[Rick_a]

This originally was used with a Choate pistol grip stock, but I thought I'd try something different. It's basically a standard Mini-14 with the barrel cut to 16", an extended mag release, and an Eagle pinned-on flash hider. The stock is the Muzzlelite stock, and the optics are an Aimpoint Comp ML. There's a lot of grip tape on it that'll be replaced with rubber as it hasn't adhered well to the polymer used. Aside from a crappy trigger pull (due to the stock's trigger linkage and heavy return spring) and a tendency to spit an empty back into the stock every now and then, it is a very fun gun. I'm looking into using a Ranch Rifle bolt and extractor as the stock extractor has already been modified to no avail. I'd also like to fabricate an aluminum trigger with an adjustment to take up the slack, along with an adjustable trigger group and reduced power return spring.

It tends to raise a lot of eyebrows and people always ask what it is and if it's legal...usually accompanied with a stern look.

I love it. It's very handly, balances surprisingly well, shoots as well as stock (which is adequate), and is loud as hell. Once I fix the few shortcomings it'll be good to go.

 

[deputy125]

As a lefty i can imagine what would happen if i fired it. Still makes a nice close quarters weapon.

 

[jimbo1096]

I'll bet it raises some eyebrows in the LE community as well. You'll know if any are gun people, they'll all want to shoot it!

 

[HB-DLX]

Rick, I was thinking of doing that to a Mini, but couldn't find any one around here who had done one. So, I got a couple of questions for you. How accurate is it ? Is the trigger pull any worse than a crappy AK trigger ? Also, how good of quality is the the stock ? And finally, how hard is it to break down and clean ?

 

[peace]

quote:Originally posted by HB-DLX

Rick, I was thinking of doing that to a Mini, but couldn't find any one around here who had done one. So, I got a couple of questions for you. How accurate is it ? Is the trigger pull any worse than a crappy AK trigger ? Also, how good of quality is the the stock ? And finally, how hard is it to break down and clean ?

Yeah Rick, come on and answer the man's questions because I would like to know too. That bullpup looks like it has some real potential as an operator's tool. Would like to hear a full blown range report and review, if you would be so kind, thanks in advance.

 

[Rick_a]

Accuracy is no different than stock. The trigger pull is worse than anything I've ever fired before. It almost feels like a stiff, short, straight pull double action, with the typical plasticy spongy feel of polymer triggered handguns...but worse. It takes some getting used to and can be shot accurately and fast once acclimated to it. I'll have to check the pull weight with a gauge as I've never bothered.

Breaking down for cleaning is fairly simple as a few screws need to be loosened and the stock simply comes off in halves. The Mini breaks down normally once removed from the stock.

With a standard Mini the rear sight can be adjusted to "bed" against the inside of the stock, but ejection can be a problem due to the ejection angle of these rifles. Mine will throw about one out of 20 empties back into the stock...after three or four the trigger linkage will get jammed. It's totally unacceptable, but something that can and will be fixed. With a Ranch rifle there isn't that benefit with the rear sight (I'm not even sure if it actually makes a difference) but at least it'll be 100% reliable without modification.

The gun balances surprisingly well. My biggest pet pieves are the feel and shape of the grip, and the smooth end of the butt that tends to not want to stay on the shoulder securely. A rubber pad cut to fit, split in two and glued on would be a good fix. After a few years all my grip tape is falling off. The pistol grip is a little flexy and cheap feeling and has an AK-like shape to it. I'd like to find something to overlay and epoxy on to it.

The optics rail is a pretty cheesy plastic piece that doesn't allow the use of the open sights, but I'm fixing that soon, too. It is rigid enough to hold things securely, but a higher quality piece would be nice.

A plus for those that do a lot of rapid fire shooting is that the stock isolates heat from the shooter very well. No more heated up trigger/trigger guard or hot as hell barrel/handguard to deal with.

There are some compromises, but the rifle is so small and handy I don't see myself ever putting a conventional stock back on it.

