Tips on Installing Mini-14 Folding Stock

[Andrewsky]

I'd include the liner. It adds rigidity to the stock.

It'll put more wear on Helga Klinton's cutting machine when your gun is confiscated.

 

[George Hill]

I recently put one in myself.
I couldn't get the trigger group in right until I took those side screws out of the stock.
Once the trigger group was locked in, I put those screws back in and everything is shiny.

 

[Vityaz]

If you notice in his pictures with the trigger assembly, you can see where the locking lugs on the trigger guard are hitting on the recoil lugs on the receiver.
The only problem he has now is that he doesn't have the trigger guard fully open.

 

[Confederate]

Well now that's interesting. Don't know what effect those screws will have, but I'll try it tomorrow. This is the first time I've ever been totally confounded by something. Computer crashed, catastrophic hard disk failure, blue screens of death, third party springs, buffers, reassembling revolvers and even the tightest Ruger auto pistol .22 I've ever seen. Guy brought it into a store in a bag. No one else would fool with it because the guy took it apart before shooting it (a big no no). Got it together in a half hour though I had to beat it halfway to death. But I've generally come out on top...til now.

If I have to send this stock back, it's really going to disappoint me.

Until then, disgruntled and discouraged...yeesh. But thanks for your comments, gents.

Vityaz: Yep, I've opened the trigger guard up all that I can. If I pull it up any further, it'll bend the trigger guard. If there's a way of opening it further, please let me know. I've tried replacing the assembly while holding the trigger guard in one hand and the rest of the assembly with the other. Lowering it into place, I jiggle it around in the opening whilst keeping the trigger guard up and away from the rest of the assembly.

 

[Rugerlvr]

Weird. I just installed one of these this very evening. I had NO instructions, as I got the stock out of the bargain cave at Cabela's, with nothing but a price tag.

It went on easy. No troubles at all. Of course I didn't put my Mag well insert in upside down...

 

[Confederate]

Cute.

Well, fer all the results I've had, it don't matter much which way I put that dern mag well in. I do notice they're two pieces of steel on each side. Wonder if one on each side can be removed?

That yours went in so easy makes me wonder if I got the wrong model. My serial number begins 185*. Shouldn't that be a correct model?

Cheers.

 

[Vityaz]

Well, in that case all I know to do is try what George recommended.

 

[Rugerlvr]

That yours went in so easy makes me wonder if I got the wrong model. My serial number begins 185*. Shouldn't that be a correct model?

I think the stock should fit your gun. I did have a little bit of trouble getting the trigger group in, but I just kept at it. I used that piece of black plastic that came in the stock as a spacer to press on various parts of the trigger group to get it in. There was a moment when I felt like it just kinda snapped in. Perhaps you haven't gotten past that moment of stress.

One thing I did do was loosen the side screws on the mag well insert a little bit before it snapped in. Come to think of it, I didn't tighten them after. I should do that.

Come to think of it, looking at your pics above, you're not trying to get the trigger group in by keeping the bottom plate flush with the stock are you? Because that won't work. You have to angle it in, so that the teeth that grab the upper will be able to clear the lugs. You put it in front first.

 

[Confederate]

I will have at it again today. But come to think of it, I did originally remove the top part of the gun from the stock, just to see if it might have been obstructing part of the trigger assembly. Even then I couldn't get the trigger assembly in. Thus, my problem is clearly the space.

I, too, tried using the plastic inserts to pry the stock apart, but no use. That thing is tight!

 

[Confederate]

Oboy...I've done it now.

Good news: I filed some of the synthetic material off the sides and was finally able to seat the trigger assembly. Everything looked perfect.

Bad news: I released the safety, snapped the trigger, now I can't cock the rifle. I pull back on the slide handle and it's frozen. And, if I can't cock the gun, I can't remove the trigger assembly, and if I can't remove the trigger assembly, I can't remove the top portion of the gun.

Any suggestions now that I've jumped out of the pot into the fire?

 

[Confederate]

FINALLY FIXED!!!!!!!!!

Unable to budge the slide handle, I finally resorted to the tried and true principal my father once warned me against, but which has nevertheless worked with a little common sense.

I forced it. I put on the heaviest sole shoe I had at hand, put it on, placed the butt against the floor and, using my foot, forced it to cock. It took three monumental tries, but it finally opened, and then, *PLANK* — it snapped back. I then grabbed the slide handle and pulled it back and this time it went smoothly, without any problem whatsover. I snapped the safety off and pulled the trigger and it went click, then I popped the magazine in and it works like a charm.

Thanks to everyone for their patience and suggestions. I never got around to putting that recoil buffer back in, but who cares? If the thing ever gets dirty enough that it needs disassembling, I'm just going to fold the stock, take out the magazine, lock the slide back and put it in the dish washer!

 

[Vityaz]

I hope you're not serious about the dishwasher comment...

 

[Confederate]

No....