Compare: Mini-14 v Mini-30

[Ed Zachary]

I have a chance to get a good deal on a 14 or a 30 (but can't afford both!).

For the folks who have more than a passing familiarity with both, besides the different calibers, how do the two compare? Accuracy, reliability, cost to feed, etc.

I'm looking for something for plinking, ventilating varmints, and maybe reaching out and touching varmints a couple hundred yards out. Just in case. We lives a bit off'n the road, ya know.

Oh, BTW. Thanks for all in input re: AKs a while back.

[Kegger]

7.62 is a nice heavy round, that carries it's kinetic energy for a far longer distance than .223.

And it can be very accurate, but overall most of it isn't premium ammo. Though it can be a lot cheaper depending on where you go.

Edited December 18, 2009 by Kegger
Spelling ownage

[turkeydad]

let no one fool you 7.62x39 for a mini 30 will not be cheaper than .223. . sure there is alot of steel cased 7.62x39 that is alot cheaper than .223 but the mini 30's do not like the steel cased berden primed cheap ammo

[Magiccarpetrides]

I have heard the mini 30's have a lot of feeding issues also.

[Guest page90lx]

Yeah, a friend bought one it would hardly feed and fire steel case, he went to walmart and bought winchester and has had no problems.

[Guest 5Legion]

I've owned both - sold the mini-14s but the mini-30 is my keeper. Ruger just started making factory 20 rnd mags for the mini-30 which is huge. still mine likes walmart ammo with pro-mag 10 rounders just fine. personally, i like the 7.62 x39 and that could be used for whitetail if needed. the newer 580 series heavier barrels are improved - my new 580 is more accurate with iron sights at 100 yds than my old one was with a scope! My mini-30 does not like wolf. Still, it's one of my fav carbines.

[wareagle]

My mini-30 has not a single FTF or FTE. All issues relatd to poor quality USA mags. A hogue overmold stock and nikon 32mm scope have made mine relatively accurate with cheap ammo. I would not sell mne.

[kesava]

I feel the 223 will be more accurate than 7.62x39, but the 7.62x39 will be more powerful.

Would you say that because it shoots flatter or stays supersonic longer? In my experience, both rounds can be really accurate, but I have never looked at it like that. I assumed its just the gun. As for the mini-30, I could shoot just as good as any AR out at the 100 yard range.... but thats not saying alot.

[Guest jimdigriz]

let no one fool you 7.62x39 for a mini 30 will not be cheaper than .223. . sure there is alot of steel cased 7.62x39 that is alot cheaper than .223 but the mini 30's do not like the steel cased berden primed cheap ammo

The Mini 14 won't shoot steel-cased ammo either, correct? That's a deal-breaker for me. The brass-cased ammo is 15-25 cents a round more expensive. That means a lot less shooting, or a bigger hole in the budget.

[Guest nosnos]

I LOVE my mini-14. Honestly, I'm trying not to love it more than my AR... Sure costs less. And they just started making 30 round factory mags, so that's cool. Never had an issue, and I've fed it a decent amount of Wolf cheap stuff, with not a hiccup. Hope that's not bad for it.... :-\

Never shot a mini-30, but am hoping you don't mind me chiming in as well.

[Guest jimdigriz]

Never had an issue, and I've fed it a decent amount of Wolf cheap stuff, with not a hiccup.

Nice. Thanks for clearing up the steel-cased ammo question.

[Guest nosnos]

Yeah... I think what I've heard is that if a mini is picky it's by far most likely that it's a non-factory magazine problem. I've read a bunch from people who will go hundreds of rounds without even cleaning it (maybe not a great idea). When I look at the action on the mini-14 I can't help but notice the big, robust looking components. It LOOKS like it'll eat anything. And as I said, mine has so far.

The factory mags are pricey though. It seems that everyone agrees that it would be AWESOME if you could use AR mags. That's the only gripe I have.

[wareagle]

The Mini 14 won't shoot steel-cased ammo either, correct? That's a deal-breaker for me. The brass-cased ammo is 15-25 cents a round more expensive. That means a lot less shooting, or a bigger hole in the budget.

My mini-30 eats steel case with no issues. I think the "russian ammo problem" comes from internet hype. There are 2 issues that I've repeatedy heard.

First issue is that the owners manual warns against using ammo that is not SAAMI spec'd. Rumor i that the mini was spec'd different from the russian ammo.

Second, Ruger will not sell replacement firing pins. There is some hype that the minis cannot handle the russian ammo without bending a firing pin.

IN the end, mini's are reliable, fun to shoot and durable. Just find a source of good magazines and clean ammo.

[Guest 5Legion]

My mini-30 eats steel case with no issues. I think the "russian ammo problem" comes from internet hype. There are 2 issues that I've repeatedy heard.

First issue is that the owners manual warns against using ammo that is not SAAMI spec'd. Rumor i that the mini was spec'd different from the russian ammo.

Second, Ruger will not sell replacement firing pins. There is some hype that the minis cannot handle the russian ammo without bending a firing pin.

IN the end, mini's are reliable, fun to shoot and durable. Just find a source of good magazines and clean ammo.

