Mini 30 Accuracy - Recoil Mods for home builders.

[Blackhawk45]

Hello. I am a new member to perfectunion but have owned a Mini30 since getting out of the Army in '96. I toted and fired the Ruger for many years and have come to really enjoy it in the field. I have taken several different kinds of game with the carbine and have never had a problem with performance. The only mods have been a Choate stock & FH. But recently I decided to see what I could do with other mods to improve the carbines accuracy. I ordered a power oprod spring from Wolf, a recoil buffer from Midway and am waiting on gas bushings from ASI. While waiting on the above components to come in I have been thinking about how ASI builds their tuneable gas ports and think a person with the right tools could modify their own gas block in such a fashion, I have a complete machine/tool room with more than enough equipment at my job. My only dilema is that I'm not a 100% on how they do it. A set screw would seem to work but if so does the gas bushing need to be solid rather than have an opening. I could fill the bushing with solder but that may be too weak to hold up. Cold Steel or JB Weld may be a better option. I measured my gas bushing for the Mini30 and it read .099 on both ends, ID. I was told by ASI that the .050 was for the Mini30 and the other two, smaller units, were for the Mini14. But if the .050 does not work I think I will take and open the smaller ones by .010 increments to find a workable option. But this would happen if the .050 bushing does not work.

Also getting back to the gas block, mine has a mark in the center as well as on hte regulator that can be used as a guide to drill thru, others my find the same things on their, especially after firing. I still have a problem using a set screw, a spring with a ball bearing would seem more likely but am uncertain on the workings of this as well.

So here are my thoughts on building a tunebale gas block.
1) Fill the gas bushing with a good solid, long lasting material.
2) Drill thru the gas block and thread it.
3) Drill thru the regulator and thread it.
4) Find a spring and bearing that will fit into the regulator and use in conjuction with the set screw to establish the right amount of gas for the action to work.

Again, if the gas bushings work this is not neccessary but I thought I would bring it up incase anyone else have been given it similar thoughts.

Johnny

[rutro]

Hey Blackhawk45 since you've got the tools and machinery here's what one member did to work up an adjustable gas block.......

ruger32ssm (http://www.perfectunion.com/vb/member.php?u=3252) vbmenu_register("postmenu_294572", true);

Member #3252 Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 9


The barrel stabilizer is home made. Half inch pipe (ID) inside a bigger pipe that's threaded on the end.with a big nut rounded on the edges. The outter skin is a fiber glass handle from a broken shovel shaped and painted. Remove front sight and slip over the barrel and tap it on snug. The tapper of the barrel end will hold it. Works great and costs about 5 bucks at the hard ware store. The gas regulator is a little more technical and requires some machine skills. Basically with the gas block removed, remove gas bushing and gas pipe. The hole that the gas pipe go's in gets drilled out completly so you have a hole clean through your gas block. Next is to use a 3/8" fine thread tap and run it through the hole completly so the entire hole is threaded. With a 3/8" fine thread bolt, screw it into the gas block from the inside of the block by hand until the unthreaded shaft of the bolt stops it from screwing in anymore. Time to measure. The excess threaded bolt sticking out the front of the gas block needs to be mark so it can be cut off. The smooth shaft of the bolt on the inside of the block needs to be marked just a little longer the oringinal gas piston would have been. Remove bolt and cut both marks,square and round off sharp edges. A 1/8" hole has to be drilled through the CENTER of the bolt it's entire length so it looks like a little steel straw. The smooth part needs to be tapered a little on the end and polished just like the oringinal piston. Don't bother with the the gas grooves unles you want to.(Mine works fine with no grooves) Screw the bolt back into the gas block tight by hand only. Mark the bolt in the center of the hole from the top of the gas block where the gas bushing go's. Drill a 1/16" hole till it enters the 1/8" hole that was drilled earlier. Now with a drill or end mill just a tad bigger than the diaminter of the bushing,countersink a hole where you just drilled the 1/16" hole just to a depth (You can leave the bolt in the block if your careful)so when the bushing is installed the gas block touches the barrel evenly and does'nt pivot on the bushing. A small end mill works good or start the hole with a drill bit, then use a flat ended drill. From the front of the gas block, enlarge the 1/8" hole with a 5/32" drill while looking down the top (bushing) of the gas block. Stop drilling when the drill passes the hole about a 1/4". Now tap that same hole with a 10-32 tap till it passes the bushing hole and stops. Take a 10-32 screw(hardened steel prefered)and contour the end of the screw the same shape as the end of the 5/16" drill used so when it is screwed in it will form a seal and prevent gas from entering the 1/8" hole in the new gas piston. Unscrew the bolt out of the block and use loc tight or liquid steel on the threads and screw back into the block and line up the bushing hole in the bolt with the hole in the top of the block.(use a little cotton for the holes to keep holes clean while screwing the bolt in)Now finish the gas screw while the block sets-up. You will need a lock nut because it will loosen after a while. And a little gas will come out at the front.No heat or noise,just a little black on your finger if it's near the gas screw.Normal cause the gas can't go into the piston, so a little comes out through the threads. You could use a lock nut with a seal washer of sorts. Screwed in shoots single and screwed out just enough to let gas travel into piston shoots semi. Stainless steel drills hard,so have the right tools and confidence before you start, cause if you mess it up,it go's back to Ruger for another gas block. Good Luck!!! :confused:


Sorry it's a long one but after I found it again I thought what the hay!!! here's a link to the full thread w/pics it's a beautiful rig!!! http://www.perfectunion.com/vb/showthread.php?t=41245

[Blackhawk45]

Very interesting. It would seem, if I'm reading right, that he eliminated the need for a spring and ball bearing. I would be interested to know how well it held up and if the gas can be tuned to throw brass at the shooters feet or far away?

