Tools and Parts
I had to purchase some tools and parts for this project.  I never complain about purchasing tools because I can use them for another project, and the money I save by doing the job myself usually pays for the tools.

I purchased a triangular ceramic stone from MidwayUSA.com #371794.  Ceramic stones use water as the cleaning/cutting agent.

I purchased a #29 carbide drill bit from Suncoast Precision Tools #450301360.  Carbide makes drilling into hardened parts much easier.

I also purchased a replacement secondary sear spring from MidwayUSA.com #410248.  Because I was going to cut the original factory spring, I wanted to have a spare just in case. 

This spring is very heavy and causes the trigger pull to be heavy.  When the trigger is depressed the secondary sear rubs against the hammer and the trigger sear begins to release.  This is the first or take-up stage of the two-stage trigger.  Continuing to press the trigger causes the secondary sear spring to compress which adds weight to the trigger pull and the sear eventually releases the hammer.  Cutting some coils off this spring reduces the trigger pull, but the disconnect still functions correctly. 

Many years ago I purchased a 2-ounce jar of Action Lube Plus from Brownells #083050002.  This is a grease that I have been using for years on the triggers and sears on all of my firearms.  I use so little on a hammer and sear that this jar will probably outlive me.

Amazon.com sells a nice punch set that comes with a mallet and bench block.  The bench block is great for pushing pivot pins through an assembly without losing the pin.  Punches are a necessary tool for working on guns.

In my collection of gunsmithing tools I have a set of gunsmithing action stones I purchased from Boride Engineered Abrasives #028964.  This set contains various sizes and grits of polishing stones that I use to polish surfaces.  These abrasive stones use oil as the cutting and cleaning agent.  I have used these stones on many firearms for many different purposes.

Disassembly

I disassembled the trigger group down to its component parts.  With the hammer cocked, I put a pin in the hammer strut hole and pulled the trigger.  The pin prevented the hammer spring from expanding so I could remove the hammer strut and spring as one unit.

Next, I removed the trigger pivot pin by pushing it through with a 1/8 punch.  This allowed me to remove the trigger and secondary sear assembly.  I pushed through the hammer pivot pin so I could remove the hammer and trigger guard.  All I have left is the trigger housing with the safety and safety spring still installed.

I disassembled the trigger assembly by first removing the trigger return spring, then using the 1/8 punch to push through the trigger bushing.  I was careful to hold the secondary sear to prevent it from flying away because it is under spring tension.

Action Job

I used my Dremel tool with a cutoff disk to remove two coils from the secondary sear spring.  I was very careful not to nick the coil below the cut.  I flattened the cut off coil by pressing it against the cutoff disk.  This made the trigger assembly much easier to reassemble.  GunBlue490 used wire cutters to clip coils off the spring.  Both the cutoff disk or wire cutters will work.

I used the triangular ceramic stone to polish the sear hook on the trigger.  This surface was very rough as it came from the factory, I could see the leftover tooling marks, but I was able to polish it mirror smooth with the stone.  It was very easy to see when I was polishing the notch flat because I could see the dark area on the edge of the stone.  When the edge of the stone became dark, I cleaned it with water and a paper towel.  I also gently broke the sharp front edge of the sear surface on the hammer as shown by GunBlue490.

I took a 400-grit stone and polished the front of the hammer, the front of the trigger sear and front of the secondary sear.  These surfaces rub together and should be smooth.

I reassembled the trigger assembly and trigger group.  I added a drop of oil to each pivot pin before I pushed it in place.  I also added a drop of oil to the trigger bushing as I reassembled the trigger assembly.

After the trigger group was reassembled and before I cocked the hammer, I used a toothpick to apply some Action Lube Plus to the sear hooks on the hammer and trigger, and the secondary sear hook.  I also applied a thin layer of grease to the rear of the hammer above the hooks, trigger sear, and secondary sear.  I applied grease to the front of the hammer where the bolt rides.  I reinstalled the trigger group in my rifle and the trigger pull was smooth and measured a consistent 3 pounds 11 ounces. 

Installing a Trigger Overtravel Stop Screw
NutNFancy has a YouTube video where Terry Gardner performs a trigger job on a Mini 14 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuSRX92q-sI&t=0s.  Terry installed a trigger overtravel stop screw so I decided to follow his example.

I drilled a hole in the floor of the trigger group housing behind the trigger with a #29 carbide drill bit and tapped the hole for an 8-32 x 3/8 set screw.  I installed the set screw with Loctite blue and adjusted it so the trigger travels rearward just enough so the sear breaks.

After I completed the action job, I tested the rifle to ensure the disconnector and trigger worked as they should.  I am very pleased how this job came out.  Thanks to GunBlue490 and NutNFancy for their excellent videos.

Front Sight

The front sight that came with this rifle was black.  It’s hard for me to see a black sight against a black background or black target.  I tried to paint the front sight white, but that was hard to see against a bright background.  Most of my firearms have a green fiberoptic front sight.  I find green is easier for my eyes to pick up against all types of backgrounds and targets.  I purchased a 1-ounce jar of fluorescent green paint from artnglow.com.  To my knowledge there is no fiberoptic replacement front sight for the Ruger Minis.

I painted the front of the front sight with the green fluorescent paint.  Similar to a glow in the dark clock or watch, the paint absorbs UV light, then glows in the dark.  I purchased this more for daylight use rather than night use.  I like this color so much that I may use it on other firearms on which I cannot install a fiberoptic sight.