mini 14 or mini 30 ?
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Quentin
Member
Depends on the caliber you want. I've really, really come close to buying both Minis over the years but just couldn't justify it even though I own three other Rugers.
Instead I have ARs and an AK.
Instead I have ARs and an AK.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Mini-14.
The Mini-30 has a reputation for breaking firing pins when shooting hard primer com-block ammo.
rc
The Mini-30 has a reputation for breaking firing pins when shooting hard primer com-block ammo.
rc
John Farnam has been teaching rifle classes for a very long time, starting well before it was trendy or cool. He sees MANY weapons cycle through his classes, over time. Last I knew, the Mini-30 was on his "not recommended" list, for reasons of functioning, or lack thereof, whereas the Mini was/is a recommended weapon.
I was waiting patiently to get some feedback on the Minis chambered in 6.8 SPC, finding that to be an interesting concept, but they have been discontinued. I do like my .223 Mini-14 rifles.
I was waiting patiently to get some feedback on the Minis chambered in 6.8 SPC, finding that to be an interesting concept, but they have been discontinued. I do like my .223 Mini-14 rifles.
I go through this debate in my head all the time. Extensive research has led me to believe that the 14 is the most logical choice if you can only get one.
Since I have no money right now anyway, I am hoping that while I save up Ruger finally gets the kinks out of the Thirty and gives the market what it really wants:
1. 30 Round factory mag (like they make for the 14)
2. No firing pin issues
3. No reliability issues with surplus
4. A price at least $50 lower (in line with the 14)
Since I have no money right now anyway, I am hoping that while I save up Ruger finally gets the kinks out of the Thirty and gives the market what it really wants:
1. 30 Round factory mag (like they make for the 14)
2. No firing pin issues
3. No reliability issues with surplus
4. A price at least $50 lower (in line with the 14)
thanks for the replies, I have a 14 myself that has had a trigger job done, hogue stock, 4 20 rnd mags , nice sling and a leupold scope, I had someone that wanted to trade even for a stock stainless mini 30. Im still debating, there doesnt seem to be that much difference in cost of ammo, and 200 yards is about max at this point in time, I had never heard about the firing pin problems on the mini 30
brunowbe
Member
Mini 14, I just bought a new one (580 series) 2 weeks ago and it is more accurate than I am. It has quickly become one my favorite rifles to shoot, just make sure after zeroing in the irons that you tighten the rear sights down, I forgot to after the first time to the range with it. Great little rifle.
Why not a Mini 30? SKS, AK47s (a lot of variants such as WASRs and Saigas) all are 7.62 x 39 and a lot cheaper (and just as reliable).
Why not a Mini 30? SKS, AK47s (a lot of variants such as WASRs and Saigas) all are 7.62 x 39 and a lot cheaper (and just as reliable).
adelbridge
Member
mini-30 has more killing power for a potentially better hunting gun.
Mini-30 for the following reasons:
I've used Mini-14's in various guises since they came out (Back when I had hair...) and never found them to present any problem whatsoever, but the .223 round is for varmints mostly, and I have other rifles I prefer for varmints.
I bought my wife a Mini-30 to use as a deer rifle back in the later half of the 80's IIRC. Great little 150+yard deer rifle, especially hand-loaded with 125gr Nosler BT's. short, light, easy to operate, percieved recoil is very mild for a smallish woman. Now my daughter REALLY likes it, she killed a very nice 4x5 whitetail with it after her (EX-) BF tried to get her to use his bolt 22-250 that was too long for her. It turned hunting from a chore to a joy by getting rifle operation out of the way of her hunting experience.
I wouldn't call it accurate, exactly. It might go 2.5" on a good day, but it digested a lot of corrosive ammo, and that could not have been good for it. It does like to be clean and well lubricated, or it will let you know by failure to cycle comepletely.
Plus, in the off season it doubles (with a black folding stock) as my SHTF rifle.
