What will your answer be if you are asked: “What is the most valuable feature of a firearm?”
To a lot of people, they will say either reliability or accuracy. For ourselves, we will opt for accuracy as the most imperative for sporting and hunting rifles. We have to agree with the great Colonel. Townsend Whelen, who is one of the most-quoted people among many gun writers: Only accurate rifles are interesting.
Ever since the release of the first semi automatic rifles for the civilian market in the early 1900s, they have suffered from standing for unfortunate accuracy. The Ruger Mini 14 carbines, created 70 years later, were no exemption.
| Scopes | Name | Editor’s Comment | Rating | Get The Best Deal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Trijicon AccuPoint 5-20×50 Riflescope | Most Recommended Option 1. Objective measured at 50mm | 10/10 | SHOP NOW |
 | Bushnell Trophy 3-9x 40 mm | 1. Super durable construction 2. Fast focus 3. Quick install on most scope mounts | 9.5/10 | SHOP NOW |
 | Vortex Optics Diamondback 3-9×40 BDC | 1. Precision-Force Spring System 2. Precision-Glide Erector System 3. Aircraft-Grade Aluminum | 9.0/10 | SHOP NOW |
 | Nikon – P-223 Scope 3-9×40 mm BDC 600 Range-Ready Kit | 1. Adjustment for parallax, windage, and elevation are easy to use 2. Super durable construction 3. Can reach targets as far away as 600 yards out | 8.5/10 | Currently unavailable |
 | Killer Innovations Sig P320 +5 Magazine Extension | 1. Enhanced Grip Feature gives maximum grip and good control 2. Seven color options 3. T6 aluminum construction and anodized finish | 8.0/10 | Currently unavailable |
Maximizing Your Shooting Range – Cover The Distance
When you choose to buy the best mini 14 scope, maximizing your shooting distance at the shooting range is definitely something you’d consider wanting to have on your scopes.
It is said that the creatively-made Ruger Mini 14 rifle can shoot accurately up to 150 yards with less than 1 minute of angle (MOA) in the right shooters’ hands. With the best scopes for Mini 14 rifles, you can easily triple this shooting range’s distance. If you really know your gun well enough and get used to your scope, you can cover even further with accuracy.
When you search for maximum shooting ranges, you will certainly see the word “accuracy” a lot of times. Do not let that keyword puzzle you. When you hear the keyword “accuracy”, it is initially referring to how reliable and consistent a gun shoots round after round.
It does not mean how many times you will hit the bullseye during your shooting spree. More often than not, it is normal that human error is at fault and to be blamed for missed targets. For obvious reasons, it is okay to pretend you did not just read that before making your next trip to the shooting range!
However, you’ll need to know that not all scopes are made equally. Before you jump the gun, please keep in mind the best scope for Mini 14 based on your typical shooting distance.
Quick Distance Guide: How Far Can Your Bullet Go?
Guns like the Mini 14 Ruger rifle, these are the average approximate distance it can shoot:
- Long Range: about 350 yards and above
- Medium Range: about 100 yards to 350 yards
- Close or Short Range: about 100 yards and less
At the same time, if you are looking for the right eye relief objective lens that best suits you, you may want to take into consideration if you really need the optimum objective lens. This is because the objective lens with the biggest and longest optic sight picture does not mean it’s the best. Here is a general idea of what you should get:
Long Range
Long-range shooting is often left to those who practice shooting a lot. Even with top-grade Ruger Mini 14 scope, it is not as stress-free as it seems. In long-range shooting situations, you will be using a magnification of up to 12x and above.
Medium Range
If you do not plan on practicing your shooting skills within a shooting range, and if you are shooting medium range, then you are most probably in hilly areas or otherwise have low light encounters. You can only see so far outside, however, eventually, something blocks your sights. In this case, you will most likely be using scopes magnifications between 6x and 12x.
Short Range
Short-range shooting often happens in mountain areas or in self-defense situations (or in any tight spaces, so to speak). Either way, there is more than enough in your surroundings to hinder your view beyond 100 yards. In this case, going over 6x magnification on your scopes will just distort your shot. What more it does not even provide you with the eye relief that you need.
