Had a Mini 14; Mini 30 as bad?

G

Grapeshot

New member
Hi guys,
For a while now, I've been on a quest to find the ultimate sub-200-yd. self-defense/hunting carbine. I'm a small-statured person with poor eyesight (so I require a scope), and I want a light, sub-200-yd. medium-powered carbine. I conceive it as a "one rifle does all" weapon.
Probably 100 yds will be my max hunting distance, but it would still be nice to have 2 - 3 inch accuracy at that range. While I was going to get a Win. Trapper 30/30, I just can't get over my love/hate affair with Ruger's lil' carbine.

My mini 14 Ranch (now gone) had a great trigger, was easily scoped, and fit my small stature to a tee. It was actually FUN to carry hunting. I wasn't even concerned about hi-caps, since "lightweight" and "30 rounds of ammo" are not a good marriage.

It was the shooting that sucked. I spent considerable time and effort on getting sub 5 inchers, but after about 5 rounds, the groups opened and the point of impact shifted ALL over the the place, to the point where maybe you'd be lucky to hit a "12 gong at 100. So I sold it. I really wouldn't have minded HONEST 3-4 inch groups, at the SAME DANGED POINT OF IMPACT.

But I still miss it.
It was perfect, except for the horrible accuracy.

So, while I wouldn't be caught dead with a .223 Mini again, is the Mini 30 any better?

Does it heat up and string groups everywhere too? While I wouldn't buy one, I might trade for one if it's better. Any owners out there?


Thanks guys!
 
It sounds like something was loose or you were shooting too fast and not letting the gun cool down properly. More likely a combination of both. I'd have loved to have had your gun. Buy an SKS. They are relatively accurate and cheap. Heck, buy two and sell the less-accurate one. If you want one more expensive, get a Marlin 336. They even come in stainless.

BTW, my Mini's over the years have always been able to print at least 2" groups with a tight scope mounting and handloads. The few accuracy problems I've had have been in the scopes and bad ammo.

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God made us in his own image.
Thomas Jefferson made us free.
John Browning made us equal.

Without Browning, we might not know about the other two...
 
The Mini-14 or Mini-30 have never been known as tack drivers, but most people are able to do 3-4" groups with them. From your description, I'd say that your particular rifle needed some work, a 12" group is a pattern, not a group! :)
 
I say get an AK variant, like an SA-93, which is a very nice Bulgarian AK-47. It will take down game in the range you want it to, and it is very very reliable. Also, it's not really prone to slam fires like an SKS. The magazines are much better as well, at least for full capacity ones.

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The Alcove

I twist the facts until they tell the truth. -Some intellectual sadist

The Bill of Rights is a document of brilliance, a document of wisdom, and it is the ultimate law, spoken or not, for the very concept of a society that holds liberty above the desire for ever greater power. -Me
 
You guys could have had a point, my Mini might have needed some work. Ironically, all that shooting with it improved my accuracy with my other rifles.

Actually I have been considering the SKS and AK, but ... neither seems all that scopeable, and both seem a little heavy. I had a Hungarian AK which I generally liked, but got rid of it because the darn B-Square scope mount for it tended to shoot loose.

I think the only way to scope an AK really solidly involves buying an AK with the rail on the left side and then buying a side mount.

Hey Dangus, do the Bulgarian AK's have this rail? If not, how do you scope them? What about the Romanian AK's?
 
The stock Mini-14 can be expected to turn in 4" groups! Those who claim it does better should shoot a few carefully measured groups at 100 yds. 5 shot groups, please! If you're brave try some 10 shot groups with the Mini!

The genuine military issue SKSs do better than the Mini-30 by a long shot! I'm ready for the hate mail but before you send it, take that Ruger Mini-30 and fire a ten shot group! The proof is in the pudding!

Regards! DaMan
 
Um, if I could get a Mini 30 to try out, I guess I wouldn't be posting this question.

Come on, doesn't ANYBODY out there own a Mini 30? Doesn't ANYBODY prefer it over the SKS/AK?

