I believe the Mini-14's have always been chambered for 5.56/.223 (except the target models). Remember these were designed to be military/police rifles. The pressure difference and tolerances in the chamber are why you should keep 5.56 away from a rifle that is strictly for .223. Steel ammo should be fine.
Also, the new hand guards are fiberglass (or some other synthetic material).
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"And I'm tellin' you son, well it ain't no fun, staring straight down a .44"
-Lynyrd Skynyrd
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