Rusted Mini 14 Barrel - The Firearms Forum

zant · 09-27-2009, 10:07 PM

BIL was sold a Mini14 by a rich customer for 1.00....His basement flooded and rifle was stored barrel down,so 1st 3" is rusted.I told him to contact Ruger about new barrel installation..Right or wrong??

Helix_FR · 09-28-2009, 09:18 AM

find a local smith first. The Mini14 is well known and well loved by many of them. Aftermarked replacements are everywere but there not cheap and neither is a barrel replacement.
Have you tried cleaning it with a bore brush?
I wish someone would sell me one for a buck.

Alpo · 09-28-2009, 10:17 AM

How is it rusted?

Outside of the barrel has surface rust? Clean it off and cold blue if needed.

Outside of barrel has deep rust pits? Clean and cold blue. Might look okay.

Bore has surface rust? Clean well. Check. Still rusted? Get oil mop and steel wool. Wrap wool around mop. Soak with oil. Screw into short section of cleaning rod. Chuck into reversible drill. Slowly drill the mop down the barrel, from the muzzle end. Stop, reverse the drill, screw it back out. Do this many times. Keep adding oil. Every few minutes change the steel wool. After ten or fifteen minutes, check progress.

Shoot it before changing barrels or cutting the barrel or sending it off. Even if it was rusted all to hell, it still might shoot good.

17 caliber nylon-bristle bore brush might do better than the mop.

Lotsdragon · 09-28-2009, 10:20 AM

What Alpo says is what I would try first.Dealing with the factory is seldom a good thing, not always bad but it could get that way.

Alpo · 09-28-2009, 01:09 PM

I don't know as I agree with the "dealing with the factory is bad" thing. Question comes up from time to time, on this board. "I just bought a bangen-shooter and it don't work right. How can I fix it?" My response has always been, "Box it up and ship it to the factory, sayin' 'FIX THIS PIECE OF JUNK'!" I mean, heck, you pay for a gun, it's supposed to work right.

But this isn't a factory screwup, it's customer abuse. So I'd try some fixes before I went to the factory. Ruger will fix it - of that I have no doubt. Either refurb or replace the barrel. But it'll cost. Even if they fixed it for free, it'd still cost 20 - 30 bucks to send it in. Try the cheap fix, first.

johnlives4christ · 09-28-2009, 01:59 PM

if'n it were mine i'd try cleaning it up and see if it still shot okay. for a dollar i mean come on you cant go wrong. then if it still shot okay it'd be my "take outside in the rain/snow gun"

09-27-2009, 10:07 PM	#1
zant V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: S.Al Posts: 251	Rusted Mini 14 Barrel BIL was sold a Mini14 by a rich customer for 1.00....His basement flooded and rifle was stored barrel down,so 1st 3" is rusted.I told him to contact Ruger about new barrel installation..Right or wrong?? -->

09-28-2009, 09:18 AM	#2
Helix_FR TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Imperial, MO Posts: 3,669	Re: Rusted Mini 14 Barrel find a local smith first. The Mini14 is well known and well loved by many of them. Aftermarked replacements are everywere but there not cheap and neither is a barrel replacement. Have you tried cleaning it with a bore brush? I wish someone would sell me one for a buck. Last edited by Helix_FR; 09-28-2009 at 09:20 AM..

09-28-2009, 10:17 AM	#3
Alpo Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NW Florida Posts: 8,772	Re: Rusted Mini 14 Barrel How is it rusted? Outside of the barrel has surface rust? Clean it off and cold blue if needed. Outside of barrel has deep rust pits? Clean and cold blue. Might look okay. Bore has surface rust? Clean well. Check. Still rusted? Get oil mop and steel wool. Wrap wool around mop. Soak with oil. Screw into short section of cleaning rod. Chuck into reversible drill. Slowly drill the mop down the barrel, from the muzzle end. Stop, reverse the drill, screw it back out. Do this many times. Keep adding oil. Every few minutes change the steel wool. After ten or fifteen minutes, check progress. Shoot it before changing barrels or cutting the barrel or sending it off. Even if it was rusted all to hell, it still might shoot good. 17 caliber nylon-bristle bore brush might do better than the mop. __________________ Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy, and taste good with catsup - George of Lod, Year of Our Lord 297 I always take precautions. Beware the Evil Bullet Fairies. Last edited by Alpo; 09-28-2009 at 10:18 AM..

09-28-2009, 10:20 AM	#4
Lotsdragon Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Potosi, Mo Posts: 813	Re: Rusted Mini 14 Barrel What Alpo says is what I would try first.Dealing with the factory is seldom a good thing, not always bad but it could get that way. __________________ "First comes smiles,then lies.Last is gunfire" Roland Deschain

09-28-2009, 01:09 PM	#5
Alpo Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NW Florida Posts: 8,772	Re: Rusted Mini 14 Barrel I don't know as I agree with the "dealing with the factory is bad" thing. Question comes up from time to time, on this board. "I just bought a bangen-shooter and it don't work right. How can I fix it?" My response has always been, "Box it up and ship it to the factory, sayin' 'FIX THIS PIECE OF JUNK'!" I mean, heck, you pay for a gun, it's supposed to work right. But this isn't a factory screwup, it's customer abuse. So I'd try some fixes before I went to the factory. Ruger will fix it - of that I have no doubt. Either refurb or replace the barrel. But it'll cost. Even if they fixed it for free, it'd still cost 20 - 30 bucks to send it in. Try the cheap fix, first. __________________ Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy, and taste good with catsup - George of Lod, Year of Our Lord 297 I always take precautions. Beware the Evil Bullet Fairies.

09-28-2009, 01:59 PM	#6
johnlives4christ Former Guest Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,828	Re: Rusted Mini 14 Barrel if'n it were mine i'd try cleaning it up and see if it still shot okay. for a dollar i mean come on you cant go wrong. then if it still shot okay it'd be my "take outside in the rain/snow gun"