You can also combine short optic ranges and long optic rangers together. If you do combine them together, then get a variable powered scope. These scopes can alter magnification.
The bottom line is that you just have to keep in mind where you open fire the most when looking for the best scope for Mini 14. You are less likely to use a high power (like 12 times) to shoot at short distances. In this case, such a high power can cloud your vision, opposing your need for even any scope at all! On the other hand, you will definitely need something higher than 6x to open fire across a large, open field.
The Criteria: How To Choose The Best Scope For Your Mini 14
It does not take a lot to make a peculiarity between a great Mini 14 scope and one that isn’t exactly the best in its quality and presentation. It is important to know the characteristics, features, and other aspects that play an important role in your final buying choice. Here are some of the things you may need to look for while searching for a Mini 14 Scope:
Pricing
If you are a gun owner who is on a budget, then obviously the price point and price range matter more to you. However, it should not be the final reason for you to choose a scope. Some of the other important features you should include are aspects like quality and performance. As a rule of thumb, you should invest in the best quality and performance of a Mini 14 scope that will fit your budget, even if it means having you spend a little more than usual.
Material
A top-notch scope should always be made from the best quality materials. For instance, most scope bodies are manufactured with types of high-quality grade aluminum. It has been proven to take on a lot of impact, abuse, and will endure all kinds of shock created by recoil. It is true that the better the quality, the better the chance the scope will last you quite a long time.
Installation
Choose for yourself a scope that is a breeze to install, which means you will be able to install this in a matter of a short time with little to no gears. Most scopes fit on most straight scope mounts and even on scope rings (depending on the dimension of your scope).
The 4 Best Scope For Mini 14 in 2022 – Rated and Reviewed
There is a huge range of multi-coated optics that work really well with the Ruger Mini 14. We have summarized just a few here for you to look at. They are all great selections and comes in at various budget points according to your price expectation and hopes.
While you are surveying each one, it is important for you to know what features and individualities should be included in your ideal Mini 14 scope. That way, if you have ever found a scope that is close to what you are looking for, then you will know for sure that it is a winner.
1. Nikon P 233 Scope 3-9x40mm BDC 600 Range Ready Kit
One of the most striking things about this Mini 14 ranch rifle scope is that it stood out with the newer gun owners as how clear and high quality the image quality is on this scope. They are astounded by the high definition and were just as impressed with how they can hit their targets quite accurately from a pretty good distance. For the regular shooter, on average, the effective accuracy was close to about 600 yards. One gun owner said that he is considering this scope as his new go-to for hunting varmints and other wild animals.
Of course, we would point out the excellent image quality as one of the reasons why it stands out to a lot of people. However, it is not exactly the only reason. First and foremost, the body of the scope is quite tough. Secondly, the BDC reticle is manufactured to produce precise and accurate shooting at many long-range distances. Even better yet is that you will be able to make adjustments and changes on the run if the scope’s view ends up being a problem, which can be a bit of eye relief for you. Or if the windage and elevation adjustments of your Mini 14 ranch scopes are off.
As one of the leading firearm companies in the industry, Nikon P 233 presented a new line of a polymer material all-weather casing rifle scopes. The P223 series came into being back in 2012.
Along with the scope, the package also comes with Nikon P 223 mount rings made for the AR 15 platform and a “Spot-On Wind Meter” that allow shooters to get on-target pretty fast. The Nikon P 223 Scope 3-9×40 mm Mini 14 Ranch rifle sports a 1-inch main body tube with a complete length of 12.4 inches, and weighs only around 17.1 ounces.
The Nikon P 223 3 Mini 14 Ranch optic is more lightweight than other entirely metal scopes in its category. But Nikon discerns itself from the competition with a few innovations. Among these innovations are the BDC reticle and the Spot-On ballistics program. Spot-On is a wind meter that allows you to get on-target with the best speed.
This active variable-zoom riflescope is made for everything from range shooting to tree stand hunting. The BDC 600 reticle is optimized to work with the course of the 223 Remington high-ballistic coefficient (BC), 55 grain polymer tip bullet. Which means this Mini 14 ranch with BDC 600 reticle is the perfect companion for your Mini 14 Ranch rifle.
