Mini 30 vs sks
- Thread starter Prairiefire
- Start date
The Mini-30 is far easier to scope, if it is the same accuracy as the older Mini-14 rifles then I would rank it as a tie with the SKS at 4MOA, lighter and more comfortable to shoot. The SKS is dead nuts reliable, little to no recoil (due to the 8.8lb curb weight), works down to -60 Celsius, quick and easy to clean and has a built in mono-pod. If money is no object and you wish to scope the rifle, get the Mini-30. If money is no object and you want a nice iron sighted rifle, get the SKS and 3 crates of ammo (3360 rounds). Be about the same price as the Mini-30.
I have never used the Mini-30, but have fired the Mini-14 and been very underwhelmed with the accuracy. Ruger builds some fairly nice bolt action rifles but IMHO has s**t the bed with their semi-auto center fires (the new Mini-14 Target excluded as it will do nearly 1MOA).
I have never used the Mini-30, but have fired the Mini-14 and been very underwhelmed with the accuracy. Ruger builds some fairly nice bolt action rifles but IMHO has s**t the bed with their semi-auto center fires (the new Mini-14 Target excluded as it will do nearly 1MOA).
easyrider604
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Greater Vancouver, BC
The Mini 30 I had, had about the same accuracy as my Russkie SKSs. It was manufactured 2001-2002.
4 to 5 inches at 100 meter groups.
I heard the new models are more accurate.
4 to 5 inches at 100 meter groups.
I heard the new models are more accurate.
IMHO the Mini 30 is a wast of money. You can buy a realy nice gun for that kind of cash! If you like that style of gun, then get the Mini 14, you'll have a better chance of hitting something with it 
Then get a $200 SKS for fun
Then get a $200 SKS for fun
The round is more the issue than gun choice. ZYou are comparing 2 good semi's so that is a wash in my books. THe round in bulk surplus ammo is about 150 yards and then accuracy really dies. With hand or good hunting loads it is pretty decent to 200 yards. But if you expect to be shooting 200 yards regularly than I break out my M14 or an SVT.
Anyone who says an SKS is "more reliable" than a Mini-30 is on crack. The Mini-30 I used to own (after having the hammer-spring replaced with the $9 part from Wolff), has never once had a failure of any kind -- no fail to feed, no fail to fire, no fail to eject, nothing -- 100% reliable in the entire time I owned it, with any and all 7.62x39 ammo I cared to feed it (which was a wide assortment, ranging from high end custom prepared handloads to Czech mil-surp), it went "bang" every time I pulled the trigger on a round; hot, cold, winter, summer, rapid fire, slow fire, whatever the ammo, etc.
By contrast, both of my SKS's will jam-feed at a rate of about once every 150 to 200 rounds or so (on average), and yes, that's with the factory 5/10 fixed mags. The aftermarket mags are much worse. My buddies who have SKS's also note approximately the same rate of jam-feeding with the factory mags, so I'm pretty sure it's not just the 2 I happen to own are defective. Don't get me wrong -- that's not the end of the world, they still put a lot of bullets down-range in between jams, and a jam clears in about 1/2 a second by tipping the receiver over and a quick snatch of the bolt, so no big deal. But it happens.
Accuracy -- about the same. The Mini-30 would print a 3.5 to 4-ish inch groups with Czech mil-surp, and my one SKS will get down around 3 inches and the other around 4.5 inches (all at 100 meters). The Mini-30 would actually get down near the 2 inch mark with 150 grain Hornady .312's seated as long as the mag would allow. I haven't tried any hand-loads in the SKS for comparison.
Design. IMHO, the engineer in me says the Mini-30 is a better design, because it's simpler (fewer moving parts by about 1/2). Given the 0 failures of the Mini over approx 2,000 rounds (compared to what I'm seeing out of the SKS's) -- I would say that my initial opinion is correct.
Yes, the Mini is far easier to scope, and yes, the mini is lighter by a pound or two and handier in the hands (if you replace that ignorant little short-stocked thing that Ruger puts them in from the factory).
It's $$$ and sense though -- what do you want the rifle for? I want mine to haul it down to the range once a month to play a round or two of "zombie apocalypse" with the steel targets and that "so cheap it's almost free" Czech mil-surp ammo. For far less than what I had tied up in one mini-30, I now have two fairly nicely equipped SKS's. I don't really care if I have to clear a jam-feed once in a while, for that kind of price difference.
