Combat Arms
2869 Grove Way
Castro Valley, California 94546-6709
Telephone (415) 538-6544
ษออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออป
บ บ
บ CLEANING THE RUGER MINI-14 บ
บ บ
ศออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออผ
1. Gather together the proper sized cleaning rod with a .223/5.56mm brass
or bronze bristle bore brush and a slotted tip into which a cleaning
patch can be inserted. Also needed are clean cloth patches and clean
soft cloths.
2. Do not use stainless steel brushes on the weapon. Stainless steel
brushes will remove the finish on the Ruger Mini-14 rifle. A bronze or
brass "toothbrush" is especially helpful for scrubbing parts. Do not
use the bore brush for scrubbing anything except the barrel.
3. Combat Arms and the United States military recommend that you use
Break-Free CLP(TM). Under no circumstances should you ever use
WD-40(TM) on any weapon! If you need a solvent, Combat Arms recommends
that you use Shooter's Choice(TM) followed by CLP. The Ruger Mini-14
should be cleaned at least every 400 rounds (if the firing period is a
long one) and after each firing period.
4. Using a cleaning rod with a slotted tip, run a CLP wetted patch
through the full length of the barrel several times to remove loose
material. Then attach a bronze or brass bristle bore brush to the
cleaning rod and wet it in CLP. Run the bore brush back and forth
through the full length of the barrel at least a dozen times. Make
sure that the rod is pushed all the way through the barrel until the
entire bore brush clears the muzzle end. Do not reverse the direction
of the brush until it has completely exited from the muzzle end of the
barrel or the bore brush may bind up inside the barrel. If there is
metal fouling in the bore, remove it completely because metal fouling
(lead or copper) can destroy the accuracy of the weapon. Please note
that Hoppe's No. 9(TM) does not remove metal fouling as well as
Shooter's Choice, in the opinion of many benchrest shooters. Combat
Arms shares that opinion and recommends Shooter's Choice. If you want
to remove copper fouling the fastest way, Combat Arms recommends that
an uncontaminated bottle of Hoppe's No. 9 (meaning it has never been
used before) be mixed in a 50-50 solution with 28% Aqua Ammonia. This
is chemically known as AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE - 26๘on the Baume' scale.
This is potent stuff and is concentrated ammonia. It is three times
more powerful than household ammonia. Do not use this inside a closed
room! When poured down the barrel from the breech end (not the muzzle
end!), the copper will be dissolved and fall out. It takes about 15
minutes.
5. Using the toothbrush soaked in CLP, scrub the area around the chamber
until it is clean. Remove the bore brush from the cleaning rod and
attach the slotted tip again. Run several dry patches through the
barrel until they come out clean. If necessary, attach the bore brush
to the cleaning rod again and scrub the barrel with a CLP soaked bore
brush. Continue the process until the barrel is clean.
6. Failing to do this type of cleaning consistently and properly will
cause fouling of the barrel with a natural loss of accuracy. Grease
accumulation in the chamber area can interfere with the proper feeding
of cartridges from the magazine.
7. Using a loose clean patch or soft rag soaked with CLP, remove all
powder residue from all components of the mechanism. If grease or dirt
cannot be removed by merely wiping with the patch, then use your brass
toothbrush soaked with CLP. After using the brass toothbrush, wipe all
of the scrubbed areas with a clean CLP wetted patch. After cleaning
the bore, run a clean dry patch through the barrel and then follow it
with a patch that has a light coat of CLP on it. This will put a light
coat of CLP on the inside of the barrel and protect it from corrosion.
8. Wipe all surfaces with a clean cloth that has a light coat of CLP on
it. If the lower receiver and its mechanism is especially dirty, flood
it with CLP, leave it sit soaking for 2 hours and then flush it out
with more CLP. Remove the grip panels before soaking or flushing the
rifle and make certain that all foreign matter is removed after
cleaning. Lightly lubricate the lower receiver with CLP.
9. When cleaning the bolt face, breech areas, etc. with the toothbrush,
work carefully so as not to damage components.
10. Do not clean the gas port on the Mini-14. It is self cleaning. Also
note that Chris Peters, in charge of Ruger's armorer training program,
recommends that the gas pipe (piston) and the piston hole in the slide
be thoroughly cleaned. Failure to thoroughly clean these areas may
result in an accumulation of powder residue and moisture, which can
result in a seizing of the gas piston to the slide.
11. Reassemble the rifle as detailed later in this manual. If the Mini-14
rifle is to be stored for an extended period, the final wiping should
be done with a heavier coat of CLP.
12. Clean the internal and external parts of the disassembled magazine
with CLP. The inside of the magazine can be cleaned with a soft rag or
patch soaked in CLP. Remove all loose material with several clean
patches, just like you did with the cleaning of the barrel. Leave a
very light coat of CLP on the inside of the magazine and on the
magazine spring.
ษอออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออป
บ - MAGAZINE CLEANING CAUTION - บ
บ บ
บ Be careful not to scratch the interior and exterior of the บ
บ Mini-14 magazine, particularly along the front section where the บ
บ bullet tips ride. Be very careful not to bend the magazine lips. บ
บ บ
ศอออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออผ
13. Only a very small amount of CLP is needed to provide adequate
lubrication of all moving parts in the Ruger Mini-14 and to prevent
rust. Accumulation of CLP can attract particles of dust and dirt which
can interfere with the safe and reliable function of the rifle. Do
not, therefore, apply excess CLP unless storing the rifle for an
extended period of time. If storing the weapon and using a heavy
coating of CLP, the weapon should be disassembled and re-cleaned and
lubricated with a light coating of CLP before firing.
ษออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออป
บ - STORAGE WARNING - บ
บ บ
บ If the rifle has been stored, before firing it again, completely บ
บ disassemble it as detailed elsewhere in this manual, remove all บ
บ grease and lubricant, apply a light coating of CLP to all parts บ
บ as described in the section on cleaning and be sure to run a บ
บ dry patch through the barrel after cleaning with a bore brush บ
บ soaked in CLP. Do not keep the rifle stored in a leather case บ
บ or carrier. Leather attracts moisture, even though the carrier or บ
บ case may appear to be perfectly dry. Never store the Ruger Mini-14 บ
บ rifle in such a manner as it may be dislodged. Always store the บ
บ rifle securely and unloaded. บ
บ บ
ศออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออผ
ษออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออป
บ - LUBRICATION WARNING - บ
บ บ
บ Firing the rifle with oil, grease or any other material even บ
บ partially obstructing the barrel may result in damage to the บ
บ rifle and death or injury to the user and those persons nearby. บ
บ Never spray or apply any lubricants directly to the ammunition. บ
บ If the powder charge of a cartridge is affected by the lubricant, บ
บ it is possible that the charge will not ignite but the energy บ
บ from the primer in the cartridge case may be sufficient to push บ
บ the bullet into the barrel where it may be lodged. Firing a บ
บ subsequent bullet into the obstructed barrel may damage the rifle บ
บ and cause death or injury to the user and persons nearby. Use all บ
บ lubricants properly and according to the lubricant manufacturer's บ
บ suggestions and recommendations. บ
บ บ
ศออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออผ
- Acknowledgment of Trademarks -
Combat Arms wishes to acknowledge the trademarks of the following
products along with their respective companies.
Mini-14 Sturm, Ruger and Co. Inc.
Break-Free, CLP San-Bar Corp.
WD-40 WD-40 Company
Shooter's Choice Venco Industries Inc.
Gun Scrubber Birchwood Laboratories, Inc.
Hoppe's No. 9 Penguin Industries Inc.