I recall the Thirty going for $600-750.00 when I have looked at them in the past. Now they are out of stock everywhere and priced at $1,000.00. This is in the last six months as well. I was going to have my son buy me one for father's day *wink* but I might just have him take me to dinner instead. Ouch.
Mini-Thirty for $1,000.00? Since when?
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TexasPatriot.308
Member
must be gold plating on it somewhere, I did just sell an old one I had for $600 though.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Little Wolf
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Why isn't there a mini-30 available that takes ak mags? That would be a HUGE hit!
JustinJ
Member
Not as long as AKs take AK mags. The sig556r that took AK mags wasn't a hit and now RR has a AR that takes them but it's to be seen if it will be a success. I have my doubts.
Telekinesis
Member
The Sig556R (at least in original form) had a good number of reliability issues. The fact that it took AK mags had nothing to do with it not selling well.
I don't think Ruger will change to a design that will take AK mags because they can charge more for their proprietary mags. Also, the Mini 30 is essentially a gun for people who want to shoot cheap 7.62x39 ammo but don't like (or want to shoot) an AK. Using the AK mag would kind of defeat that purpose.
JustinJ
Member
The sig556 had quite a few reliability issues in the beggining to. Believe me, i know. But its doing a lot better than the 7.62 russian version.
lloveless
Member
I had an mini-30. It was heavy and inaccurate.
ll
ll
Ignition Override
Member
valnar:
What attracted me to a barely-used one (built in '04) was the classic US styling and feel. The stainless steel and nice walnut helped.
Using the lowest-cost centerfire (Russian) ammo was a prime factor.
The turn-off was the thick front post sight, as I only like iron sights, even though it was lots of fun. My SKS, now with the Tech Sight, is a much better gun, despite the "non-US" style and build.
After tiring of the Mini 30's thick post, I sold it for $550 in May '11, simply to have the ready cash in case a good FR8 were to appear.
What attracted me to a barely-used one (built in '04) was the classic US styling and feel. The stainless steel and nice walnut helped.
Using the lowest-cost centerfire (Russian) ammo was a prime factor.
The turn-off was the thick front post sight, as I only like iron sights, even though it was lots of fun. My SKS, now with the Tech Sight, is a much better gun, despite the "non-US" style and build.
After tiring of the Mini 30's thick post, I sold it for $550 in May '11, simply to have the ready cash in case a good FR8 were to appear.
Ar180shooter
Member
A couple of reasons come to mind. Firstly, it's much more neutral looking than the VZ and AK, but still takes a detachable magazine, which the SKS doesn't (technically... there are aftermarket conversions, but they leave something to be desired...). The Mini-30 is also designed to be easily scoped, and comes with half decent factory iron sights... which none (well, maybe the Galil for iron sights that aren't terrible
) of the other offering can claim.
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Omaha-BeenGlockin
Member
I picked up the most expensive Mini-30 (stainless w/20 round mag) currently offered NIB for $779 a month ago.
I've had AK's and they.....well....suck-----the only thing good about them is the magazine. Crappy made---crappy sights----bounce around all over when shooting it. Respect the cartridge---not a fan of the AK.
Had a couple Yugo SKS's and they were way bigger and heavier than the Mini-30 plus you still couldn't mount a scope.
The only reason I got rid of my early 90's Mini-30 was the lack of decent magazines---with the 5-rounder it was all over right when the fun was getting started. Now that Ruger makes mags for it, I've been looking for one for several years---I snapped this one up as soon as I saw it.
I've had AK's and they.....well....suck-----the only thing good about them is the magazine. Crappy made---crappy sights----bounce around all over when shooting it. Respect the cartridge---not a fan of the AK.
Had a couple Yugo SKS's and they were way bigger and heavier than the Mini-30 plus you still couldn't mount a scope.
The only reason I got rid of my early 90's Mini-30 was the lack of decent magazines---with the 5-rounder it was all over right when the fun was getting started. Now that Ruger makes mags for it, I've been looking for one for several years---I snapped this one up as soon as I saw it.
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Lloyd Smale
Member
cold day in **** id pay that for a mini of any kind!!!
wwace
Member
I disagree, the mini's I've shot are great little guns. Plenty of improvements in the new ones but I only have a 1990's vintage one right now. And the fact that the mini30 uses the worlds most popular rifle ammo is brilliant, only the cost is a bad thing right now. 20 years ago they were much more affordable.
MachIVshooter
Member
I'd buy a mini 30 over an AK at the same price point, but $1k is absolutely ridiculous. The rifle is worth half that at best.
+2
Well, the mini's were great little carbines at the $450-$500 mark back when you couldn't touch a decent AR for less than a grand. Today? With a mini costing more than a decent AR carbine, I don't understand how they sell a single unit. Perhaps the California market is keeping them alive. I dunno.
I like my stainless mini for what it is, but I bought it new for $475 in 2000. Would I pay $700+ for it today? Hell no.
+2
Well, the mini's were great little carbines at the $450-$500 mark back when you couldn't touch a decent AR for less than a grand. Today? With a mini costing more than a decent AR carbine, I don't understand how they sell a single unit. Perhaps the California market is keeping them alive. I dunno.
I like my stainless mini for what it is, but I bought it new for $475 in 2000. Would I pay $700+ for it today? Hell no.
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
I killed lots of jackrabbits and a fair number of coyotes with my early-model Minis. They worked quite well, since I had no interest in paper-punching.
When the price went past $500, I lost interest.
When the price went past $500, I lost interest.
wwace
Member
Look on Gunbroker, they are usually under 750. My last one I paid $269 for it in 92 or so.
As for the Mini 30 digesting "cheap/plentiful" ammo...caveat emptor.
Many of us have found the firing pin strike in the Mini 30 isn't sufficient to set off a fair amount of said ammo with its hard primers.
Some have tried upping the force on the firing pin only to find they then sometimes break.
More bad news- Ruger willl NOT sell you a firing pin, demanding the weapon be sent back for firing pin fitting.
$1000? I'll sell mine for $800....;-)
Many of us have found the firing pin strike in the Mini 30 isn't sufficient to set off a fair amount of said ammo with its hard primers.
Some have tried upping the force on the firing pin only to find they then sometimes break.
More bad news- Ruger willl NOT sell you a firing pin, demanding the weapon be sent back for firing pin fitting.
$1000? I'll sell mine for $800....;-)
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