Ruger Mini 30 ???

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fleabaggins

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Hi there,
I have read varying accounts about the quality of the Ruger Mini 30 rifles. I have been considering buying one. However, reading opinions that the rifle is crappy, inaccurate, has feed and ammo problems etc etc makes me a little gun-shy (pardon the pun).
Can Mini 30 owners give me some feedback as to whether this rifle is worth the money, and up to the usual Ruger quality standards???
I have several thousand rounds of 7.62 x 39 and would like something smaller and lighter than my SKS-D to carry and shoot.
Thanks all.
Mike
 
fleabaggins said:
Hi there,
I have read varying accounts about the quality of the Ruger Mini 30 rifles. I have been considering buying one. However, reading opinions that the rifle is crappy, inaccurate, has feed and ammo problems etc etc makes me a little gun-shy (pardon the pun).
Can Mini 30 owners give me some feedback as to whether this rifle is worth the money, and up to the usual Ruger quality standards???
I have several thousand rounds of 7.62 x 39 and would like something smaller and lighter than my SKS-D to carry and shoot.
Thanks all.
Mike
Click to expand...

Good question. I'm all ears, too!
 
I don't know firsthand what the new ones are like. I had an older Mini-30 years ago and it jammed with mil-surp ammo. Of the rounds that did go through, it was not bad in the accuracy department. It was the jams that turned me off, and actually surprised me, based on what I knew of the Mini reputation. I ended up selling it and was disappointed. I have read that the newer ones can get broken firing pins from hard primers.

I might try one of the newer ones just to see what they're like.
 
I have one, but I only shoot hunting ammo through it. I find it very accurate and is my go to bush gun. I have shot several deer with it. Mine is a keeper.
 
No first hand experience but a Co-worker has two and he claims they both cycle milsurp fine and with hunting ammo have acceptable accuracy (which means he kills deer out to 100m with no issues).
 
I just bought the Mini 14 and put 160 rounds through it so far. I'm just shooting with the factory iron sights, and today I was getting 2" at 75 yards, American Eagle 50 gr HP. The front sight is so thick so its really hard to judge the accuracy. It fuctions great. Its the same as the mini 30, except 223.

We have a coyote problem, that is going to be dealt with... ;)
 
My Mini-30 is 7 years old. It shoots anything that I put in the mag. Mine has had about 2,500 rounds through it. Mostly Milsurp with some hunting ammo too. The hunting ammo will group about 2 inches, while the Milsurp ammo groups about 3 inches.

The Mini-30 is an easy carrying light carbine. It you have to push bush, it is a good carbine to carry in thick cover.


It is a fun blaster. It will shoot as fast as you can pull the trigger. As a hunting rifle, it is very similar to the 30-30 for range.

I bought mine from P@D and most of the ammo from Milarms.
 
If you are looking for a hunting rifle, the mini30 is a hundred times better than a CZ858. It has better sights, integral bases so you don't need some abortion of a scope mount like a CZ, and it actually works - no countless pages on CGN on how to trouble shoot and try to fix the various issues that you see with the CZ. Not to mention having to explain to the CO that your rifle is not actually an AK, and it is not restricted.
If you are looking for a range gun, shoot your sks. If you want to hunt, buy the mini. If you want to live out your 'Red Dawn' fantasies, get the CZ and pretend it is an AK.
 
Bowie said:
If you are looking for a hunting rifle, the mini30 is a hundred times better than a CZ858. It has better sights, integral bases so you don't need some abortion of a scope mount like a CZ, and it actually works - no countless pages on CGN on how to trouble shoot and try to fix the various issues that you see with the CZ. Not to mention having to explain to the CO that your rifle is not actually an AK, and it is not restricted.
If you are looking for a range gun, shoot your sks. If you want to hunt, buy the mini. If you want to live out your 'Red Dawn' fantasies, get the CZ and pretend it is an AK.
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Well said! Thank you for the info. A Mini 30 it shall be! Now, a new one or an older one, are there any differences? Is there a line drawn in there somewhere?
 
Ive heard good things about the Mini-30. One of my friends uses his as his go to deer gun, and it has never failed him. Light, small, handy in the bush. Plenty of power for deer. Can be used at the range with surplus and wont break the bank. I have a Mini-14 and I personally love it.
 
Bowie said:
They now group, not pattern.
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I have sighted in many of them, old as well as recent production, and have had no real issue with any in the way of accuracy..They all gouped similar to that of a 94 Winchester..Maybe a bit of an improvement, but in no way dramatical..
 
r.d.m. said:
i have a mini 14, feeds fine, acurate enough. nice little gun. go get one.
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I have the Mini 14 target version, nice gun, but too heavy to lug around! I'd swap it off for a Mini 30 (new version). What year of manufacture is considered the "new" one with the accuracy improvements?
 
two-dogs said:
What year of manufacture is considered the "new" one with the accuracy improvements?
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I have heard of some that shot horribly grouping 6-8'', but personably have never seen this myself...I have sighted in a dozen or more over the years, and they woud group into 4 inches..I do however remember one that was left for me to sight in with PRVI ammo, that didn't group well, but did shoot Rem into 4''...I'm not slaggin Prvi ammo, as I have had it shoot well in other rifles...
 
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