Ruger Mini Thirty. On the fence.

I just got a mini 30. I love it. It's minute of clay pigeon at 100 yards. I plan to see what it does out further soon.

I have a Sig buck masters on mine. 4x12x44 mm. https://www.amazon.com/Buckmasters-...d_grid_rp_0_1_ec_pd_gwd_bag_pd_gw_rp_2_t&th=1

I can't help you with the Mini-30 but I do have a Mini-14 580 series with the heavier tapered barrel and with open sights and cheap steel cased Monarh ammo from Academy it stays in the 2.5" range at 100 yards with open sights.

I have never scoped it and don't plan to. Its been reliable even with Pro-Mag 20 round magazines. Mine is SS with wood stock. I like it way better than the two ARs I own. I would say go for it. Some will say it cost too much for what it is. When the Mini-14 came out in 1976 it sold for $200. Sounds like a deal right? If you use an inflation calculator that $200 in 1976 comes out to $1097.83 in todays dollars. So it really cost no more than the original price.

Sure you can get a budget AR for less. But its plastic and aluminum with a little steel where needed. I just like the way the Mini looks and like how they feel in my hands. I could sell my ARs and not feel bad about it. But my mini, you will have to pry it... well, you know.

I have a cheap Burris 3-9X Fullfield on mine and its fine out to 200. For me, the trigger is the limiting factor on accuracy, rather than any issues with the barrel.

I know there are ways to improve it, but for my purposes, its good enough. I've never had a malfunction of any sort with the Ruger.

I say go for it.

I have no problem trading a gun I don't use for one I will use.

jmr40 said:

I have no problem trading a gun I don't use for one I will use.

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If you trade two for one is that downsizing.
That's how I got my current mini thirty.

Thought about getting one as well.
Have a AK and a SKS already.
Wound up buying a Ruger American Ranch bolt gun instead.

CoalCrackerAL:

Well, as your Mini-30 is "minute of clay pigeon at 100 yards", for 200 yards just put four pigeons together into a tight square. It really won't matter and you will have four times as many targets.

Luckily there isn't a drone flying overhead which will report us if we need more than one shot to destroy each clay pigeon.

I'd trade a cheaper savage for the ruger, just to flip it but if I had to add cash to even value, no, I'd get a better, less expensive platform than the mini.

you'll appreciate the rapid rate of fire plinking if you shoot very many rounds. I have a Mini-14, like the action and the way it works. I don't have a calling for a Mini-30 currently, but wouldn't hesistate to get a decent one. I don't know with the 30 if the current ones are better accuracy, but that is the case with the 14. I'd look into it a bit to see what you are getting, if it is the same situation a newer model number will likely be much more accurate.

The Mini-30 is a great little carbine. I've had mine for over 30 years. I've had trigger work done, reduced gas bushing, which are very popular mods. It sports the original wood stock. My Mini-30 shoots under 2-inch groups @100 yards on the worst days with the cheapest ammo. On my best days I've managed 1-5/8" groups. But many of my Mini-30 compadres shoot their old and new Mini-30s better than that, some of them manage 1" groups, which is technically, just barely sub MOA. Pretty sweet though.

Don't underestimate the Mini-30. Be ready to do a little tweaking to bring it to full potential, like any good rifleman should. That's always been half the fun of it for me. I plan on adding a newer version when I get the opportunity. So I'll have two... old and new.

I've been a fan of 7.62x39 since the 1980s. Many factory loads don't come close to it's full potential. I shoot factory steel case, brass case, and my souped up handloads, which I call 7.62x39 +P. I have Burris scopes. I've used forward mounted scout scopes since shortly after I bought the Mini new. I use conventional receiver mounted scopes as well. Nothing very pricey. I like the Burris Fulfilled II and the very similar Droptine, both of them 3-9x40 with ballistic plex reticle. I also have a 2-7x35 Fullfield II that makes things a bit lighter and handier.

200+ yards for medium game like whitetail is easy. Hogs are even easier. I set my zero at 200 yards. Anything between me and about 230 yards ain't going nowhere if I decide to shoot it.

