If you don't attach the thing as it was designed to be attached, then it will  not work as designed.

So, yes, you must use the screws on the gas block.

Depends on how hot the Loctite gets, which, in turn depends on how hot the gas block gets, which, in turn, depends on how much ammo is shot, , and at what rate.

One thing that might make a difference is to replace the very wide gas bushing contained within the gas block with a much smaller bushing.  Accuracy Systems supplies them.  I used the second smallest, I.E. one larger than the smallest orifice available, in my Mini.  I believe the I.D. as .040". No functionality issues.  What this does is divert less gas from behind the bullet, and so less gas through the gas block itself, thus the block heats up more slowly, all other things being equal.  The working of the action is much less violent, and the bullet's velocity is slightly increased, both good things, and there is some evidence that accuracy is improved a little.

http://www.ruger-mini-14-firearms.com/Gas-Reduction-Bushing-Kit.php

Naturally, this is much more easily done prior to installation of the AccuStrut.  If you do so, obtain new screws for the gas block, and torque them to the correct spec.  Make certain that the gas block is centered on the barrel in all directions (fore-and-aft, and rotationally, and ensure that the gap on either side of the gas block, between the upper and lower sections of the gas block, is identical. The folks at Accuracy systems can sell you the screws, and provide the correct torque figure.

Here is a discussion on how to fit the gas bushings, and to properly assemble the gas block:  http://rugerforum.net/ruger-semi-auto/127252-mini-14-removing-gas-block-installing-asi-gas-bushing.html

Having done the gas bushing switch-over, and having ensured that the gas block is located, assembled, and torqued properly, there is almost no chance you will need to visit that portion of the Mini ever again.  Since the AccuStrut has been demonstrated to work, there should be no problem with using the Loctite supplied, since you will never need, or want, to take it off.

Accuracy Systems makes a lighter-weight AccuStrut, the XDrill, and that is what I used.  Maybe you can exchange yours for the lighter-weight unit.

http://accu-strut.com/pages/more%20info_XD.htm

Intending no offense to above poster, I do not suggest the use of the single-clamp SOCOM AccuStrut.  Although it is lighter than the standard version, the two-bracket model far greater rigidity than the single-clamp unit.  Look at the SOCOM version; the point where it attaches to gas block becomes a vertical pivot, whereas the two-clamp model avoids such pivot point by use of second clamp nearest the gas block.  I didn't bother doing so when mounting my XDrill strut, but it can do no harm, and likely some good, to drill a couple of divots for the screws on the strut which attach to the gas block.

If you wish to make the most of it, use the two-clamp XDrill AccuStrut.  More rigidity than the SOCOM; less weight than standard model.

Again, no offense intended.

"Barrel shroud look"?  Don't understand.  Please elaborate.

Your money, your call.  I stand behind my comments above, but you have the right to mod your rifle, and spend your money as you wish.

Keep in mind, while doing so, that your choice, apparently greatly influenced by appearance, might not the best choice with respect to outcome.  That is, in terms of obtaining the lightest-weight, most effective AccuStrut possible.

I say this as one who searched the interwebs long and hard before settling on the XDrill as optimal for me.  Outcome, was paramount, and appearance was very much secondary.

No insult intended, naturally.  We all have our personal preferences.

Barrel heating, and possible accuracy issues developing from such, are best addressed by cryo-treating the barreled action.  This is especially useful with the older pencil barreled Minis, but is true for any rifle whose barrel might be subject to rapid-fire barrel heating.

I Cryo-treated my pencil-barrel Mini, and the results convinced me to have a number of other semi-auto rifles sent off for treatment.   Doing so was a significant improvement with all the firearms so treated.

A simpler way to vent the Mini barrel is after installing a Choate HG, to drill a few holes in the bottom of the fore end of the rifle stock to admit cooling air below the barrel.  The Choate HG has plenty of cooling slots, but without cold air coming in underneath the barrel, they are almost useless.  They are starved for incoming, cool air.  Hot air wants to go upwards, through the cooling slots in the Choate HG, but it must be replaced by cool air coming in from underneath, else little real cooling occurs.  As long as one has the metal heat shield installed within the fore end of the stock, drilling holes in the underside of the stock, to supply cooling air, has many positives, and no negatives.  Common sense prevailing, of course; no sense over-doing it and weakening the fore end needlessly.  A series of 1/4" holes drilled down the fore end about an inch apart has served me well over the last couple of decades.

"Poor results" as in a change for the worse, or no appreciable change?  Cryo treating my Mini' pencil-barreled action certainly made an appreciable positive change in that the stringing of bullets caused by a hot barrel was greatly reduced.  There are other fixes for accuracy--as in group size-- that are known to work.  Cryo-treating is one piece of the puzzle.  I would not expect Cryo-treating to have as much positive effect on a newer Mini with the thicker barrel as it did on my pencil barrel.

By the same token, I would expect that Cryo-treating an AR with the early GI 20" lightweight barrel would show more positive results than, say, a 16" heavy barrel.

Not disputing what they (or you) say, nor am I arguing with you for the sake of being contentious.

If the Minis which were Cryo-treated had barrels whose muzzles were worn, or for some reason, had other fundamental accuracy problems, I would not expect the Cryo-treating to show obvious results.  After all, the Cryo-treating, as mentioned, serves to greatly reduce heat-induced stringing in thin barrels.  By itself, Cryo treating will not cure fundamental accuracy problems, such as worn muzzle due to improper cleaning tools/technique, loose fit of barreled action within the stock, and many other possible issues.

All I can say is that I did a lot of accurizing mods to my Mini before I Cryo-treated it, and had it pretty accurate--for a Mini.  My only Mini experience is with a pencil-barrel Mini, and very limited beyond that.  My comments should be taken in that light.  Having already addressed the most important accuracy issues on  my particular Mini, I was able to see the effect of Cryo-treating.  It is possible that some of your friends did not jump through all these hoops, and so the benefits of Cryo-treating were not apparent.

But briefly, Cryo-treating fixes (or greatly reduces) Heat-induced issues, but is NO substitute for the correction of other, possibly more fundamental problems.

I might add that my StG58A FAL (from DSA) showed similar improvements after Cryo-treating with respect to hot-barrel stringing.  To be honest, I did a test of all then-available muzzle devices (posted on FALFiles), and concluded that weight at the end of a thin barrel (such as found on the pencil-barrel Minis and Mil-grade FALS) was an accuracy-enhancer.  So, I installed a short Choate Flash suppressor/Front Sight unit n the Mini, and a Belgian Combo unit on the FAL.  Happiness in both cases.

Now, let me ask a question; what model(s) were the Minis which your friends Cryo-treated?  Were they older Minis, or newer ones with the thicker barrels?  No problem if you do not know, naturally.

Again, not trying to be contentious, and I appreciate your comments.