New Stainless Mini 14 Lube Question

[Clump]

I have a couple of ARs and have been real interested in Mini 14s lately, so...

I picked up a new stainless/synthetic ranch rifle. Put a Leupold VX-1 2-7 in Ruger factory rings and a Choate hand-guard on it. Before the first range trip I cleaned it and lubed with 1 shot. I had several times where the bolt would not close fully and needed a nudge. I also had a few FTEs. I ran a total of 120 rounds through it and had more problems as the round count went up. All using the 2 factory 5 round mags.

For you experienced Mini shooters, do you think it's under lubed?

I'll clean it and lube per the Brownell's video. Probably over thinking it, but curious what more experienced Mini shooters think.

Here she is

 

[DGW1949]

As far as Brownell's Mini-14 videos and blogs, I see them more as being infomercials for the products they sell than anything else. As a matter of fact, some of the things they are suggesting be done to "improve" the gun is either useless or just plain wrong.

As to lubing...I've always lubed mine as close as possible to how the Army teaches to lube the M1 and M-14 Rifles. After all, if anyone can be considered to be experts at how to care for the Garand-type action, surely it's the US Army eh?

Hope this helped.

DGW

 

[Captain America]

My Mini is blue, I lube it like I lube all of my firearms. I clean everything thoroughly, then I oil everything generously using Hoppes oil. I spread it around with my fingers, then I wipe everything down with a rag leaving only a sheen of oil on the gun. When I got my Mini new everything was covered in preservative, including the trigger group, so I made sure all of that was gone before firing the gun. I only use American Eagle 5.56 in mine and I've never had an FTF or FTE, as a matter of fact, anyone standing to the right of me is in danger of being hit by the extracted cartridge if they're less that 25 feet away when I'm firing the gun. It's been my experience that if you're going the have FTE problems it usually occurs with steel cased ammo. Work the action, work the trigger and trigger safety at home and shoot the snot out of the gun and you'll love it.

 

[Clump]

Thank you both! I'll get some grease and Army lube it.

I'm shooting PMC brass cased 55 gr ball ammo. I've shot a bunch of it in my ARs with no problems.

 

[Chuckfish]

If it turns oil it...if it slides grease it. I use synthetic products on every fire arm I own.

 

[rufrdr]

I use good old USGI rifle grease on my Mini 14 and apply it to the corresponding locations to an M14. Works just fine.

 

[daveg.inkc]

I use Breakfree. CLP. on my Stainless Mini 14. And I spray brake cleaner down bore while I pull bore snake thru bore.

 

[JohnFLand]

Read this for tips:
https://www.gun-tests.com/special_reports/long_guns/Maintaining-Ruger-Mini-14-Rifles-american-gunsmith-12248-1.html#.WxCiZCBrw1I

Lube it like an M1 Garand or M14 -- lots of sliding pieces, so use grease liberally.

 

[daveg.inkc]

Good article from Gun-tests,, only author misspelled Mr. Ruger's name.

 

[Gray]

Light oil on the gun and grease in the action grooves should suffice. When reassembling the rifle, make sure the buffer bushing is inserted with the flat spot toward the barrel and the pointy end of the guide rod is inserted into the bushing and is closest to the barrel.
Those symptoms sound familiar. We've all done it. Mini 14 reassembly videos are on YouTube.

 

[Clump]

Cleaned and lubed as suggested. Back to the range today. The rifle ran much better. 100 rounds, 2 FTEs, 1 in each of the first 2 full 20 round mags. The first 20 rounds were 5 round groups to get zeroed. Last 2 full 20 round mags were flawless.