When I lived in Alaska , with way below zero. 40 to 60 f below. We always used synthetic automatic transmission fluid. AR’s and semi autos never failed in the cold.
Excellent comment! You can use 50/50 mix. Engine oil and transmission fluid. Learned this from an older gentleman. Been using this method for years now. No issues yet.
Probably the most difficult part of reassembly is getting the bolt back in. A little patience and several times doing it, it becomes easier. Dont be afraid it is a simple rifle to work on.
This video is just what I needed! Picked up my mini 14 two days ago. Did a basic clean and going to the range tomorrow. I will definitely be using this video to disassemble the mini 14, and to clean and reassemble ! Thanks
Sorry bud. I've owned and maintained a Ruger Mini-14 since 1981. You made the field stripping job look at least ten times harder than it actually is, and scattered extra parts everywhere all over the bench. The side plate cover and bolt lock parts DO NOT need to be scattered in order to remove the bolt!!! With the operating rod removed, move the bolt 2/3 rds of the way to the back of the receiver then, simply pull it forward, up & out with a slight wiggle. (just like the military guide books describe for the M-1 rifle, M-1 Cal. 30. Carbine, & M-14 rife)....That's it, that's all. Good luck.
Great video. Good info, for sure. I have an M1a, for nostalgia, since I was issued an M14 as a Marine in 1969-73. Anyway, in the manual it states that, for accuracy maintenance, you shouldn’t disassemble the rifle. Just clean it intact. In the USMC, we broke it down completely every day, and I still managed 10 in the 18 inch target at 500 yards with iron sights. Having older eyes, I can no longer do that, alas.
Hello @dejavu666wampas9. USMC 1964-68 here.. Yes, cleaned and lubed every day and used oil and good ole white Lubriplate. Use Mobile 1 and current production white lithium now.
Just bought a Mini-14 and was kind of intimidated to clean it. Your video is so good on the disassembly and reassembly I was able to do it the first time thank you . good job!
getting the bolt in, is a true PITA unless you practice it a thousand times. Not sure why but most Rugers are true PITA in some way to disassemble. The newer guns are better, the SP101 is a LOT better (easiest revolver to strip down to trigger mech) but the Mini, the 22/45, and the old P85 is a minor PITA even if you are familiar with them.
Yeah, what Jesse said, when you pull the bolt watch it very closely and practice in and out before you totally remove it. It will drive you nuts if you don't do it carefully.
Nice job, professional and helpful with no loud music, no shouting, no fringe politics. A first rate channel. But put your name or “handle”/nickname out there so we can remember and recommend you!!
I just use a pipe cleaner for the gas piston. I bought a bag of ar-15 gas tube cleaners about 15 years ago, still have 3/4ths of that same bag lol. and a baby bottle brush works well for cleaning out the mags.
I'd bought my Mini 14 Ranch Rifle off the gun store used gun rack w/o a manual. When I broke it down per the M14, it took a while to learn to disassemble the bolt lock mechanism in order to reinsert the bolt during reassembly.
Well done Sir! Can't wait for the Mini to get here! Nice tip on the difference between dry-oil on the mini as opposed to grease on the M-14/M1A. -Thanks!!!!
If the gun will be sitting a long time, always put anti sieze or at least grease on that gas port, sometimes it can seize to the slide and you might have to kick the charging handle to unfreeze it.
This happened to me in Washington due to moisture in the air. I did have to kick it loose. Never happened in Arizona where there is virtually no humidity.
Good video. Exactly the same core as mine. Because of lots of dust where I shoot, I dry lube everything with a good Silicone/Teflon Spray. It sure makes cleaning easy.
The grease would definitely be an issue if you live in a dusty/sandy area. In my case grease works fine and is much cheaper than DriLube. I do like to use DriLube on all my magazines because otherwise they get lint and dust from the range bag
Thanks so much for a good, basic and informative video. I just picked up my stainless/synthetic 5817 and will be sighting it in this weekend. Appreciate the advice on grease and will do it. Also enjoyed your other vids on the Mini.
If you noticed when removing bolt if you hold barrel downward it will pretty much fall right out. That's because in that position the firing pin is loose and all the way in outward position. So when reinstalling the bolt use a finger nail to hold firing pin back to rear of bolt (open), and bolt will slide back in easily. Hold barrel upward.
You make reassembling the spring look so easy. I have a extra power spring on mine in an attempt to keep the empties from launching into the next county. Snaking that sucker back into that hole can be very frustrating!
Good demonstration. Maybe next time, do a few close-up shots of the smaller parts, during disassembly; then greasing/oiling; and re-assembly, making sure not to lose the pins and smaller parts, and providing an in-tight view of the re-alignment notches
Just an FYI the gas port and hole should be fairly clean. Anywhere hot gas flows will be self cleaning. Just like the gas tube and block on an AR. I think cleaning the piston is all that’s really needed.
I would be too scared to clean my rifles on the bar top. It would scratch the wood real bad and I would be drinking the whole bottle to drown my sorrow!
You did a great job. Straight forward smooth presentation. Thank you. I wonder about graphite as a dry lubricant.? I've never heard of such on a and wonder if would address the cold weather concern.
If your barrel tapers down narrower, its an older one that had less reliable results as it heated up. His was same diameter all the way, that's how you tell the apart.
Good video, seems you covered it all and in a reasonable length of time too. Some people go on forever and the listener can get bored with it. Thanks, BB
Thanks for watching, I try to balance it but it can get hard to meet everyone's taste so I just pretend I'm explaining to a friend and ask myself what I would mention vs. what I would skip unless they asked for more detail.
Very very outstanding video. Great job. Keep up the good work. Clean language too. Thanks a lot friend. SC Navy vet 😊you should not use lithium grease on guns. It’s bad on synthetics and rubber parts.
Thank you for taking the time to make a good complete video for cleaning the Mini 14. I will not have to get some dry lube and tear mine down, couple years old and all it has received is clean the bore. Only have a hundred or so rounds through it.