The spring-loaded adjustment knob makes accurate changes pretty easy and quick. The scope has a more-than-adequate 3.6 inches eye relief and a large field of view of 33.8 feats at 100 yards with 3x magnification. As a standard attribute, Nikon has a pre-set to eradicate parallax free at 100 yards.
Nikon promotes the P223 for having 98% low light transmission, providing bright and clear visuals (for great eye relief), even when used in poor lighting conditions. This may be a slight hyperbole as the more expensive M 223 only offers low light transmission up to 95%. However, it is still a great choice nonetheless.
This reasonably-priced Nikon contribution definitely comes with professional-grade features. It brings a quality target image that is not affected by hostile weather conditions.
If you are a hunter who wants a scope that comes with the best image quality possible, one that also comes with a reticule that can give you dead-on precise shooting every time, you are probably going to give this Mini 14 scope a try. As soon as you have installed this, you will not be shocked by the instant advantages you will get. Furthermore, the image quality will be so good that you will not want to put the rifle away.
The Nikon P 223 3 Rifle Scope has some really outstanding qualities and best features and it has the possibility to be a scope that can last you quite a long time in any hunting expeditions. If you want your Mini 14 to outshine others as the ultimate hunting rifle, it starts with an exceptional scope like this one.
2. Bushnell Trophy 3-9x 40mm
A lot of gun owners are quite happy with this Bushnell scope. Most of them came to the conclusion that this Mini 14 scope is reliable and provided an excellent shooting ability across a lot of applications. One gun handler even said that he was able to land his shots on-point steadily between 300 to 500 yards out. Other gun owners have utilized this scope for hunting activities and target shooting.
Bushnell is considered to be one of the best brands for reliability on the market when it comes to Mini 14 scopes. It comes with image quality that is hard to top. On top of that, its reticle allows for dead-on-the-money shooting from some pretty solid distances and ranges that make for great eye relief. Like any other riflescopes, the body is durable and does a great job tanking on several episodes of shock instigating from recoil.
The 3-9x 40 mm Trophy Bushnell is one of many gun owners’ favorite riflescopes in the economy class. It is also custom-made for the Mini 14 scenario that was laid out above. Bushnell Company makes some of the most popular working-man’s fully multi-coated optics in the hunting and shooting community. Their Trophy line of riflescopes allows in a lot of light, making them perfect for dawn or dusk (or low light) shooting when the predators are the most active. A Bushnell Trophy one-piece main tube riflescope does look huge on the Ruger Mini 14 rifle with its 12-inches length. However, it is surprisingly lightweight, measuring less than 14 ounces.
As an amateur, entry-level optic, this scope provides a reasonably bright and upbeat image thanks to the fully multi coated optics. Bushnell’s Amber-Bright, high-contrast objective lens coatings gives you 91% light transmission.
This specific riflescope proudly shows the Multi-X reticle that makes it prevalently popular with most hunters. The Bushnell Trophy is also obtainable with a DOA 600 (Dead-On-Accurate at 600 yards) and mil dot reticle that peruses the 2nd focal plane – although that may be a bit much for you and your Mini 14.
With a relatively affordable price, the quality of Bushnell multi coated optics is usually thought of as being average, but suitable for practical accuracy. With low-priced glasses, it is comprehensible that the lucidity of the multi coated optics is not primeval. Particularly on better magnifications, the edge sharpness is discernibly tainted compared to the center sharpness. The Bushnell Trophy 3-9x 40 mm is an entirely tolerable hunting scope. It is reasonably good, although not elaborate enough for the somber or frivolous hunter. However, that is most likely not what you are going to do with your Mini 14 anyway.
This scope will most likely be used in either hunting activities or target shooting situations. Regardless of which, it is the kind of scope that will fit in well with almost any Mini 14 rifle on the market. If you are looking for something that has durability and established reliability, then this scope will fit what you are looking for.
The bottom line is that the Bushnell Trophy Riflescope may last you quite a long time and will provide you with authentic and dependable services. Regardless of your usage, this may be the essence of what a Mini 14 scope should represent.
