Thinking about a Ruger Mini Thirty

[Guest Swamprunner]

Opinions anyone?

WTB for my grandson, and I am wondering if the rifle is fit to own.

[Guest Bronker]

Here's a start.

Recent discussion. I want one too.

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/long-guns/32203-ruger-mini-30-a.html

[Westwindmike]

I had one. Good gun, but I sold it and bought an SKS. 1/3 the price and does the same thing. Shoots just as good.

Good mags hard to find or expensive for the Mini also.

[LagerHead]

I had one. Good gun, but I sold it and bought an SKS. 1/3 the price and does the same thing. Shoots just as good.

Good mags hard to find or expensive for the Mini also.

Yea, but the Mini 30 is a better looking gun. That should count for something, right?

[Guest BEARMAN]

Great gun, for a young man to cut his teeth on. My 10 year old grandson killed his first deer with a mini-thirty @ almost 100 yds.w/ soft point russian mil-surp ammo..recoil is not too bad,and figure on pie-plate size groups at 100 yards though...good enough, for a deer rifle. IMHO

[Guest TwoLaneBlackTop]

Mini-30 is a solution looking for a problem, and thus is not really needed.

A good SKS in the original configuration often shoot nearly as good, and a quality AK such as a milled Bulgarian or Chinese rifle is better as well and mags are much cheaper for the AK based rifles. The only mini I own is a factory folding stock gun from the 80's only because I must have watched the A-team too much when I was a kid.

[wareagle]

Mini 30s are great. Scoped accuracy is about 3moa with good ammo. Reliable factory hi-caps are $30.

[Guest Tenngunner]

TwoLane:

A good SKS in the original configuration often shoot nearly as good, and a quality AK such as a milled Bulgarian or Chinese rifle is better as well and mags are much cheaper for the AK based rifles.

It's really tough to argue with the logic of this statement, particularly since he's already a 30 owner, so he obviously has no axes he's grinding!

[Metalhead]

I have had a mini30, and I have had a Norinco (Chinese) SKS and AK. Both the Chinese guns outshot the mini. Due to the mags being expensive in the mini, and that Ruger doesnt seem to like making new mini30's, I'd have to at least recommend the SKS for cost reasons. Seriously, I've seen like one new mini30 out of Ruger in the last two or three years.

Not to say there prolly isnt a bunch of used ones to be had, but I personally like a new gun and knowing no ones shot the zombie Jesus out of it or tried to tinker with it.

[TnShooter83]

It depends on what bore diameter Ruger is using?

From my research, Some people have a .308 bore while others have a .311.

So it's up to you to figure it out. I'd hope for .311 since most of the "cheaper" stuff is

over seas manufactured (aka: .311) if it is .308 dia. then Winchester is about the only one I've found that works well. And it is about $14.99 for 20 at Walmart

All of the above is concerning accuracy, if you just want one to shoot and are not too concerned about accuracy (and honestly the 7.62x39 is NOT known for have very good accuracy) then get one and blast away. But you can get a good SKS or even AK for LESS than a Mini-30.

Just being honest here (and YES I do have a Mini-30) I'd buy an SKS or AK, and put the money you saved in to ammo. If your grandson is like me, he'll have more fun shooting than worrying about what make the rifle is....

Edited January 16, 2010 by TnShooter83

[Guest 73challenger]

Have you thought about a a Saiga rifle instead? I have no experience with them just heard good things. Cheaper than a AK and the same ergonomics as a mini 30.

[spookboy]

Have you thought about a a Saiga rifle instead? I have no experience with them just heard good things. Cheaper than a AK and the same ergonomics as a mini 30.

Mags are ALOT cheaper too and it has a side scope mount

Plus 1 on that.

Sorry i have experience with the mini 14 not the 30. Solid,well built, decent groups. its all in what you want to give.

Saiga

Edited January 16, 2010 by spookboy

[Guest 10mm4me]

Here's the thing.It all boils down to cost.Mini-30's are cool,reliable,rugged guns.But an SKS is tops in these categories.Mini 30 mags are expensive,hard to find, and aftermarket mags are usually of low quality.Plus Ruger is usually very proprietary and if you were to break something on your rifle you would probably have to send it off to have it repaired, whereas w/an SKS or an AR in 6.8 you could do most repairs yourself.I use to love the Ruger mini line until these points were made to me and now I will never buy another Ruger Mini anything.

[Guest Swamprunner]

Here's the thing.It all boils down to cost.Mini-30's are cool,reliable,rugged guns.But an SKS is tops in these categories.Mini 30 mags are expensive,hard to find, and aftermarket mags are usually of low quality.Plus Ruger is usually very proprietary and if you were to break something on your rifle you would probably have to send it off to have it repaired, whereas w/an SKS or an AR in 6.8 you could do most repairs yourself.I use to love the Ruger mini line until these points were made to me and now I will never buy another Ruger Mini anything.

Thanks, guys. I guess I'll get the little feller an SKS. But maybe an AK BECAUSE they are evil. I'll spend the extra coinage on a good, accurate varmint gun for the boy next year.