I've never shot it beyond 300 yards and I certainly wouldn't hunt with it that far out. But it will ring the gong if I do my part. It has greater effective range than 300 yards in a combat sense. A few of my Mini-30 friends have reached out as much as 500 yards. Must be nice to have all that open space

If I could only keep one gun, the Mini-30 would be it.

I got lucky with my 30. It drops the brass on the bench. My 14 i put the reduced bushings in.

At one time I had two safes full of rifles. I was paying about $1,000 a year for extra insurance to cover them. After a while I figured out that insuring, keeping them stored and oiled for guns I’d never fired and probably never would fire didn’t make sense. They went away. I no longer own guns just to own guns.

For me, if I don’t have a use for one it goes away. Unless there is some over riding sentimental reason to keep one, it can be replaced

In the end, it’s just stuff. For whatever reason humans are pre-wired to accumulate “stuff”. Watch George Carlin’s routine on “stuff” and you’ll get my point. Anyway, were I in your position (which I was many times), at this point I’d do a trade rather than accumulate

I've gotten out of 7.62x39 as it's no longer cheap like once was. I haven't checked in awhile but I probably still have 1k to 2k of steel case 7.62x39 on hand. I just don't want to replace it at what it's going for now. I'd rather shoot bulk brass 5.56 / 223 at that price.

7.62x39 $0.42 per round (steel case)

5.56 $0.40 per round (PMC brass case)

I plan on getting to the club with the 300 yard range today. I'll report my results then.

I have a Mini-14 in .300bo, bought it new and have been happy with the accuracy.
With a scope it groups well at 100 yards but I've tried a scope and a red dot and finally decided to just upgrade the crappy rear sight with a Tech Sight and that is my favorite setup. I may spring for an Ultimak front rail one day and go back to the red dot but for now the irons work.
I also have a Ruger Am Ranch bolt action in .300bo and if you want to get closer to your Savage's accuracy, I'd recommend that setup in 7.62x39. But I have no plans to get into .308 or 30-06 so the 'baby garand' Mini-14 fits the bill for me.
7.62x39 is a great cartridge, too many people buy the cheapest 7.62x39 around then complain it's not accurate. Not as cheap as it used to be but neither is .300bo or 5.56.
The biggest complaints with old Mini-30s seem to have been fixed, they're more accurate and more reliable with steel case.
Not sure if there's any new aftermarket options for mags so make sure you're OK with the cost of Ruger factory mags. They're not cheap but top quality.

I got out today. But it didn't go well. I had bullets hitting all over the place. My scope rings were loose where they mount. I only had a small screw driver with me. It worked for about 5 shots then loose again. I put blue loctite on when i got home. And tightened with the popper screw driver.

CoalCrackerAl said:

I got out today. But it didn't go well. I had bullets hitting all over the place. My scope rings were loose where they mount. I only had a small screw driver with me. It worked for about 5 shots then loose again. I put blue loctite on when i got home. And tightened with the popper screw driver.

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Is brass hitting your windage cap ? Mine does.

I just checked. Yes it is. I looked at my 14 too. It's not on it. Im going to back the loads down to 23 grain of CFE BLK. I ran with 24 grains today. Those didn't fall on the bench. Some got past my brass catch and flew about 15 feet.

I've changed the bushing a few times. I've got max load SP's flying 6 to 8 feet from 2:00 to 4:00 which is great but sure beat up the windage cap on my scope. I'll see how the brass deflecting scope was helping that pattern.

For me I'd be more tempted by a Ruger American ranch.

mavracer said:

For me I'd be more tempted by a Ruger American ranch.

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Your missing out if you don't have both. My favorites right now. Handloading on my turret press mostly.

I bought a Mini 30 when they first came out to use as brush gun for deer hunting. While I've killed a few deer with it I never liked the 7.62x39 for deer and it was just an extra deer rifle so I retired it from hunting. However it is a fun little carbine and I have stacks of x39 ammo for it. I removed the scope and put a Tech Sight rear peep on it. Hadn't shot it in about 10 years but just had it out last weekend. Other than the rear sight, it is completely stock. It is still a fun gun to shoot and I will likely never get rid of it. My eyes are getting old so I am considering putting a scope back on it.