Mini14 trigger assembly problem

[AlanJ65]

My room mate is having a problem with his (formerly mine) Mini14. It seems that when he shoots it the trigger assembly pops out just enough that the gun won't fire. It takes just a small amount of pressure to reseat it. I took it to the range the other day to see if I could repeat the problem. It took a few rounds but it happened. It didn't happen to me as often as he was claiming but it does happen. It's not like it's falling out, just moving enough to not fire. A limited search found one guy having the same problem and one suggestion was to bend the guard back just a bit. Could prying out the assembly have caused the problem? Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[96/44]

Not uncommon for the Mini and the M1 Garand and M14 the design was borrowed from. Just bend it a little bit, it will take care of the problem.

 

[blume357]

Bend what?

 

[Buckeye Bill]

OK,

As you know, the first step in disassemble of a Mini (After making sure that it is safe) is to remove the trigger group.

Follow your instruction manual and place something, (screw driver) into the slot in the trigger guard and apply pressure as indicated in your manual release the trigger guard from the slot in the rear of the trigger assembly.

Go ahead and remove the trigger group from the rifle.

The trigger guard is hinged and pivots. It is the tension that is made as the trigger guard locks into place that causes it to remain secure while assembled.

You need to add additional tension to correct the problem.

To do this you need to make the trigger guard assembly just a little longer. This is done by bending the trigger guard just a small amount (outward).

I have done this by putting the trigger assembly back into the rifle but not locking it in. I then pull the trigger guard portion in small amounts toward the muzzle trying to bend in just a little. I then try locking it back in to test it out. I repeat bending and closing until it locks in with a fair amount of tension.

It is difficult to describe and I hope you are following my description. Good luck.

Bill

 

[DGW1949]

Yeah, it could be that the trigger guard is "sprung", or it could be that the stock itself was not properly fitted in the area where the guard sits and/or latches, or it could be that something is wrong with the guard's latch/notch interface.
At any rate, it might be prudent to have someone who knows what to look for look it over before ya start bending something that might not need bent.

DGW

 

[AlanJ65]

Buckeye, thanks for the walkthrough. This is about the same instructions I saw posted somewhere concerning the same problem. It did appear that the guard wasn't far enough up on the assembly. It looked like there was a bit of wear along the edge where it was slipping off. Not a lot, just enough to be noticeable.

 

[Buckeye Bill]

The wear that your are observing is a normal affect of opening and closing the trigger guard into the slot that locks it in. When the tension is right, it takes a fair amount to pushing to get the trigger guard to lock into that slot.

Sounds like you have it corrected now.

Bill