3. Trijicon AccuPoint 5-20×50 Riflescope
As many gun owners have expected, this scope is a hit with a lot of gun handlers themselves. The gun handlers are able to look through it without many issues in either daylight or low light setting while using the illumination settings. Either way, they are quite happy with the scope’s capability to hit targets with great precision. One of the gun owners said that he was able to reach out and graze something from well over 500 yards away.
The Trijicon brand is best known for manufacturing some bright sights so they transferred it over with the lighting settings for their scopes. They are bright enough for use in low light settings and even night time settings. It may be one of the most effective scopes you can ever use for night hunting with a Mini 14.
This scope from Trijicon may be a bit of an overkill for the small, moderately-powered Mini 14 carbine. However, if you want to push the maximum limits of what you can do, then it is a good choice.
Trijicon is one of the brand names that comes to mind when you want exceptional performance from tactical optics for close work. On the other hand, the new line of Trijicon variable-powered riflescopes is a great choice for shooting targets at about 1,000 yards. It contends very favorably with some other higher-end scopes such as Nightforce, Nikon, or Leupold at this budget point.
As a matter of fact, the Trijicon TR23 AccuPoint is really among the best options in this category due to its supercilious-quality glass with multiple lens coatings. It provides extraordinary clarity and light-gathering capability with 0 distortions.
The 30 mm tube finishes with an awesome light-gathering 50 mm objective lens. That gives you the ability to shoot in any light with near-perfect precision. The scope body is made from rugged, aircraft-grade, hard-anodized grade aluminum. Its insides is filled with dry nitrogen to keep corrosion at bay and eliminate fogging.
This Trijicon scope comes with a second focal plane (SFP), standard duplex, and mil-dot crosshair reticles. Those features have the unique characteristic of using both fiber optics and tritium to brighten a small dot in the very middle of the crosshairs. Nevertheless, this green center dot is very tiny and hard to see on a bright day. The principal benefit is that this system means the scope is basically battery-free.
The Trijicon AccuPoint 5-20×50 takes on massive height and windage knobs with 0.25 MOA per-click alteration, allowing the total elevation adjustment of 47 MOA. Some gun owners consider this more than sufficient for long-range hunting. On the other hand, some other gun owners say that long-range shooting and tactical use requires 60+ MOA and they think this feature as one of the scope’s disadvantages. If you are only using the scope for your Mini 14, then that is a non-issue. However, if you wish to also use it on other guns, it is definitely something to consider.
With the hefty price tag and advanced quality also comes size. This good-looking scope measures up to 13.6 inches long and weighs a cumbersome 26.9 ounces. As one of the top-choice scopes for the Mini 14 Rifle, the package includes a 3 inch sunshade, lens pen, manuals, and a bikini-style scope cover.
If you are a hunter who likes to go hunting during the day or even during the night, then you should probably give this scope a try. During the day, it will function well for big game and varmints hunting. During the night, it is the picture-perfect scope to get the job done against not just varmint, but also marauders that tend to threaten or even try to spell violence on your livestock on your farm. If you want a great scope for the sake of property organization, not a lot of other Mini 14 scopes will ever come close to this option.
The Trijicon AccuPoint Riflescope may be what you are looking for if you want an aircraft-grade scope that can function around the clock for hunting. Whether you are using it to hunt big game or predators that trail your livestock animals, this scope will do exactly what you are looking for in it, no matter what the lighting circumstances are.
4. Vortex Optics Diamondback 3-9×40 BDC
Vortex has an aptitude for producing quality scopes that deliver outstanding accuracy, precision, and durability all the while remaining unbelievably affordable. Let us start with its glasses. They are extra-low scattering, which increases resolution and color fidelity. The lenses are also multi-coated to make sure all of the light gets transferred into the lenses. What these structures do is they pledge perfect, vivid picture quality from daytime to evening time. Be rest assured, you will have no grievances when it comes to picture quality if you invest in these lenses.
Next comes the sturdiness. Just by holding the scope in your own hands, you will understand that this is not a scope that can be easily spoiled. It is a solid one-piece tube with a solid anodized finish. This gives it strength and the aptitude to stand up to shock, recoil, and unexpected chances with natural elements.
