shouldn't shoot it straight?

 

[JWFilips]

Well I can't Speak for that caliber or rifle with Lino But I can tell you my story: When I started shooting my .234 Win Ruger 77V with cast; a fine Gentleman sent me 300 + pieces of the RCBS 95 grain bullet with gas checks But they were 100% lino! I never shot pure lino before so my first thought was use them to sweeten the pot alloy. I overcame that and started using them to blow out reformed 308 to 243 cases....Surprisingly the groups that I started shooting were recordable!
most times 5 & 10 shot groups were ragged hole at 50 yds I was using a good blow out load of 16gr 2400. I started realizing they were center to center tighter then any of my best targets to date! So the darn things work if there moving well. But with you stock of metal I can see "pot sweetening" for years to come.... since COWW are a thing of the past!

 

[Ian]

Antimony wash and poor accuracy as you push up velocity due to the brittle nature of Linotype alloy micro-fracturing and sloughing off. Honestly I haven't shot any in .22 caliber, but have shot a good bit of it in .30 caliber rifles and Swedish Mausers. It works really well up to a point. If that point happens to coincide with an acceptable load then you're set. If it doesn't, cut it exactly in half with the softest, purest lead you can find and water-quench the bullets. Compare with same loads as straight Lino and see what you get.

 

[quicksylver]

Wanna sell some..?
Or trade for COWW

 

[fiver]

well Ian beat be to it by a bit but i'll second linotype not being the best bet in the 223.
cut it in half with pure lead.
mix it with some ww's anything to get the antimony content down to about 5.

 

[Ian]

I just had a thought on the Mini.....why not do some load workups and accuracy testing BEFORE repairing the gas system and compare with same loads afterward, just to see what the potential is before the factor of the op rod reaction whipping the barrel comes into play? I've never heard of anyone shooting one with the gas system disabled to determine true accuracy potential.

 

[0306_Fossil]

I'm sure you guys are aware of the price of lead. How much do you think a military pension pays these days?

My wife is still asking me when the savings start.

 

[JWFilips]

With all that Lino ...you are sitting on a gold mine! Did you check the price of it lately?

 

[0306_Fossil]

I just had a thought on the Mini.....why not do some load workups and accuracy testing BEFORE repairing the gas system and compare with same loads afterward, just to see what the potential is before the factor of the op rod reaction whipping the barrel comes into play? I've never heard of anyone shooting one with the gas system disabled to determine true accuracy potential.

I wish I'd talked to you about 9 hours ago!

 

[Rick]

I'm sure you guys are aware of the price of lead. How much do you think a military pension pays these days?

My wife is still asking me when the savings start.

Just take her to the store and show her the price tag on a box of bullets these days.

.

 

[Ian]

That's why you swap it with the gentlemen here if you need to, just pay postage. The USPS flat rate boxes are still fairly reasonable when you consider the 70# weight limit. "Pure-ish" lead is also somewhat difficult to come by, though. You might put a want ad in our swap/sell section if you decide the straight linotype doesn't work out for certain applications.

 

[Ian]

I wish I'd talked to you about 9 hours ago!

Well, I was here! (just kidding).

I don't have a Mini, but have always wanted one. The Garand-esque action appeals to me very much. Now that Ruger has released them in 300 Blackout I'm even more intrigued, but have been put off by poor accuracy reports from (mostly) magazine writers. What I thought would be interesting would be to install a spindle valve in the gas block akin to the M1A's. Having had experience with the Mini-14's gas system, do you think that would be feasible?

 

[0306_Fossil]

This rifle has an adjustable gas block. It's aluminum and the rest of the rifle is steel so I assume it's aftermarket. I thought all mini's were adjustable but this is the only auto-loader I've ever owned that wasn't a Remington Model 8.

 

[0306_Fossil]

Just take her to the store and show her the price tag on a box of bullets these days.

.

You're trying to get a brother killed! I'm not permitted to buy anything anymore. I have to sell blood and plasma to procure primers and powder.

 

[Rick]

She wanted to know when the savings start right? Show her what a box of bullets cost and then explain what your casting them for. See? Your saving a bunch of money.

 

[0306_Fossil]

She wanted to know when the savings start right? Show her what a box of bullets cost and then explain what your casting them for. See? Your saving a bunch of money.

My mother raised ugly kids not stupid ones! Last time I had the wife to the gun store, the owner blurted out "your .32 Remington will be in Thursday" without so much as a, by your leave. I'm only the Executive Officer in this house.

 

[Hawk]

Poor accuracy in the Mini-14 can be improved by glass bedding the system.
I have a Mini-14 in 5.56 that shot 6" groups at 100 yards. Glass bedded it and now get 2" groups at 100 yards.
Not great, but acceptable for my intended use of the rifle (anti-personnel if the SHTF).
I'll try to find the article and post it.