Mini 14 kinda new to me

I knew a guy that had a early mini in .222 Rem.
Seems that was a export version for overseas.

Shoot it and see what problems crop up.
Might get off easy.

fresh recoil spring couldn't hurt

JO JO said:

op rod spring ?

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yea, I'd consider it if anything. it affects how the whole action functions. I'd bet it is good though, but should be cheap and can compare the new one to the old one.

New springs never hurt anything. Might as well change em all and get back to baseline.

Don't forget a fresh magazine spring.

Scrub the chamber real good, make sure nothing caked on in there.

Give it a light coat of oil and get after it.

Sorry to hear about your brother, condolences.

Glad youve got a nice rifle to remember him by. Minis are pretty trouble-free, but like Garands benefit from liberal grease on the slide and bolt lugs. They tend to be over-gassed from the factory and ejection is quite violent- an adjustable piston aint a bad idea- these usually come with a thicker upper band too, which sometimes cracks.

Factory magazines can be a chore to find, but are worth it. Ive yet to see an aftermarket hi-cap with zero problems.

Dont expect too much from the accuracy department, minute of enemy is normal (especially when hot)- and youll be happy with it.

If you're going to tear it all the way down, you might want to look at getting a reduced size gas bushing or gas bushing set, and a new set of gas block screws.

Changing out the gas bushing for a smaller one reduces the slamming around the action which actually makes the gun a lot nicer to shoot. And realigning the gas block can sometimes make the gun shoot more accurately.
I recommend getting new gas block screws cuz I've never gotten them out without damaging them

JO JO: Condolences to you. Are you familiar with the Mini website "Perfectunion?" They have other gun forums for General, 10-22, FAL, Garand, M-14, SKS.

If you have a true OEM magazine you might be glad. Perfectunion - because of issues with most aftermarket Mini mags - even had a specific Forum for Mini Magazines. What other gun forums have this?

My Mini 14 was bought in 2008, had prev. been issued to the "State of KY" (prison rifle?), seen on the silver sticker on the buttstock.
I used only Silver Tiger ammo, roughly 500 rds. (it had an OEM Ruger 20-rd. mag.) and the operation was perfect. Only sold it to finance an Enfield #5 Jungle Carbine.

If you're considering that gas block operation... Here's the site to check out first...
https://mini14adjustablegasblock.com/#

After shooting it to get a baseline, I'd add an Accu-strut and a set of Tech Sights.

http://accu-strut.com/main-page.html
https://www.tech-sights.com/mini-products/

drobs said:

After shooting it to get a baseline, I'd add an Accu-strut and a set of Tech Sights.

http://accu-strut.com/main-page.html
https://www.tech-sights.com/mini-products/

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If for nothing else, because I think the accustruts make them look neat.

A bolt buffer is a good cheap way of taking some of the slam bang away from the frame. You may have to shave the buffer down to keep the last shot bolt open feature, easy to do with a sheet of sand paper.

You can get a set of Gas Bushings of different diameters from ASI. https://www.accuracysystemsinc.com/. Much cheaper than an adjustable gas block. If you don't reload then its not a problem to be overgassed. Just remember to warn people standing 100 yards to your right when you are shooting. My mini 14 shoot acceptable and so does my Mini 30. The 6.8 not so much so I sent it to ASI for the full treatment. Now it shoots great.

Plus 1 on the smaller gas bushings, otherwise brass flying out is just as lethal as the bullets. When you reinstall the gas block, take care to space it equally at each screw, same for the inch/pounds of torque.

People find that equalization has a positive effect on accuracy.

Wilson's 1911 blue plastic buffers work well on both ends of the operating rod spring.

Condolences regarding your brother.

Clean the extractor plunger, spring, and pocket real good. It likes to gum up and not clip around the cartridge.

My mini is also a 181 series. Decent accuracy and runs off promags just fine. Only mod ive done is the Choate flash hider and front sight combo. I despise the way the techsights look. Toooooo tall, like Ed Jones.

Springs generally wear from use, not age. If it wasn't shot much then cleaning is pretty much it. A lot has been written about inaccuracy, which is generally true and quite specific to heat walking. Best advice I wish had taken a long time ago was to shorten the barrel. Taking 2 inches off basically eliminated the stringing. Won't make your Mini a tack driver but will make it much more consistent.

The Accu strut certainly gives it the M-14 look. Solid military appeal.

My imported AKMs have "inverted Accu Struts", so to speak, so why not a true strut on a Mini?

I had a Ruger mini-14 that I sold just last year. They're nifty little weapons and I do like them -- but the MOA for the price point didn't seem worth it to me.

Since you say it hasn't been fired much, there's a common problem with these rifles where the weapon's trigger assembly will fall out when you're firing it (especially if you're doing so rapidly). This is particularly true on rifles that haven't been fired that much.

The reason is that the trigger guard acts as a spring-latch-clip. That clip is what's holding the entire trigger guard assembly in place. The percussion of rapid fire (or just plain firing) can result is dislodging this. Fortunately, it's a very easy fix. You can either send it to Ruger or sand the weapon. Just do so carefully so that you don't sand it too much and have to buy a new stock!

Most importantly, I'm sorry about your brother. I hope you're doing okay and that rifle helps you remember the time you two had together.

We’ve had minis that have had the bolt hold-open lever gum up and stick. It’s an easy clean when you drop the little panel on the left side of the action.

I also have a stainless 181 series mini ranch in a Ram Line stock and a blue-wood mini 30 from the same era. I’d just replace the springs and see how it shoots, remembering that the mini wasn’t (and honestly still isn’t) known for gilt-edged accuracy.

Once you see how it does on target then look at the gas block and other mods if it doesn’t meet your accuracy standards. Mine certainly won’t be taking home any trophies, but they’re really reliable (with factory mags) and are a lot of fun to shoot.

Im sorry to hear about your brother, may the mini that was returned to you be a personal tribute to him every time you take it out.

Stay safe.

Tortuga said:

there's a common problem with these rifles where the weapon's trigger assembly will fall out when you're firing it (especially if you're doing so rapidly). This is particularly true on rifles that haven't been fired that much.

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I have owned and used Minis for over 30 years and literally never heard of this, not even once.

Funny owned mini's for quite a while and never had the trigger assembly fall out. I must not be doing it right. Where I am from they fall under the radar. They shoot reliably, handle well, accurate enough (my 6.8 SPC being extra accurate), and lend themselves to mods fairly easily. Most mods being swapped out gas bushings, trigger spring replacement, fitted firing pin (hair longer for military ammo), sights, handguard, struts, and stocks. My 6.8 has had its stock replaced with a Bell and Carlson, new barrel and gas block, pillar bedding, and trigger work. It works well. The mini 30 has had trigger work and a new firing pin fitted as well as a new stock. The Mini 14 has a laminate stock that looks nice enough and feels great in the hand.