Foxtrot427
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- Jan 24, 2006
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Id trust a FAL or cetme before a mini-30
Mini 30 as a Budget SHTF/Utility Rifle?
- Thread starter MinScout
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ID_shooting
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DISCLAIMER: The following comments are not flame attepts or intended to be personal hits, but...
...my BS-O-METER just blew a gasket.
orionengnr:
"I have a Mini 30 and had a Mini 14. Both were/are great funtioning carbines. I have(had) 5, 20, 30 round mags, factory and aftermarket. Never had a problem with any of them."
DUDE, run, don't walk to your nearest 7-11 and buy lottery tickets right now!
colt.45:
"...sks's are notorious for 8moa accuracy. mini-14/30's are known for 4-5moa accuracy." "...ak's are also usually more accurate than stock mini's and achieve 3-4 moa,"
Wait, your telling us that (on average) AKs are more accuate than SKSs? So the unknown hundreds of threads on THR stating the opposite are false?
...my BS-O-METER just blew a gasket.
orionengnr:
"I have a Mini 30 and had a Mini 14. Both were/are great funtioning carbines. I have(had) 5, 20, 30 round mags, factory and aftermarket. Never had a problem with any of them."
DUDE, run, don't walk to your nearest 7-11 and buy lottery tickets right now!
colt.45:
"...sks's are notorious for 8moa accuracy. mini-14/30's are known for 4-5moa accuracy." "...ak's are also usually more accurate than stock mini's and achieve 3-4 moa,"
Wait, your telling us that (on average) AKs are more accuate than SKSs? So the unknown hundreds of threads on THR stating the opposite are false?
armoredman
Member
Sure it does...Enfield.
Just kidding - my Yugo SKS is my SHTF rifle...no lana for an FAL yet. I get 6 MOA, also known as minute of Nazi. It works perfectly so far, regardless of ammo.
The wifes WASR10 is nowhere near as accurate, but I think the front sight has something to do with it. Got a red dot to try, when I can get a mount for the side rail.
Just kidding - my Yugo SKS is my SHTF rifle...no lana for an FAL yet. I get 6 MOA, also known as minute of Nazi. It works perfectly so far, regardless of ammo.
The wifes WASR10 is nowhere near as accurate, but I think the front sight has something to do with it. Got a red dot to try, when I can get a mount for the side rail.
Foxtrot427
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- Jan 24, 2006
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- 512
Id also look at saigas
Kaylee
Member
What he said.
22-rimfire
Member
You love your AK's; well I have no desire to own one. I wouldn't be caught dead hunting deer with one. I have a mini-14 and have been satisfied with its functionality and accuracy. I didn't buy it for a long range varmint rifle and would never consider using it for deer hunting. What I like has no relevance to what you like, it is simply my preference just like I prefer revolvers over autos handguns. So enjoy your AK's.
J. Parker
Member
Yep, the CZ is a great SHTF and HD weapon
J. Parker
Member
Well sir,
Hopefully you'll get some good info. What you have to realize is all this yap is advice and opinion. Advising someone in a "rural" setting that a five shot bolt action rifle is the way to go, IMO, is not good advice.
I live ten miles from town. If an emergency were to happen it would take the police/sheriff at least 20-25 minutes to respond if not longer. Although home invasions aren't common they do happen in this area and why not a rural homestead......perfect target. I would never consider a bolt action rifle as my long gun of choice. An SKS, a Mini-14 (good mags are available), an AK-47, an AR-15 although pricey, etc. IMO, just about anything is better than a bolt-action.
All this yap is food for thought.......pick out the stuff you like (and/or makes sense to you) and discard the rest.
~John
Hopefully you'll get some good info. What you have to realize is all this yap is advice and opinion. Advising someone in a "rural" setting that a five shot bolt action rifle is the way to go, IMO, is not good advice.
I live ten miles from town. If an emergency were to happen it would take the police/sheriff at least 20-25 minutes to respond if not longer. Although home invasions aren't common they do happen in this area and why not a rural homestead......perfect target. I would never consider a bolt action rifle as my long gun of choice. An SKS, a Mini-14 (good mags are available), an AK-47, an AR-15 although pricey, etc. IMO, just about anything is better than a bolt-action.
