MZ5

So...
The M1 Garand, when properly lubed, ejects brass to ~2:00 (muzzle = 12:00). Is that where a properly-lubed Mini ejects to, too?

My Mini seems to eject most brass to ~4:00, and about 200 miles away! LOL.
If this was a Garand, this ejection pattern/direction would tell me the rifle is under-lubed. Just curious.

P89Guy

sounds about right.....the mini's spit brass into europe

you could get an adjustable gas block to help this, but it might reduce reliability in some ammo

mrmike7189

i just bought new mini and noticed that i get concerned and angry looks from others on the firing line , because i'm launching projectiles at their direction at rapid speed and velocity. Its gonna hurt when somebody gets a hot one in the side of their head!

MOUNTAIN WILLIAM

A recoil buffer will help to some extent.

lah2420

Just installed an Accuracy Systems adjustable gas block. Brass quit hitting the parking lot and started landing about 7 feet away. It doesn't cycle well with under loaded hand loads though.

AH1T

I've never given it much thought since I shoot alone...but now that I've decided to reload for it, looks like I'm gonna be chasing brass.

bwinters

I always hang a net to my right when shooting a mini without range divider walls. Unfortunately I very seldom shoot anywhere other than a range as ion nj even if you own a large chunk of land if a neighbor hears a gunshot and calls the police you can expect an armed guns drawn response.

lah2420

In Arkansas, if you DON'T hear a gun being fired, you're deaf. I used to have a neighbor who called the sheriff every year at hunting season. He would come out to see how our target practice was going, tell the neighbor that if he didn't like guns to move to town, and then go on about his business.

MZ5

Okay, I muddled two things into my first question, and now I'm not sure what the response I got meant.

First question/component: Is ejection direction indicative of under- or over-lubing, like it is with the M1 Garand? I'm unclear whether this was answered in the affirmative, or not.

Second question/component: The fact that brass is ejected into the next county is perfectly normal. This I understand, so no question/hesitation here.

My range doesn't have dividers, so I'm contemplating a brass-catcher, too, for the sake of courtesy as well as reloading. Happily, there are people I shoot with who don't save their 223 Rem brass, so losing a percentage is partially offset by picking up theirs.

kwg020

I've never noticed any difference based on lube. I have noticed a difference base on the type of powder I use. A slow powder ejects to the front and a fast powder ejects to the rear. kwg

tgwillard

My Min 14 shoots brass at 2 to 3 oclock and about 30 feet. First I built a mesh screen that I placed next to the Mini 14, then I installed an adjustable gas block and now I throw brass about three to five feet.

FRJ

The one I used to have spit brass a country mile till I put in a .040 gas orfice. Then it laid them down no more than 5 feet to my right. FRJ

MZ5

I have an adjustable gas plug on my M1, and it's quite effective. I bought it to be able to load full-power loads with slower powders (i.e. Ramshot Hunter, H4350, etc.) without fear of damage to the op-rod, but having brass fall at my feet is a nice side effect.

AH1T

After reading this thread and having not shot my mini for awhile, I became curious and took it out to the range this week. I'm not sure why, but it was only spitting the brass about 5-6ft at 2 o'clock. I've never done any modifications to it other than a butler stock, but that certainly didn't change brass ejection. I was shooting "re-manufactured" rounds so maybe they were light loads....anyway it was really good to be shooting it again, so thanks for this thread to reignite my interest in the mini.

BoydS

I've got 2 mini-14's and both throw spent brass from 3-4 o'clock out several feet. When I shoot them at the range I always bring along my brass catcher. I will use it when another shooter is to my right, otherwise I'm practicing on positioning my pickup so the brass will land in the bed.