It's probably not in dire need of cleaning with that many rounds through but getting some fresh grease on the bolt and op rod should make a large difference in how smooth it hand cycles
Graphite, after cleaning parts you need dry lubed, wipe em up with zippo fluid, wipe that away and then graphite. Makes triggers slicker then moly, slide slots, anywhere you dont want gunk collecting in grease. It sticks in steel for a long time, and other debris just falls off a graphite impregnated part.
Very nice, detailed explanation. Thank you.I've been looking for a winged front sight, like the one you have. . . Can you tell me where I can purchase one?
It comes standard on the new thick barrels. You might be able to have a gunsmith fit the new sight on an old barrel or replace your barrel with a newer one. Probably easier/cheaper to just sell what you have and buy a new 580 series.
your tip on using grease is ok when going from home to the range and back again. When in the field for extended periods of time, use oil. If operating in cold weather conditions no lube is recommended. i.e. temps below 25 degrees. Good video and informative. congrats.
Obviously you will need to tailor your lube to your environment but the M1 rotating bolt action runs best on grease. The Garand has a trapdoor in the butt to hold a little tub of grease. That's what the majority were run with in WWII in all sorts of conditions. I even grease my AR but in the closer tolerance AR action grease and sand would cause a major issue pretty quick.
Graphite. If you can dry the parts real quick, you can lube em with graphite and you'll be slicker then snot again until it gets dropped in the mud again, otherwise no gunk collecting, no temperature limitations.
Hi Chris, Just stumbled on to your video, VERY VERY nice explanation. I just purchased my Mini 14 and I took it all apart but I took off the front gas part and put it back. My question to you after the hand guard by the bolt there is a place that has notches for a scope mount. Mine does not have one. Was there models that did not come with out the notches? I am thinking of getting just the small rails, drill tap and out the brackets that way. Do you think that is wise or is there another way to be able to get scope on there. Thanks John
I usually use Hoppes 9 for most cleaning. Amazon has 32oz bottles for $12. I do have a few gallon cans of WD40 in the garage I picked up on clearance for $5 so maybe I'll give it a try.
I also use it to wipe down my firearms after the range or hunting . never ever had a issue with rust . and ive been using it over 30 + years . wd also works excellent on removing old grease and crud from neglected firearms
This video is old and I don’t expect a comment but if you see it I would appreciate it! So i inherited some guns from my grandfather who passed, one of them being a mini-14. I disassembled it today and didn’t really have any problems except the stock had a really hard time getting in the right place and I had to use some force. Think it’ll still be good to shoot?
I have a ruger mini 14 stainless and have had a mini 30 loved em both still have the 14 but it came with the cheap pot metal rear peep sight, hate it so I put a Choat folder synthetic stock and a Leopoldo x vlll 3.5 x 10 50 mm objective, so far so good, anyone else have a cheap rear peep or was that a short run?
They used at least 3 different sights over the years. You can get upgraded sights from tech sights or williams if you would like to replace the flimsy one.
Instead of grease alone, mix a clean synthetic grease with a full synthetic base oil, 60 grease to 40 oil by weight should do, and that'll thin it out to not restrict any action but remain thick enough to stay in place. I recommend Super Lube general use synthetic grease and Super Lube synthetic oil (the one without teflon). That mix appears white in the bottle, and clear when applied. No smell or nasties, it's very clean stuff. Make a second mixture using only some of the oil with 5-10% sub-micron tungsten disulfide to lube your bore.
I own Garands and an M1A. As you know, it's pretty much the same assembly, but Springfield recommends keeping disassembly of even the non match rifle to a minimum. Ditto the Garand; however, I called Ruger and they said that disassembly of the Mini will not harm it at all and to do so every time it's cleaned.
I don't fully strip my guns everytime I clean them due to laziness but if you have the right tools/technique I'm not sure how disassembling them will cause damage. Keep in mind they are designed to cycle with the force of a 60000PSI explosion.
@@cliffords2315 Check out CHOATE MACHINE & TOOL, the mini 14 folding stock is about 120.00, and also the cutout style handguard is AWESOME, I have one of mine swr up like that, with the barrel cut down to 16 total length with the muzzle brake/bayonet lug permanently welded on, with a red dot, hi cap mags, piccatiny rail, forward vertical grip, sling, it is my BULLET HOSE, my other one is set up with a OD hogue overmolded rubber stock and matching of green choate snap on handguard, flash hider, push button sling swivels, nice scope, and cheek rest, so neither of mine are sporting that heavy wood stock. Just letting Yall know some mini stock options out there, but choate products are lifetime, overbuilt and strong.
Another great video, thanks for the recommendation. I subbed your channel and will be checking out more of your stuff. Thanks again and have a happy new year.
The problem is that the people think they will go to be deploy in Afghanistan any time soon . They run their firearms almost dry and that's is a no,no.I put grease in all my firearms except for the revolver. I use one of my wife slim but very soft makeup brushes. Is not like put grease on a caterpillar machine is just put enough to avoid the parts run rough. Remember is two pieces of metal touching each other creating friction and of course heat. Great video.
why would you need to remove the scope mount cover to remove the bolt...?,, if you have a scope mount installed you can still remove the bolt, it takes some practice.
Just got a stainless mini thirty. The only reasonably smooth surface I could find on the gun was the stock. This is a poorly cast and finished gun. I just paid $1K for it. The fishing sinkers I cast in my garage come out more refined than the receiver on this gun. I am already thinking about sawing the receiver in half and cutting my loss.
learned a lot---------I have not shot mine much(Im really more into my pistols)but I would like to start using it more. Any idea for attaching a bi-pod?
Also, polish that guide rod and put a thin film of grease on that guide rod and it will not be so abrasive on that spring as it operates back and forth.
Had me all confused for a moment..I have an older one WITHOUT the buffer cup and pin...The pin I seen in mine is actually part of the mag release pin...lol
Why is the 5-round clip so hard to insert on these? I see online many people report this problem but do not see much of a solution or explanation. Thanks.