The optical chambers itself are just as tough as the rest of the scope. The optical chambers are nitrogen purged, and O ring sealed to guarantee waterproof and fog-proof performance over many years of extended usage. No matter if it is rainy, or if it is heaty, or if the temperature swings to dissipations, the inside of the objective lens will certainly not fog up or amass water.
Dots at the center of the reticle receives all the guesswork out of windage and boost alterations. Plenty of gun owners swear by BDC reticles as their best choice for reimbursing for bullet drop over long ranges. The 4X zoom range offers extremely versatile magnification.
The 2nd focal plane reticle safeguards your target upholds the same ideally-sized exterior. This provides you a lot of breathing space on your reticle to get your objective in your crosshairs, no matter what the level of magnification is. Moreover, this feature, attached with the fast focus eyepiece sorts spotting and acquiring your target as a walk in the park.
This scope comes in as one of the best options for many gun owners’ lists and for good reasons too. The Diamondback range is a top choice among ranch hands and is one of the best rifle scopes for ranch rifles that are readily available presently.
The only criticism a lot of gun owners have with this scope is that the eye relief is a little truncated. Nevertheless, the scope more than buries the hatchet for that with its host of exceedingly useful features.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that the market is overflowing with many riflescopes ranging from your regular garbage to high-end European optic glasses. Finding the best of the best Mini 14 Scopes can be an intimidating task. We hope our review of a few typical representative Mini 14 Scopes will shorten your search and assist in increasing the fun and usability of your Mini 14.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is a Scope Worth It?
There is absolutely nothing wrong with this accessible scope rifle. It definitely does what it is made for. It is made to be a valuable rifle envisioned for plinking at 50 yards. For over 40 years, the Mini 14 Rifle has surpassed other semi-automatics in the 223 Remington ammo level.
However, it is important to keep in mind that exactness and consistency in the autoloader’s action can be contrariwise relative. The Ruger Mini 14 definitely does not belong among the tack driver rifles. Nevertheless, it is worth scoping because it can melodramatically contract your point of impact (POI) groupings from an average 4 inches to only 1 inch to 1.5-inch three-round groups.
For obvious reasons, Ruger has also re-tooled the Mini 14 manufacturing line. The newly-redesigned variety is more precise due to better-quality manufacturing forbearances and a weightier barrel. Many feel that with its ferocious jarring of the action, the Mini is chiefly hard on scopes. Realistically, the impulse of .223 loads can hardly decay a decent scope or solid mount.
The Mini was never envisioned to be a predominantly accurate rifle. However, investing in good, quality optics can improve your shooting ability, making longer-range shots both more ordinary and more exact. However, seeing as the semi-automatic Mini 14 and its minor caliber, scopes with low to medium intensification are the best answer. This compact carbine chambered in .223, for obvious reasons, has a limited airborne route and effective range, and seeing further does not mean that it can make it shoot further.
Although people have found many recommendations for straight-tubed scopes such as in the 1-4×24 or 1.5-5×20 range, we would advise lower-profiled optics but with bigger glasses. The Mini 14 is not only a great plinker but it is also fantastic for hunting predators and small games, so we will certainly want to take that into consideration.
When hunting for animals principally at dawn and dusk, bigger objectives and low-powered adjustable optics with the broadest FOV possible are the most logical and normal solution. It is better to have a lower-powered variable that gives way for fast bearing and target acquisition with an objective lens sufficient enough for low-light conditions.
What Is The Best Budget Red Dot Scopes For Mini 14?
Well, I’d recommend the Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 Red Dot Sight Riflescope, x1x20mm as the best budget red dot scope for Mini 14 because it is shockproof, waterproof and equipped with 3 MOA dot reticle that comes with an impressive eleven brightness settings. This would allow the scope is highly compatible with many pistols, muzzleloaders and rifles and it can be mounted easily on almost all Picatinny rails
Hello there, it’s Michael here. A gun lover since young, served the country for the last 20 years. I started the blog to share my experience and gun-related knowledge accumulated throughout the years. Hopefully, you will find something useful over here or just have fun! You can learn more about me here.