anyone else own a mini thirty

W

will22

Joined
May 13, 2002
Messages
472
I bought a mini 30 from ruger not too long ago and I love it. The gun never jams, looks awsome, and fires well. It doesn't have match accuracy but for my apps. I don't need it to. But the only thing is that cheap russian ammo. Who makes some decent 7.62x39? The russian sh#$% always misfires.
 
FYI - thefiringline.com is a very high traffic forum devoted to firearms. You'd get a lot of feedback on your question if posted there.

Winchester makes 7.62 x 39mm
 
Winchester and Remington both make high quality commercial loads in that caliber. Norma used to and may still....but it is not recommended unless your yacht has solid gold plumbing, or you have more money than sense. South African surplus has been highly recommended by a friend who uses a 7.62x39 AR-15 upper.

Please do not take the following in the wrong way. The ammo isn't **** -- that is to say, cheap russian (Wolf/TCW/Barnaul) ammo will go bang. I know because I chew through about three thosand rounds per year. The Ruger Mini 30 is a nice little rifle. That said, it's about the worst possible choice for a 7.62x39.
 
I reload everything except .380 ACP because the cases are just too small for me to handle comfortably.

Get some good quality boxer primed brass(Berdan cases can be reloaded, but it's a hassle), buy some small based dies if you can find them in that calibre (small based dies help feed rounds in automatics) and make sure when you set the resizing die it properly headspaces the brass for your personal rifle. This will insure that the primer is in the proper place for the maximum firing pin strike.

You might also slug your bore if accuracy is a problem. I know you said it's close enough, but punching a golf ball at 80 yards is a treat. If your bore is tight, use .308 bullets. If the bore is more generous, buy .311 bullets.
 
Ichabod Poser advises:
You might also slug your bore if accuracy is a problem. I know you said it's close enough, but punching a golf ball at 80 yards is a treat. If your bore is tight, use .308 bullets. If the bore is more generous, buy .311 bullets.
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will22, this is sagacious advise. Many of the older Ruger Mini-30's (which will handle US-made 7.62x39mm Soviet fine) are well known to have undersized bores for firing the Russian or Eastern-Bloc military surplus ammo (bullet component measure .311)! This can lead to dangerous overpressure--which need I say is potential hazardous to your well being.

I'm not sure if Ruger has addressed this issue in the newer production Mini-30's, but my guess would be they have. Better to call Ruger with your Serial # and ask, or better yet do as IP advises and slug your bore before mil-surp.

My only complaint with the Mini-30 (and Mini-14) is that thin barrel gets oftly whippy after concentrated rapid fire. Groups consequently wander--though they'll still shoot "minute-of-Coyote". Not good enough for me though.

For 7.62x39mm, make mine an SKS or AK. :)
 
My stainless mini is two years old and I had my first misfires just last week, using russian steel case ammo.The rounds fired on the second hit.I've probably shot 5 to 7 hundred rounds so far I don't know why or what changed to cause the misfires.Also the ammo hollow point in a white box marked TCW AMMUNITION 7.62x39mm MADE IN RUSSIA 20 ROUNDS. L.C.B.122GR.HP berdan primed (non-corr) steel case. Also I was testing an U.S.A. 10 round mag which was a tight fit but functioned 100%, as always, YMMV. Patrick
 
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