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Ruger Mini-14 bolt won't hold open
hughbetcha
Member Posts: 7,801 ✭✭✭
Bolt hold open function on stainless Mini-14 made 1997 works intermittently. Sometimes it will hold bolt open and sometimes it won't. I have a suspicion that it has something to do with aftermarket scope mount. The latch can be seen through the threaded mounting screw hole on the plate that attaches the mount. I'm wondering if the mouting screw was turned in too far and bent or somehow interferred with the bolt hold open latch. I removed the mount but the problem still occures every now and then. Has anybody else experienced this problem?
Comments
No. I have not. Don
I think you may be on to the problem the screw may be just contacting enough to cause the issue take it out or back it off see what it does if nothing else you find or eliminate one possibility
I'm wondering if the drilling and tapping of the screw homes let some burrs inside the receiver. Break it down inspect and clean. But that's just my thoughts, I've fired them but I've never owned one.
mag in or out? Tab on top of mag if it won't . Check the spring in the manual bolt hold with mag out.
Could it be as simple as a magazine issue?
I have never had this problem. Hope that helps you.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
Thaks for your suggestions. The problem occurs with the mag in or out. The gun was not drilled or tapped. The aftermarket scope mount attaches to a replacement plate that drops/slides in/out on the side of the receiver. The open end of the threaded hole in the plateallows the attachment screw to enter the cutout that houses the lock open latch.
As a side note, what have you been up to? Don
Having problems with his Mini-14. Maybe read.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
Well, that's a better problem than a bolt that won't stay shut.
Is the magazine a Ruger
same problem with factory or aftermarket mag. I think the problem is the aftermarket scope mount.
Mr. Perfect, Dcon is always a little slow on the uptake. I've been good. Still working in the newspaper business. Hoping it will last long enough that I can retire in it. My son has moved out and taken most of my guns and ammo with him. He left me an old Rossi .38 spec., a single shot savage 12 ga. and a spam can of steel case 7.62 Russian in case the zombies attack so I started bying again. I got a good deal on the mini-14 and just built an AR-47 from an Anderson lower and Bear Creek upper.
Hope all is well with you guys.
Great to see you posting.
Postscript on Ruger bolt lock problem. I decided it was the aftermarket bolt lock plate. I called Ruger CS (in AZ of all places. at least it wasn't India). The nice * the phone said they would send me a new stainless bolt lock cover plate at no charge. I decided to remove the old plate while waiting on the mail. Upon inspection of the bolt locking mechanism I discovered a short piece of straight spring wire about an inch long sitting loose in the mechanism. I removed the wire and the bolt lock seemed to work properly. I looked up the diagram of the Mini-14 parts on the NumrichArms website and discovered this part is known as the bolt hold open spring.I considered leaving the part out but figured Ruger put it in there for a reason. After a little bit of messing with the mechanism I figured out what the spring did and where to install it. After installation the bolt lock open function worked properly. I am still not sure why this spring is necessary. I have a feeling that the person who installed the aftermarket plate/scope mount did not reinstall this spring properly and it was floating around in the mechanism causing intermittent failure.. Maybe it wasn't the aftermarket plate after all, When the new plate arrives I will swap it out for the aftermarket plate just to be sure. In other business...anybody know if JamesRK is still around?
Haven't heard from James for a couple of years. He lost his wife and came on here a few times afterward, but it's been a while.
That's too bad about Jim's wife. I haven't interacted with him for about 10 years but he used to be one of my best friends on this forum.. He and I shared a love of S&W revolvers. I considered him back-up godfather to my son James.
James last looked in on the forums on April 3rd, but the last postings he made were in Jan.-Feb.- Mar. 2020.
I too miss James.
Does anybody on here actually "know" mini-14s? I'm talking about somebody that takes all the pieces apart not just field strips. I have been trying to figure out this bolt lock spring issue on my 186 series(made in 1998). I thought I had this bolt lock thing figured out. After one shooting session of less than 20 rounds the bolt lock stopped working again. I opened the bolt lock cover plate and found that the spring had come out of place again and was jamming the mechanism. so I just left the spring out and the bolt stop is working fine after another 20 rounds. Some research into the Mini-14 parts diagrams and youtube videos showed that Ruger actually eliminated this spring in subsequent version of the mini-14. They changed the bolt stop making it heavier. The bolt stop appears to drop powered only by gravity on these newer versions. I think the spring was included to make sure the bolt lock bar dropped in any position ie. eve if the gun was held upside down. I tried Ruger forums and nobody seems to know anything. I always considered Gunbroker to be the "thinking mans" gun forum. I'm hoping one of you guys will tell me if I need that spring or not. I called Ruger customer service and the * the phone couldnt tell me anything other than the option to return the rifle to the factory.