Range report Ruger Gunsite, Mini 14 and M1A

[Hatchdog]

Went to the range yesterday for first shots with the Ruger Gunsite and Springfield M1-A Scout. Plan was to do load development for the Gunsite and the Mini and zero the M1-A. Not my best day of shooting and I’m a little bit disappointed with the results.

Started with the M1-A which due to the difficult bolt removal I didn’t bore sight it. Shot it at 50 yards, first shot was way low and right, second was corrected fine for windage but needed more elevation and the third and fourth were side by side in the bull. Wow. Four shots and in the money at 50. Moved to 100 and I did okay but not what I wanted. Fussed with the scope quite a bit (Burris 2-7x32 scout scope) and got it close. The target on the right was doing several scope changes and the target on the left was fine tuning. Seems like some elevation changes didn’t move the POI much and others moved it as normal. Probably just me. At this point I quit as even tho it was 35 degrees I started getting heat waves off the barrel so I quit.

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Next up was the Gunsite Scout 5.56 from Ruger. I bore sighted it with one of those laser bore sighters that is cartridge specific that actually uses the chamber. Never been too impressed with it and again it disappointed me. Not having any confidence in it I started at 50 yards and my first shot was correct for windage but many inches low. Got it dialed in and then went to 100 to shoot my laddered loads for group. Not great shooting however I did get one great group and I use that load for this rifle. Really liked the scout and even tho I have a 2 3/4X scout scope for it I don’t think that I will like having only that low of magnification. I’ll give it a try first however. Decent trigger out of the box with some creep but a nice crisp break. Fun rifle that when I put the low power scout scope on it I’ll mess around with some standing shooting which this setup is designed for. Only shot it in single shot but I give the magazines a test run next time.

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Finally the Mini-14. Since it was already zeroed I only shot it at 100 yards to check my laddered loads. A little sidebar, the M1-A Scout I spoke of above has a Burris 2-7X as mentioned. This scope reviewed okay but one knock on it is that it’s a bit blurry at 7X. I couldn’t agree more as I found I was having trouble staying centered on the bullseye when shooting it at 100. My Mini-14 has a very clear Leopold 3-9X on it and I shot this rifle immediately after the Burris Scout on the M1-A. Going from the Burris to the Leopold was pretty striking with the difference in clarity and brightness. Anyway, the Mini shot okay and while the groups aren’t great they will do fine and I have my charge selected for it. Shot five groups of three shots and I know that in two of the groups I made a bad shot. Probably the top right and bottom left on the target. I just have to remember that both the M1-A and the Mini-14 are considered “battle” type rifles and both shoot fantastic with that in mind. Oh, one other observation. Both the 77 grain bullets I tested in it a month ago and the 69 grain I shot yesterday liked speed. Both bullets did best at the top end of my load. Interesting. 5.56 with a 1-9 twist.

Now on the loading for the Mini and the Gunsite. I have 100 bullets for each so at least I’ll have a 100 rounds for each.

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[Rifletom]

Hatch, the Gunsight Scout and Mini 14 looked pretty dialed in. The M1A will come around. You going to change scopes on the M1A?

[Sir Henry]

Looks like every round would have put meat in the freezer.

[Hatchdog]

Tom,

I would like to change the M1-A scope, Leopold makes a 1-4X scout scope that reviews excellent. Or, I could get a mount and mount a regular eye relief scope on the receiver. Both the Leopold scope and the Springfield M1-A mount are expensive (or better yet but even more expensive a Sadlak mount). I’m going to table that for now because I will be picking up my Henry 41 mag out of layaway jail on the first of March. Nice problem to have don’t you think?


Gene, indeed, those are all “put meat on the table” shots. I guess I’m just a “group snob”. Now that I have the load I plan to use I’ll need to take the rifles back out and zero the scopes as I want. Maybe I’ll have a better day shooting but you’re right, other than a couple of fliers that I know were my fault these rifles shoot just fine.

[Sir Henry]

Tom,

I would like to change the M1-A scope, Leopold makes a 1-4X scout scope that reviews excellent. Or, I could get a mount and mount a regular eye relief scope on the receiver. Both the Leopold scope and the Springfield M1-A mount are expensive (or better yet but even more expensive a Sadlak mount). I’m going to table that for now because I will be picking up my Henry 41 mag out of layaway jail on the first of March. Nice problem to have don’t you think?


Gene, indeed, those are all “put meat on the table” shots. I guess I’m just a “group snob”. Now that I have the load I plan to use I’ll need to take the rifles back out and zero the scopes as I want. Maybe I’ll have a better day shooting but you’re right, other than a couple of fliers that I know were my fault these rifles shoot just fine.

I can be a group snob too and I can be a plinker. There is no in between for me. You had three rounds touching at 100 yards so that is a great group.

[fortyshooter]

Great shooting Hatch! Love the Mini 14 !

[BigAl52]

Paper is boring Hatch ring steel and all of those would have rung steel

[Hatchdog]

Paper is boring Hatch ring steel and all of those would have rung steel

Indeed, clang!

There is a long distance steel gong range in the area but it’s about 40 miles from my house. I do go out there once in a while but not this time of the year. The range doesn’t open until 2:00 PM and closes at dusk of course. That’s fine when we have longer days but this time of the year that’s only about three hours and both the shooting stations and the parking are very limited so sometimes we have to wait to shoot. Not enough hours of daylight to gamble. Targets go out to 1000 yards and maybe 1200, I can’t remember exactly. It’s a lot of fun to go out there and ring some steel. The rifle club I’m a member of is very strictly run and very old school. It’s nice tho, with a covered 100 yard line and an uncovered 200. A covered handgun range to 25 plus a separate indoor pistol range. Add two traps for the shotgunners and all and all it’s pretty nice. But stodgy.

[BigAl52]

They dont allow steel there then I take it?

[Hatchdog]

They dont allow steel there then I take it?

Not at all, and don’t even think about trying to change anything!!!!!