I have heard of that issue but unfortunately I don't have a 5 round mag so I've never had to lock one in. My guess would be that the smaller mag allows less leverage to overcome the spring in the latch. If you use 5 rounders often you might see about lessening the spring tension in the latch or getting and extended latch. The diagram on numrich shows that it's just a coil spring that you can probably bend to get some of the tension out. Check out RugerForum or perfectunion for more specific info. Here is a start rugerforum.net/ruger-semi-auto/34574-mini-14-magazine-problem.html
Thank you very much. I will take a look at it and also bring the rifle to my local gun store have them take a look. I have been planning to buy longer mags so maybe that will help. Thank you very much.
I'm not 100% sure why but people seem to only have this issue with the 5 and 10 round mini mags. I've never had an issue with mine but mine are all 20 rounds or more.
My 5 round magazine goes in well, it's just takes practice getting used to putting it in all the way since it' so small. It can go in without the bolt being opened too. But the 10 round magazines or higher need to have the bolt open to insert in the magazine well. It mag sticks out a little but allows takes getting used to being inserted. The 20+ round magazines, however, looks like it allows you to insert it easier since your entire hand can grasp the bottom half of the magazine shell.
Most especially with the stainless, after you have fired it enough to kind of get the parts to all made up really nice with very light oil. You could put some slick Lube or some type of Dielectric grease with Teflon on it, very little of it, you can touch the contact points of the trigger mechanism and such if you wish. If you feel the firearm. You can easily use dry Teflon spray and spray the bore the chamber and the operating mechanism and leave it the hell alone. There is no oil or grease to draw dirt and cause any issues. Dry Teflon Lube is great especially for a firearm that you carry. Even your pistol. My Close Quarters rifle is actually a Mini-14 with a shortened barrel and a muzzle brake permanently attached. And it is very handy, and I spray Teflon Lube on it and leave it the hell alone. I almost never have to play with it more than that. I do a quick cleaning it comes very clean very quickly because nothing actually sticks to it because of the Teflon on it. Works great, more than accurate enough inside of Close Quarters range, and will still be running when any AR I might use nearly as much needs attendant repair in order to make it operate! That dry lube is a type of Teflon dry lube that you showed. And yes you will get a little of sludge, but it is not going to be wearing the rifle out. Carbon fouling is not abrasive enough, all it's going to do to that stainless is Polish the hell out of it. The Molly Lube is near perfect. The CRC break Lube that you can buy at AutoZone is exceedingly slick.
I treat my mini14 like I treat my women, Start out wet, run it dry, buy her some flowers on her birthday and take her sister out every once in a while! Joking aside, the mini only needs the care you're your giving it. Detailed cleaning, sure, loves it. Bore snake and a couple drops of oil, works just fine. Don't do anything ever? Still works just fine! My mini gets the full treatment weather I fire it or not, just like I treat a lady!
I was interested in the mini-14 after learning about them. At first I was attracted to the gun, however after looking at the construction, accuracy, and now the disassembly, I'm not convinced that obtaining one would be a great call in comparison to the AR-15. That being said, mini-14 conversion therapy isn't the point of the video.
They are Decently built guns. ruclips.net/video/XV5Wm42puGE/видео.html&lc=z135xbd55qunzpull22pupuwjtehufgja04 The accuracy is much better with the 580+ series that had the barrel redesigned in 2005ish. Chuck hawks was able to get 2-3MOA stock and .7-1.4MOA with a trigger job www.chuckhawks.com/ruger_mini14_review.htm But the AR is much cheaper and ubiquitous if you don't have a preference between the 2.
Why if the manual says oil would you not use oil? Ruger spent millions of dollars on R&D on what works and doesn't on their products so what is the data used that says grease is the way to go?
Sometimes its not really good to use lots of grease on a MINI ,you need to have the parts seat and wear properly. I dont put any grease in the action only on the OP rod rail
There are plenty of friction points in the action that will wear without proper lubrication. This is especially important in stainless steel guns that can gall if operated unlubricated.
Maintain the chamber by preventing rust. Rust will cause pitting, pits result in a failure to extract, failure to extract means failure to eject. A heavily pitted chamber results in a non-functioning rifle that requires barrel replacement.
@@jesseawiten8480 - Clean the rifle, then oil it very lightly. Use a cleaning patch to apply a very light coat of oil to the chamber. Do not/not overuse oil in the chamber. Keep a very light coat of oil in the chamber. You are not actually lubricating to insure movement of parts. You are creating a thin barrier to protect against oxidation.
@@jesseawiten8480 - stainless steal barrels are much more resistant to corrosion. If you have a blued Mini-14 you might consider upgrading. Buying a rifle with a chrome lined or nitrided barrel is another option.
Gun&ShotTV Ok, It's brand new, and I've put maybe 60 to 80 rounds through it. Noticed it as I was cleaning it. I think a call to Ruger might be a good idea now. Thanks
Lightweight motor oil is a great lubricant. Make sure to apply the oil in a substantial amounts on all actions of the WEAPON. Plenty of lube is needed to prevent wear and increase the longevity of the WEAPON. Rubbing alcohol 91% for removing lubricants. IF you are in cold weather.....grease is reccomended. When I perform maintenance to a WEAPON.....I place a towel or maybe a piece of carpet to protect the finish of a weapon
You are lucky to be able to watch this every day over and over. Back in the day there was maybe one film you watched but mainly a sit down with 80 others looking on, then about 3 hours of takedown and assembly but after that you did it daily even if not used. And like your .45 you did it in the dark also for you may have to one day while in the fight. A note not till recently did the Marine Corps use scopes or redots but every year any and all Marines including Navy Corpsmen had to get on target at 600 yards with iron sites only, says something about the ammo and rifles and the men and women of the Marine Corps.
