Three removable, black plastic spacers just forward of the rubber buttpad let shooters adjust the stock's length of pull from 14 to 15 1⁄2 inches in 1⁄2-inch increments. The stock's lower line then curves dramatically upward before running forward to the pistol grip, forming a hook for the non-shooting hand to press against and keep the rifle firmly settled on the bench. So it will nestle solidly into a sandbag, the toe is rather thin and parallels the comb for 3 inches. The stock's high, slim comb rises slightly at the heel and digs into the cheek for a tight weld. Along with the slight swell to the pistol grip, the design promotes a steady, repeatable hold. The thumbhole buttstock has a large, triangular-shaped cutout just behind the pistol grip that not only lets the thumb encircle the pistol grip, but also provides a stable shelf on which its fleshy base can rest. Different loads, of course, can produce different amounts of vibration, and the ability to adjust the harmonic dampener allows the shooter to tune the barrel to obtain the best accuracy with any given ammunition.Ī beefy barrel does not a target rifle make, so Ruger continued overhauling the Mini-14 by giving it a stock eminently suited for shooting from the bench. The heavy barrel on the Target Rifle works together with the harmonic dampener to reduce the amplitude of the arc, making bullet exit, and therefore point of impact downrange, more consistent. One way to control vibration is to add weight to the barrel, which soaks up the impulses. In part, this is why even a very tight group will still somewhat resemble a triangle. However, their magnitude and duration vary from shot to shot, and five bullets may leave the bore when the muzzle is at five different points on the vibration-induced arc. If these vibrations were absolutely consistent, there would be a lot of rifles shooting one-hole groups. These vibrations cause the barrel to move in an arc, even before the bullet has exited the bore. Functions that occur within a rifle such as the firing pin striking the primer, the ignition of the propellant, the expansion of the propellant gases and the bullet's contact with the rifling as it travels through the bore all produce a number of vibrations that are ultimately transmitted to the barrel.
Rotating the harmonic dampener clockwise moves it toward the receiver, while turning it counterclockwise shifts it toward the muzzle.īarrel harmonics, or the vibration of the barrel during firing, can greatly affect point of impact and group size.
#Mini guns that shoot series#
A series of helical grooves on the barrel's surface allow the position of the harmonic dampener to be changed by turning it after loosening the attachment screws. The 3⁄16-inch-thick sleeve slips over the barrel, and four Allen-head screws keep it in place. Prominent on the barrel is a 41⁄2-inch-long, harmonic-dampening weight. Its six-groove rifling has a 1:9 RH twist to stabilize all but the heaviest. 78 inch in diameter where it emerges from the gas block, with an additional 3 1⁄2 inches of length.
The Target Rifle, in contrast, has a heavy, hammer-forged, stainless steel barrel that is. Though the lightweight, 18 1⁄2-inch barrel of the standard Ranch Rifle makes for quick and easy handling, it has many times bore the brunt of the criticism stemming from inaccuracy.
Ruger started its Mini-14 makeover by going straight for what most often is the deciding factor in a rifle's accuracy-the barrel. Other features manifest in the Mini-14 family and carried on with the Target Rifle are a Garand-style safety, stout magazine release lever and ventilated, fiberglass handguard that covers the barrel from receiver to gas block. Ruger includes high, 1-inch rings for mounting an optic, which is mandatory since the receiver and barrel are devoid of iron sights. Scope bases integral to the receiver-a feature that debuted on the Mini-14 Ranch Rifle during the early 1980s-also fittingly appear on the Target Rifle. The investment-cast receiver and L-shaped charging handle have a matte-stainless finish. With competitive action-shooting events on the rise, Ruger decided to address this issue, introducing the Mini-14 Target Rifle accompanied by claims of minute-of-angle performance.Īppropriate for a Mini-14 derivative, the Target Rifle keeps the fixed-piston gas system and rotary bolt with dual locking lugs borrowed from the M1 Garand and the line's military inspiration, the M14. Accuracy-frankly not the Mini-14's strongpoint-has generally taken a backseat to its simple and reliable operation. The Ruger Mini-14 has proven its ruggedness since it started riding around in pickups in 1974, but getting it to consistently shoot neat little groups at 100 yards has often been an exercise in frustration.