[PuPP]

Hello, thanks for browsing this message. I recently purchased a mini-14 and the thing keeps jamming like every 10 rounds or so. Just to let you know its a #188-***** serial. I have cleaned it up very well and noticed nothing out of the ordinary but something must be wrong if I can't squeeze 10 from the clip without something messing up. Could it be a buffer spring problem, maybe a worn extractor, bolt not seating right? I have no idea. Also are there any problems that the mini-14 is prone to also. I would appreciate any information on this.
Again thanks,
PuPP

 

[goodorbit]

Hi PuPP!

Welcome!

It's always hard to diagnose long distance, but we are all here to help each other.

To begin with, can you describe the problem in more detail? Is the round not being extracted from the chamber and the next round jamming into it? Or is it not feeding into an empty chamber? Do you have more than one mag this happens with? Some guys have had trouble with mags to full capacity failing to strip off the first round.

A little more detail, we'll try to help you out!

 

[bushwack]

PuPP---You say every ten rounds; does this mean you're firing from a twenty or thirty round magazine? if so it could be just the magazine & not your Mini. If it is a magazine problem take the thing apart & clean it real good. Many times the people who build mags will go overboard to prevent rust & this could be the problem. In fact anytime you buy a new magazine you should disassemble it & clean it the best you can before using it.

Good luck
Bushwack

 

[cajungeo]

Welcome to the forum PuPP. You came to the right place for help. First is your magazine a ruger mag.? ( It will have the ruger emblem on the bottom). The Ruger mags are the most reliable, and rarely cause a problem. I have fired about 600 rds, and have never had a single jam in my ruger mags. If you have one shoot from it and see if your problem goes away. When I buy a new cheep mag I first load it, with safety on and barrel pointed in a safe direction, I cycle it manually observing any potential problems. I have some cheep no names which cycle with no problem if I leave 2 rounds out i.e. 18 rds in a 20 rd. mag. The mini is very reliable, the cheep after market mags sometimes are not reliable. We have an entire forum dealing with this problem.

If you could give us a little more detail we can help ya fix it. Try cycling the ammo manually and observing whats happening for example is it failure to chamber, failure to extract, failure to eject etc. post on this thread when your ready.

 

[Kalifornia Citizen]

I once bought Malaysian .223 that gave me the kind of feeding problems you described. This ammo was on sale at Big 5, dated about 1983, if I remember right. From the printed numbers on the cardboard package, I've always wondered if the date is accurate. Anyhow, after weeks of agonizing, I realized the rounds felt very "dry" and rough. I've since shot them all, through jams and everything. No doubt about it, the ammo was at fault.

KC

 

[PuPP]

Thanks guys for your responses and your willingness to help me overcome this problem as I have only had bolt actions. Nevertheless, okay here is the scenario...
I fired It on a 40 round and 30 round none ruger mag. I thought that also might have been the problem so I just got a ruger 30 round mag today. Now, I haven't fired it yet with the "new" ruger mag yet but hopefully will help. Can never have to many mags laying around right? LOL.
Here was what happening when I fired it.
Fired fine but everynow and then the bolt ejected the casing fine but had had problem loading the next round thus the bolt was all the way back and not able to chamber the round. I know how to seat the rounds within the magazine and such so that shouldnt be it. Thanks you for helping me with my new love of shooting.
PuPP

 

[goodorbit]

My money's on the mag. Try the ruger then compare how they seat in the rifle & what the feed lips look like.

 

[Satan2655]

I'll pool my $ with goodorbit!

 

[Sgt Shellback]

Where in the world did you get a Ruger 30 round MAG that quick? The way you responded it almost sounded like you can find them easily...

I'd like to get my hands on a Ruger 20 or 30 but I was assuming they were out of my price range...

BTW.. Good luck with the problem. My Mini (5 round Ruger MAG) has never failed me... (2000 rounds and counting)... I have trouble cleaning it around the Gas Port Nipple (My Termonolgy not the correct one) but other than that it's been great.

 

[usaken]

I'v had a lot of problems shooting cheap Russian ammo causing jambs. I think that russian stuff is so dirty that it fouls the chamber. As far as I know the mini does not have a chrome lined barrel. If I shoot good quality american ammo, I dont seem to have the problem. Ken

 

[bushwack]

usaken---That cheap Russian stuff has a steel case with a laquor coating. That laquor gets hot & fouls the chamber. You'll either have to clean the chamber more often or like you say switch to another type ammo.

Good shooting
Bushwack

 

[Sgt Shellback]

I use the Wolf Ammo a lot... I can see where the coating could really cause problems in a hot barrel but I haven't had any trouble with it..

I clean my Mini after every time at the range and usually don't shoot more than 60 rounds per trip so it doesn't have much of a chance to get fouled... And with only three round sets I don't have a problem with the coating.

The Wolf ammo is without question very dirty, and it has a very pungent acrid smell compared to Federal and other American rounds that I've used...

I think whether or not it will work for you depends on your style and use... It's very cheap... $90... per 1000 at Cabellas with 2 .50 Cal cans...

I've been using pipe cleaners to get the gunk out of my gas port bushing... It's hard to clean but I think if you neglect it you'll pay for it... But I'm no expert...

In regards to the Wolf Ammo I was wondering that since the ammo is leaving so much more gunk behind is velocity of the round lower? Simple logic says that more left behind means something isn't burning.... Less burning, less umph? (Technical term - See glossary)

 

[bushwack]

Sgt Shellback---By keeping your weapon well cleaned & using the slower rate of dire that you indicate you won't likely have trouble. On the other hand if you like to pretend you're firing a SAW & you go thru a lot of ammo very quickly there could be a preoblem. As far as Russian ammo being dirty goes I suppose it might be a quality control issue during it's manufacture. There's likely more unburnable impurities in their powder or to use a technical term "Crap". I've also heard of some primer makers using finely ground glass in their mixture. If you get a fouled gas bushing or gas pipe try soaking it in oven cleaner. "CAUTION" Keep the over cleaner away from the exterior finish or ugliness will occur!!!
Oh by the way Sgt are you a turtle?

Good shooting
Bushwack

 

[Sgt Shellback]

Nope. I'm a squid turned dogface... I was in the Navy for 12 years but am in the Guard now... A Shellback is a sailor who has crossed the line, (Equator)...

I went over the line December 12th 1991 just off the coast of Somolia on the USS Ranger...

I think you're exactly right about the Ammo.

 

[greyeyezz]

Mini's aren't generally ammo finicky. I've put every brand possible through mine (except wolf) with no problems. Aftermarket mags need to be broke in or tweaked like a little filing here and there especially USA, btw which work flawlessly for me. I'll bet its the mags.
If you find any more of those Ruger 30's lying around let me know. LOL

 

[PuPP]

Picked up an original ruger mag and haven't had a jam since I bought it. Them aftermarket mags were 100% of my problem. Thanks again guys
PuPP