You possibly missed the alignment hole on the front of the mag and jammed the mag against the pin that holds the front of the mag up. Try opening the bolt and look down and see if you can see where the mag is hung up. I think You can also try tapping out the pin that holds the mag release in, I don't have the rifle handy to see if you can get the pin out with a mag in place. If all else fails call ruger customer service
A suggestion for future informational videos: you use the words "kind of" excessively. You don't kind of do something. You either do or you don't. If it's a specific action or technique then say so. It sounds more professional and a lot less vague. Close ups would be more helpful particularly on intricate assembly items. Otherwise it was a very good informative presentation. Nice job!
@@paulatkinson4439 Now I really have to chuckle.... I've been a competitive Fencer and Fencing Coach for over 45 years. I understand the term well.. Handed out a few thousand of them myself. Literally!
@@HabuBeemer Now, THAT'S FUNNY, the only fencing I've done, is stretching a little barbed wire...... HAH ! I ALMOST replied the 1st time, in a more cynical manner, but decided to lighten it up instead. I'm glad you found humor & didn't take offense. The different color of sugar pill my doctor switched me to, has done wonders for my attitude & outlook.🤔
you do know the only reason why grease was recommended was because the gun had to survive a rain immersion test and oil would get displaced by soldiers standing out in the rain but grease would stay put during heavy rain storms right?
I had a Mini 14 for over 15 years and shot it very little.This was an earlier model with a wooden upper forearm. One day I took it to the range, chambered a round, pulled the trigger and it failed to fire. Thinking that I had chambered a bad round, i re chambered another one only to have the same result. I looked at the primer and noticed that it had not been struck by the firing pin. After getting home I called Ruger and told them of my problem. They said that it was likely a broken firing pin which seemed odd. I asked them to send me a replacement firing pin and I was told that the rifle would have to be returned for a new firing pin to be installed. I asked again for them to ship me a new one and again they told me that the gun had to be returned. I decided that I would not own a rifle if I could not simply replace the firing pin as a routine course of maintenance. At a future gun show I sold the rifle and a few magazines. Other magazines I gave to a friend. I replaced the Mini 14 that I had sold with an AR 15 and have never looked back. I will never buy another Mini 14. I have owned other Ruger products and still do but never another Mini 14
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
When I lived in Alaska , with way below zero. 40 to 60 f below. We always used synthetic automatic transmission fluid. AR’s and semi autos never failed in the cold.
Excellent comment! You can use 50/50 mix. Engine oil and transmission fluid. Learned this from an older gentleman. Been using this method for years now. No issues yet.
Probably the most difficult part of reassembly is getting the bolt back in. A little patience and several times doing it, it becomes easier. Dont be afraid it is a simple rifle to work on.
This is one of the better Mini14 video's I've seen. I love mine so I'm going to try this tactic next time.
This video is just what I needed! Picked up my mini 14 two days ago. Did a basic clean and going to the range tomorrow. I will definitely be using this video to disassemble the mini 14, and to clean and reassemble ! Thanks
Sorry bud. I've owned and maintained a Ruger Mini-14 since 1981. You made the field stripping job look at least ten times harder than it actually is, and scattered extra parts everywhere all over the bench. The side plate cover and bolt lock parts DO NOT need to be scattered in order to remove the bolt!!!
With the operating rod removed, move the bolt 2/3 rds of the way to the back of the receiver then, simply pull it forward, up & out with a slight wiggle. (just like the military guide books describe for the M-1 rifle, M-1 Cal. 30. Carbine, & M-14 rife)....That's it, that's all. Good luck.
I saw “sorry bud” and I was sold 😂
Great video. Good info, for sure. I have an M1a, for nostalgia, since I was issued an M14 as a Marine in 1969-73. Anyway, in the manual it states that, for accuracy maintenance, you shouldn’t disassemble the rifle. Just clean it intact. In the USMC, we broke it down completely every day, and I still managed 10 in the 18 inch target at 500 yards with iron sights. Having older eyes, I can no longer do that, alas.
Thank you Sir, for serving and defending our country.🇺🇲
@@t4texastom587 - Thank you. Even though a lot of people say it, we veterans still appreciate the kindness.
Hello @dejavu666wampas9. USMC 1964-68 here.. Yes, cleaned and lubed every day and used oil and good ole white Lubriplate. Use Mobile 1 and current production white lithium now.
@@lgriff1968 - Thanks for standing your watch for your country.
I’ve never thought of lithium grease. That’s a great idea.
Time for a scope
Just bought a Mini-14 and was kind of intimidated to clean it.
Your video is so good on the disassembly and reassembly I was able to do it the first time thank you . good job!
Thanks for watching, glad to help
Shelter93 there’s better videos to choose from with better angles
getting the bolt in, is a true PITA unless you practice it a thousand times. Not sure why but most Rugers are true PITA in some way to disassemble. The newer guns are better, the SP101 is a LOT better (easiest revolver to strip down to trigger mech) but the Mini, the 22/45, and the old P85 is a minor PITA even if you are familiar with them.
Yeah, what Jesse said, when you pull the bolt watch it very closely and practice in and out before you totally remove it. It will drive you nuts if you don't do it carefully.
Nice job, professional and helpful with no loud music, no shouting, no fringe politics. A first rate channel. But put your name or “handle”/nickname out there so we can remember and recommend you!!
Nice Job! Thanks for taking the time to do this vid...much appreciated.
Man oh man, your a pro & it shows. It all looks so easy when you know how it goes. Excellent video sir, many thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching.
I just use a pipe cleaner for the gas piston. I bought a bag of ar-15 gas tube cleaners about 15 years ago, still have 3/4ths of that same bag lol. and a baby bottle brush works well for cleaning out the mags.
Try the marine grease. It has moly in it but it handles moisture better and keeps your stainless clean.
Thanks for taking the time to share this info.
I'd bought my Mini 14 Ranch Rifle off the gun store used gun rack w/o a manual.
