SKS vs Ruger Mini 30?

Looks like they've about covered it.... Bottom line: both shoot an inherently less than precision round that can be acquired cheaply and is more than sufficient for the plinking we do. Mini 30 can use mags and optics, but the SKS is a quarter of the price... Depends what matters more to you.
 
A Mini 30 (and any Mini) is over priced and inaccurate. An SKS is just inaccurate. Mind you, it wasn't designed for accuracy.
Goofy parts like the bayonet? Philistine. An SKS is a stop gap battle rifle. While bayonets on carbines are goofy to be sure(scoping a carbine even moreso. It's like using premium fuel in a Lada.), they belong on battle rifles. You've clearly never been charged by a rampaging ground hog.
 
sunray said:
A Mini 30 (and any Mini) is over priced and inaccurate. An SKS is just inaccurate. Mind you, it wasn't designed for accuracy.
Goofy parts like the bayonet? Philistine. An SKS is a stop gap battle rifle. While bayonets on carbines are goofy to be sure(scoping a carbine even moreso. It's like using premium fuel in a Lada.), they belong on battle rifles. You've clearly never been charged by a rampaging ground hog.
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The new mini 14's are not inaccurate and are the best priced non restricted semi in 5.56 available. Most other non restricted semi's in its calibre are unreliable novelties or at least a $1000 more.
 
Sorry to hijack a thread, but I've been considering this as well, with leanings towards a mini-30 AND an SKS. I've seen a few current/former Mini-30 owners respond here. Some have said that the cheap surplus ammo doesn't work in the Mini-30. Has anyone had good success with cheap milsurp ammo in the Mini-30?

In my mind, the only reason to go with a Mini-30 instead of the Mini-14 is to use cheaper ammo. If using cheap ammo isn't a viable option in a mini-30, please speak up.
 
I have both, and cheaper steel cased ammo in my Mini 30 is hit and miss. It shoots the Barnaul 7.62x39 123gr FMJ fairly reliably, but the non corrosive Norinco 122gr 7.62x39 is a no go...all light primer strikes. Haven't tried any corrosive ammo. It seems to vary from person to person. I wouldn't buy a Mini 30 with the expectation that it will fire any and all steel cased 7.62x39...imo. At least not out of the box :)
 
gopher73 said:
Sorry to hijack a thread, but I've been considering this as well, with leanings towards a mini-30 AND an SKS. I've seen a few current/former Mini-30 owners respond here. Some have said that the cheap surplus ammo doesn't work in the Mini-30. Has anyone had good success with cheap milsurp ammo in the Mini-30?

In my mind, the only reason to go with a Mini-30 instead of the Mini-14 is to use cheaper ammo. If using cheap ammo isn't a viable option in a mini-30, please speak up.
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i went SKS and Mini-14 in stead of Mini-30
a couple guys i work with and hunt with run the mini-30's and they all say that the surplus stuff dosnt work well in them.
and if you shoot corrosive then you have to do a full clean out after every shoot.
that and mags are like hen's teeth to find from what they say.

me, i picked up the mini-14, purchased a Hogue stock for it and 10 mags the same day, that and ive yet to find any ammo it has problems with.
ive run 2000 rounds of Norc here last summer and 2000 rounds of some russian surplus the summer before.
ive since changed over to a little better stuff just because i was getting tired of all the cleaning required.
better ammo, less cleaning.

i must admit i have always been tempted to pick up a mini-30 and if the right price one comes by im sure i will.
but i wont put surplus down it.
(ya right)
 
The sks has an somewhat undeserved bad reputation for accuracy. This fig 11 target was shot at 200 meters. With Russian surplus ammo. Most of the rounds are hitting within the scoring zone.
 
gopher73 said:
Sorry to hijack a thread, but I've been considering this as well, with leanings towards a mini-30 AND an SKS. I've seen a few current/former Mini-30 owners respond here. Some have said that the cheap surplus ammo doesn't work in the Mini-30. Has anyone had good success with cheap milsurp ammo in the Mini-30?

In my mind, the only reason to go with a Mini-30 instead of the Mini-14 is to use cheaper ammo. If using cheap ammo isn't a viable option in a mini-30, please speak up.
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I have a mini 30 and I bought it so I could use it to shoot the cheap ammo,as a beer can gun.I put in the wolf high power spring,it made no difference,so I ordered a Glend arms firing pin,set protrusion to .045" and clearance on the back tang at .006" I now have a 100% fireing sucess,I have not tested it with boxer primed brass ammo to see if it pierces the primer or not,as I have no intention of using that ammo.The mini thirty is not very accurate after 5 shots my SKS is better.
 
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