All this yap is food for thought.......pick out the stuff you like (and/or makes sense to you) and discard the rest.
~John
A Mini-30 should be fine. There are good aftermarket mags out there, too. It's a better utility package than a stock SKS, though stripping the SKS down and changing the stock can improve that.
But if you don't already own one, I wouldn't buy one. They're a bit steep, IMHO.
I have a stainless/synthetic Mini-14, and it is 100% reliable with good magazines. It's very forgiving of dirt, fouling, and lack of lube. Some aftermarket magazines are a problem, but if they test out OK they will continue to work fine. I'm not going to sell it unless I've broke and in trouble.
But I'd be really reluctant to go out and drop $650 on a new one if I didn't own it already.
FALs are nice, but expensive and a bit ungainly.
Personally, I'd say that semiautos in general are overrated. More cleaning to do, less reliability, more parts to break.
A Marlin 336SS might well be a better choice than anything named so far. The CZ carbine is okay, but I've read that they're not as accurate as the full-sized CZ rifles. For the money, a rust-resistant Marlin in .30-30 is handier and just as accurate.
But if you don't already own one, I wouldn't buy one. They're a bit steep, IMHO.
I have a stainless/synthetic Mini-14, and it is 100% reliable with good magazines. It's very forgiving of dirt, fouling, and lack of lube. Some aftermarket magazines are a problem, but if they test out OK they will continue to work fine. I'm not going to sell it unless I've broke and in trouble.
But I'd be really reluctant to go out and drop $650 on a new one if I didn't own it already.
FALs are nice, but expensive and a bit ungainly.
Personally, I'd say that semiautos in general are overrated. More cleaning to do, less reliability, more parts to break.
A Marlin 336SS might well be a better choice than anything named so far. The CZ carbine is okay, but I've read that they're not as accurate as the full-sized CZ rifles. For the money, a rust-resistant Marlin in .30-30 is handier and just as accurate.
R.W.Dale
Member
[
This is America NOT Afghanistan. Even a single shot shotgun would be perfectly adequite for home defense especally if backed up with some kind of repeating handgun.
This is America NOT Afghanistan. Even a single shot shotgun would be perfectly adequite for home defense especally if backed up with some kind of repeating handgun.
Kaylee
Member
.. which basically goes back to "what are you looking for, a weapon that can serve double duty for hunting, or a hunting rifle that can serve as a weapon in a pinch?"
If the former, an AK series would be pretty good, a Mini ok, and yes, the CZ or .30-30 wouldn't be so hot. Heck, an AR or similar platform would be great as well.. just 'cause it ain't legal for taking large game don't mean it isn't possible. In a survival situation it would be just fine so long as you do your part and don't care about nicities like ethical hunting.
But krochus is right, we don't have mujhadin wandering the fields and valleys of Iowa en masse. Thus, if you're looking for something that is *mostly* a hunting/woodsrunning/utility rifle, a nice handy light lever or bolt gun would be just fine. Unless you're planning on joining up with your neighbors to fight off the Zombie Grizzly Bears, the odds of needing more firepower than the CZ or Marlin give you is vanishingly small... especially if combined with a pistol as already noted.
Basically, when you're looking for a compromise tool, you need first to define where on the continuum of needs you want to set your compromise at.
-K
If the former, an AK series would be pretty good, a Mini ok, and yes, the CZ or .30-30 wouldn't be so hot. Heck, an AR or similar platform would be great as well.. just 'cause it ain't legal for taking large game don't mean it isn't possible. In a survival situation it would be just fine so long as you do your part and don't care about nicities like ethical hunting.
But krochus is right, we don't have mujhadin wandering the fields and valleys of Iowa en masse. Thus, if you're looking for something that is *mostly* a hunting/woodsrunning/utility rifle, a nice handy light lever or bolt gun would be just fine. Unless you're planning on joining up with your neighbors to fight off the Zombie Grizzly Bears, the odds of needing more firepower than the CZ or Marlin give you is vanishingly small... especially if combined with a pistol as already noted.
Basically, when you're looking for a compromise tool, you need first to define where on the continuum of needs you want to set your compromise at.