When I broke it down per the M14, it took a while to learn to disassemble the bolt lock mechanism in order to reinsert the bolt during reassembly.
Well done Sir! Can't wait for the Mini to get here! Nice tip on the difference between dry-oil on the mini as opposed to grease on the M-14/M1A. -Thanks!!!!
Thanks for watching
If the gun will be sitting a long time, always put anti sieze or at least grease on that gas port, sometimes it can seize to the slide and you might have to kick the charging handle to unfreeze it.
This happened to me in Washington due to moisture in the air. I did have to kick it loose. Never happened in Arizona where there is virtually no humidity.
Good video. Exactly the same core as mine. Because of lots of dust where I shoot, I dry lube everything with a good Silicone/Teflon Spray. It sure makes cleaning easy.
The grease would definitely be an issue if you live in a dusty/sandy area. In my case grease works fine and is much cheaper than DriLube.
I do like to use DriLube on all my magazines because otherwise they get lint and dust from the range bag
Thanks so much for a good, basic and informative video. I just picked up my stainless/synthetic 5817 and will be sighting it in this weekend. Appreciate the advice on grease and will do it. Also enjoyed your other vids on the Mini.
Thanks for watching, glad to help.
If you noticed when removing bolt if you hold barrel downward it will pretty much fall right out. That's because in that position the firing pin is loose and all the way in outward position. So when reinstalling the bolt use a finger nail to hold firing pin back to rear of bolt (open), and bolt will slide back in easily. Hold barrel upward.
You make reassembling the spring look so easy. I have a extra power spring on mine in an attempt to keep the empties from launching into the next county. Snaking that sucker back into that hole can be very frustrating!
Good demonstration.
Maybe next time, do a few close-up shots of the smaller parts, during disassembly; then greasing/oiling; and re-assembly, making sure not to lose the pins and smaller parts, and providing an in-tight view of the re-alignment notches
Just an FYI the gas port and hole should be fairly clean. Anywhere hot gas flows will be self cleaning. Just like the gas tube and block on an AR. I think cleaning the piston is all that’s really needed.
I have a Mini 14 and I love shooting it. I have had it since 2001 and wanted to find a video on cleaning it stem to stern, tag, your video is it.
Thanks for watching
cornflake73
this is a very good video.
for a lengthy but very thorough tutorial check out gunblue490.
I highly recommend it.
Peace.
Was waiting to see what to do with the Bacardi.....
That is an engraved bottle from Casa Bacardi in Puerto Rico. It's waiting for a special occasion.
I would be too scared to clean my rifles on the bar top. It would scratch the wood real bad and I would be drinking the whole bottle to drown my sorrow!
he uses the barcadi to clean out the bore.. lol 😂
Fugettaboutit Greetings from the future! I wonder if that special occasion ever came or if the Casa Bacardi bottle is still intact.
Have you tapped into the Bacardi yet? We would like to know.
You did a great job. Straight forward smooth presentation. Thank you. I wonder about graphite as a dry lubricant.? I've never heard of such on a and wonder if would address the cold weather concern.
I inherited a beautiful mini identical to yours,Thank you so much for vid you really explained everything great.
If your barrel tapers down narrower, its an older one that had less reliable results as it heated up. His was same diameter all the way, that's how you tell the apart.
Good video, seems you covered it all and in a reasonable length of time too. Some people go on forever and the listener can get bored with it. Thanks, BB
Thanks for watching, I try to balance it but it can get hard to meet everyone's taste so I just pretend I'm explaining to a friend and ask myself what I would mention vs. what I would skip unless they asked for more detail.
Excellent video.
Thank you for the video, it is very helpful, I am a brand new Mini-14 owner. I too was waiting to see if you were going to have a Bacardi and Coke!!
Very very outstanding video. Great job. Keep up the good work. Clean language too. Thanks a lot friend. SC Navy vet 😊you should not use lithium grease on guns. It’s bad on synthetics and rubber parts.
Excellent video. Thank you!
Thank you for taking the time to make a good complete video for cleaning the Mini 14. I will not have to get some dry lube and tear mine down, couple years old and all it has received is clean the bore. Only have a hundred or so rounds through it.
It's probably not in dire need of cleaning with that many rounds through but getting some fresh grease on the bolt and op rod should make a large difference in how smooth it hand cycles
Graphite, after cleaning parts you need dry lubed, wipe em up with zippo fluid, wipe that away and then graphite. Makes triggers slicker then moly, slide slots, anywhere you dont want gunk collecting in grease. It sticks in steel for a long time, and other debris just falls off a graphite impregnated part.
@8:29 I'm still looking for the "notch in the receiver for the firing pin." I just cannot seem to find it anywhere. Dang!
Another excellent upload mate. I'm glad your channel is growing as well as it is.
+Monika Napiora Thanks for watching and commenting
Very nice, detailed explanation. Thank you.I've been looking for a winged front sight, like the one you have. . . Can you tell me where I can purchase one?
It comes standard on the new thick barrels. You might be able to have a gunsmith fit the new sight on an old barrel or replace your barrel with a newer one. Probably easier/cheaper to just sell what you have and buy a new 580 series.
Thanks Chris, what's your opinion on aftermarket mags? I bought one at one of the mega sporting goods stores but gets stuck after 14 to 17 shots.
The best after market magazine I have encountered for the Mini 14 is a TAPCO Gen II. These are by far the best....but make sure it is a Gen II
@@neckarsulme EXACTLY what I was gonna say, I dont own any tapco's, but, u tube NUTNFANCY mini 14 tapco mag test, U will be convinced!
your tip on using grease is ok when going from home to the range and back again. When in the field for extended periods of time, use oil. If operating in cold weather conditions no lube is recommended. i.e. temps below 25 degrees. Good video and informative. congrats.
Obviously you will need to tailor your lube to your environment but the M1 rotating bolt action runs best on grease. The Garand has a trapdoor in the butt to hold a little tub of grease. That's what the majority were run with in WWII in all sorts of conditions. I even grease my AR but in the closer tolerance AR action grease and sand would cause a major issue pretty quick.
