I ran across a lightly used scope mounted recent production Mini 14 Ranch Rifle in the LGS. I bought it. The Ruger rings were not with the gun and the scope mount obscured the factory irons. After getting the scope dismounted, I found the picatinny rail on the gun does not use the factory Ruger receiver cuts, it is drilled / tapped onto the top of the receiver.
Here's the problem:
The damn mounting screws wont remove. I almost stripped the hex head off one of the screws trying to back it out. I would guess the screws are heavily Loctited in. I think the tapping has not affected the factory mounts so they can still be used. Why someone would go the expense and effort of drilling / tapping the gun instead of using a Ruger compatible rail is beyond me.
My question is this: How would you guys get the rail off the gun?
Thanks in advance!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: YooperSigs,

Did you use heat to release the Loctite?

Nope.... No heat yet. And I don't know exactly how I could apply heat to the receiver. Propane torch? And the portion of the rail over the chamber (which has a screw holding the rail) would already get pretty hot if fired enough, right?

Heat the fastener. You don't need a ton of it to make it better. Even red loctite looses a substantial amount of tension at very low temp numbers (50% loss at 250degrees), but it should be pretty easy to apply more than that to make it easy. Pencil flame on the fastener head maybe.

I'd try a soldering iron to the screw head first.

Thanks, everyone! Looks like I will apply some heat and see how that works!
Thanks again!
UPDATE:
The suggestion to heat the mount screws worked great. I applied a Zippo lighter (yep, shadetree) and heated them. Took a little torque but they all came out. The thread locker used was white in color which led me to think it was nail polish. The factory mounts look in good shape and should accept the Ruger rings without any problems.
After I got it off, I had to admire the work that was done to drill / tap the receiver. One of the mount screws was tapped through the recoil lug. Actually a very neat job.
Anyway, problem solved! Many thanks!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: YooperSigs,

Loctite will cure to a white crust. The crust is the holding agent. Depending on the variation of Loctite, that crust will also act like sand binding the fastener from being removed unless you add heat to it.

Glad you got it out, if this happens again am easy way to add heat is to touch a soldering iron to the head of the bolt. That's what I used to do when working with the stuff all day.