I have a few simple things I have always done to my own Mini-14's to improve their accuracy and performance. Of the 3 Mini's that I have right now, one 196-series just hasn't been as consistent as the other two rifles. I double-checked the torque tension on the 4 gas block screws and found that I had a small problem there. The other thing I did was send in the trigger assembly for a trigger job, something I hadn't tried before. I shipped it over to
masterPsmith (here on this forum), as I wanted an experienced gunsmith who really knows (and likes) the Mini-14. He got it back to me in under a week, and the difference was obvious even before I reinstalled the assembly. The trigger has a nice even pull with a lighter (but not too light) break. The result...I took the Mini out right away and put a 20-round magazine through it. What a difference! A trigger job really is something for the Mini-14 owner's must-have list. This rifle is just dead-on, even after several rounds fired in succession. My only problem...my other two Mini's feel like junk now when I pull the trigger. This is a great improvement...Jim really does nice work...