I have a old tin of wolf I ordered about 5 years ago - multiple failed primer strikes with mini-30, but of course my AK eats it up. This happened to me 2 weeks ago at the Montgomery country range. No other issues with Eagle or whinchester cheap ammo, just wolf. So it's not internet hype, but I have heard of guys on perfectunion.com installing a heavier firing pin spring to fix the wolf ammo issue. I just plan to save the cheap wolf for my AK. I also got some of the polymer tipped v-max ammo they sell at the range shop there and the mini shot that like a champ. I do believe the new 580 mini-30s are capable of decent accuracy now, especially with the improved, heavier barrel. Thus, I plan to feed it "decent ammo". It's really a sweet little rifle and I can't wait to get some factory 20s - mini-30 owners like me have been waiting for those for a decade!

[Guest davidz71]

We have over 40 Ruger Mini 14 rifles in our armory. They have thousands of rounds put through each of them each year and parts do occasionally break. Ruger replacement parts are not near as cheap as AR parts. Just a thought.

[Ed Zachary]

We have over 40 Ruger Mini 14 rifles in our armory. They have thousands of rounds put through each of them each year and parts do occasionally break. Ruger replacement parts are not near as cheap as AR parts. Just a thought.

Hmm... Good point.

Putting cost aside, how hard is it to get replacement parts for a Mini (either one)? Not stocks and grips and mags, but gutz.

Whatever I get, I'd like to have spare drive train parts around (from finger through sear) and a firing pin.

[LA_357SIG]

not to in your thread but I'd take a SKS w/ tech sights over a mini anything. Unless you like shooting 1 round per minute. The SKS wins in price, ergonomics, magazine (easier to load stripper clips than finding good aftermarket magazines), ease of maintainence and rate of fire. Mini wins on...wait...um...nevermind. Wait. Mini is good on cold barrel accuracy.

[I_Like_Pie]

it depends too if you reload or not...The .223 is a great reloading cartridge. The 7.62 really doesn't have the bullet choices as it uses a .311 bullet.

[Ed Zachary]

not to in your thread but

But you did anyway.

Thanks for reading the OP and proffering your peerless wisdom!

[I_Like_Pie]

WHY ??? Bullet makers use the .308 !!!

You want it to shoot worth a flip right?....and no - good quality 7.62x39 ammo is not .308

Will it work? Yea sure...I suppose you can shoot 45 Colt or 45 acp bullets out of your 45/70 too, but that would be silly to go through all that trouble to use a bullet that isn't made to fit. Could use some 9mm bullets for your 38 special if you aren't picky either...buy why would you do that!?!

But then again most schleps who are fans of the cartridge really don't care about such things and only send in the general direction of downrange.

[Guest 5Legion]

not to in your thread but I'd take a SKS w/ tech sights over a mini anything. Unless you like shooting 1 round per minute. The SKS wins in price, ergonomics, magazine (easier to load stripper clips than finding good aftermarket magazines), ease of maintainence and rate of fire. Mini wins on...wait...um...nevermind. Wait. Mini is good on cold barrel accuracy.

Thats funny because I had an SKS with tech sights too and disagree with you - sure the sks is a fine little rifle, and the 10 rd stripper clips can be fast, but a mini-30 is more accurate, much easier to scope with a low power optic, and has nice 10 round and now 20 round factory mags. With good mags the mini-30 runs like a top. 10 rnd Pro mags have worked best for me. The sks win on the price side, but the nice chicom para troopers are not cheap now a days either ... also those tech sights run almost $100 if I recall ...

Edited December 27, 2009 by 5Legion

[TnShooter83]

I'd go .223. but you'll have to take into account that Ruger doesn't say it is "OK" for 5.56. Ruger says it is chamber for .223, In my research most people say the 5.56 functions fine and many rounds of it have been fired with no issues. As for the Mini-30, I don't see the need for one. Depending on bullet/Ammo used it could be .311 or .308 dia. bullets. Also not all "Non-Corrosive" is non-Corrosive. The Chinese 7.62 marked "Non-Corrosive" is primed with corrosive primers. If I recall correctly it was the Blue colored box that the problem. Also most surplus Russian/Bulgarian ammo is corrosive even if it is marked NonCorrosive. (Wolf is fine, I shoot it ALOT it is not corrosive and not Surplus)

I think the Mini-14 has WAY more advantages than the 7.62.

If you want a 7.62 get an AK or SKS (preferably chrome lined)

If you want a .223 get a Ruger.

If you want 5.56 get an AR bases platform.

[LA_357SIG]

But you did anyway.

Thanks for reading the OP and proffering your peerless wisdom!

You're more than welcome.

[LA_357SIG]

...sure the sks is a fine little rifle, (yes it is)... but a mini-30 is more accurate, (not @ sustained fire, you can't tell me you can fire a whole mag w/o grouping under 4" @ any range) much easier to scope with a low power optic, (how so? What's harder than swapping out a rear receiver cover or replacing the top foregrip cover? And optics fail. Better ironsights trump any low powered optic)...With good mags (good luck getting good ones on the first try)...Pro mags (No pro mag magazines have worked for me. (6.8 AR, .223 AR, or the Bersa 380 mags) The sks win on the price side, but the nice chicom para troopers are not cheap now a days either (not many Ruger side folders availiable either) ... also those tech sights run almost $100 if I recall ...

So a $350 SKS w/ improved iron sights vs a thin barrelled $700 (paid $680+ tax@ tics in 2008 for a mini 6.8) easily optics mounted Mini.... SKS for me.

[tnhawk]

The mini 14 6.8 spc is a fine rifle! My only complaint was waiting over a year to get 10 and 20 round mags from Promag.