Ruger Mini 30 Ammo what is your Favorite 7.62x39 ?

I purchased a new Mini 30 Ranch 7.62x39 today. :lol:

(What are YOU using in your Mini 30, your Favorite Ammo)
Ammo Brand, and what your use is i.e Hunting Deer, Pigs, Bobcats, Self Defense Round, Plinking, Full Metal Jacket, Soft Point, Hollow Point, Bi-Metal, Brass, 123 gr, 154 gr, etc... 8)

Federal American Eagle 124 gr.Brass FMJ
Monarch 123 gr. FMJ
Silver Bear 125 gr.
Wolf 124 gr. FMJ
Wolf 124 gr. SP
Golden Tiger 124 FMJ
OK I think there must be another 100 or so what is you Favorite...


And any Ammo to stay away from, i.e bad for the Mini 30, Bad in General or just plain Crap...

A GREAT topic!!!

My faves are:

Fiocchi FMJ for target practice
Sellier & Bellot SP for hunting

Both brands work very well for me. Every single round goes bang when I pull the trigger, the bullets go exactly where I point the rifle, the ammo doesn't stink or gunk up my gun, and in the case of the S&B, every animal that I've pointed my gun at has fallen over right in their tracks.

My Mini30 does not like any of the steel cased ammo - I had 2-5 fail to fire per box with Wolf, fully half of the Golden Tiger wouldn't fire first time around in it........................I don't even bother with steel case anymore. I might put one of those stronger Wolf springs in it if I ever do any hotrodding on the gun. I've read that helps with the hard primers in the steel cased stuff.

I've tried a few boxes of Winchester. It works just fine, but seems a little dirtier & stinkier than the Fiocchi and S&B. It's also a little more expensive than them.

Cabela's is carrying a Hungarian brand called MFS that's brass cased & pretty cheap. There are some good reviews of it on the Cabela's website - has anyone here tried it yet???

Thanks!!!

Prefer to use Prvi Partizan SP ammo for hunting. For plinking the cheap surplus steel-cased ammo is ok. 8)

Here's my Mini-30 with a Weaver 1x3 scope.

what shot well in mine was a handload using the hornady vmax bullet. I see hornday is making ammo with steal cases and that bullet and it might be worth a try for you.

Lloyd Smale":zl1fzol9 said:

what shot well in mine was a handload using the hornady vmax bullet. I see hornday is making ammo with steal cases and that bullet and it might be worth a try for you.

Click to expand...

Same for me, the Hornady VMAX with winchester cases and 28 Grains of H322 is very accurate and reliable in my Mini30.

Nothing beats the 110 V max and IMR4198 in my Mini 30.

I will be picking up the New Mini 30 next week, I have orders some, Golden Tiger, Brown Bear, MFS 2000, Remington, Wolf, and when I get a Chance I will give a report here as to my findings.

you might want to consider using american ammo only---the russian 7.76x39 measures out at .311, whereas the amer ammo is a true .308. I'm not sure how that would affect function, but on of my hunting partners has one and with the Wolf, accuracy is non-existant.

luvs2hunt62":1klo6c2u said:

you might want to consider using american ammo only---the russian 7.76x39 measures out at .311, whereas the amer ammo is a true .308. I'm not sure how that would affect function, but on of my hunting partners has one and with the Wolf, accuracy is non-existant.

Click to expand...

I purchased Some Ammo and here are the Dimensions if this matters.
Golden Tiger .309 dia. 2.185 long.
Remington .309 dia. 2.139 long.
Brown Bear .309 dia. 2.189 long.
Wolf Performance .309 dia. 2.195 long.
Wolf Military Classic .309 dia. 2.184 long.
MFS 2000 .310 dia. 2.187 long. arrived Friday

So as you can see the Diameters of all the ammo I purchased were all the Same (the only exception was the MFS 2000) which arrived Friday.
The total Overall length of the Ammo varied up to .046 and I do not see that as being a problem at all.

as they say, the proof is in the pudding. shoot it all in your gun, and let the results speak for themselves.

I just mic-ed my wolf 154 gr soft tip, in front of the lacquer seal, and they came out to .312 to .314------good luck with your gun and happy shooting

SReagle, if you don't mind, let me know how the MFS ammo works out for you. I was thinking of buying some - the price is certainly right. Thanks!!!

Golden Tiger
Remington
Brown Bear
Wolf Performance
Wolf Military Classic
MFS 2000

I am planing on shooting about 40-60 round's of each soon, and I will post my results after. :roll:

#1. 40 rds Remington 123gr. MC (Every Round Fired & Tight Group)
#2. 40 rds Golden Tiger 124gr. FMJBT (Every Round Fired & Tight Group)
#3. 40 rds MFS 2000 124gr. FMJ (Every Round Fired & Tight Group)
#4. 40 rds Brown Bear 123gr. HP (Every Round Fired & Good Group)
#5. 40 rds Ulyanovsk Cartridge Works 123gr. FMJ (Big 5 store Ammo) (1 Round did Not Fire & Group was OK)
#6. 20 rds Wolf Performance 122gr. FMJ (1 Round did Not Fire & Group was Not to Bad)
#7. 20 rds Wolf Military Classic 122gr. FMJ (1 Round did Not Fire & Group could of been better.)

Now keep in mind this is the first time I shot this Rifle and first time shooting a Mini 30 OK also was adjusting the scope, with that said I have put the Ammo in Order of Best #1. to Worst #7. this is only My Opinion.
You may have different results.

Next time at the Range I will concentrate on setting up my Iron Sights at about 50 yards.

In conclusion I would say that either the Golden Tiger or the MFS-2000 will be my Go-to Ammo, I had a hard time putting one or the other in #2 and #3 position I think it could go either way, and perhaps it may after I get to put a few hundred rounds of each thru the Mini 30.

I will add more after I get another chance to go to the Shooting Range, by the way I would not hesitate on Purchasing either the Golden Tiger or the MFS-2000, I just can't see going wrong either way.

Till next Time.


I did not have any Sellier & Bellot or any American Eagle perhaps another time I get a chance I will have to get some and try as well :roll:

SR. thanks for your report. I'm going to order some MFS from Cabela's & try it out in my Mini 30. For what it's worth, if you can find it, try some Fiocchi, I've had GREAT luck with it. It's top quality brass cased ammo, now made in the USA.

Thanks!!!

I just got my mini 30 back first chance I get I will shoot some Fiocchi and update the results perhaps I will try some other ammo as well.

4Sixteen":dm9qdjug said:

Prefer to use Prvi Partizan SP ammo for hunting. For plinking the cheap surplus steel-cased ammo is ok. 8)

Here's my Mini-30 with a Weaver 1x3 scope.

Click to expand...

1-3x28mm 1-3x32mm ?? Interested and how do you like that set-up.