Ruger Mini 30...

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battlehatch

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I have a friend who has a Mini 30 that he might be willing to trade or sell to me. It's in perfect shape with extra mags, a scope, and a ton of ammo. I have shot a Mini 14 before, I was told to let the barrel cool down after every mag, is that necessary with the Mini 30? Tell me about this rifle please!
 
Its more for your benefit than a danger to the rifle so you dont burn your hands. Although you surely can burn out a barrel it takes quite a bit. The M30 is a fine gun and very reliable with factory mags well suited for medium range medium game. It could serve well for personell defense if Ruger would offer 10 or 20 rd factory mags but they wont. I've heard Mec Gar offers a very good mag for it but I've never seen one. Good luck
 
Yeah, the hot barrel affects accuracy and can burn you. You can get a stabilizer and a barrel shroud to deal with these issues.

I'm guessing that the 30 doesn't get hot as fast as the 14, since the muzzle velocity of a 7.62x39 is a lot lower than .223/5.56. But I've never taken a chart-recording thermometer to the thing or anything.:)
 
i love my mini 30. Never had any problems , except the mags suck unless its factory.
 
Owned a Mini 30 for about 10 years. Very reliable, never bobbled a round. Was also the most inaccurate rifle I ever owned. Worse than a worn out AK. Talking with people at the ranges where I shoot, found out I wasn't alone. Surprised Ruger ever put in on the market. I do own a Ruger 77 in 7.62X39 and after replacing the trigger she's right on target with 1.5 in groupings pretty consistently, if I'm having a decent day.
 
Ruger leaves me feeling like a guy with a bucket on my head who's beating the bucket with a broom stick...

Why I'd love to love them:

Very strong guns (some of the strongest)

Very reliable guns (despite their looks)


Why I can't stand them:

Inaccurate expensive rifles aren't cool

Stupidly small operating controls

Recoil enhancing stock designs aren't making any friends


So although the 7.62X39 is to my mind the semi auto version of the 30-30, I'd sooner buy a Curio and Relic SKS and enjoy the supply of ammo I could then purchase instead of sinking my funds into an ill conceived Ruger design.

Now where is my broomstick?
 
Has anyone scoped a mini and found accuracy still sucked? I blame the sights for my poor shooting, as the ring is too small and the post too big. But I've never sat a bench with a scoped one.
 
I have a SS model and it is perfectly reliable even with with an add on 20 round mag. The down side is that it is less accurate than either my SKS or my Saiga in the same caliber.
RJ
 
Exactly how bad is the accuracy? Is the rifle going to work well for 100-200yds? I really don't want to trade a perfectly good pistol for a POS.
 
I have a scope on mine. i think it shoots fine. If its on extra pistol and you dont have a rifle, i dont see how you wouldnt like it. i do like my ar better though.
 
mini-30

have a 3-9 on mine and feed it a steady supply of wolf ammo.. not very accurate 3inch groups at 100... but hell on hogs at 50... besides who needs accuracy when you have those 30 round clips to burn...
 
Well picked up the Mini 30 last night. It's in primo shape, came with a case, scope rings, 6 magazines, and 40 rounds of wolf 7.62. I can't wait to go out sunday and try her out.
 
Has anyone scoped a mini and found accuracy still sucked? I blame the sights for my poor shooting, as the ring is too small and the post too big. But I've never sat a bench with a scoped one.
Click to expand...
Yes. Most of the accuracy issues with the mini-14 come from the skinny barrel and the fact that there's a gas block cantilevered off it, that pushes a HEAVY gas piston when the rifle is fired.

They are good guns, and 100% reliable, but not tack drivers even with optics.
 
Mini 30 Accuracy

I've had people tell me not to use Wolf as the slightly larger bullet will damage the barrel. I've also heard that when US and russian are sized, they measure the same. I can tell you that I can hit dead on everytime with the first bullet, but the barrel heats up so quick that every round after hits 1-3 inches higher. I have to let the barrel cool before I can hit bullseye again. Has this happened to anyone else?
 
I was unloading a 20 rounder out of my Mini-14 in my front yard (about 15 yards from the driveway) and most of the brass hit my mom's car :D

I shoot 20 rounds out of my Mini very fast all the time and it wouldn't burn your hands unless you tried to be a dip**** and stick your fingers inside the handguard. I of course take breaks and let it cool sometimes, but god no not after every shot, more like after every 15 fast or if you're shooting sparingly, you don't have to let it cool at all.

Now I will agree they aren't as accurate as ARs, but they sure as hell aren't as erratic as many people claim them to be. At least not the ones I've shot.

And to answer someones question, the reason guns are less accurate when the barrels are hot is because the steel molecules in the barrel are moving fast.
 
My left/right is not effected but my up down is. If I fire a three round bench rest series, my first shot is dead on, the second is about 1.5" up and the third is about 1" up from that. Each time I reaim so that isn't an issue. Once the barrel cools for about 2-3 minutes, I again hit center.
 
Six inches at 200 yards, out of both my long-gone Mini 14 and my more- recently-gone Mini 30.

Both with iron sights, and probably as good as my old eyes can expect...
 
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