Per your original quesiton -- if money is no object -- the Mini-30 (especially a stainless one; for use with mil-surp ammo), is the hands down winner. But, if we consider $$$$, then (for non-hunting purposes), the SKS comes out on top (IMHO).
YMMV.
By contrast, both of my SKS's will jam-feed at a rate of about once every 150 to 200 rounds or so (on average), and yes, that's with the factory 5/10 fixed mags. The aftermarket mags are much worse. My buddies who have SKS's also note approximately the same rate of jam-feeding with the factory mags, so I'm pretty sure it's not just the 2 I happen to own are defective. Don't get me wrong -- that's not the end of the world, they still put a lot of bullets down-range in between jams, and a jam clears in about 1/2 a second by tipping the receiver over and a quick snatch of the bolt, so no big deal. But it happens.
Accuracy -- about the same. The Mini-30 would print a 3.5 to 4-ish inch groups with Czech mil-surp, and my one SKS will get down around 3 inches and the other around 4.5 inches (all at 100 meters). The Mini-30 would actually get down near the 2 inch mark with 150 grain Hornady .312's seated as long as the mag would allow. I haven't tried any hand-loads in the SKS for comparison.
Design. IMHO, the engineer in me says the Mini-30 is a better design, because it's simpler (fewer moving parts by about 1/2). Given the 0 failures of the Mini over approx 2,000 rounds (compared to what I'm seeing out of the SKS's) -- I would say that my initial opinion is correct.
Yes, the Mini is far easier to scope, and yes, the mini is lighter by a pound or two and handier in the hands (if you replace that ignorant little short-stocked thing that Ruger puts them in from the factory).
It's $$$ and sense though -- what do you want the rifle for? I want mine to haul it down to the range once a month to play a round or two of "zombie apocalypse" with the steel targets and that "so cheap it's almost free" Czech mil-surp ammo. For far less than what I had tied up in one mini-30, I now have two fairly nicely equipped SKS's. I don't really care if I have to clear a jam-feed once in a while, for that kind of price difference.
Per your original quesiton -- if money is no object -- the Mini-30 (especially a stainless one; for use with mil-surp ammo), is the hands down winner. But, if we consider $$$$, then (for non-hunting purposes), the SKS comes out on top (IMHO).
YMMV.
I went through a crate last year of corrosive last year and had not one issue in my russian. I ran a couple hundred though the factory box mag and the rest through the tapco's duckbill mag. I clean my gun properly especially with the corrosive and use moly grease on the bolt slides and love the gun. I would like to acquire a mini 30 but at the prices that they sell for used I will have to wait. For what the new mini costs I can buy 4 sks's and have some change towards ammo.
I agree the ruger is a nice build, quality is high indeed but it is the heavier barrel and stainless version I am holding out for. I would not look at a plain wood with blued standard barrel. Just my preference.
I agree the ruger is a nice build, quality is high indeed but it is the heavier barrel and stainless version I am holding out for. I would not look at a plain wood with blued standard barrel. Just my preference.
My 1950 Russian sks has never had a single feed or fire problem, ever, and we are talking about 2000 rounds through it since I bought it as a refurb. If I was bushwacking alot then I would'nt mind a couple less lbs, but it really is worth it when you figure how bulletproof of a gun your getting. When you figure in the price, and your heart was stuck on a Mini-30 then just get both. Really if your already going to be spending a thousand bucks on a Ruger, you might as well thow in a couple hundred extra for the SKS, and get both. Just use the SKS for target shooting and use the Mini-30 when your at the hunt camp, if you think you will get strange looks if you had the SKS. However if you take off the Bayonet, and get a Laminate stock, and refinish it, a SKS does'nt look to Military. One Big Plus of the SKS is, CHROME lined Barrel on almost all Refurbs. Big plus if your shooting surplus ammo. And yes, a Mini-30 looks just as military as a SKS or even more. Ever see the A team.
Anyways heres a pic of my SKS, Too make it look like a hunting rifle, I take the Bayonet Off, when I go deer hunting at the hunt camp, were there are usually 10 plus hunters for a week. Usually about 5 Mini-30s, 2-3 lever actions, 1-2 bolts and my SKS, and it does'nt look like a Military rifle at all. I always get a couple compliments, and I dont cry if I bang it into something, or if it starts raining.
Heres my Poor Mans Mini-30
Anyways heres a pic of my SKS, Too make it look like a hunting rifle, I take the Bayonet Off, when I go deer hunting at the hunt camp, were there are usually 10 plus hunters for a week. Usually about 5 Mini-30s, 2-3 lever actions, 1-2 bolts and my SKS, and it does'nt look like a Military rifle at all. I always get a couple compliments, and I dont cry if I bang it into something, or if it starts raining.
