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Ruger mini 30
- Thread starter KITT
- Start date
From what I gather, and have seen, shooting regular 7.62x39 ammo in a Mini-30 can be extremely dangerous.
If you get one, be prepared to shoot Federal 7.62x39 ammo in it, not the AK/SKS type(though Federal will work in them too).
Apparently Ruger's concept of 7.62 is different than Kalashnikov's.
Not sure what all the exact causes are, but I have seen guys blow their guns up trying to shoot that non-Federal ammo through a Mini-30...
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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
If you get one, be prepared to shoot Federal 7.62x39 ammo in it, not the AK/SKS type(though Federal will work in them too).
Apparently Ruger's concept of 7.62 is different than Kalashnikov's.
Not sure what all the exact causes are, but I have seen guys blow their guns up trying to shoot that non-Federal ammo through a Mini-30...
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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
Clint Tickler
New member
If you did a search for Mini-30 on this site you'd probably find more then you want to know. Same over on shooters talk. I bought a ranch mini-30 a couple of years ago and have had a real good time with it. This rifle however is not intended to be a tack driver and if you are looking for something that will shoot under 2 1/2" @ 100 yds you may want to look else wear. I don't agree with the other poster about surplus ammo being dangerous however. Mine has eaten a lot of different imported food. It is designed to shoot 7.62x39. If reloading you can use .311 or .308 bullets. I've gotten my best accuracy with .308 bullets. I put a Wolfe hammer spring in to deal with the hard primers on the imported stuff and that eliminated most of the mis-fires. I also put a 1" butt pad on which made the gun fit me better. Hi-cap mags that work are real hard to find. I've played around with some USA ones and made them work pretty good.I don't see them for sale much anymore though so not sure of availability. I put a scope on it when I first got it but decided it was a waste of decent glass and use it now to plink at clay pigions on a berm at 100 yds. It was an impulsive buy on my part and an expensive plinker but can be fun.
Bottom Gun
New member
I think the SKS is a better rifle.
Clint Tickler
New member
In reading Dangus's post again I realized he actualy says he's seen mini-30's blow up so who am I to dispute that. I haven't nor have I heard of it until now and I'll keep shooting surplus in mine but I believe all warnings related to firearms should at least be looked at. I'd like to hear if anyone else has seen this happen. I will say that mine fell apart on me when I first started shooting it and I tweaked the trigger gaurd a little to hold it togeather. No troubvle since.
WalterGAII
Moderator
I'm amazed that there are enough Mini 30's at any one range for one person to personally observe several of them blowing up. Nothing would please me more than to se a Mini blow up. (Assuming, of course, that nobody got hurt.)
RepublicThunderbolt
New member
As a side note on Mini 30 high-capacity magazines, I found that USA steel examples work fairly well after some modification.
After poor feeding performance, I compared the factory units with the aftermarkets and found that the feed lips were just slightly larger on the USA magazines. After being slightly "crimped" in a vice, they generally work quite well. Needless to say, don't even try the plastic jobs, they're single shot conversion kits in disguise.
After poor feeding performance, I compared the factory units with the aftermarkets and found that the feed lips were just slightly larger on the USA magazines. After being slightly "crimped" in a vice, they generally work quite well. Needless to say, don't even try the plastic jobs, they're single shot conversion kits in disguise.
Love my mini 30. A call to Ruger confirmed it's ok to shoot .308 to .311 bullets. Mine loves the cheap (relatively) Sellier&Bellot Czech ammo (steel case and all) and it's just as accurate as Winchester Super X. Mine groups just dandy at 50 yards, which is what I'll be using it for, a short range brush rifle for deer. I do have a Ruger in 7.62x39 that is a tackdriver. I was fortunate to find a Ruger M77 MarkII (manufactured May '99) a few weeks ago and it's a sweetheart. It also likes the S&B ammo and shoots to the same point of aim with Winchester and S&B--an inch at 100 yards. Will not shoot the Wolf brand Russian very well, however. Next project CZ 527 in 7.62x39. Love those Rugers in 7.62x39.
Sam in Oregon
Sam in Oregon
I had one. Fun rifle and it did just fine with the steel cased Russian surplus ammo.
The mags are the problem. I got pissed and sold it after spending way too much time and money trying to find some hi-cap mags that acually worked. BTW: I tinkered with the USA mags too. Results were hit and miss.
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Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.
The mags are the problem. I got pissed and sold it after spending way too much time and money trying to find some hi-cap mags that acually worked. BTW: I tinkered with the USA mags too. Results were hit and miss.