Graphite. If you can dry the parts real quick, you can lube em with graphite and you'll be slicker then snot again until it gets dropped in the mud again, otherwise no gunk collecting, no temperature limitations.
Hi Chris, Just stumbled on to your video, VERY VERY nice explanation. I just purchased my Mini 14 and I took it all apart but I took off the front gas part and put it back. My question to you after the hand guard by the bolt there is a place that has notches for a scope mount. Mine does not have one. Was there models that did not come with out the notches? I am thinking of getting just the small rails, drill tap and out the brackets that way. Do you think that is wise or is there another way to be able to get scope on there.
Thanks
John
I have a Harris bypod mount for sale, I.
Bought it , but doesn't fit mini14 with folding stock.
Excellent video, thanks, my Mini 30 has never been better maintained!
Cold conditions use synthetic automatic transmission fluid works wonders 😉👌🏼
I have the same model #5802 stainless/wood .......beautiful!
wd 40 makes short work of the powder residue . super fast and cheap !!
I usually use Hoppes 9 for most cleaning. Amazon has 32oz bottles for $12.
I do have a few gallon cans of WD40 in the garage I picked up on clearance for $5 so maybe I'll give it a try.
I also use it to wipe down my firearms after the range or hunting . never ever had a issue with rust . and ive been using it over 30 + years . wd also works excellent on removing old grease and crud from neglected firearms
Just stumbled on your channel. I don't have a mini, but enjoyed the show. I'll sub & see what else ya got.
What about a flash suppressor on the barrel?
This video is old and I don’t expect a comment but if you see it I would appreciate it! So i inherited some guns from my grandfather who passed, one of them being a mini-14. I disassembled it today and didn’t really have any problems except the stock had a really hard time getting in the right place and I had to use some force. Think it’ll still be good to shoot?
Not a big rum guy but that Reserva Limitada is fantastic. Neat is the way to go with it. Helpful video, thanks.
Natchez Shooters Supply sells a flex cleaning tool (flexible rod) that is great to get in and brush out the chamber on the mini.......only $10👍
Is it normal for mini 14 to have some sparks come out of it ejection port?
I have a ruger mini 14 stainless and have had a mini 30 loved em both still have the 14 but it came with the cheap pot metal rear peep sight, hate it so I put a Choat folder synthetic stock and a Leopoldo x vlll 3.5 x 10 50 mm objective, so far so good, anyone else have a cheap rear peep or was that a short run?
They used at least 3 different sights over the years. You can get upgraded sights from tech sights or williams if you would like to replace the flimsy one.
Just received my tech sight mini 200, absolutely love it. Been wanting to upgrade my factory peep on my mini 30 tactical 583.
Thanks for the tip on grease vs oil...
I use graphite instead of grease. It doesnt collect debris like grease does, and isn't affected by operating temps, storage, etc.
Instead of grease alone, mix a clean synthetic grease with a full synthetic base oil, 60 grease to 40 oil by weight should do, and that'll thin it out to not restrict any action but remain thick enough to stay in place. I recommend Super Lube general use synthetic grease and Super Lube synthetic oil (the one without teflon). That mix appears white in the bottle, and clear when applied. No smell or nasties, it's very clean stuff. Make a second mixture using only some of the oil with 5-10% sub-micron tungsten disulfide to lube your bore.
Popping off the cover to get the bolt out isn't necessary. I can easily remove the bolt and replace without that extra step.
Exactly! I have taken mine apart without doing that. Otherwise the info was good on cleaning a mini.
I can't. Not easily anyway - different gun, different tolerances.
I own Garands and an M1A. As you know, it's pretty much the same assembly, but Springfield recommends keeping disassembly of even the non match rifle to a minimum. Ditto the Garand; however, I called Ruger and they said that disassembly of the Mini will not harm it at all and to do so every time it's cleaned.
I don't fully strip my guns everytime I clean them due to laziness but if you have the right tools/technique I'm not sure how disassembling them will cause damage. Keep in mind they are designed to cycle with the force of a 60000PSI explosion.
Never heard anyone having issues with the mini 14
Love the Mini-14, not a fan of the stock, but love the rifle
I like the stock design personally but can see the other side of the fence as well. Different Strokes for Different Folks and all that.
Gun&ShotTV Oh i dont mind the design, i just didnt like the type of wood i had on mine.
@@cliffords2315 Check out CHOATE MACHINE & TOOL, the mini 14 folding stock is about 120.00, and also the cutout style handguard is AWESOME, I have one of mine swr up like that, with the barrel cut down to 16 total length with the muzzle brake/bayonet lug permanently welded on, with a red dot, hi cap mags, piccatiny rail, forward vertical grip, sling, it is my BULLET HOSE, my other one is set up with a OD hogue overmolded rubber stock and matching of green choate snap on handguard, flash hider, push button sling swivels, nice scope, and cheek rest, so neither of mine are sporting that heavy wood stock. Just letting Yall know some mini stock options out there, but choate products are lifetime, overbuilt and strong.
Nice detailed breakdown...
+Scott F. Thanks
Do you know if they still make the moly lithium spray grease? If so, where can a person purchase it? Thanks!
my bad-it's not spray grease
Another great video, thanks for the recommendation. I subbed your channel and will be checking out more of your stuff. Thanks again and have a happy new year.
Awesome, thanks for watching and subscribing.
Just got a 14. The gas port is loose and slides out. What is a suggested fix
very help full for a new mini 14 owner
I use grease on all my weapons. I tell people about using grease and they think i am crazy
You are not crazy one bit. It slides you grease it...it spins you oil it, is what I go with. Working fine for me with 40+ years operating firearms.
@@masgrey9608 what spins on a gun?
