Thread: Ruger Mini 14 make over

This project will be spread over a few weeks.

In the beginning (otherwise known as a week ago)
I was wandering through a family members gun room and there it was, his old mini 14. And I do mean old, it was built in 1979 and I vaguely remember it being in his hands since the early 90's.
"Why do you still have that"?
Never got round to selling it he said.
"Didn't you used to have problems with it"?
Yeah, the scope always worked lose and it never shot very well.
"Well I could do with a semi for the goats at the moment how about I have a look at it for you . . . ."

So I have a new project



Once over lightly it all looked good, then I cleaned it. OMG I don't think this has been cleaned since the first owner.
So issues that clearly need to be resolved are:-
Corrosion at the muzzle
Alternative scope mount and scope
Make it hit an A4 sheet at 100m (not kidding here, I remember what this thing shot like with the crappy scope and mount that was on it)

After a few days trawling through the net a list of jobs have formed:-
Cut the end of the barrel off and recrown it
Bed the receiver
Replace/modify the gas bushing
Put some buffers on gas block and against the receiver.
Scope mount and a scopethat can handle the vibration these rifles are known for.
MAYBE a suppressor IF it shoots well enough with the other work

A day later and I have ordered an S&K scope mount from the US as well as some 1911 pistol buffers.
The old side mount scope mounts can work well apparently but the scope ends up high because it needs to clear the original peep sight, while the S&K replaces the rear peep sight altogether.
and you get 6 pistol buffers for 1/2 the price of one custom mini14 recoil buffer.

So while I wait for them to turn up from the states I think I will go find my hacksaw and 11 degree crown cutter that's hiding round here somewhere, after all there's a few showers today and it's stuffed up the spraying . . .