Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle Ciener .22LR Conversion Kit

[NavyVet1959]

I have a Ruger Mini-14 that I think I bought back in the early 1990s. It's a 184-xxxxx serial number and looks to have been manufactured in 1985. I believe that it is the "Ranch Rifle" model. It has the side mount scope base provision instead of the current way where the scope mounts screw into the top of the receiver.

Somewhere along the way back then, I bought a Ciener .22LR conversion kit for it. I didn't use it much and eventually I converted it back to the .223 configuration.

I dug the Mini-14 and the conversion kit out of the gun safe last night to do some testing with using nail gun power loads. While installing the conversion, I ended up with a piece leftover and I can't figure out where it goes. It's made from aluminum and looks like this:



I think it is supposed to be used for the Ranch Rifle, but I can't figure out where it goes.

[marlin39a]

Looks like the gas block oriface.

[NavyVet1959]

Looks like the gas block oriface.

I think that would be the longer aluminum piece. This one is fairly short and I'm wondering if perhaps it is an extra piece that is for models that have a different size attachment point for the piston spring assembly.