Question for Ruger Mini-14 owners?

[Randy1911]

I am wanting to put a scope on my Ruger Mini-14. The question I have is that it looks to me that you wouldn't be able to field strip the rifle if there was a scope on it (removing the bolt primarily). Is that true? If so, how do you do it. Remove the scope ever time you clean it? I would think that would mess up the "zero" everytime and you would have to re-zero it. Am I missing something? Thanks for any replies.

 

[Randy1911]

Well I went ahead and bought a scope(Bushnell). I just got done mounting it and guess what? The scope get's in the way with disassembling the gun.

I am hoping that because the Ruger scope mounts have big thumb screws on the hold down screws and locating pins on the mounts, that I won't lose zero when I take it off to clean it. It can only mount in one spot. I will let you tomorrow cause I am going back to the range.

 

[Walkalong]

You clean your Mini 14?

 

[benEzra]

The mounts are supposed to hold zero when removed and replaced, but why can't you clean it with the scope in place? Does it interfere with removing the bolt? You certainly don't need to remove the forward dust cover to clean the gun. As I recall, I never removed the scope from mine to clean it (when I had a scope on it). Are you using low rings, maybe?

 

[Randy1911]

Ben

Go to the Ruger website and click on Autoloading Rifle, then Mini 14 then click on extras and there is a video on disassembly and you can see what I am talking about. www.ruger.com The bolt has to come out of the receiver at a 45 degree angle upwardly. Same for the heat shield. With the heat shield in place, the only way to remove the operating slide and handle is to swing it up also and the scope gets in the way. Needless to say, all you can do is lock the action open and srubb with a toothbrush and clean the barrel. I prefer to do a detail cleaning after everytime I go shooting. I'm just anal about that.

 

[Elm Creek Smith]

If you want to detail clean your Mini 14 every time you shoot it, be prepared to learn if the Ruger mounts hold zero because you'll have to take the scope off to do it. The rings should lock down the same way every time you put the scope back on the built-in mounts.

ECS

 

[Randy1911]

Thanks Elm Creek Smith. I will learn tomorrow if they do because I plan on going shooting tomorrow and I will clean it when I return. I will go one more time before Christmas because I am going deer hunting the day after.

 

[wow6599]

You might want to check over on perfectunion.com.
Here is a thread about the same question and I'm sure you can find more if you search.
http://www.perfectunion.com/vb/showthread.php?t=33865&highlight=Cleaning+removing+scope

 

[Art Eatman]

I probably put over a thousand rounds through my first Mini without removing the scope for basic cleaning. I never had any grunge buildup in the chamber, so I never needed to remove the bolt.

 

[StretchNM]

The "Garand" action of the mini-14 is what makes it so sweet for me. That, and it's just a fun rifle to shoot. Years ago in my agency, from when I started in 1984 up through about 1992, the mini-14 was the duty long-gun. After qualifying with it, we were required to strip and clean it. Proficiency and speed were the keys in stripping and reassembling the mini. It's true about the scope getting in the way when removing the bolt, and is one of the reasons I never scoped mine. It takes forever to strip it.

The Ruger rings will "hold zero", relatively speaking. Expect a little tweaking here and there when you go back out. Maybe a couple of times it'll be dead on, but that won't be the norm. A click or two up or left, or so, will probably be required. One thing you can do to help is, when re-setting the rings, is hold forward pressure on the scope as it sets in the bases and when tightening the mounting screws. Do it the same way every time.

 

[1KPerDay]

I can get the bolt out of my ranch rifle with the scope on. I have to remove the windage adjust cap though.

 

[benEzra]

Go to the Ruger website and click on Autoloading Rifle, then Mini 14 then click on extras and there is a video on disassembly and you can see what I am talking about. www.ruger.com The bolt has to come out of the receiver at a 45 degree angle upwardly. Same for the heat shield. With the heat shield in place, the only way to remove the operating slide and handle is to swing it up also and the scope gets in the way. Needless to say, all you can do is lock the action open and srubb with a toothbrush and clean the barrel. I prefer to do a detail cleaning after everytime I go shooting. I'm just anal about that.

I used to own a mini-14 Ranch Rifle (188 series), and never had to remove the scope to remove the bolt. It may be a function of scope tube diameter and what height rings you're using. The largest scope I ever had on mine was a 3-9x32, as I recall, and I think medium-height Ruger rings, so the objective wasn't sitting right on the top cover.

Unless Ruger has changed things, the top cover/heat shield can rotate a little left or right on the barrel, and that was enough for me to remove the bolt and reciprocating piston. The top cover does not have to be removed for even detail cleaning (the top of the barrel can even be oiled with it in place, using an oiled patch slipped around the barrel).

IMO, since the mini has to be cleaned from the muzzle, excessive cleaning with a cleaning rod can do more harm than good.

 

[M1key]

QUOTE: IMO, since the mini has to be cleaned from the muzzle, excessive cleaning with a cleaning rod can do more harm than good. UNQUOTE

Gunscrubber (for synthetics) and a boresnake work well.

 

[wishin]

I think a better question for you is, "How often do I need to remove the bolt to clean the mini-14". I have one and agree with Art Eatman.