New Mini-14 break in?

[BB Rvlr]

I bought a new stainless Mini-14 Tactical this week and was disappointed with its function. It wouldn't always feed a fresh round and the bolt wouldn't stay open after the last round of the magazine was fired. This was with new production Federal ammunition. After a while these problems lessened and eventually disappeared.

Do Minis typically need a break in period or was the problem with the factory 20 round magazines?

I have since fired over 200 rounds of mixed ammunition without a single failure.

 

[Oh Shoot]

I've had one for a couple months now, basic wood stocked Ranch Rifle.
Maybe 450 rounds.

It's been rock solid from the get go, not the first glitch. Not one feed or lock back failure, with brass and steel cased rounds (both lacquered and polymer coated). Have shot a bunch of the Federal Wally World .223 also, if that's what you refer to.

Only "custom" thing I've done to it was put 1911 buffer on rear of guide rod.
Still throws the brass a long way, though.

I guess each one has a touch of it's own personality, the Mini Mystique.

- OS

 

[gunman42782]

I have owned 5 Minis over the years. They always fired everything I ever put through them, from day one. Don't remember a single malfunction, ever, with any of them.

 

[kwg020]

200 seems to be the magic number to break in a Mini so it functions well. At least for the newer ones. My old one shot from the git go. I just could not hit anything with it. Clean your barrel good and clean it before you store it. The barrels are better than they used to be but still not as good as they could be. If you don't clean out the gas tube and op-rod channel and store it for a long time, it seems to rust the op-rod to the gas tube. kwg A good web site is www.perfectunion.com
kwg

 

[blume357]

In reference to above;
"If you don't clean out the gas tube and op-rod channel and store it for a long time, it seems to rust the op-rod to the gas tube. "

I would not call it rust... just gunk that kind of glues to two together so that the bolt will not come back.... simple solution is the "AK Kick". Not unusual for me to have to do this to one of my mini's when they've been stuck away for a while....


with no magazine in the rifle and the safety on:
Place the butt of the rifle on the floor with the barrel pointed up and away from you or any one or any thing you don't want to destroy (just in case)....have the bolt handle pointed to the same side as the foot you are going to use... lift leg and kick the bolt handle down with the heal of your boot.

 

[wetidlerjr]

...with no magazine in the rifle and the safety on:
Place the butt of the rifle on the floor with the barrel pointed up and away from you or any one or any thing you don't want to destroy (just in case)....have the bolt handle pointed to the same side as the foot you are going to use... lift leg and kick the bolt handle down with the heal of your boot.

Would that be called "friendly persuasion" ? :mrgreen: