mini 14 or mini 30

S

sniper81

New member
i want to get one of these but cant decide which one im leaning toward the 30 for the knockdown power was wondering if anyone has the newer models and how the shoot mainly going to use my for coyotes
 
I own both and would not suggest them for coyote hunting, but they will work if you're willing to spend the time getting them to shoot accurately...certainly not my first choice...actually much further down the list to be exact.

I do have a very accurate Mini-14 that has been worked over by "Chief AJ" with a premium heavy fluted barrel and built in compensator. It wears a Choate straight stock, Leupold scope and Harris bi-pod. It has killed a pile of game, but has been extensively modified to do so.

Good luck to ya'
 
the round selection for factory 7.62x39 s-cks. just a few choices out there. All I can find around here is FMJ, which aren't any good for hunting.
 
I like the 7.62X39, but have not been impressed with the Mini-30 that I own. What does impress me is my CZ 527 Carbine chambered in same:)
 
Someone please correct me if I am wrong but I could not find any hi cap magazines that would function in the mini 30 that I used to have. I had some that I think were usa mag or triple k and they were good for paper weights.
Ruger offers hi cap mini 14 mags but not for the mini 30.
 
Saiga, AK or SKS. AR for 223. The mini's only draw was it was cheaper, but now that cmmg has ARs for 600, and the 14s are more than that, I don't see a reason to get one.
 
I have 1 of the newer mini-14's in .223.
Lots of folks don't have much respect for them.

My new one has been great. Took about an hour or so
to find what ammo it liked and to get the scope mounted
and sighted in. At 100 yards the groups are less then
1 inch. It's never jammed, misfired, etc. It just
shoots and I tend to be a little rough on rifles.

I had a different mini-14 years ago. It sucked.

Randy
 
From an article linked at AR15.com...

http://www.ar15.com/content/swat/200203-AR-15_vs_Mini-14.pdf

To check the worst-case scenario, at
one point we dropped about half a handful
of loose dirt into the magazine well
of each rifle and then shook each of
them to distribute the dirt. After running
a cleaning patch down the bore of each
rifle to make sure the barrel was clean
(no sense in being completely stupid and
having a rifle blow up in your face) we
attempted to fire a 20-round magazine
rapidly through each. The Mini-14 ran
without a malfunction. Much to my surprise,
my usually malfunction-free AR
burped on the third round, and did not go
fully into battery.

...this had a lot to do with my choosing the mini over an AR, but anyone who has shot both will concede that a good AR is more accurate. Mini's can downright blow chunks accuracy-wise (however, they're at least as accurate as the AK's--another rifle designed not for tack driving, but functioning under harsh conditions).

If someone is well experienced with both rifles, he'll admit that the mini is more reliable than the AR. What the mini gives up in accuracy to the AR, it gains that much back in reliability. That'll put a burr in the bloomers of many here, but it's nonetheless the truth.
wink.gif


Dan



 
I figure that Bill Ruger still owes me for me last Mini-14 and until he reimburses me I will have nothing good to say about them. You could hit the side of a barn with it....if you were standing inside said barn. This one gave up so much accuracy one could say it was reliably an inaccurate gun. We called it the "ammo user"...it would feed and shoot anything you stuck in it. You couldn't hit a coyote with it if you were riding on its back.
 
Originally Posted By: skb2706I figure that Bill Ruger still owes me for me last Mini-14 and until he reimburses me I will have nothing good to say about them. You could hit the side of a barn with it....if you were standing inside said barn. This one gave up so much accuracy one could say it was reliably an inaccurate gun. We called it the "ammo user"...it would feed and shoot anything you stuck in it. You couldn't hit a coyote with it if you were riding on its back.

My first one that I got back in the early 80's was the same.
Ruger retooled and made some mods and I'm real pleased with the 1 I bought 2 years ago.

Randy
 
Dan pretty much stated what the Mini is capable of, Reliability. I never see posts saying " Help my Mini 14 wont load/eject cartidges right." With that, yes I have a Mini14. Its minute of pie plate at best after the 3rd or 4th round. But it never fails to fire, and never Jams. Its all about what you want, and what you expect from a rifle. I consider selling it at times, But refrain cus its at least Minute of Zombie. Its like an old Glenfield .22 shoot it alot and clean when ya have spare time. It wont let you down. Good luck! But take extra ammo, cus you"ll need it for the misses! lol
 
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