i know this is an old thread, but i had to reply.
id bet the farm that all of you guys who got "terrible" groups were most likely shooting comblock ammunition. ive owned several mini 30s over the years, including one right now, and i learned a long time ago that they shoot absolutely terrible with the el-cheapo wolf or other comblock crap. i handload for my mini 30, and get absolutely fantastic groups. 1/2" 100 yard groups are about the norm from the bench, but on a good day it will shoot 1 hole 5 shot cloverleafs at 100 yards no problem with 125gr nosler ballitic tips and 31 grains of BL(C)2 powder and CCI magnum primers. if i load with the 100gr ballistic tip hornadays, the groups open up, but not much.i noticed early on that the mini 30 prefers bullets in the 120 to 130 range, with 125 being the best for accuracy
remeber that the mini 30's barrel IS NOT .311 , but .308 . ruger designed the mini 30 with a .311 forcing cone to force the .311 bullets down to .308 when fired, but in doing so, accuracy suffers big time.
i know alot of guys have that "7.62X39MM is so cheap, why bother to handload?" additude and mentality , but accuracy is why. that comblock ammo is good if your shooting a SKS or AK series rifle, or a saiga (remeber, there russian made and designed for the .311 ammunition) but you wont get good accuracy out of a mini 30 with it. i know this might sound like a tall statment, but id shoot against any one of those rifles with my mini 30 without hesitation. they can shoot what they feel is the best ammo for there gun, and ill shoot my handloads anyday anyway. i own a remington 799, a CZ527 and a couple of other 7.62 bolt action rifles, including a custom made , and my mini 30 will shoot as good if not better than any of them (including the custom)
im in northern california, and would be happy to shoot side by side against any AK,saiga or SKS with my mini
its also the same almost with the mini 14. ruger manufactered the mini 14 in a couple of different twist rates, and alot of guys shoot the surplus 5.56 ball ammo in them, which is OK for plinking, but accuracywise, it sucks. i load hornaday match 60gr hollowpoints for my mini 14, and it loves them. granted, after about 10 shots fired, my goups open up, but it will also shoot cloverleafs from a cold clean barrel