*&%$#@ Ruger rant

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blaster
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*&%$#@ Ruger rant

Post by blaster »

I have always been a fan or the Mini 14 carbine. I bought my first one around 1980. I always used the iron sights and never had any problems until my eyes got old and I started needing a scope for hunting. my older 5.56 Mini's have the B-Square scope mounts that attach on the bolt lock cover plate and work fine. a few years ago, when Ruger started chambering the Mini 14 in 300 BLK with a threaded bbl., I had to have one. its been a good weapon and has accounted for a bunch of deer & hogs but since new, I keep having problems with the scope mounts loosening up. (forget the P.O.S. rear sight, that fell off right away) the gun came with a rail that mounts with 3 screws and cut outs for Ruger scope mounts. first I tried the B-Square mount. it won't fit the new model Mini. then I tried the rail, heat from shooting melted the LockTite and it came loose. so I put the scope in Ruger mounts and they held good but the ejected shells hit the scope knocking it out of zero. then I decided to go back to the rail which does protect the scope somewhat even though it sometimes bounces the empty shell back into the action causing a jam. this time I used Rocksett on the screws instead of LockTite. yesterday that also loosened up right after I got the scope zeroed in! out of options, I re- Rocksetted the screws (gobbed it on this time) and will try it again. I know the Mini wasn't designed to be scoped (top ejection) but now days, almost everything is scoped and you would think that Ruger would have figured out a better way to attach a scope. %$#&*^%! rant over.
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rlandry6
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Re: *&%$#@ Ruger rant

Post by rlandry6 »

Ruger's weak game has always been scope mounting. I had a Hunter in 44Mag that was dead-nuts accurate, but it had notches on the top trap to mount their proprietary scope rings. The ring mounting screws would not stay tight and I actually deformed the material around the notches trying to get the mounts to hold
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Aggie
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Re: *&%$#@ Ruger rant

Post by Aggie »

Random possible idea, not sure how reasonable, but could you have the mount screws staked by a gunsmith?
Mike7.62
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Re: *&%$#@ Ruger rant

Post by Mike7.62 »

Personally, I use one of these on my 180 series Mini:

http://ultimak.com/m4.htm

They make them for later versions as well, and mine works great. No worries on rounds hitting the scope, and so far no loosening of either the mount or rings.
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Re: *&%$#@ Ruger rant

Post by Hogbuster »

You should use Loctite 620, High Temp with .010 fill capacity. This stuff will not come loose.
I use it on my 183 and have never had anything come loose.
Warning the 620 is real tough stuff to remove makes red seem like a breeze to remove.
Use with care on anything you want to take apart in the future.
blaster
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Re: *&%$#@ Ruger rant

Post by blaster »

thanks for the replies. Mike7.62 , thanks, I am going to look into the Ultimak mount.
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dellet
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Re: *&%$#@ Ruger rant

Post by dellet »

You might also try bedding the mounts to the rifle.

If you do not have a good, even contact surface, heat and vibration will allow the mount to flex and move under the bolts allowing them to loosen.
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blaster
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Re: *&%$#@ Ruger rant

Post by blaster »

I'm gonna have to try something drastic. I was shooting yesterday and no sooner than the rifle got sighted in, the front screw loosened! :evil: I really didn't want to put a long eye relief scope or red dot on it but the Utilimak might be my only option. other than JB Weld and I doubt that would hold either. :cry: or the more permanent Loctite 620.
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Mike7.62
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Re: *&%$#@ Ruger rant

Post by Mike7.62 »

Dellet has a good idea there. When I tried to mount a scope on one of my AR A2 carry handle uppers, it would invariably come loose after a few rounds. After reading a book by John Feamster about the AR, he suggested that bedding the mount into the handle would solve the problem, and wonder of wonders, it did.

You may wish to try some Marine Tex, Bisonite, or AcraGlas Gel on the mating surface of the rings and see if that helps. Be sure to put a generous amount of release agent on the receiver so that the rings are not permanently affixed to the rifle though.

The only sure cure is the UltiMak, but the "scout" placement of the scope can be slow if a scope of higher magnification is used. I have a 1.5-5x variable LER on mine and it stays pretty much on the low side unless I am shooting from a steady rest and have plenty of time.
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Re: *&%$#@ Ruger rant

Post by Roverhound »

On the mini I had, I used an adjustable gas block to tame the recoil. It also prevented the ejected cases from hitting the scope turrets.
I'm not sure how over gassed the 300 AAC version is but the 556 is pretty bad.
I would try an adjustable gas block or smaller gas bushing.
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