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Mini 14 Fixes & Mods

actiontek
I have recently purchased a Mini 14 to be kept on my boat when the family and I go cruising; after making the purchase I have been told by a few that there are some problems with the rifle; mags, out of group firing, etc..
Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations, beyond scrapping it for another rifle (AR / AK0), that i can do to make sure I have a reliable rifle for my family's protection.

Thanks in advance.

Our reputation is the only legacy we leave of value.
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • gogolen
    Mine functions just fine although I had to experiment with some different types of magazines. I trashed the ones that turned it into a jam-a-matic and kept the ones that funtioned perfectly. Since then I have had 0 reliability problems. As far as your family's protection is concerned I believe, and I may or may not be backed up on this one as everyones opinion will vary, you are using the wrong tool for the job and a good old scatter gun would be better suited for your need, a pump gun in particular.
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  • actiontek
    Gogolen,

    Thanks for the comment. I also have a Mossberg 590 12 ga. for close range. But as some friends in the USCG have told me; it is better to be prepared to keep a boat as far off as possible and that is where the log gun would be suited. I have been to Central and South America, along the Gulf coast, and there have been some stories, again backed up by friends in the Gurad, that pirates still exist. We were in Belize last year and during the night 14 boats were stolen that were anchored about 100 meters off shore. They were later found, stripped, in Nicaragua.

    Our reputation is the only legacy we leave of value.
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  • D@D
    What in particular is wrong with your rifle? Have you shot it yet?
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  • actiontek
    Thanks for the reply; I have fired 20 rounds through it. It seemed to function fine but I am trying to stave off any problems before they might become apparent and to fix any flaws that might exist before they become life threatening issues. It could be that the folks that gave me the warnings about the Mini are mistaken or overzealous in their likes of another rifle. I am just reacting to information I was given by the best means I know, asking others who may know more than I do.

    Our reputation is the only legacy we leave of value.
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  • nmyers
    The Mini 14 is a fine choice for repelling pirates. Hopefully you have the stainless version, as salt water spray is quite corrosive. It's not enough to keep a gun oiled; salt spray will corrode the inner parts, & it's difficult to keep them oiled.

    With factory mags, or aftermarket mags that you have tested, you should be fine. The Mini 14 is a reliable weapon. It will not fire out of battery; you have been given erroneous information.

    Even though I usually don't like laser sights, they may be useful in marine applications because of their long range & psychological deterrence.

    Neal
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  • actiontek
    Thank you for the good advice. I have what was told to me to be the stainles version but when I place a magnet to it, it stick as if it were regular steel. But the finish looks stainless, just not the bright stainless I am used to. I bought the rifle here on Gunbroker and it was told to me to be stainless and to be near new. It is quite clean and appears to not have been fired very much at all if at all. Is there a coated version Mini like my mossberg Mariner? Thanks again.

    Our reputation is the only legacy we leave of value.
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  • TWalker
    I think your Mini-14 will serve you well for the needs you have. It is very reliable if you have good magazines. I bought a Mini-30 in 7.62x39 as a defensive rifle. It is stainless, has a quick removeable low power scope,a flash hider, and a folding stock. I trust it completely. You've made a very good choice, just practice regularly and buy quality magazines.
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  • TWalker
    To answer your question about stainless steel and magnets, some stainless alloys are magnetic and some alloys aren't. Your Ruger is probably made from the tougher stainless alloy that can be heat treated, and it IS magnetic. If you have a stainless refrigerator, it probably has 300 series alloy panels and a magnet won't stick to it.
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  • gunnut505
    Good thinking on the "repel boarders" before the eventuality arises!
    As far as keeping them far enough away to make their fire inaccurate or less dangerous, you should also consider a 30-30 lever action or one of the AK variants, short of getting an AR10 in .308 (too much $$$).
    A good lever action can be loaded as you deplete the magazine, lighter, faster bullets are available for single shot situations, and a good ol' 170grainer bouncing off the bulkhead next to you sure sounds bad enough to make you rethink your actions.
    Belize DOES have piracy, and the consequences are brutal.
    One other piece of advice; get yourself & your crew some good vests for ballistic protection, and some training that involves shooting under a variety of conditions and with multiple weapons. That way, everyone will know what to do, and will be semi-protected doing it.

    A good option is to get one of those ankle-biters to alert you if you're asleep when they approach. Something like a chihuahua will wake you quickly as it tries to become part of your bedding!

    There are internet sites that have the 20- and 30-round LEO magazines for fairly reasonable prices.

    "Qui non est hodie cras minus aptus erit" --OVID
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  • actiontek
    GREAT ADVICE FOLKS. unfortunately the wife has one of those ankle biters that will be on board. I also have a proximity alarm system on the boat. I am very interested in the ballistic vests idea; what and where should I look? I am also looking for extra high capacity mags but do not have time nor money to go through a bunch to find some that work (factory mags are just ridiculously priced). Does anyone have any recommendations on aftermarket ones that are better than most? Thanks folks.

    Our reputation is the only legacy we leave of value.
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