Mini 30
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57springer
Buckeye
I have 2 mini 30s, and never any issues . I want to add that I don't use cheap commie ammo though . 8) .
Donnieweps
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Never any problems with my Mini30. Despite the naysayers, mine is a 581 series with the heavier profile barrel and is about a 1.25 MOA gun with a 2-7X scope off the bench. I'm not the best bench rest shooter.
More clout than a 5.56, particularly in terms of barrier penetration. Mine clocks 2475fps with 123gr Fiocchi FMJs for 1673 ft lbs, far more than a .223/5.56mm AR.
Another advantage over ARs is the time to clean one. If you clean everything on a direct impingement AR it's time consuming, probably 25 min to strip it, take the bolt out and apart, clean that and the inside of the receiver, clean the barrel extension lugs and that's if the firing pin retaining pin likes you and goes in promptly.
Mini30 is 5 min with a Boresnake. Mine has been very reliable and the stock trigger is better than the stock MILSPEC AR trigger. I had an AR with a Timney trigger which was better than the Mini but that was close to $200 extra.
Get one! Don
More clout than a 5.56, particularly in terms of barrier penetration. Mine clocks 2475fps with 123gr Fiocchi FMJs for 1673 ft lbs, far more than a .223/5.56mm AR.
Another advantage over ARs is the time to clean one. If you clean everything on a direct impingement AR it's time consuming, probably 25 min to strip it, take the bolt out and apart, clean that and the inside of the receiver, clean the barrel extension lugs and that's if the firing pin retaining pin likes you and goes in promptly.
Mini30 is 5 min with a Boresnake. Mine has been very reliable and the stock trigger is better than the stock MILSPEC AR trigger. I had an AR with a Timney trigger which was better than the Mini but that was close to $200 extra.
Get one! Don
Well the perceived advantage to a mini-30 is I personally believe a disadvantage. You can shoot cheap commie ammo in it. My experience is a lot of this stuff is the dirtiest nastiest ammo ever made..... Often, it does not even smell right when you shoot it.
Donnieweps
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I agree with two previous posters regarding ammo. I only use SAAMI spec ammo. I've heard of too many broken firing pins in Minis from shooting Chicom/Former Soviet Union stuff with hard primers.
Ruger won't sell the parts so you have to send the bolt to them or buy a FP from Brownell's and do it yourself.
Another reason I really like the Mini is that it looks like a "real" gun, the AR still doesn't to me. Before I get hammered, that's just a visual impression, ARs are excellent platforms and easily configurable to whatever you want, far more parts for them than Minis. ARs are even dominating long range competitions using heavy, high BC slugs seated out. Don
Ruger won't sell the parts so you have to send the bolt to them or buy a FP from Brownell's and do it yourself.
Another reason I really like the Mini is that it looks like a "real" gun, the AR still doesn't to me. Before I get hammered, that's just a visual impression, ARs are excellent platforms and easily configurable to whatever you want, far more parts for them than Minis. ARs are even dominating long range competitions using heavy, high BC slugs seated out. Don
Well can't say I've seen many AR at long range competition or even just shooting. Mostly RPR, couple Hawkeye, Savage and a few $$$$$ custom jobs.
As for ammo a friend wanted me to go in on some bargain mill surplus. 5, 10,000 round crates for dirt cheap. Luckily I didn't have the money! He had consistent cleaning problems, hang fires, misfires, ... He added up all his extra costs and found that he could have bought quality US ammo for $0.01 round more. The key with 7.62x39 is good ammo!
As for ammo a friend wanted me to go in on some bargain mill surplus. 5, 10,000 round crates for dirt cheap. Luckily I didn't have the money! He had consistent cleaning problems, hang fires, misfires, ... He added up all his extra costs and found that he could have bought quality US ammo for $0.01 round more. The key with 7.62x39 is good ammo!
I've taken a number of deer with my original Mini 30. Bought it as a back up brush gun and it's served in that capacity pretty well. I've shot steel cased ammo through it on occasion and never had an issue but mostly I used brass cases hunting ammo. Mine is about a 4 moa rifle accuracy wise. That's good enough for what I use it for.
Donnieweps
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grobin said:
No one and certainly not Ruger ever suggested the MInis were precision rifles in the lexicon of today's shooters, so that statement has no merit.
Want a precision rifle, they're everywhere and the best are exceedingly expensive. Don
Don't forget the Mini in .300bo if you want .30cal fun. Mine's been great.
There's more energy in 7.62x39 but I think the bullet selection for .300bo is better if you're not reloading.
From what I've read there's no guarantees a mini 30 is gonna run all brands of steel case ammo. In ARs chambered for 7.62x39 having an enhanced firing pin is required for reliable ignition. I've not seen an aftermarket mini 30 enhanced firing pin.
I think last batch of Geco brass case 7.62x39 I bought was just over 40 cents/round, but it's not as easy to find as PPU, which I can usually find for 50 cents a pop, same cost as .300bo Magtec or S&B.
There's more energy in 7.62x39 but I think the bullet selection for .300bo is better if you're not reloading.
From what I've read there's no guarantees a mini 30 is gonna run all brands of steel case ammo. In ARs chambered for 7.62x39 having an enhanced firing pin is required for reliable ignition. I've not seen an aftermarket mini 30 enhanced firing pin.
I think last batch of Geco brass case 7.62x39 I bought was just over 40 cents/round, but it's not as easy to find as PPU, which I can usually find for 50 cents a pop, same cost as .300bo Magtec or S&B.
Unfortunately there seem to be folks who can't read. My comments on long range were explicitly for the AR! I never said that the mini was a long range platform nor that the 7.62x39 was a long range cartridge.
I have had some good luck with steel cases, and some bad luck as well. Just don't fall for the dirt cheap "surplus ammo". The junk my friend had problems couldn't be traced back for sure but was apparently illegally imported North Korean!
I have had some good luck with steel cases, and some bad luck as well. Just don't fall for the dirt cheap "surplus ammo". The junk my friend had problems couldn't be traced back for sure but was apparently illegally imported North Korean!
As I've posted in another thread.... I helped with a shoot a few years back with some friends and brought my mini-30 with me... and some good Georgia Arms ammo.... they shot that up and then unknown to me ran some cheap ass (Wolfe I think) bulk ammo through it... one guy had brought a AK-47 .... when I got home to clean my weapons.. all were pretty clean except for one... the mini-30. It looked like someone had poured mud down the barrel...