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Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.
Well, maybe it's just isolated then, from the sounds of the posts here, normal 7.62 can work in them.
I am just wary because, as I mentioned above, I have actually seen a Mini-30 blow up shooting the same kind of ammo that an SKS had been going through fine all day. Mighta been a fluke, but the fact that I've seen two other mini-30s with the exact same damage made me a bit paranoid. I won't claim to be a Mini-30 expert, so I can't tell you why this is, or if there was a different reason for it, that's just my experience.
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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
I am just wary because, as I mentioned above, I have actually seen a Mini-30 blow up shooting the same kind of ammo that an SKS had been going through fine all day. Mighta been a fluke, but the fact that I've seen two other mini-30s with the exact same damage made me a bit paranoid. I won't claim to be a Mini-30 expert, so I can't tell you why this is, or if there was a different reason for it, that's just my experience.
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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
ChuteTheMall
New member
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dangus:
Not sure what all the exact causes are, but I have seen guys blow their guns up trying to shoot that non-Federal ammo through a Mini-30...
[/quote]
How many guys did you see blow their guns up trying to shoot that non-Federal ammo through a Mini-30? Mine has never fired anything but the cheapest Russian ammo, but I guess now it's going to blow up so I better not shoot it again.
If you can document these "blown-up" Mini-30's I will be surprised.
The John Masin 10 round mags work as well as the factory 5 round mags in my gun.
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ChuteTheMallGawdSortaMount
Not sure what all the exact causes are, but I have seen guys blow their guns up trying to shoot that non-Federal ammo through a Mini-30...
[/quote]
How many guys did you see blow their guns up trying to shoot that non-Federal ammo through a Mini-30? Mine has never fired anything but the cheapest Russian ammo, but I guess now it's going to blow up so I better not shoot it again.
If you can document these "blown-up" Mini-30's I will be surprised.
The John Masin 10 round mags work as well as the factory 5 round mags in my gun.
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ChuteTheMallGawdSortaMount
No need to be snippy. I'm just saying it has happened, and more than once. I have only actually seen it as it happened once, but have seen two other mini-30s with the exact same damage.
They aren't my guns, so I can't exactly show ya.
Like I've said already, I'm not a Ruger expert, so if someone here knows I'm wrong then they should speak up. I think to some extent they already have....
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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
They aren't my guns, so I can't exactly show ya.
Like I've said already, I'm not a Ruger expert, so if someone here knows I'm wrong then they should speak up. I think to some extent they already have....
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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
I had a mini-30 for YEARS, and loved it! It's kinda like a Ruger 10/22... the aftermarket toys are endless! Mine had a Choate Pistol gripped stock and flash supressor on it, and I had the barrel shortened to 16".
It was NOT accurate, but it was fun. I only sold it because I got mad at the lack of accuracy, and the 20 and 30 round mags I kept buying NEVER worked consistently. I have a Bushmaster, so I didn't need two similar rifles, and my tastes they were a changing. I sold it and bought a Springfield M1A so I could use it to hunt but still keep the toy factor(with LOTS of extra cash added, of course).
I never fired anything BUT lacquered Chinese ammo, pretty often at rapid fire bullet wasting speeds, and never had any problems with it. The Ruger barrel is designed to handle either .308 or .311, but that same "adapter" quality of the barrel gives it the poor accuracy. The only malfunctions I ever had were mag related, because the 5 round factory mag never jammed once.
Now that it's all said and done, I'm not crazy about the M1A either, and I will definitely have to buy another Mini at some point. I just won't be hacking any inches off the barrel this time.
[This message has been edited by Onslaught (edited August 27, 2000).]
It was NOT accurate, but it was fun. I only sold it because I got mad at the lack of accuracy, and the 20 and 30 round mags I kept buying NEVER worked consistently. I have a Bushmaster, so I didn't need two similar rifles, and my tastes they were a changing. I sold it and bought a Springfield M1A so I could use it to hunt but still keep the toy factor(with LOTS of extra cash added, of course).
I never fired anything BUT lacquered Chinese ammo, pretty often at rapid fire bullet wasting speeds, and never had any problems with it. The Ruger barrel is designed to handle either .308 or .311, but that same "adapter" quality of the barrel gives it the poor accuracy. The only malfunctions I ever had were mag related, because the 5 round factory mag never jammed once.
Now that it's all said and done, I'm not crazy about the M1A either, and I will definitely have to buy another Mini at some point. I just won't be hacking any inches off the barrel this time.
[This message has been edited by Onslaught (edited August 27, 2000).]