Ruger Mini 30 for deer

J

JKump

New member
I know that 7.62x39 will take deer like a 30-30. I am thinking of getting a new Ruger mini 30 for deer hunting here in Middle Georgia. MOST shots will be under 100 yards, But, (there is always a BUT), I might have to stretch it out 200 yards or heaven forbid 300 yards. I know that is a VERY long shot for the Caliber. Just some thought. :confused:
 
asking a lot

A deer at 200+ - 300yds is asking too much from the x39 cartridge. Trying that will leave you disappointed. Heck, a deer at 300 is a long poke w/ any rifle!

I've got a Mini-30 and find it a useful carbine, and hunt deer w/ it a bit every season. You are right when making a comparison between 30-30 and the x39, at least on whitetails. I consider mine a woods rifle, and typically hunt it in locations where shots do not present much at over 100. I've killed my biggest whitetail ever w/ the x39 ctg, and bamaboy a few more as well. None have been over 75 yds and many half that. Through and through wounds on all, and all but one fell on the spot. The big'un went about 50 yds w/ no heart.

In addition to running out of steam at the distances you mention, and looping trajectory much past 200, there will likely be an accuracy issue as well. Most Mini-30's do about 2-3 MOA. That's pretty loose accuracy past 200, when you factor in drop, wind, wobbles, game movement, etc

Mine just got a Leu 1-4x scope, and zeroed 1" high at 100, I figure any deer this side of 150 is in trouble.
 
CZ

Look into a CZ carbine in 7.62. Very accurate and hand loaded 150-gr I am comfortable taking deer out to 200 yards.

Kayaker
 
If there is a but, then 308 will take you past 350. If the case volume on the commie gets 2200 with 125s, then you'll be lucky to get 2000 with 150s.
 
All ready on a 308 for the long distance, But sometime if you want a handi little rifle in woods and then come up on a open area or field edge....
 
You need to treat the 7.62X39 like a .30-30 it is good for about 150 yards and that is it. After that it just isn't much good, but inside of that it should work just fine. If you want a handy little rifle for the field look at a Ruger Compact, shouldn't cost more than the Mini, and with the 16.5" barrel it should point nice and come up quick in tight spots. My buddy hunts with one in a 7mm-08 and took a nice deer at 250 yards with it.
 
I think the Mini 30 is a bang up deer rifle to 200 yards. I sold mine because I was young and spoiled, thinking that MOA was a necessity. If I had it to do over again I would've kept it.
 
I know that 7.62x39 will take deer like a 30-30.
Click to expand...



By 300 yards, a 125 grain bullet leaving your mini-30 going to be packing only about 500 to 600 ft/lbs of energy..... moving at around 1400 f/sec and will have dropped more than 2 feet from a 100 yard zero.....

4 questions:

1- Since placement is (almost) everything, can you hit a paper plate sized target (roughly the size of a deer's heart and lungs) at that distance, reliably? If not, don't try it on a live animal.

2- Since it is only moving @ 1400 f/sec or so, will your bullet expand? If not....

3- Is it legal (laws vary state to state)?

4-Is that the best tool for the job that you have available?



.......

In comparison, a 150grain bullet leaving my daughters Marlin 336 will have 900+ ft/lbs energy, be travelling almost 1700 f/sec, expand reliably, and will drop 23 inches....

She just can't shoot it well enough to take 300 yard shots.
 
Not that I'm recommending it...

.. because for hunting, I favor extremely high percentage odds of a quick and humane kill.

BUT... (from jimbob86)
By 300 yards, a 125 grain bullet leaving your mini-30 going to be packing only about 500 to 600 ft/lbs of energy..... moving at around 1400 f/sec
Click to expand...

That sounds an awful lot like a 125gr Federal JHP .357 load out a 4" revolver near the muzzle, which most people think is ideal (as CCW handguns go) for stopping a human (bigger than many if not most deer).

The bigger problem would be the remainder of jimbob86's quote:
and will have dropped more than 2 feet from a 100 yard zero.....
Click to expand...

Which seems an awful lot of holdover, unless one practices doing that a lot.

Sounds to me like you need to have the discipline not to exceed the practical limits of your weapon; if you have any doubts about whether you can make the shot, any doubts at all, it's not fair to the deer for you to attempt it.
 
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One VERY important point you left out, there:

By 300 yards, a 125 grain bullet leaving your mini-30 going to be packing only about 500 to 600 ft/lbs of energy..... moving at around 1400 f/sec

That sounds an awful lot like a 125gr Federal JHP .357 load out a 4" revolver near the muzzle, which most people think is ideal (as CCW handguns go) for stopping a human (bigger than many if not most deer).
Click to expand...

The 125 grain Federal JHP bullet was designed to expand at 1400 f/sec. I wonder if the 125gr .311 (or .308- OP did not state) hunting bullet that MUST hold together at 2,300 f/sec will reliably expand at 1,400 f/sec?

I would not bet a lost animal on it.
 
very important point

jimbob86, I agree entirely, as far as bullet construction not being optimized for pistol velocity. The only reason I didn't bother raising that one was that I had already stated my opposition to the idea of long range shots with a weapon not really designed for them, by a shooter who hadn't done any long range shooting with such a weapon.

But you are absolutely right. Odds are, a bullet designed for good expansion at pistol velocities might just fragment to bits on a close hit while velocity is still up at rifle levels, and one designed for good expansion at rifle velocities might not open up well at pistol levels.

On the bright side, unlike some other Mini-30 / SKS / AK shooters, the OP didn't even ask about using Wolf FMJ for hunting...
 
Well for ammo I would be using Federal Fusion. 100 yards zero, drops 6.5" at 200 and then 24" at 300. But Like I said before, have a long range gun with my 308. This would be used as a wood gun for shots under 100 yards. However, there are always BUTS....;)
 
Mini 30 - Accuracy improved

I have a Mini 30 that I bought a few months ago. This is my second one, also had a Mini 14 that I sold years ago. I like the Mini 30 for a lot of reasons but was disappointed in the accuracy. The new ones are better because they addressed the harmonics issue at the factory.

Mine is 1996 vintage. To improve accuracy I bought a Accu-Bar and installed it on the rifle. This rifle will shoot! Using the cheapest surplus ammo I can find, I group an easy 2" at 100 yards. Using better "Hunting Rounds", mine likes Remington 125 grain PSP the best, I can get 1" groups and they put deer and coyotes on the ground easily. I am waiting for that feral hog opportunity.

Besides, the Accu-bar gives the Mini-30 the look of a M-14. Everybody comes over to see my "stainless Springfield SOCOM".
 
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