Mini 14 help needed.

[00Medic]

Hey everyone. I've got a bit if a problem with an older mini 14 and I was hoping somebody could help me out.

I brought out my fathers mini he purchased in the mid 80s to get it range ready for some plinking. The first thing I do is try to cycle the bolt and.......nothing. The thing won't budge. I then proceed to soak the living bee geez out if it with clp and let it sit for a few. Go back and try it again and still frozen. I began to think it had been welded shut because it won't even budge a centimeter no matter how much force I use. But after checking for weld spots I see this is not the case.

To my knowledge it has been sitting for 10+ years without being touched until now. No signs of rust on the action but an itty bit at the front of the barrel.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[SVT-40]

Use a rubber mallet or similar to knock the bolt open. It's just fused shut with old grease which has turned into glue.

[AragornElessar86]

Or it could have been reassembled wrong. If you put the recoil spring guide rod in upside down you'll get a similar result. Not that i've done it or anything. ;D

[CRTguns]

MOST likely, the piston has rusted to the op rod. Take the stock off first. Then with a punch, hit the op rod as far forward as you can. Banging on the handle can result in a broken handle. Then get you a new piston. Maybe a new oprod if yer lucky to find one.

[00Medic]

Right on guys. Thanks so much for the input. I'll report back with the cause. Thanks again.

[swifty]

Check to see if there is a cartridge in the chamber.

[c good]

I agree that the piston is most likely stuck in op rod. In this situation you can also use inertia to your advantage. Take the rifle, find some soft grass, holding the barrel firmly in your hand, strike the stock into the ground sharply. This often times will free up the op rod. With the action being frozen forward you won't be able to confirm the chamber is empty from visual inspection so do this with the safety on, so use EXTREME CAUTION. Or if you have an area that is safe and legal to shoot, point it in a safe direction and pull the trigger, thus confirming unloaded cartridge condition. One other way of confirming a safe chamber without being able to inspect from the open action is to take a cleaning rod and measure the distance it goes into the barrel. If it goes all the way down into the bolt/breach face then you are good to go. If it comes up short be careful. HTH c good

[five.five-six]

ruger is very good about supplying parts from the factory

[swifty]

...point it in a safe direction and pull the trigger, thus confirming unloaded cartridge condition.

The rifle is already not operating correctly, I'd not recommend trying to fire. No sense putting stress on a system that is already jammed shut. Adding a misfire or a hang fire with 10yr old ammo will only make matters worse. I'm sure a brush needs ran through the bore.

[c good]

The rifle is already not operating correctly, I'd not recommend trying to fire. No sense putting stress on a system that is already jammed shut. Adding a misfire or a hang fire with 10yr old ammo will only make matters worse. I'm sure a brush needs ran through the bore.

How do you run a brush through the bore when the bolt is frozen shut and there is a possible live round in the chamber?

[Gem1950]

Get a take-down manual and be careful not to loose the gas port bushing.

[swifty]

How do you run a brush through the bore when the bolt is frozen shut and there is a possible live round in the chamber?

It's really really hard. That's another reason why a live round should be removed first. Sending a bullet down the barrel first, instead of removing 10yrs of dust and spiders and the unknown, may cause damage to the bore.

[dfletcher]

The problem with removing the action from the stock is that if the hammer isn't back you're not going to be able to pop out the trigger group and remove the action - at least I'm not aware of how to. I agree the piston is probably "gummi-beared" to the front of the op rod and I think a blast of something would work it free. If not a wallop on the op rod handle, how about removing the gas block and tapping its lower to break the connection - or removing the GB top and forend, then nozzling in some lube or break free?

[AragornElessar86]

How about spraying some WD40 or other solvent/lube down the action and barrel?

[five.five-six]

How about spraying some WD40 or other solvent/lube down the action and barrel?

there is a small gas hole, but I doubt much of that would make it to the op rod