Revolver cylinder
The problem is that the people think they will go to be deploy in Afghanistan any time soon . They run their firearms almost dry and that's is a no,no.I put grease in all my firearms except for the revolver. I use one of my wife slim but very soft makeup brushes. Is not like put grease on a caterpillar machine is just put enough to avoid the parts run rough. Remember is two pieces of metal touching each other creating friction and of course heat. Great video.
why would you need to remove the scope mount cover to remove the bolt...?,, if you have a scope mount installed you can still remove the bolt, it takes some practice.
Nice video Chris. Having trouble w my triqqer mech upon reasembly. Will try your tips. Gratias Amigo
FYI, the hammer should be cocked and the safety on. It should slip right in.
Thank you Ernest!
Just got a stainless mini thirty. The only reasonably smooth surface I could find on the gun was the stock. This is a poorly cast and finished gun. I just paid $1K for it. The fishing sinkers I cast in my garage come out more refined than the receiver on this gun. I am already thinking about sawing the receiver in half and cutting my loss.
So you didn't look the gun over before you paid good money on it is what I'm hearing
learned a lot---------I have not shot mine much(Im really more into my pistols)but I would like to start using it more. Any idea for attaching a bi-pod?
+russ elder I haven't put a bipod on mine but Harris makes a Bipod mount that replaces the front sling swivel that seems pretty sturdy.
+Gun&ShotTV thanks i will take a look
Also, polish that guide rod and put a thin film of grease on that guide rod and it will not be so abrasive on that spring as it operates back and forth.
You didn't illustrate what roll the Barcardi played in this cleaning session 🥴
that's for the first time you try to get the bolt back in.
You saved my life, thanks!
Good video. Have same model, stainless/wood from 1989
I wish they had never discontinued it but it must not have been a strong seller as most people who go stainless want a weatherproof stock to match.
Is that makersmark back there?
Excellent video. Thank you very much for your time.
Thanks, very informative.
Would you say that what is good for the 14 is also good for the 30?
Yes, obviously you will need .30 cal brushes but everything else should be the same
Great video - thanks for the tutorial!
Had me all confused for a moment..I have an older one WITHOUT the buffer cup and pin...The pin I seen in mine is actually part of the mag release pin...lol
They also changed the bolt hold open mechanism and the rear sight quite a bit from the early production guns.
I just got mine a few days ago..made in 1978.Last good cleaning it has was in 1979 from the looks of it, inside wise...lol
I had something interesting happen while firing trigger housing popped open twice.
Why is the 5-round clip so hard to insert on these? I see online many people report this problem but do not see much of a solution or explanation. Thanks.
I have heard of that issue but unfortunately I don't have a 5 round mag so I've never had to lock one in. My guess would be that the smaller mag allows less leverage to overcome the spring in the latch. If you use 5 rounders often you might see about lessening the spring tension in the latch or getting and extended latch. The diagram on numrich shows that it's just a coil spring that you can probably bend to get some of the tension out.
Check out RugerForum or perfectunion for more specific info.
Here is a start
rugerforum.net/ruger-semi-auto/34574-mini-14-magazine-problem.html
Thank you very much. I will take a look at it and also bring the rifle to my local gun store have them take a look. I have been planning to buy longer mags so maybe that will help. Thank you very much.
I'm not 100% sure why but people seem to only have this issue with the 5 and 10 round mini mags. I've never had an issue with mine but mine are all 20 rounds or more.
My 5 round magazine goes in well, it's just takes practice getting used to putting it in all the way since it' so small. It can go in without the bolt being opened too.
But the 10 round magazines or higher need to have the bolt open to insert in the magazine well. It mag sticks out a little but allows takes getting used to being inserted.
The 20+ round magazines, however, looks like it allows you to insert it easier since your entire hand can grasp the bottom half of the magazine shell.
Most especially with the stainless, after you have fired it enough to kind of get the parts to all made up really nice with very light oil. You could put some slick Lube or some type of Dielectric grease with Teflon on it, very little of it, you can touch the contact points of the trigger mechanism and such if you wish. If you feel the firearm. You can easily use dry Teflon spray and spray the bore the chamber and the operating mechanism and leave it the hell alone. There is no oil or grease to draw dirt and cause any issues. Dry Teflon Lube is great especially for a firearm that you carry. Even your pistol.
My Close Quarters rifle is actually a Mini-14 with a shortened barrel and a muzzle brake permanently attached. And it is very handy, and I spray Teflon Lube on it and leave it the hell alone. I almost never have to play with it more than that. I do a quick cleaning it comes very clean very quickly because nothing actually sticks to it because of the Teflon on it. Works great, more than accurate enough inside of Close Quarters range, and will still be running when any AR I might use nearly as much needs attendant repair in order to make it operate!
That dry lube is a type of Teflon dry lube that you showed. And yes you will get a little of sludge, but it is not going to be wearing the rifle out. Carbon fouling is not abrasive enough, all it's going to do to that stainless is Polish the hell out of it. The Molly Lube is near perfect. The CRC break Lube that you can buy at AutoZone is exceedingly slick.
I treat my mini14 like I treat my women, Start out wet, run it dry, buy her some flowers on her birthday and take her sister out every once in a while! Joking aside, the mini only needs the care you're your giving it. Detailed cleaning, sure, loves it. Bore snake and a couple drops of oil, works just fine. Don't do anything ever? Still works just fine! My mini gets the full treatment weather I fire it or not, just like I treat a lady!
normal all good thanks i have a old 1982 reworked and it is a 2 inch at 150
Mine didn't have the spring in the side plate and it just came out the box
I was interested in the mini-14 after learning about them. At first I was attracted to the gun, however after looking at the construction, accuracy, and now the disassembly, I'm not convinced that obtaining one would be a great call in comparison to the AR-15. That being said, mini-14 conversion therapy isn't the point of the video.
They are Decently built guns.
ruclips.net/video/XV5Wm42puGE/видео.html&lc=z135xbd55qunzpull22pupuwjtehufgja04
The accuracy is much better with the 580+ series that had the barrel redesigned in 2005ish.
