• ODT Gun Show & Swap Meet - May 4, 2024! - Click here for info

Ruger Mini 30

Good for you. Wasn’t saying it was a standard for accuracy simply saying that a Mini 14 or 30 is a decent rifle. I guess mine that was built back in the early 80’s is an exception to the ones that won’t hit the broad side of a barn. LOL
I'm with you Bottom Polaris, I have both and no problem with either. maybe it wasn't the gun after all.
 
I owned a early model Mini-30 stainless. I put a Bushnell shotgun slug scope on it. It consistently shot 2" groups
at 100 yards. I killed two deer and many hogs with it. It was 100% reliable with factory mags and it shoots fast at running hogs. I sold it and bought the newest version Mini-30 Tactical. I mounted a Pulsar Thermal scope on it and it is my nighttime hog slayer. With the Pulsar I get consistent 3" or less groups at 200 yards. That's all I need for hogs.
In my opinion the Mini-30 7.62x39 is an effective rifle out to 225 yards. Beyond that the bullet drops too much and the velocity drops to a point where consistent bullet expansion is compromised. Night hog hunting in South, Georgia fields with a thermal scope can get you well within 150 yards to take shots. My buddies all hunt with AR-10's. At these ranges they aren't any more effective than I am with my much less expensive Mini-30. Ammo is cheaper, the gun costs less and it kills just as fast as an AR-10 platform if you are shooting at hogs under a 150 yards. I love my Mini-30.
 
Absolutely loved my Mini 30 that I had about 5 years ago. Stupid mistake selling it. I have never understood why people say the mini 14 or 30 isn’t accurate. Back in my better eyesight days, me and my buddy shot milk jugs at 200 plus yards all the time with our 80’s models Mini 14’s with the open peep sights with the cheapest ammo we could find. The 30 I had was as accurate as any AR or AK I have ever shot. Yea the magazines need to be Ruger factory mags to be the most reliable but I have several non factory mags that are very reliable also. Absolutely love Ruger products. Just my 2 cents.
Ive got an older one too that is just as accurate as my AR. And I had a newer model for for a short while that seemed just as accurate as the older model. Just didnt like the new one as much. Maybe I'm just not that good but I'm satisfied with the accuracy. The magazine situation sucks. Tapco 30s work but they just seem cheap. Got a few no-name 20s that work
 
Supposedly they 'accuraized' the later model runs, so an early one may be a little hit or miss in the accuracy dept (although I can't see it being worse than most AKs). I've seen 'accurizers' in Shotgun News back in the day, so if it's too bad you may want to look those up.

One thing to note is that there are two slightly different specs for 7.62x39 ammo, and Ruger recommends that you use ammo that conforms to the American spec. That will usually be US made brass cased stuff, not the cheap Wolf or Tul steel cased stuff.

That being said, I've shot US made, foreign brass, and foreign steel-cased in mine and none of them gave me any problems, However I do tend to use brass ammo in it rather than steel. I also only use real Ruger mags. As mentioned above, the rest are a waste of money.

If you get it, you may also be interested in the Ruger American Rifle in 7.62x39. It's a bolt action that uses Mini-30 mags as well, and is setup to handle both US and foreign-spec ammo. It's a nice bolt-action to go with the Mini-30.
 
Not sure of your budget, but when I win the lottery tonight, I'm buying a PTR32.

Shot Jeddak Jeddak 's at the range and what a SCHWEET shooter. Where my vz2008 felt like someone is smacking your shoulder the PTR was like a gentle push.

PTR11-1140x641.jpg


And oh, so sexy!
 
Not sure of your budget, but when I win the lottery tonight, I'm buying a PTR32.

Shot Jeddak Jeddak 's at the range and what a SCHWEET shooter. Where my vz2008 felt like someone is smacking your shoulder the PTR was like a gentle push.

PTR11-1140x641.jpg



And oh, so sexy!


Thanks for Showing me this now I got to get one :doh:
 
Thanks for Showing me this now I got to get one :doh:


LOL!

Who are you kidding - you would just trade/sell it to me at the next swap meet anyway!

Yeah, you won't be disappointed with this one. I've toyed with the idea of getting one of the two pistols offered and putting a folding brace on it...

images


iipsrv.fcgi
 
LOL!

Who are you kidding - you would just trade/sell it to me at the next swap meet anyway!

Yeah, you won't be disappointed with this one. I've toyed with the idea of getting one of the two pistols offered and putting a folding brace on it...

images


iipsrv.fcgi


Stop it you are killing my bank account.
 
I still like mine. I toyed with the idea of a braced pistol, but too much money fir me right now.

Not sure of your budget, but when I win the lottery tonight, I'm buying a PTR32.

Shot Jeddak Jeddak 's at the range and what a SCHWEET shooter. Where my vz2008 felt like someone is smacking your shoulder the PTR was like a gentle push.

PTR11-1140x641.jpg


And oh, so sexy!
 
Alright...I've been thinking that I want a Mini 30 for a while now and have ran across a very early model for what "I" feel is a reasonable price and in reasonable condition. I really don't know that much about the model so somebody school me on these. Oh yeah. Before the AR and AK gurus chime in, I'm really not a fan of those platforms.
To answer one of your original questions, when I was looking for one, I would have snapped it up at sub $700 pricing. I passed over $750, but this was a few years ago.
 
Back
Top Bottom