Ruger mini-30

26 March 2004, 13:55

NH_Hunter

Ruger mini-30

Hey guys, do any of you have any hunting experience with the mini-30? I am looking at one. I would like to scope it, probably with a Bushnell Trophy 1.75-4 or a Burris FF2 1.75-5. I would use this rifle for pigs and whitetails at <100 yards. I would also reload either with 150 grain partitions or interlock flat bases.

NH_Hunter

28 March 2004, 04:37

NH_Hunter

how about any experience with the mini-30?

NH_Hunter

28 March 2004, 04:48

<eldeguello>

My experience with this piece of junk indicates that it performs much like the rest of the breed of Mini's. They are like lightning, in that they seldom strike twice in the same spot. Mine had a "wandering zero, ie, it shot its groups, which were not too bad, to a different point of impact from one day to the next. I could have tolerated this if there were only a couple of inches in its' daily shift, but it was often as much as 6"! Not even a National Match M14 glass bedding job had any effect on this problem! Even my $80.00 Chinese SKS shot better!!

I like the little 7.62X39mm cartridge, however, and now shoot in out of a CZ 527 carbine. The loads you plan to use sound good for your purposes.

This little CZ carbine is light, handy, well-made, looks good, and will shoot my handloaded ammo better than I can hold! I can count on it putting my bullet where I want it to go, UNLIKE THE MINI-30!!

Get a CZ 527! It is better and costs less than a Mini-30! In my opinion, the Mini's, both 14's and 30's, are the worst product Ruger sells! They MAY (may not!!) have some application in law enforcement, but are useless to sportsmen.

I admit to being prejudiced; I like the Ruger No. 1's, so you can see where my orientation lies!!

28 March 2004, 06:24

NH_Hunter

LOL! I always thought that the 96/44 was the worst in the line! Guess i was wrong! I am going to look into those cz's right now.

NH_Hunter

28 March 2004, 06:30

NH_Hunter

Oh, and one more thing, is the CZ 527 in 7.62x39 a .308 bore or .311 bore?

NH_Hunter

28 March 2004, 12:37

<eldeguello>

Quote:

Oh, and one more thing, is the CZ 527 in 7.62x39 a .308 bore or .311 bore?NH_Hunter

Well, NH, I have not slugged my CZ 527's bore, but I suspect it may be .310" or .311". The reason I think so is because I can drop a .311" bullet into cases fired in it, and they fall right in with no problem! So at least the chamber throat was made big enough to permit the safe use of ammo with .311" bullets.

I have used Speer .311" 180-grain bullets in WW cases with CCI 200 primers and 28.5 grains of H335 in mine. This load is extremely accurate, but Speer tells me the bullet is too tough to expand at 7.62X39mm velocities (2000 FPS MV). So I just tried some Sierra 150-grain flat-based .308's with 31.5 grains of H335. This load is also very accurate, not quite as good as the Speer 180 grain load, but of course faster! I have also tried the Nosler Ballistic Tip 150-grain .308 with the same powder charge. This load is extremely accurate with the 31.5 grain load of H335, but, being a boat-tail, requires more powder compression than the Sierra flatbase to get it short enough to work through the magazine.

My next tests will be with the Speer 150-grain .311 spitzer and some brand of 130-grain single-shot pistol bullets. For a deer load, I prefer a bullet heavier than the standard 122-123 grain military bullet weight. But a good expanding bullet in that weight range might be OK, I just like a little more sectional density in a deer bullet. I have even thought about trying some of the .30/30 bullets, which will expand OK at 7.62X39 velocities, but I would like to retain the advantage of using pointed bullets if possible.

I may never shoot this rifle at a deer, but it's nice to know you have a load that'll work, if you decide to try it!

30 March 2004, 18:02

Mickey1

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