I've used Mini-14's in various guises since they came out (Back when I had hair...) and never found them to present any problem whatsoever, but the .223 round is for varmints mostly, and I have other rifles I prefer for varmints.
I bought my wife a Mini-30 to use as a deer rifle back in the later half of the 80's IIRC. Great little 150+yard deer rifle, especially hand-loaded with 125gr Nosler BT's. short, light, easy to operate, percieved recoil is very mild for a smallish woman. Now my daughter REALLY likes it, she killed a very nice 4x5 whitetail with it after her (EX-) BF tried to get her to use his bolt 22-250 that was too long for her. It turned hunting from a chore to a joy by getting rifle operation out of the way of her hunting experience.
I wouldn't call it accurate, exactly. It might go 2.5" on a good day, but it digested a lot of corrosive ammo, and that could not have been good for it. It does like to be clean and well lubricated, or it will let you know by failure to cycle comepletely.
Plus, in the off season it doubles (with a black folding stock) as my SHTF rifle.
I have one of the 581 mini-14's that I have been tweaking on. Trigger job, bedding and a barrel stabilizer. Now with reloads it has become a sub moa shooter. I was thinking about a tuneable gas block, but I'm not sure if those $$$ will gain much more out of the mini. My nephew has taken several deer with it using the 60 gr. Nosler partitions. I would like to try one of the 30's if I could find a deal on one. I think the FP issue is mostly due to the useage of steel ammo. I've talked to several owners who don't shoot the steel stuff and they've not had any FP problems.
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browningguy
Member
I have a Mini 14, I don't have a Mini 30. I voted with my wallet.
OrangePwrx9
Member
The Mini-14 is quite pleasant to shoot in the plinking role, as you know. Very little recoil.
The Mini-30's recoil is significantly more and could be objectionable in a plinker. For a few shots, it's negligible, but if you, the wife or a kid go to put 50 or 100 rounds through it, it might be annoying. The Mini-30 I had was a scope destroyer; the cheap scopes I used couldn't stand up to the back-and-forth of the 30's cycling impulses. Finally swapped it off.
My Mini-14 never wrecked any optics, though I've owned it far longer.
I'd go Saiga for a good 7.62x39 at much lower cost than a Mini-30.
The Mini-30's recoil is significantly more and could be objectionable in a plinker. For a few shots, it's negligible, but if you, the wife or a kid go to put 50 or 100 rounds through it, it might be annoying. The Mini-30 I had was a scope destroyer; the cheap scopes I used couldn't stand up to the back-and-forth of the 30's cycling impulses. Finally swapped it off.
My Mini-14 never wrecked any optics, though I've owned it far longer.
I'd go Saiga for a good 7.62x39 at much lower cost than a Mini-30.
I have both the 14 and the 30. The broken firing pin issue would be negligible but Ruger will NOT sell firing pins. They demand the gun be returned to them for "fitting" if the pin breaks.
My 30 will not reliably light off hard primer surplus steel cartridge ammo. Never tried the cheap steel surplus stuff in the 14, might be the same.
The heavy pounding of the action is easily solved with an inexpensive change of the gas orifice, stops the slamming and as a plus your ejected brass lands 6 ft away instead of 25 or 30 ft away.
To me the ONLY plus to the Minis are they don't scream assault rifle to the ignorant easily panicked public. In some few situations that could be priceless.
My 30 will not reliably light off hard primer surplus steel cartridge ammo. Never tried the cheap steel surplus stuff in the 14, might be the same.
The heavy pounding of the action is easily solved with an inexpensive change of the gas orifice, stops the slamming and as a plus your ejected brass lands 6 ft away instead of 25 or 30 ft away.
To me the ONLY plus to the Minis are they don't scream assault rifle to the ignorant easily panicked public. In some few situations that could be priceless.
If you'd left out the "no" you'd be right.
They do have that reputation. As much as a 30 costs it should be better, with a harder hitting firing pin that is tough enough to withstand the hard primers. Millions of cheap AKs and SKSs do it, shouldn't be THAT hard to engineer.