-K
i just realized how much of a hypocrite i am being, so i apologize for any of my bull crap. i really gotta stop posting late at night:banghead:
i did some research on the sks. aparently the weight depends on where you got it from. romanians are supposed to weogh 11 lbs and chinese ones are 7.
i did some research on the sks. aparently the weight depends on where you got it from. romanians are supposed to weogh 11 lbs and chinese ones are 7.
Remington788
Member
As a side note, if you do get a mini-30, replace the hammer spring and recoil spring with Wolff springs. I did this to mine and the reliability with surplus ammo is now 100%. (I had problems with light hammer strikes)
jerkface11
Member
Wouldn't a pump action shotgun be the best SHTF/backup hunting gun? You can hunt ANYTHING WITH IT. And you won't look like a nut if you use it for home defense.
I have a mini 14 ranch and its more tempermental than my ex with pms. its the only gun i've ever shot that will cut the nail off a fencepost with one mag, then throw a group that looks more like a shotgun pattern with the next mag. i have lost the rear sight because the recoil shook the screw lose and it fell out. i've also had the scope come lose from the scope rings 2 times, and i've lost the two screws in the side of the stock several times. if my life ever depended on that gun i would have a hard time deciding whether to shoot it or use it for a club.:banghead:
I haven't checked out an SKS lately, I gather from the previous posts they are running around $200. I will not speak against the SKS, but the original post sounded like the poster was dealing with a little more budget.
My limited research tells me that Mini-30s are running $400-$500. If you are already committed to spending that kind of money, if you are set on a 7.62x39 rifle, and if you can get a reasonable price on a transfer, you can get a Vector AK for around $500.
It's a US made reciever with, I believe, Polish parts. Mine (yes, a statistical sample of one) has been excellent. 3 MOA or better at 100 with the Wolf, the limiting factor being the sights, not the barrel/ammo. Others can recommend other sources for AKs of equal quality.
Compared to the Mini 30, decent magazines for the Mini 14 are everywhere, and we pretty much know the truth of that situation. Spare parts are still hard to come by. Both parts and mags for the AK are available and cheap.
Reference: "In the real world the CZ will take care of any situation you are likely or unlikely to ever be in. If you can't win with the CZ then you've already lost reguardless of what other rifle may be in your hands."
I have to respectfully disagree. Completely.
A bolt gun is not an adequate defensive long gun. It is only an adequate offensive long gun if you are able to dictate the conditions of an engagement. If you have the remotest possiblity of hostiles identifying your position and firing at you, you will want a semi auto. The US isn't Afghanistan, but in the middle of a home invasion, or in the middle of the New Orleans fiasco last year, they looked remarkably similar.
Having any gun is a huge advantage over no gun. However, you should never willingly choose to fight with a bolt gun over an semiauto.
My limited research tells me that Mini-30s are running $400-$500. If you are already committed to spending that kind of money, if you are set on a 7.62x39 rifle, and if you can get a reasonable price on a transfer, you can get a Vector AK for around $500.
It's a US made reciever with, I believe, Polish parts. Mine (yes, a statistical sample of one) has been excellent. 3 MOA or better at 100 with the Wolf, the limiting factor being the sights, not the barrel/ammo. Others can recommend other sources for AKs of equal quality.
Compared to the Mini 30, decent magazines for the Mini 14 are everywhere, and we pretty much know the truth of that situation. Spare parts are still hard to come by. Both parts and mags for the AK are available and cheap.
Reference: "In the real world the CZ will take care of any situation you are likely or unlikely to ever be in. If you can't win with the CZ then you've already lost reguardless of what other rifle may be in your hands."
I have to respectfully disagree. Completely.
A bolt gun is not an adequate defensive long gun. It is only an adequate offensive long gun if you are able to dictate the conditions of an engagement. If you have the remotest possiblity of hostiles identifying your position and firing at you, you will want a semi auto. The US isn't Afghanistan, but in the middle of a home invasion, or in the middle of the New Orleans fiasco last year, they looked remarkably similar.
Having any gun is a huge advantage over no gun. However, you should never willingly choose to fight with a bolt gun over an semiauto.
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