[MXSENIOR]

Does any one have access to a CNC machine? Just got done shooting my Target model. Have run about 400 rounds through it since I did the modifications that I listed in:http://www.perfectunion.com/vb/ruger-mini-14-mini-30/91639-friction-reduction-%3D-weight-reduction-shoot-holes-my-theory.html Didn't clean it or any special prep. The mods I did seem to have worked out really well. The titanium putty in the forearm liner seems to have really helped with reducing the banging and clacking inherent with the mini. I do believe a forearm liner CNCed from teflon or possibly aluminum would make an even bigger difference. I would gladly supply the material if someone could take the ball and run with it from here. Here's some results from this afternoon:

 

[Mr. Snuffalupagus]

why would you do anything to it at this point? :lol:

that is one of (if not... THE) tightest shooting minis I've ever seen

a US quarter is .95 of an inch...

if not for the "flyer" (so it's a quarter inch off... can you really call it a flyer? )

that 100 yard group looks to be under 1 MOA

 

[qcarr]

Those are some impressive groups at 100 yards!

 

[scottybaccus]

That is a heavy barrel target model with harmonic tuner, so I'm not surprised by the groups you're getting, but I am curious about the ammo used.

 

[MXSENIOR]

The ammo was 50gr Polymer Tipped V-Max Fiocchi. Really good stuff. Prone position using the bipod and left hand under the butt for support. Had a slight crosswind about eight-ten mph. 35 degrees F.

Was looking to replace the forearm liner completely with a teflon/aluminum piece to better control the operating assembly's movement. I believe this will really work better than what I have done so far. How do I quantify the improvements??? Right now I don't lose the sight picture after each round and I haven't had to tighten the harmonic dampener after 450 rounds. Normally, I'd have to tighten it after ten/twenty rounds!!!! True - this a target model - imagine the difference it would make to a normal Mini-14.

 

[MajorM]

I think you may run into issues with a metal liner just because of the wear factor. One part is going to wear more than the other and lose its effectivness. Teflon may work better but it may need a tension mechanism. I looked up teflon blocks at McMaster and it looks like they can handle 500 deg F as a max. Im also not sure how much it changes dimensionally with heat. I have a small desktop mill but its not a CNC version.

With that said I think the better way to go about this is to use rails that the gas piston rides on. That would align it and prevent it from acting on the barrel once the ears were trimmed. The more pressure you apply from the bottom will put more pressure on the barrel and wear there as well with the liner change. I have a spare gas piston on the way but its blued instead of stainless like my rifle so I can try to find a good way to add rails. I couldnt find a stainless one for a decent price.

Those are some great groups so keep up the good work and ideas.

 

[kwg020]

Did you bed the action to the stock? I really like the 50grain V-max's as well. Nicely accurate.

 

[MXSENIOR]

MajorM - I'd kicked around the idea of the rails, but I was working around locating them inside the forearm liner. If we eliminated the liner and mounted them directly to the stock, it should work even better. A much more solid mount with more surface area to work with. Rails might be better in that they'd have less effect on containing the released gas pressure. If you could come up with these pieces, I'll gladly be the guinea pig and volunteer my weapon. I'll even cover the costs of the material.

kwg020 - Yes, the stock is bedded. I did quite a bit of work cleaning up the rough castings left by Ruger, along with polishing all the wear/operating points.
The mods are listed on this thread -
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[subscriber]

I'd kicked around the idea of the rails, but I was working around locating them inside the forearm liner.

Rails for the oprod that are attached to the forearm will make field stripping difficult. That is, unless they only run near the front of the stock: Such rails should stabilize the oprod as the bolt closes, but allow the gun to be taken apart with the bolt locked open.

 

[MajorM]

The idea im working on has a two rods running from the gas block to the receiver. Making it that way should promote better alignment. Stock changes wont have an effect that way either. I didn't want anything other than bedding in the stock because chances are I will change mine at some point.

 

[MXSENIOR]

I'm assuming the rods you're describing will run along each side of the forearm liner. Since I've filled in the bottom of my liner with Titanium putty, that would complete the concept that I've been thinking of. With the op rod controlled on three sides, it should really minimize the vertical and lateral movement. It should make for a infinitely better functioning weapon. Still thinking about the top of the op rod where it wears on the barrel. Before I started tinkering with all this, I'd discovered the op rod had actually worn grooves into the bottom of the barrel. Took a while to polish those out. Will have to back burner that for now. Right now I'm "wet my pants" happy with the way the rifle is performing, but I know it can be improved further with only a little bit more tweaking. There is a night and day difference in the way the rifle functions now. Any help with making those pieces would be appreciated. If someone could come up with a CNC'd part to replace the forearm liner using the "controlling op rod movement concept" - they'd sell a million of them!!

 

[MajorM]

Yea your right they would be on either side. Those wear marks on the barrel are what gave me the rod idea. Depending on how you placed the rods, say if you cut a small concave in each side of the piston, that would guide it in all directions. you could also do the opposite and mount something to the piston to contain the rods. This seems like the best way I can think of so far to guide the piston.

 

[MXSENIOR]

Instead of rods - what about an half inch wide piece along the bottom along with a three eights inch wide on each side mounted to the stock. Leaving a channel wide enough to allow the op rod to just function freely. I'm gonna go break down it down and look to see if it'd be possible to create that channel with the epoxy I used before but directly in the stock. It might resolve the problems I'd had with the epoxy being too thin along the sides of the forearm liner. News at eleven!!!!