Ruger Mini-30 accuracy

Never fired one, but my buddy swears that his is an extremely accurate hunting rifle. He bought it for his wife, but uses it himself when hunting the thick stuff. He's taken a couple of deer with it and says that it suits his hunting style.
 
The reputation is that they have horrendous accuracy and you'd be better off throwing rocks… But as you can see they are very good rifles and shoot quite well. I love my mini 14 and i don't know why they get bashed so hard, they really are good rifles. They aren't target rifles, but they were never intended to be.
 
The mini's have gotten dramatically more accurate in the last few years. Ruger's CEO actually spoke on some gun show (can't remember which:confused:) about what they went through to change the tolerances on the Mini 14/30 platform for improved accuracy.
 
I have a stainless Mini 30 that I bought some years ago. With Cor Bon ammo and a 3x9x40 scope, I am able to consistently shoot half dollar sized groups at 100 yards, bench rest position. I would not attempt a 200 yard shot at a deer, but the groups open up to the size of a hard ball which I think is pretty decent.
I am very happy with it and will be passing it down to my grandson when that time comes.
 
early one

My early 90's Mini-30 will do +/- 3 MOA with good ammo and about twice that w/ import stuff. That's plenty good enough for anything I would ever use it for. Little rifle is scoped with a Leupold 1-4x and a German *3 reticle.

With factory mags, it has been reliable with any ammo I feed it.
 
For close in fire support 50 to 150 yards no problem.

Jim

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I've zeroed a couple of Mini 30's for friends. They shot sorry 100 yard groups, 6+ inches, from a rest. I do believe any of the SKS rifles I ever owned would outshoot them, with the sorriest Chi-Com ball I ever had.
 
Thanks

Thanks for the responses. Most of the people I know own a Mini-14. I figured this forum would have more than a few Mini-30 owners. I like the way some of you have modified yours. Mine is still stock.
 
If what sarge says is accurate (no pun intended :D), I would be just as well to stick with my AK. However, I would like a more accurate gun to shoot my wolf 7.62x39 with. I cant imagine the mini 30 could be any less accurate then my AK. Same with the SKS. Also, I know the sks costs half as much as the 30... I just don't know how the accuracy compares. I hear people say the 30 is very innacurate, and on the other note, I see pictures of 3 inch groupings from 100 yards... I don't know what to think :eek:
 
Finding quality 762x39 ammo tends to be a problem IMO,my Mini-30 would shoot 4-5inch groups when purchased I added a Mo-rod and with reloading have reduced that to on average of 1.50. They can be made into a shooter but out of the box doubtful. Having said that it's a fun gun reliable an excellent deer rifle under 150 yards,
 
Depends on if it is the newer model or the older one....

Older minis (both 14&30) were subjective.... some were 'okay' within 100 yards and some were just plane awful... and a lot of used ones had had the barrel cooked.

the newer ones have much better barrels and I've heard the 30's especially the tactical ones are dern good. I still would have a trigger job done on any of them.
 
bug said:
If what sarge says is accurate (no pun intended ), I would be just as well to stick with my AK. However, I would like a more accurate gun to shoot my wolf 7.62x39 with. I cant imagine the mini 30 could be any less accurate then my AK.
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I had a SAR-1 that I recrowned and manufactured an aperture for, which I mounted in place of the notch rear sight leaf. The stock didn't fit me at all and 20 rounds from the bench made my neck hurt for four hours afterward. The trigger was also 'less than ideal'. On good days (for me, not the gun) it would keep five rounds of Barnaul Silver Bear FMJ in 4-5 inches at 200 meters. Heat the barrel up and you were done.
 
Mini

I used to have an older model Ranch Rifle in .223, with a scope from a bench at 100 yards with quality ammo the best I could do was maybe 6" groups on a very good day. I sold it. I hear good things about the new ones.
 
The mini's have gotten dramatically more accurate in the last few years. Ruger's CEO actually spoke on some gun show (can't remember which) about what they went through to change the tolerances on the Mini 14/30 platform for improved accuracy.
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^What he said ^

I own a new Ruger Mini-30 and it will shoot 1 MOA at 100 yards easy, never tried further than that, but for what I do this is all i need.

BTW, use Boxer primed ammo, the berdan primers (cheap steel) ammo it doesn't like so much

:)
 
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