As far as SKS's go - I don't care how cheap they are. Ones I've looked at felt clubby, shoddy, and were too heavy. And I don't know how to scope them. Additionally, I think 2 - 2.5 inch groups with an SKS may be wishful thinking - I've read more about 3 - 4 inch groups. The Minis seem more petite and downright refined in comparison.

At this point, I think I'm going to stick to my original idea of a 30/30 Trapper.
 
I once read that there are two happy days in the life of a Mini-14 owner -- the day he gets the rifle and the day he sells it. Mine, like yours, wouldn't group with a damn nor would it shoot to a consistent point of impact. Why would the Mini 30 be any different?

The Trapper is not a bad idea but if mag capacity isn't an issue and you want a lightweight, handy carbine you might consider a .223 Remington Model 7.
 
I hate to recommend a "crippled" gun but it seems that a Hungarian SA2000 (10-round double-stack AK clone) might be the thing to get. The base gun is about $200 with two mags, extra 10-rounders are $12 ea. With the standard synthetic stock, it isn't all that heavy. Accuracy will be better than with a Mini 30 and the gun would do about 60 rounds before overheating.

I have seen good and bad mini30s but can't recommend them based on my experience with Mini14 (poor magazine locking, small parts prone to breaking off). That said, I *like* the action and owna Garand and an M1 carbine...but that Ruger's execution of the concept is too poor for the consideration. FWIW, my Mini was accurate enough (3") for the first five rounds and went to patterns after that.

Shortie SKS is probably not the gun you want because they have a stout kick (AK uses a better gas system and kicks much less). Moreover, AK has better scope mounts available for it.

Oleg
 
Thanks guys!
I'm going to skip the Mini.
Sounds like the real contenders are:

1. Trapper 30-30 = $310
2. BATF-approved AK = $225 w/2 clips
3. Rem. Model 7 = $450-$500

The Model 7 would be ideal, but alas, is out of my price range. Savage makes a lightweight, but it would still be more expensive than the other two and, as a bolt, less combat-worthy.

I'm gonna look at the AK real hard over at AK47.net. The Trapper, I believe, could be made to be more accurate, but supposedly heats up quickly and loses this edge.

Just gotta find a good way to scope that Hungarian ...
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by PJR:
I once read that there are two happy days in the life of a Mini-14 owner -- the day he gets the rifle and the day he sells it. [/quote]

Hahaha! You just described my first Mini 14 experience back in the 80's. All grins when I bought it. All grins when I sold it.

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Just one of the Good Guys
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DaMan:
The stock Mini-14 can be expected to turn in 4" groups! Those who claim it does better should shoot a few carefully measured groups at 100 yds. 5 shot groups, please! If you're brave try some 10 shot groups with the Mini!
Regards! DaMan [/quote]

Uh, I did do this and, yep, I got 2" groups. My groups are all 5 shot groups. I had to use reloads and always shot 55grain bullets exclusively. I've owned 6 minis in my time and all were 2" groupers save one. That one had been disassembled and the gas block was loose and off-center. I corrected the problem and it too was able to return. You also have to use a good scope and rings. 4" my butt, I can do better than that with a rock.

All of that having been said, the Mini is not a tack-driver With the same work, AR-15 types will generally do Sub-MOA on a regular basis. If you want an accurate .223, stick with the AR-15 or go for a bolt-action. The XGI was a .308 caliber based on the Mini-14. Ruger could never get the gun to print good groups and never built production versions of the gun. It's the gas system and the manner of attachment to the barrel that keep the gun from being accurate.

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God made us in his own image.
Thomas Jefferson made us free.
John Browning made us equal.

Without Browning, we might not know about the other two...
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
Hey Dangus, do the Bulgarian AK's have this rail? If not, how do you scope them? What about the Romanian AK's?
[/quote]

I've never seen an SA-93 without scope rails, but then again, that could be a coincidence.

It is a great weapon though. You may think it is heavy, but the weight does help a lot with the kick, and it is also supremely durable. It will outshoot any Mini.

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The Alcove

I twist the facts until they tell the truth. -Some intellectual sadist

The Bill of Rights is a document of brilliance, a document of wisdom, and it is the ultimate law, spoken or not, for the very concept of a society that holds liberty above the desire for ever greater power. -Me
 
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