 

[HB-DLX]

Hmmmmmmmmm ! I may have to give the stock a try ! It sounds like a good conversion with a little bit of gun smithing and tinkering ! It would give me something to do when things get boring around here. That was a great answer to my questions and greatly appreciated !! I have one other question: is it cumbersum with a thirty round mag installed ? Here a couple of pics of my "smaller" Bull Pups:

 

[Rick_a]

I'm also a fan of these:

The mag never gets in the way. The rifle weighs 8lbs, and the OAL is 26" (just makes the limit!). Trigger pull was off my scale. I'd have to estimate about 10-11lbs.

 

[HB-DLX]

You may like this one then, it is my "Bull Pup" Barrett. Is that the new one they just started making. I was thinkin of gettin one, but I don't know how many more of them I can afford.

 

[Rick_a]

You mean this one, right?

It's been around for a while...since 1999 to be exact. Set a 1000 yard record in 2001. It's a single shot. Mainly intended as a target rifle but several military and police organizations are using them as well.

 

[HB-DLX]

No that one is the full length and the one I posted is the shorter one. You have the upper one that attaches to the AR lower ? I thought you were talking about the take down type rifle. I always wondered how those shot ? I looked at them before, but didn't know if the AR lower would take the abuse well ? Thats pretty cool if it shoots that well !

 

[Rick_a]

My bad. It looked like a Model 95 at that angle.

*Bullpup refers to a firearm configuration in which the firearm action (or mechanism) and magazine are located behind the trigger, increasing the barrel length relative to the overall weapon length, thus permitting shorter weapons for the same barrel length or longer barrels for the same weapon length.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullpup

It doesn't seem to apply with that one.

 

[HB-DLX]

I know it doesn't fit the text book definition, but I call it a BullPup and the sale's guy called it the same. But you know how sales guys are ? I would really like to buy a BullPup like the one you pictured, but I think I have enough invested in the two I already have. So, I will be investing in other fire arms and ammo for those beats.

quote:Originally posted by Rick_a

My bad. It looked like a Model 95 at that angle.

*Bullpup refers to a firearm configuration in which the firearm action (or mechanism) and magazine are located behind the trigger, increasing the barrel length relative to the overall weapon length, thus permitting shorter weapons for the same barrel length or longer barrels for the same weapon length.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullpup

It doesn't seem to apply with that one.

 

[anthonybarbuto]

My Muzzelite Mini 14

I bought a mini 14 model 180 back in 1979. Now that we are waiting for society to collapse, I am thinking of making my 180 my survival gun. When I bought the 180 I had 30 round clips and a Muzzelite bullpup stock. I now live in NY so the banana clips are gone and I am stuck with 10 round clips.
I put the 180 in the Muzzelite stock ( this is from the 1980s)...and i had to trim some plastic around the magazine well to get the two halves to close.
I don;t like the plastic stock...I put a slip on recoil pad on the butt so it would not slide off my shoulder. I also intend to drill holes in the butt to insert the three bits needed to open the stock, and adjust the sites. They will be covered by the rubber of the slip on pad.
The trigger pull is awful. This is due to the plastic transfer bar. I have seen some posts where shooters have made aluminum transfer bars...that take up the slop of the trigger pull.
I won't attempt a scope on this...QUESTION...has anyone improved/changed the metal sites?....if so to what?
I have not shot the thing yet so don;t know its accuracy....some shooters have posted that the 2-3 MOA Ruger becomes a 4-5 MOA gun, in this stock.
QUESTIONs....has anyone made a metal transfer bar to clean up the trigger pull?.....and....can the barrel be glass bedded in the stock halves to improve accuracy?
If some one has a drawing of the trigger bar would appreciate a copy...will pay postage....thanks....anthony [email protected]

 

[bobby28]

I saw one of those stocks (or one like it) at a local gun store and if the wife wouldnt have kicked my butt I would have bought it. I have always wanted to shoot a bull pup style rifle. I have no clue if I would actually like it but it really is an interesting concept escpecially for CQB applications.