Chuck hawks was able to get 2-3MOA stock and .7-1.4MOA with a trigger job
www.chuckhawks.com/ruger_mini14_review.htm
But the AR is much cheaper and ubiquitous if you don't have a preference between the 2.
Why if the manual says oil would you not use oil? Ruger spent millions of dollars on R&D on what works and doesn't on their products so what is the data used that says grease is the way to go?
Sometimes its not really good to use lots of grease on a MINI ,you need to have the parts seat and wear properly. I dont put any grease in the action only on the OP rod rail
There are plenty of friction points in the action that will wear without proper lubrication. This is especially important in stainless steel guns that can gall if operated unlubricated.
akclan33 Grease it! I have 2500 rounds in mine and I only used oil. It has taken absolute beating.
Great video! You have an accent tho! I thought you were saying “following” instead of “fouling.”
Maintain the chamber by preventing rust. Rust will cause pitting, pits result in a failure to extract, failure to extract means failure to eject. A heavily pitted chamber results in a non-functioning rifle that requires barrel replacement.
how do you maintain the chamber
@@jesseawiten8480 - Clean the rifle, then oil it very lightly. Use a cleaning patch to apply a very light coat of oil to the chamber. Do not/not overuse oil in the chamber. Keep a very light coat of oil in the chamber. You are not actually lubricating to insure movement of parts. You are creating a thin barrier to protect against oxidation.
@@rascal0175 thanks
@@jesseawiten8480 - stainless steal barrels are much more resistant to corrosion. If you have a blued Mini-14 you might consider upgrading. Buying a rifle with a chrome lined or nitrided barrel is another option.
A very well done video. Thanks
+drenk7 Thanks for watching
Use carb and choke cleaner, not WD-40. Works great.
Does your gas port wiggle a little? Mine does. I don't know if that's normal or not.
Not that I've noticed. 2 issues that could cause that would be a missing Gas bushing or loose gasblock screws
Gun&ShotTV Ok, It's brand new, and I've put maybe 60 to 80 rounds through it. Noticed it as I was cleaning it. I think a call to Ruger might be a good idea now. Thanks
It's possible mine wiggled when new but is now held in place with fouling. Let me know what ruger tells you
Lightweight motor oil is a great lubricant. Make sure to apply the oil in a substantial amounts on all actions of the WEAPON. Plenty of lube is needed to prevent wear and increase the longevity of the WEAPON. Rubbing alcohol 91% for removing lubricants.
IF you are in cold weather.....grease is reccomended.
When I perform maintenance to a WEAPON.....I place a towel or maybe a piece of carpet to protect the finish of a weapon
He is a civilian bro, only military really calls it a "WEAPON".
That is just really bad advice.
You are lucky to be able to watch this every day over and over. Back in the day there was maybe one film you watched but mainly a sit down with 80 others looking on, then about 3 hours of takedown and assembly but after that you did it daily even if not used. And like your .45 you did it in the dark also for you may have to one day while in the fight. A note not till recently did the Marine Corps use scopes or redots but every year any and all Marines including Navy Corpsmen had to get on target at 600 yards with iron sites only, says something about the ammo and rifles and the men and women of the Marine Corps.
what is the Bacardi used to clean LOL
i put a 30 rd pro mag in my mini 14 now it doesn't want to come out like the mag lock is stuck can someone help me out please!
You possibly missed the alignment hole on the front of the mag and jammed the mag against the pin that holds the front of the mag up. Try opening the bolt and look down and see if you can see where the mag is hung up. I think You can also try tapping out the pin that holds the mag release in, I don't have the rifle handy to see if you can get the pin out with a mag in place.
If all else fails call ruger customer service
Thanks I'll try that first
You will always have trouble with pro mag in a mini 14. use tapco and you will be happy.
A suggestion for future informational videos: you use the words "kind of" excessively. You don't kind of do something. You either do or you don't. If it's a specific action or technique then say so. It sounds more professional and a lot less vague. Close ups would be more helpful particularly on intricate assembly items. Otherwise it was a very good informative presentation. Nice job!
Yep, I kind of gotta agree with ya.
@@paulatkinson4439 Lol! Well played sir!
@@HabuBeemer Touche' .
@@paulatkinson4439 Now I really have to chuckle.... I've been a competitive Fencer and Fencing Coach for over 45 years. I understand the term well.. Handed out a few thousand of them myself. Literally!
@@HabuBeemer Now, THAT'S FUNNY, the only fencing I've done, is stretching a little barbed wire...... HAH ! I ALMOST replied the 1st time, in a more cynical manner, but decided to lighten it up instead. I'm glad you found humor & didn't take offense. The different color of sugar pill my doctor switched me to, has done wonders for my attitude & outlook.🤔
you do know the only reason why grease was recommended was because the gun had to survive a rain immersion test and oil would get displaced by soldiers standing out in the rain but grease would stay put during heavy rain storms right?
I had a Mini 14 for over 15 years and shot it very little.This was an earlier model with a wooden upper forearm. One day I took it to the range, chambered a round, pulled the trigger and it failed to fire. Thinking that I had chambered a bad round, i re chambered another one only to have the same result. I looked at the primer and noticed that it had not been struck by the firing pin. After getting home I called Ruger and told them of my problem. They said that it was likely a broken firing pin which seemed odd. I asked them to send me a replacement firing pin and I was told that the rifle would have to be returned for a new firing pin to be installed. I asked again for them to ship me a new one and again they told me that the gun had to be returned. I decided that I would not own a rifle if I could not simply replace the firing pin as a routine course of maintenance. At a future gun show I sold the rifle and a few magazines. Other magazines I gave to a friend. I replaced the Mini 14 that I had sold with an AR 15 and have never looked back. I will never buy another Mini 14. I have owned other Ruger products and still do but never another Mini 14
Sigkeeper: you were the problem not the rifle and you should have been able to figure out the problem.
my rugar mags are bad about rusting?