Hey, my name is Chris born and bred in VA. I'm after a semi-automatic rifle for multi-purpose use but its mainly going to be used for hunting deer and game. I had originally been weighing-up between the AR-15 and the Ruger Mini-14 but then decided on the Ruger. Just as I was about to go for the Mini-14, I ended up in conversation with one of the old boys in Town and he suggested that maybe I consider the Mini Thirty instead as it may be better purposed for hunting game and deer. I wanted to find out what the consensus was here on the three firearms in question before I make a decision. Any input would be fantastic. Thank you kindly, CC
Ruger Mini-14 or Mini Thirty?
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badkarmamib
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In VA, hunting deer with anything less than a .23 caliber bullet is illegal, which would limit your choices. The Mini-14 in .300 Blackout or the Mini-30 in 7.62X39mm would offer almost the same ballistics, but getting good hunting ammo for the Blackout might prove to be easier.
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/hunting/regulations/general.asp
•Rifles used for deer or bear must be .23 caliber or larger.
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/hunting/regulations/general.asp
•Rifles used for deer or bear must be .23 caliber or larger.
waffentomas
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I own both. For your purposes the .300 blackout may be a better choice for the reasons 'badkarma' states. I do love my Mini-30 due to the larger caliber. There is some decent deer ammo out there. Hornady makes some great factory loads for the thirty. I hand-load, so that presents me some even better options. But for factory, the .300 will have a lot more choices. The mini is a great rifle, but the .223 may not be the one if it's illegal to hunt with it. My Mini-30 feeds flat nose lead ammo 100%. Can't even get my AK to feed that reliably.
cat_IT_guy
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Ditto the others. Mini 30 if deer is going to be a target. If you go the 7.62x39 route, make sure to buy good hunting ammo. I have no doubt that wolf 7.62 blasting ammo will kill a deer, but expect an expanding, purpose-built hunting bullet will be much more humane. Actually that applies to blackout as well.
Zanad
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Just a note on the Mini 30, I own a 1980's model that is really fun to shoot. With that said, it will not shoot wolf or other cheap steel cased with any amount of reliability because of the hard primers but will run like a dream with your more expensive boxer primed brass case ammunition. Since it will be a deer gun this will probably not be an issue. I pay around $11 a box for stuff that will work.
Another quirk that I have with my rifle is that the gun will disengage the bolt hold open if the butt stock is placed too hard on the ground. I'm not aware if this is common or its just my rifle.
I've lent my rifle to another at a range who was shooting an AK and he said that the mini 30 was a lot more comfortable to shoot.
Another quirk that I have with my rifle is that the gun will disengage the bolt hold open if the butt stock is placed too hard on the ground. I'm not aware if this is common or its just my rifle.
I've lent my rifle to another at a range who was shooting an AK and he said that the mini 30 was a lot more comfortable to shoot.
Jackal
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For deer, any .30 is going to be more forgiving than a .22.
Swing
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I've owned and/or shot pretty much every variant of the Mini over the decades. They are nice carbines, despite what you'll read in some quarters. If you are going to hunt deer, imho, the 30 is the one you want. And in some states, it may be illegal to hunt deer with a .223. Know your regs before taking the plunge.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Deaf Smith
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I've killed deer with .223 (mini-14), .243, 30/30, .308, 30-06, .300 wm, and .338.
The .223/mini-14 kill, a broadside shot at 75 yards, penetrated the rib cage, shattered the 70 grain Spear soft point, and pieces of the bullet were found in the far side ribs. If I had of hit the shoulder bone I doubt the bullet would have made it to the vitals. Deer ran many 50 yards and collapsed.
Yes I'd get either the Mini-30 or Mini-blackout to hunt deer. Be like a semi-auto 30/30 (and my first five deer I killed was with a Marlin Texan 30/30 so I can say the 30/30 class round is definitely good deer medicine)
Deaf
The .223/mini-14 kill, a broadside shot at 75 yards, penetrated the rib cage, shattered the 70 grain Spear soft point, and pieces of the bullet were found in the far side ribs. If I had of hit the shoulder bone I doubt the bullet would have made it to the vitals. Deer ran many 50 yards and collapsed.
Yes I'd get either the Mini-30 or Mini-blackout to hunt deer. Be like a semi-auto 30/30 (and my first five deer I killed was with a Marlin Texan 30/30 so I can say the 30/30 class round is definitely good deer medicine)
Deaf
Hey "Chris born and bred in VA".
With all the inexpensive but very accurate bolt actions like the Ruger American available in almost any caliber, it seems counter productive to go with something more expensive that will severely limit your power and accuracy.
With all the inexpensive but very accurate bolt actions like the Ruger American available in almost any caliber, it seems counter productive to go with something more expensive that will severely limit your power and accuracy.
Unless you live in one of the 4 states that don't allow deer hunting with 223 it is a better option. People often complain about 223 when the only thing they have ever seen is how it works with bullets designed for varmints. Load heavier 60+ gr bullets designed for big game and it will out perform 7.62X39.
But this is the best advice.
But this is the best advice.
briansmithwins
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Another factor that .223 has going for it over 7.62x39 is the flatter trajectory. It's easy to zero .223 at 50 yards and be +-2" of line of sight out to ~230 yards. That makes estimating distance a non problem for most conditions.
