[HardBall]

I've got military style leather sling on my new Mini/Ranch rifle using the existing sling swivels which are not a quick detach type. The front swivel is attached the gas block which means when I disassemble my rifle the sling effectively tethers the stock to the barrel/receiver/gas block assembly.

I'd like to fit a standard quick-detach type sling swivel to the same slot for the installed sling swivel. From looking at Ruger's parts diagram and this picture from Midway It looks as though the installed swivel is bent into the gas block.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=880881


Does anyone know if I can simply bend the installed sling loop removing it out of the gas block and, if so, will a standard quick-detach type sling swivel fit the slot in the gas block?


I've been hunting for Garand styled quick-detach type flat hooks to use in conjunction with the factory installed swivel but the only ones I can find are 1-1/4" wide or wider. The factory supplied swivel on my rifle is 1". Garand style sling hooks seen here:

http://www.gunpartscorp.com/catalog/Detail.aspx?pid=408900&filter=sling+hook&catid=0

I may buy some of these "hooks" anyway and try to cut them down to fit a 1" swivel.

 

[unclenick]

The Garand swivels (odd name since only the front one turns on one axis while the lower doesn't move at all, but neither swivels left and right), have loop slots that are, from the Garand blueprints, 1.345" -0.000"/+0.050" wide at the outside of the radius. The radius is 0.150" -0.000"/+0.020, so the flat part of the slot is 1.000"-1.065" wide.

I measured the slot in the front swivel on one of my Garands, and it was 1.260" at the widest inside point; slightly under spec, but this one is bent a bit. I measured the slot inside my Mini-14 and it was 1.118" at the widest point. The way the Mini-14 swivel is bent into place makes its radius less well defined and smaller than the Garand parts, so the flat length was cheated out of 0.012", but is close enough. So, the Mini-14 swivel is clearly intended to be compatible with the same slings and sling hardware as the Garand. The flat spring metal hook on a web sling should fit it just fine.

 

[HardBall]

Thanks UncleNick! I've got some on the way.

 

[MAC702]

My oldest Mini-14 was like that. When we unbent the factory "swivel" we had to finish drilling the hole in the center, and then also thin down the gas block webbing there to fit into the aftermarket QD swivel. My newer (not the newer heavy barrel though) Mini-14s still have the factory ones, so I haven't looked that closely again.

 

[pruhdlr]

What I Put On Mine

When I had several Mini-14's I installed the Harris Bi-Pod adaptor on them. I found the place it was attached mo-bedda for shooting off the bi-pod. It made the accuracy go from "minute of barn door" to "minute of car door".

My Mini's were the older ones with the serno's starting with 181 and 182.----pruhdlr