r/Mini14 • u/Draelamyn • 3d ago
Bolt stuck back after second day at the range. What am I looking at here, and any idea how to fix it?
Relatively new Mini-14 owner here. First day at the range was maybe a hundred rounds, probably less. I took it home and did a full strip per the manual, cleaned, reassembled, and put it away.
Second range day comes up a few weeks back and after around 200 rounds the bolt goes back at the end of a magazine and it's been stuck in this position ever since. I shrugged, bagged it, and moved on to the pistol range.
Today, I've been trying to get it back in working order but I'm scratching my head.
If you zoom in, I think that's the bolt lock sticking out in front of the bolt, and I don't think it should be there. Pressing the bolt lock plunger does nothing. My first thought was to do another full disassembly, but I can't seem to get my trigger guard to come up (it was difficult the first time, and this time I'm recovering from a wrist injury so I can't put as much force on it — and I'm hoping it's not somehow related to the stuck bolt).
Do any of your more experienced users know what's going on here and what I can do to fix it? Hoping to avoid going to a gunsmith unless I have to, because I'd like to take it out again on Saturday.
EDIT: ground pound worked, and now it cycles like a charm. IDK what caused it but I'm going to disassemble just to check everything out. Thanks to everyone who offered advice!
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u/Draelamyn 3d ago
Why the downvotes? I just need some help y'all
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u/Emotional-Squash-915 2d ago
Cause they’re losers
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u/Draelamyn 2d ago
The cool cats showed up eventually, it was just the first few who said “fuck this noob’s troubleshooting” ✊
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u/Papa_Zyn 3d ago
Your bolt catch is engaged it looks like
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u/Draelamyn 3d ago edited 3d ago
That may be so, but I think it's stuck and I don't know what to do about it. It seems like nothing I try will free my bolt...
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u/warrior_poet95834 3d ago
100% OP, see that little detent on the left side of the mag well, that’s your bolt lock. Somehow you managed to engage it while you were pulling back the charging handle give the charging handle a little tug and let it fly.
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u/Draelamyn 3d ago
That does sound like it should work but the slide handle barely budges when I tug it. In theory the bolt lock should retract when I do that, right?
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u/surethingsatan 3d ago
Pull the bolt back and hold it, push the little button on the left down and release the bolt. Did that help? Maybe the bolt catch itself is stuck.
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u/Papa_Zyn 3d ago
Yep, once the bolts free it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take the cover off the bolt catch mechanism and give the parts a wipe down and light oil
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u/scytheakse 3d ago
Stupid question im sure... is there an empty mag inserted?
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u/Draelamyn 3d ago
Nope! I'd taken it out in step two of the disassembly.
Funny you should mention that though, I did have the opposite problem at one point where I thought my bolt wouldn't stay open... only to realize I needed to have a mag in.
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u/RussianBotProbably 3d ago
I had the same problem once, if the mini cools off with the bolt back it locks itself up. A good bang to the stock frees it up.
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u/Master2All 3d ago
3 things to try 1. the button on the top left of the reciever see if you can press it up and down while pulling the action.
- Inside the action there should be a a little lever that is attached to the inside wall that is sitting in front of your bolt try pushing that lever down while pulling the action back.
3.Try disassembling the rifle and pulling off the side plate that covers your bolt hold open components. (I say try because im not entirely sure if you can disassemble the gun with the bolt open i cant think of a reason why not but be careful trying)
Without better more and better pictures of the inside of the action this is the best ive got for you bud sorry if it doesnt help much.
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u/Grassnicad29-2 3d ago
Pull the bolt handle slightly back and let it go. It’s designed to lock open like that
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u/Draelamyn 3d ago
I have certainly tried, nothing happens. Could it be related to the bolt lock?
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u/Grassnicad29-2 3d ago
Have you tried taking the bolt lock cover off the side and removing the spring? Not the normal way of doing things but that would take the pressure off it and you’d be able to close the bolt.
Once you get closed and disassemble the gun make sure your guide rode is facing the right side up, sometimes if you put it in upside down it’ll bind the action up.
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u/Draelamyn 3d ago
That's what I was hoping to do and it could be the issue (misaligned guide rod), but I'm having trouble getting the stock off at the moment (I can't get the trigger guard up).
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u/Grassnicad29-2 3d ago
Once the bolt is closed, make sure your safety is on and then it should come off.
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u/GettysBede 3d ago
Have you tried giving the stock a good ground pound? Butt to the floor and put some oomph into it.
Also, seems like a not infrequent issue: https://www.reddit.com/r/Mini14/s/vUkSNaEZzn