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MISCELLANEOUS
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Other Approaches A review of alternate solutions for accurizing the Mini-14's barrel
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HEAVY BARRELS Heavy barrels are less subject to vibration than a thinner barrel. Installing one can be the single most effective modification you can perform to a rifle to increase accuracy, but this benefit comes at a price. Heavy barrels are, well, quite heavy, and in the case of the Mini-14, negates one of its most attractive features, that of lightness. A full bull barrel at a diameter of one inch or more can easily turn a 7-lb rifle into a 10+ lb rifle. Not much fun to carry around in the field or use in a tactical situation. Second is the actual cost. Custom heavy barrels can run several hundred dollars, and must be installed by a professional gunsmith. The goal of the Accu-strut is to deliver performance rivalling some of the smaller heavy barrels (i.e. less than an inch diameter), but at very little impact to total weight and one's pocketbook. |
BARREL SLEEVES These are large-diameter metal or composite sleeves that slip over the stock barrel and because of an exacting fit mechanically limit the degree of vibration-induced flex the barrel can undergo. The part requires precise manufacture due to different diameters along the Mini-14’s barrel, and costs from $150-400. Installation can be done by a skilled end-user but is difficult and must be done precisely. Also the front sight must be removed. Users may or may not find them attractive in appearance.
BARREL TUNERS Basically an adjustable weight that is placed on the muzzle end or along the shaft of the barrel. The precise mass and location of the weight allows the user to alter or dampen the vibration characteristics of the rifle. Thus it is possible to “tune” the rifle for higher accuracy. Cost is around $50-150. Adjustment tends to be “load-sensitive” (changes with different ammunition). Devices tend to be ungainly and unattractive. |
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