I could use some expert help concerning my Ruger Mini-30.

I purchased this rifle new back in the 80's. I fired thousands of rounds through it without a hitch. Then about three years ago the firing pin broke. I had a local smith install a new after market pin. That pin lasted less than 100 rounds.

After that I sent it off to Ruger for a factory pin replacement. Ruger replaced the firing pin and installed a new bolt. I have put about 800-1000 rounds on this new pin and bolt.

Last year I had a custom barrel installed and I have about 200-300 rounds through it. Yesterday I went to the range for some load development and after 6 rounds the firing pin busted again.

Any ideas as to what is causing these pins to break?

Now that I have a custom barrel will Ruger even consider a factory firing pin replacement or am I doomed to the after market pins(junk) for life?

Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by steve4102:
I could use some expert help concerning my Ruger Mini-30.

I purchased this rifle new back in the 80's. I fired thousands of rounds through it without a hitch. Then about three years ago the firing pin broke. I had a local smith install a new after market pin. That pin lasted less than 100 rounds.

After that I sent it off to Ruger for a factory pin replacement. Ruger replaced the firing pin and installed a new bolt. I have put about 800-1000 rounds on this new pin and bolt.

Last year I had a custom barrel installed and I have about 200-300 rounds through it. Yesterday I went to the range for some load development and after 6 rounds the firing pin busted again.

Any ideas as to what is causing these pins to break?

Now that I have a custom barrel will Ruger even consider a factory firing pin replacement or am I doomed to the after market pins(junk) for life?

Thanks

Call Ruger, Have them send you a F/P fit it(or have your Gunsmith fit it) & go shoot.

You almost have to expect something like this after "thousands" of rounds. Where is the firing pin breaking?

I have seen this similar thing in M-14's after prolonged periods of dry firing. Particularly those coming off a Marine Corps rifle range after hours of "snapping in". With nothing in the chamber to slow the forward momentum of the firing pin, heavy battering occurs at the back end of the bolt and firing pin stop. If they are going to break, then this is usually where they do break.

The fact that the aftermarket pin broke doesn't necessarily mean anything. I had a new Titanium firing pin go belly up in under 100 rounds in my AR. It was just a shitty pin. I went back to a standard pin and haven't had a minutes problem.

Why did the factory replace the bolt? I would recommend getting a wilson case gauge to check your hand loaded ammo to make sure you are not over sizing them and creating too much headspace. Outside of being dangerous, this can cause the pin to have to "over reach" in order to make contact with the primer, thus causing the same battering effect as dry firing. An improperly heat treated firing pin can break prematurely under that scenario.

You can get a new pin here:

http://www.e-gunparts.com/product.asp?chrProductSKU=291460

quote:

Call Ruger, Have them send you a F/P fit it(or have your Gunsmith fit it) & go shoot

Wish I could. Ruger will not sell firing pins to the public. Not even to the best Smiths in the country. The only way to get a factory pin is to have Ruger install it.

quote:

Why did the factory replace the bolt?

Duno, the person I talked to at Ruger didn't know either. It's a mystery.

quote:

I would recommend getting a wilson case gauge to check your hand loaded ammo to make sure you are not over sizing them and creating too much headspace.

I have a Wilson case gauge in 7.62x39. I know I am not sizing my brass to much to cause to much head space. If anything I may not be bumping the shoulder back far enough. Could having my head/shoulder measurement to long be causing these pins to break?

quote:

Originally posted by steve4102:
Could having my head/shoulder measurement to long be causing these pins to break?

No, I doubt it. However, I believe the same precautions apply to this gun as the M1 and the M1A's. Too short of headspace, a wrong, too sensitive or protruding primer can result in an out of battery or slam fire.

You shouldn't have any problems sending the gun back to Ruger for a new firing pin with a new barrel installed provided the barrel's headspace is within spec. The worse that can happen is they will refuse to work on it. At which point you can order a pin from Gun Parts.

quote:

The worse that can happen is they will refuse to work on it. At which point you can order a pin from Gun Parts.

Ruger will not work on it. Help me out here, I have been told that the pins from Numrich Gun Parts are of lesser quality than the one made by Glend Arms and are prone to breakage. Any truth to this rumor? The only reason I ask is that Midway and Brownells are out of stock and I can't find a Glend Arms pin anywhere.

Thanks

I've not used the Gun Parts firing pin. You might want to get on a back order list for Brownells or Midway. Don't know what else to tell you. Good luck!

if you send it to ruger they will want to install a new barrel because it is not original one

quote:

Originally posted by steve4102:
[QUOTE]Call Ruger, Have them send you a F/P fit it(or have your Gunsmith fit it) & go shoot

Wish I could. Ruger will not sell firing pins to the public. Not even to the best Smiths in the country. The only way to get a factory pin is to have Ruger install it.[QUOTE]

You may be right? They just mailed mine to me no Charge

quote:

You may be right? They just mailed mine to me no Charge

How did you manage that? This is the third round for me with Ruger and their Mini-30 firing pins. I have talked to Ruger several times and the answer is always the same, "We cannot sell you or your Smith a firing pin, only our service techs can install them, send us your rifle for replacement".

My best advice:

Sell the Mini 30 and get an AK-47.

OK, let the flaming begin.

Yes!! Buy an AK-47. Specifically, buy an Arsenal, Incorporated Model SAS M7. It's the one with the milled receiver and underfolding stock. Buy a muzzle brake from Cope's Distributing in Ohio, and screw it on. You will love it and the liberals will hate you for having such a rifle. And that makes it all good.

Arsenal, Inc.
Las Vegas, NV
1-888-539-2220
www.arsenalinc.com

I will add that numerous AKs that I have shot recently will do a 2" group at 100 yards with iron sights. That is better than my mini 14 ever did with a 3-9x Leupold on it.

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
I will add that numerous AKs that I have shot recently will do a 2" group at 100 yards with iron sights. That is better than my mini 14 ever did with a 3-9x Leupold on it.

Yeh, My Mini-30 was a poor shooter as well until I gave it the same TLC as I give my bolt actions. I bedded it, adjusted the gas block screws and had the trigger adjusted. My mini was almost an MOA rifle, but not quite.
http://www.perfectunion.com/vb/showthread.php?t=46843

I decided to take it one step further and have a custom barrel installed. It was shootin pretty good when the firing pin busted. I think after I get it fixed and a little more load development this rifle with without a doupt be an MOA- rifle. I wouldf hate to loose all of that for a 2 inch AK.

Five rounds R-7 110gr VMax 100 yards.

I hear that the new Mini with the weird blob at the end of the barrel is extremely accurate. But it looks funny.

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
I hear that the new Mini with the weird blob at the end of the barrel is extremely accurate. But it looks funny.

Looks funny, feels funny and very heavy. Kinda takes away the compact carbine concept done-it.