Heres my Poor Mans Mini-30
- Location
- southern sask
I just bought a new mini 30, The group I got at 100 yds with the suplus ammo thats on the market now is about 4 in, I didn't try to hard, I was just setting the scope but I was hoping for better, I will try it again when the weather is better. I have a wolf spring on order but so far has only missed once in 50 rds
Another reason why I would pick an SKS over a mini 30!
blueflash to bad you don't have a matching stock as the square gas block's are a tall tail sign of early production. On question is that pinned off the follower or is there a big chunk of metal in the mag?Heres my Poor Mans Mini-30
I laughed when I read this as I had just come back from the range working up some loads for my Mini 30, and waited to reply till I could upload the picture of the target.
I own both - a mid 90's Norinco SKS (back when they cost $99 new) which I have put in a "draganov (sp?)" style stock. A few summers back, my daughter and I ran 22 different reloads and factory loads through it with a 4 power bushnell scope. All in all - averaged 3 - 4" 5 shot groups at 100 yards. I wrote it up and posted the results here, but they are probably long gone now ....
A picture from that shoot (now she's 17 - I am getting old)
Now Today - I had mounted a Lepould clone scope on my Mini 30 as it was the only 30 mm scope I had kicking around to match the rings on the rifle. I inherited this a couple of years ago when a close buddy passed away and it is completely stock - no trigger work or anything like that - also from the mid - late 90's. I shot this target sighting in at 100 yards with the scope at 4 power.
Using 123 gr Winchester Power Point bullets, 28.5 grains of WC 735 powder (first time I have used it), CCI small rifle primers and Greek brass casings - I got a 1.22 and 1.39" groupings with 2 three shot groups.
Target:
Interesting side note - I also shot some groups with the same load in Remington cases. Everything the same but the casings - and the bullets clustered into 1.10" group - but 4 inches high and 2.5" left of the centre of the target - amazing what changing one component can do!
I am not a target precision shooter by any means but I wanted to show you what my experiences have been with both rifles. YMMV.
All said and done - I would hunt with either - again looking at keeping shots within 150 yards for deer sized and smaller game.
I own both - a mid 90's Norinco SKS (back when they cost $99 new) which I have put in a "draganov (sp?)" style stock. A few summers back, my daughter and I ran 22 different reloads and factory loads through it with a 4 power bushnell scope. All in all - averaged 3 - 4" 5 shot groups at 100 yards. I wrote it up and posted the results here, but they are probably long gone now ....
A picture from that shoot (now she's 17 - I am getting old)
Now Today - I had mounted a Lepould clone scope on my Mini 30 as it was the only 30 mm scope I had kicking around to match the rings on the rifle. I inherited this a couple of years ago when a close buddy passed away and it is completely stock - no trigger work or anything like that - also from the mid - late 90's. I shot this target sighting in at 100 yards with the scope at 4 power.
Using 123 gr Winchester Power Point bullets, 28.5 grains of WC 735 powder (first time I have used it), CCI small rifle primers and Greek brass casings - I got a 1.22 and 1.39" groupings with 2 three shot groups.
Target:
Interesting side note - I also shot some groups with the same load in Remington cases. Everything the same but the casings - and the bullets clustered into 1.10" group - but 4 inches high and 2.5" left of the centre of the target - amazing what changing one component can do!
I am not a target precision shooter by any means but I wanted to show you what my experiences have been with both rifles. YMMV.
All said and done - I would hunt with either - again looking at keeping shots within 150 yards for deer sized and smaller game.
My Mag is Frankenpinned (big chunk of metal). I know its too bad. I just posted the pic though to prove that when you spend some time to fix up a $250 SKS, and take off the Bayonet, that I do when I am hunting, to save weight, then I put it back on because it looks cool, You can a have a pretty decent looking deer hunting rifle.
Sks
I would agree with the guys on the SKS, for roughly $299 you can get a Russian SKS that is in great shape and will shoot for a good long time! Take off the bayonette and leave the cleaning rod at home and your SKS is a very capable good weight deer rifle. I may have to get mine out this fall.
I would agree with the guys on the SKS, for roughly $299 you can get a Russian SKS that is in great shape and will shoot for a good long time! Take off the bayonette and leave the cleaning rod at home and your SKS is a very capable good weight deer rifle. I may have to get mine out this fall.