7.62x39 is much less forgiving with its rainbow trajectory.
BSW
7.62x39 is much less forgiving with its rainbow trajectory.
BSW
jimmyraythomason
Member
Maybe, maybe not but it doesn't answer this question....
CarJunkieLS1
Member
For a semi auto 30 caliber in a lightweight AR platform I'd seriously consider the 30 Remington AR. It will stomp the poo out of deer and beats the 300blk and 7.62x39 in every way. A Remington R-15 in 30 Rem AR will be same price or cheaper than a mini 30 and ammo is easily found online.
If your only choices are for a mini 14 or mini 30 I'd pick the mini 30.
If your only choices are for a mini 14 or mini 30 I'd pick the mini 30.
Deaf Smith
Member
Well I admit, never heard of the .30 Remington AR except the OLD 30 Remington used in the old Model 8 semi.
But this new AR round gets a 123 SP at 2,800 fps. Not bad.
Deaf
CarJunkieLS1
Member
The 30 Rem AR will push a 125gr bullet at 2800fps it will get a 150gr bullet to 2550-2600. Remington makes a 125gr Barnes TSX load and a 125gr Accutip (SST). The Accutip load has been very accurate in my 30 AR and a good friends 30 AR. He used the factory Accutip load and dropped 3 deer with authority last year. I used a 150gr SST handload and the deer I shot went down quickly. The 30 Rem AR copies the ballistics of the .300 Savage
I have seen 4 deer taken with a 30 AR and it does just as good as any popular deer caliber (243,7-08,308,30-06) etc. IMO for the AR-15 platform and having factory ammo available it is the best option for hunting deer sized game. Load a 150gr premium bonded bullet and elk are on the menu to a few hundred yards.
jimmyraythomason
Member
And...another Ruger Mini thread morphs into just another AR thread.
crashdummy
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Check the barrel on the mini 30. They were originally .311, but at some point changed to .308.
Ruger can advise of the changeover point. Correct bullet diameter can improve performance.
Ruger can advise of the changeover point. Correct bullet diameter can improve performance.
kBob
Member
jimmyray,
You knew someone was gonna do it.
Of the two choices the OP gave us in his case, assuming he is in VA ,and wants to hunt with it, then a Mini-30.
-kBob
You knew someone was gonna do it.
Of the two choices the OP gave us in his case, assuming he is in VA ,and wants to hunt with it, then a Mini-30.
-kBob
jimmyraythomason
Member
Actually, the opposite is true. The Mini 30 began with a .308 bore and was changed to the correct .311 bore in 1992. http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=15904/GunTechdetail/Ruger-Mini-30-bore-specs
KasualObserver
Member
Neither are great choices
I have a Mini-14 and really enjoy it. That said, I don't think any choice in the Ruger Mini series would do well for your goals:
1. Several states don't allow 223 for deer hunting, based on a belief that the caliber is not big enough to reliably kill (whether we believe this or not is immaterial since the law is the law)
2. However, 223 has much flatter ballistics than 7.62x39. The range of the 7.62x39 cartridge is quite short, a bit worse than 30-30 in terms of hunting, i.e. good for the brush and the forest but not for the plains and hills - not sure how that affects you in VA. It is also not easy to find good hunting ammo.
3. 300 BLK is also a short range cartridge, excellent within 100 yard yards, but not much beyond it in terms of ballistics.
For smaller targets than deer (e.g. predators), I think the Mini-14 in 223 is well adapted and a fun rifle. For deer, if I absolutely had to pick I would go for the 300 BLK, for short range only, but, really, I would pick another rifle for that purpose: imho it is the wrong tool. So I agree w the suggestion of the Ruger American Rifle - but I know that's not what you want to hear
I have a Mini-14 and really enjoy it. That said, I don't think any choice in the Ruger Mini series would do well for your goals:
1. Several states don't allow 223 for deer hunting, based on a belief that the caliber is not big enough to reliably kill (whether we believe this or not is immaterial since the law is the law)
2. However, 223 has much flatter ballistics than 7.62x39. The range of the 7.62x39 cartridge is quite short, a bit worse than 30-30 in terms of hunting, i.e. good for the brush and the forest but not for the plains and hills - not sure how that affects you in VA. It is also not easy to find good hunting ammo.
3. 300 BLK is also a short range cartridge, excellent within 100 yard yards, but not much beyond it in terms of ballistics.
For smaller targets than deer (e.g. predators), I think the Mini-14 in 223 is well adapted and a fun rifle. For deer, if I absolutely had to pick I would go for the 300 BLK, for short range only, but, really, I would pick another rifle for that purpose: imho it is the wrong tool. So I agree w the suggestion of the Ruger American Rifle - but I know that's not what you want to hear
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Thanks for the link badkarmamib, i'll check out the Mini-14 in .300 Blackout and go from there.
Appreciate all the suggestions from everyone, i'll have a look in more detail tomorrow at some of the replies and check out what's on offer.
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crashdummy
Member
Jimmy is correct, I had it backwards. Thank you sir
deadduck357
Member
Mini-30 Tactical.
Sheepdog1968
Member
If hunting is in the picture I would go with mini-30. Many places don't allow hunting with 223.
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