How about the Big Mini

[SpaceCowboy]

the country that came from Yugoslavia is not only Capitalist but a Republic aswell

BTW: were they capitalists and a republic before their collapse? You know that period when they were MAKING rifles--meaning firearms, which is the relevant portion of this discussion? It's great that they have some freedom now. But now is not then.

 

[KaceCoyote]

I didnt buy my rifle then, I bought it now.

 

[cracked butt]

I'd rather take the $300-400 that I save by buying an SKS and give it a group like the NRA or buy ammunition or more guns with the money than pretend that if I give it to Ruger on a similar or even inferior product, its going to make me more free somehow.

Remember that Domestic firearms manufacturers were a big driving force behind GCA '68 in order to protect their interests and profits. Just because a company makes guns and most of their employees are pro-gun, doesn't mean that all of those companies are looking out for the interest of the little guy- the guy in middle America who likes to go shooting.

 

[KaceCoyote]

Whats important to me, is that Ruger maintains that bayonet lugs and other fun doodads somehow increase the killing power of a rifle. I collect rifles, and considering the selection of Marlin and Savage I own I've given plenty to American companies already. My foreign rifles, are the odd ducks here.

Ruger does not make what I want, thus I will not buy them. I dont care where they're built. If They arent what I want I wont buy them. Military firearms appeal to me, I dont use the bayonet but its cool. I do atleast, use the grenade launcher. Makes a great tennisball chucker.


The SKS is just about exactly what I want to carry into the field. Balances well for me, accurate as I am most of the time. Inexpensive to purchase, inexpensive to feed. I still love my Marlin 336, however for strolling the property I believe its been replaced.

 

[migoi]

Returning to our regularly scheduled program....

I have a Mini-30 and enjoy it lots. The range sessions I've spent bouncing bowling pins around at the 70-85 yard ranges tell me it's as accurate as my eyes and off hand shooting abilities are capable of supporting.

When paired with my underfolder AK it makes a great teaching tool about the stupidity of the anti-gun fodderall. I pull out the Mini-30, refer to it as my Texas feral pig hunting rifle (for when we move back to the mainland). The unenlightened usually don't have any problems with a person being able to own one, afterall it looks like a hunting rifle.

Then I pull out the underfolder and tell folks I have it in case I need to parachute into someplace like Zimbabwe to help my oppressed bretheren. At that point the unenlightened usually ask if it's legal that I have the AK. After assuring them it is legal, I point out that both rifles shoot the exact same ammo, at the exact same rate of fire (one per trigger pull), and have the exact same capacity.

I can then point out that only someone who knows nothing about guns would get heart palpitations (in that 'Oh my goodness, what about the children' sort of way) about one but not the other.

Yep, love my Mini-30.

migoi

 

[Dionysusigma]

Does anyone know how much effort it would take to get a mini 30 to accept AK mags? Since mag reliability is one of the main gripes with the mini 30, a cost-effective conversion to AK mags would be awesome (I can hear the "just get an AK" comments already ).

Well... it might be able to do, but not necessarily well. SKSs that are set up for AK mags don't feed quite as reliably, I've been told.

SpaceC and KaceC, for cryin' out loud... Talk about thread drift.

SpaceCowboy, look at it as "Foreign Aid." They get our dollars--it's just that this time, we get something back. What did India or any of the other tsunami victims give us back? Hell, when was the last time Somalia sent us aid for our hurricane victims? Come to think of it, I can't think of Israel giving Oklahoma any kind of aid when that May 6th 1999 tornado came through.

So they get our money. They need it. So some American manufacturer doesn't. They were never on our side.

 

[steve4102]

the Mini-30 does NOTHING the SKS cant do, and costs like what 3-4 times as much?

KaceCoyote
Lets have a look at some of the targets your SKS has produced. I would like to see how the accuracy of your SKS compaires to that of my Ruger Mini-30.

 

[rgs1975]

Thanks for all the info and entertainment guys! I'm thinking I'll pass on the 30. So that puts me back at the original Mini14/SU16/M1 Carbine quagmire.

 

[DnPRK]

If you want an accurate 7.62x39 semi, get an Egyptian Rashid carbine. It is built on the same operating system as the Swede Ljungman rifle. Mine shoots sub 2 inch groups at 100 yds with winchester ammo, better than an SKS, Mini-30 or AK will ever do.

 

[GunGoBoom]

Btw, I like 7.62x39 -- in my AK's. I see no reason to buy any other rifle chambered for it.

Agree.

And, furthermore:

Btw, I like 5.56x45mm -- in my AK's. I see no reason to buy any other rifle (besides a Saiga) chambered for it, one might argue. (Not me, I like my AR15).

So that puts me back at the original Mini14/SU16/M1 Carbine quagmire.

SU-16 Charlie, baby!

 

[Onslaught]

It's just downright ignorant when any firearms owner makes a statement like "I don't see the point in" or "why would anybody want a" or "why in the world do you need"...

Those are the same words that gave us the '89 Import ban and the '94 Assault Weapons Ban.

Every time I go into a gun shop and see an SKS, I think "there's that sub-$200 rifle again that everyone says is the best thing since sliced bread and is better than (insert rifle here) and that I'd be happier with one of these and two cases of ammo instead of (insert rifle here). Then I pick it up, put it to my shoulder, and remember the sucky ergonomics (for me) and the unneccessary weight, then put it back down and move on to (insert rifle here).

Back to our regularly scheduled program:

I had a Mini-30, a LONG time ago, and it was a LOT of fun (though not as accurate as my buddy's SKS ). He always had "magazine envy" and I had "accuracy envy". I sold it and used the funds as a downpayment on a Springfield M1A

Now nearly 10 years later, I really do miss that Mini-30. It was fun, VERY comfortable to the shoulder, great ergonomics (again, for me) and I just liked everything else about it EXCEPT the accuracy. The BEST thing about the -30 over the -14 is the $60 per 1000 round cases of ammo you can get!

I've been told that the "new mini" is supposed to be capable of better accuracy, but I don't know that for a fact.

One last thing I'll add regarding the Mini-14 vs. M1 Carbine... My Dad has 2 carbines, and he does love them... BUT he keeps saying he wishes he had a Mini-14 because he likes the 5.56 round better than the .30. Unless you want an M1 Carbine BECAUSE it's an M1 Carbine, my vote is for the Mini-14. They're cheaper these days too

 

[Father Knows Best]

It's just downright ignorant when any firearms owner makes a statement like....

Relax. I'll defend to the death your right to have a Mini-30, or anything else. If someone asks my advice about which rifle to get, however, as the original poster in this thread did, then it is appropriate for me to express my opinion of the rifles under consideration. One of those opinions is that the Mini-30 is pointless, because there are much better alternatives available. You can feel free to disagree with me, and spend your money on whatever you like, and I encourage you to do so.

 

[steve4102]

Mine shoots sub 2 inch groups at 100 yds with winchester ammo, better than an SKS, Mini-30 or AK will ever do.

Check out the "target shooting contest" section of this forum. Some very fine mini shooting out there.

http://www.perfectunion.com/forums/index.php?showforum=8

This is one of my Ruger Mini-30 targets at 100 yards after just a few basic mods. and good load development.

 

[KaceCoyote]

There are such things as sub MOA SKSs, theres one on this forum alone!