Ruger Mini 30 for $600, should I buy it.

[husker]

you cant match my hbar 1-7 twist with no out of the box mini.580 or not. go get the bull barrel put it on or buy the target mini new and it aint cheap.it aint hard to get to the $1000 range with any thing any more.

 

[aka108]

The Mini 30 was the least accurate rifle I ever owned. Told the guy who bought it that it was the worst rifle I ever owned but he still wanted it in the worst way.

 

[WardenWolf]

I would not buy a used Mini-30 unless I knew it was one of the newer ones. The old ones had out-of-spec barrels. The newer ones, though, are very accurate. What many Mini-14 and Mini-30 owners do not realize is there are effectively 2 completely different versions of each. The early versions were indeed very poor guns, but the newer ones are quite accurate.

 

[partssman]

I got a model 60 S&W with ammo I'll trade for a mini 30

 

[Travis Bickle]

Price is a little high, but still within normal range.

There are those who will excoriate the Mini for poor accuracy. It's true that the accuracy is nothing to write home about, but it's still accurate enough for its intended purpose, which is hitting center of mass at 100 yards or less.

In short, the Mini is a fun plinker, an adequate defensive rifle and it won't break the bank. I own one and have no complaints, considering the price I paid for it.

 

[Runningman]

I wouldn't give a nickle for a mini 30. I bought a Mini 30 when they 1st came out. It is long gone, don't mis it one bit. Accuracy was extremely bad. It was not reliable with some surplus ammo. Ammo my old Chinese SKS had no problems with. The SKS also shot much better.

 

[wally]

To me a Mini-30 or Mini-14 is a better buy than a beat up re-import M1 Carbine for about this price. OTOH, if you want more than a 5-shot magazine, I'd skip the Mini-30. Ruger only makes 5-rounders, and all the after market ones are doing good to go 10 rounds without a stoppage.

"Other than *that*, MS. Lincoln, how'd you enjoy the play?"

Unless you are married to the 7.62x39 round, consider the Mini-14 instead. Handy gun, not a tack driver, but as good as you average AK in terms of group size, and Ruger is selling the good 20-round mags to anybody now.

I agree for a little more money an AR is better overall, but I love the handiness of the Mini or M1 Carbine. But the M1 Carbine these days is an oddball pretty much one gun caliber.

--wally.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

Ruger made improvements to the M30 with the 189 series mainly the .310 barrell, they shoot better than the early ones and the 'new' models even better. good 10 round mags are easy to find and USA 20's can be made 100% with a little tweaking.
bullet hoses they aren't but good bush rifles or for rural home protection they are good. I enjoy shooting mine and use it to fill my doe tags. 1 shot=1 doe, never needed a follow-up.

 

[C5Cruiser]

I would say shop around a little more but the effort may not be worth it. I would buy it if it were me or at least put money down on it.
I just think that they're kinda cool.

 

[benEzra]

For that price, I'd want some decent magazines, not just the single 5-rounder.

FWIW, I have never owned a Mini Thirty, but owned a Mini-14 Ranch Rifle (188 series, circa 1989) for a decade and a half. Finally sold it because I liked my Romanian AK better, and the AK was more accurate. The new-production Mini's (580 series and up) are reportedly more accurate than the older Mini's like mine, though.

 

[rangerruck]

If it was made in the last 2 years, then yes, and that is a heck of a price, otherwise , no. Wait on the Saiga.