[rutro]

You'd have to contact ruger32ssm to get those answers, try a PM and see what happens.

[Blackhawk45]

I guess it'll all have to wait. I got the 3 gas bushings in from ASI last night and hope to try them with the power spring and buffer pad this weekend.

Funny how a little tweaking can bring new fun to a familar firearm?

[rutro]

Those bushings can tame the worst brass chunking mini out there. Before I got mine in it was flipping brass 30-35ft. and 10ft. high. There was one ol'vet at the range and he'd always end up on my right, one day ever time I shot I kept hearing this brass going pingbang bong and ratteling arround. When I'd stop and let it cool a bit I could not find my brass.. this guy was sitting over there smiling and not saying a thing. I got up and went to the Jeep after a bit and happened to glance in the pick-up bed parked next to me and there's all my brass. Well I did the double take and this guys just laughing so hard he's falling out the chair. He said don't worry it won't hurt that ol'truck, and if you're saveing it it's all right there and clean. We got to be pretty good friends after that. But I finaly ended up useing the med. bushing from ASI and it drops em just over my rt. shoulder now 3-5ft. depending on the load. It messed my buds mind up too, he showed up with a catchers mit one day after I changed it and was going to be qute when he got over by the truck........... then I poped three off real quick and they fell over my shoulder and he had the funniest look on his puss, like wait just a minuite!!!!!:rolleyes:

[Blackhawk45]

You know I've shot my Mini 30 for years now and never really thought too much about the gas system or the rifles operation on a whole. After giving it some though it's a fairly straight forward concept. My Mini 30 throws brass so far that after I shoot I get my eyes in the air trying to find it, I like to keep the Laupa brass I use. My brothers know better than to sit on right side when we are shooting together. I got those two bushings left over from the set and figured maybe I can trade myself into a good Mini 14 to put those bushings to good use. May have a deal going, just waiting on a few replys and may have a Mini 14 soon. :)

John

[rutro]

I finaly built a catcher for mine even after putting the bushing in. I tried laying rags over the scope and letting them hang down the side and that was the best ... just droped that brass right there but it was a hasel sometimes when the wind got up. I finaly decided to build a bag type catcher but had so much trouble I gave it up. Then one day I was looking at some of the plastic box type catchers made by E & L and looked at a cardboard shipping box laying by my chair and had one of those pregnant moments. Since it was to cold to do anything outdoors I got the box cutter and an exacto knife, some contact cement, velcro and camo cloth and... of course the box. About an hour later I now am the proud owner of a box type catcher that velcros around the scope rings and will catch and hold a good fifty rounds.......... cardboard........ works like a charm.;)

[Blackhawk45]

Sometimes cold or wet rainy days are good! Though with me it just drives the want/need to be outside even higher.

Usually when I shoot if I don't chase the brass I have my daughter or nephew do it. Both or at least one are usually with me at all times.

I got my Mini 30 put back together last night. The Wolf power spring is making the action very stiff, even to the point of sticky. What normally was an action to easily charge the bolt now takes a bit more effort. Yet the thing that worries me is it seems to want to catch about ¾ of the way back into the action. I can get teh action completely reward but it sticks when I get it open and has to be bumped, like a forward assist on an M16, to get it to close. Am really wondering that with the power spring, buffer pad, and .050 gas bushing that the rifle will only fire single shot, may have to go back to the .099 factory bushing. Also, not that it would matter much, but I didn't oil/grease the spring and am wishing I did just for wear and tear sake. I guess range time is needed now to verify things.

John

[rutro]

John said;
Also, not that it would matter much, but I didn't oil/grease the spring and am wishing I did just for wear and tear sake. I guess range time is needed now to verify things.


That could be a prob. It would be wize to get a little lube on the spring/rod assembly before fireing it. Could chew some things up a bit running dry. Just a shot of RemOil or something would work. Might ruin a good range session.

[Blackhawk45]

Range Report:

Got out this weekend, for only a short while, and fired the Mini 30 with the buffer pad, power spring and .050 gas bushing. This setup only made the rifle to fire as a single action. Actually the bolt would not return to the rear fully. Second step was to take the power spring out and fired the rifle again resulting in still single action firing. Third step was to take the buffer pad out and results were the same. So the next step will be to put the buffer pad and power spring back in the rifle with the factory .099 gas bushing and see what happens. I know I figured I should have started with the to different gas bushings but I wanted to see what the difference in the two would yield. Brass fell about 3 feet to my right front with the .050 gas bushing. I also have decided to not trade for a Mini 14, I fired the rifle that was NIB and that was going to be used on a trade. It turned out some good accuracy so I can't get rid of it. But I can take the other gas bushings now and ream them out in .010 increments and see if I can get a happy medium with the power spring and buffer pad, if the .099 works, which I feel like it probably will.

Johnny