I have an AK and lots of steel cased "commie" ammo.
Bought a 30 as an upgrade.
It wasn't. Wouldn't light off 20% of the steel stuff.
Really wasn't any more accurate than my AK, maybe less in fact, as it wanders as the barrel warms up.
Wasn't pleased to spend 3x the money as the AK cost me on a 30 and have problems.
Would I buy it again? NO not for current pricing.
Would I sell it and move on? Probably not, there is something I like about it even with its flaws.
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Double Vision
Member
I am lucky enough to have both. They're both great, fun, reliable rifles.
If you force me to choose only one, I would take the Mini-Thirty.
If you force me to choose only one, I would take the Mini-Thirty.
A rifle chambered in 7.63x39 that can't reliably operate with Berdan-primed, steel-cased, surplus ammo is pointless just like a 5.56 NATO chambered rifle that couldn't run reliably on mil-surp XM193 would be silly. The whole point of a x39 rifle is the cheap ammo.
I don't particularly like the Mini-XX platform for the simple reason that there are semi-auto rifles chambered in 5.56 and x39 that do the job better for less money, but if I had to choose one it would be the -14.
I don't particularly like the Mini-XX platform for the simple reason that there are semi-auto rifles chambered in 5.56 and x39 that do the job better for less money, but if I had to choose one it would be the -14.
Rhinoh.
Exactly correct, mine strikes lightly on 50% of the commie ammo. Thought there was something wrong with the rifle and took it back to the LGS after the first time out. They put in a box of WWB ammo in and it shot like a machinegun, no failures at all just 20 rounds bang bang bang. Left me standing there with egg on my face. Since then I just use my own reloads with Winchester primers and have had NO failures to fire at all. (just no commie ammo). I have a SKS that loves Wolf ammo and will eat it all day long. (just more accurate with my reloads).
Same here.
Jim
Exactly correct, mine strikes lightly on 50% of the commie ammo. Thought there was something wrong with the rifle and took it back to the LGS after the first time out. They put in a box of WWB ammo in and it shot like a machinegun, no failures at all just 20 rounds bang bang bang. Left me standing there with egg on my face. Since then I just use my own reloads with Winchester primers and have had NO failures to fire at all. (just no commie ammo). I have a SKS that loves Wolf ammo and will eat it all day long. (just more accurate with my reloads).
Same here.
Jim
RSVP2RIP
Member
Must have gotten a bad one because my Mini 30 shot com block with no problems making 3-4" groups at 100 yards. And would shoot 1.5" groups at 100 yards with handloads and a 2.5x scout scope. Never broke a firing pin but was ready for it to do so based on what I read. It was of the latest series what ever that was I can't remember. I just know that getting a magazine over 10 rounds was impossible because they didn't work. And it wasn't legal to bring into Canada to hunt with so I eventually got rid of it because it didn't make any sense when I already had an AR and a Rem 750 carbine in 30-06. So my vote is for the Mini 14.
aka108
Member
I once owned a Mini 30. I hated the damn thing and sold it. Most inaccurate rifle I ever owned. As a range friend on mine said "There is a reason they are called Mini*hitties".
Whatever your choice, the "if you have to kil someone" mantra is just sophomoric silliness. The chances of your having a rifle of any configuration at a time when you're attacked by a bad guy or guys is somewhere between infinitesimal and zero, but probably closer to zero.
I did own a Mini 14 Ranch Stainless many years ago. Gave it to a friend, so his then-14-yr-old son would have a nice toy for woods play.
I did own a Mini 14 Ranch Stainless many years ago. Gave it to a friend, so his then-14-yr-old son would have a nice toy for woods play.
Roadking Rider
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I prefer the mini 14 because I have other rifles in 30 Cal. and 7.62.
Not to start a flame war, but that is a very narrow view of the "purpose" of owning a particular rifle. We own one because it is an easy to use lightweight deer rifle. Our -30 hasn't seen any kind of factory load in almost 20 years.
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