Ruger Mini 30

[gunsmoke]

Ruger is FINALLY offering 20 round magazines on their web site and I was wondering if anyone has tried them out yet, since I have not seen a review of them yet.

I've long admired the gun for many reasons not the least of which is its .308 bore but since Ruger decided from the beginning to go with a proprietary mag and to not make any high caps available to the public, I have refrained. I understand that Ruger has contracted with USA Magazines to produce these and that by next summer they will be taking advance orders on RUGER "factory" 30 rounders, also produced by USA.

I've stuck with AKs and SKS "D" models up until now because of plentiful and cheap magazines.

Bill Ruger made a strategic error by whoring to the anti-gunners and not making the Mini to accept AK mags which if they had done they could not keep up with the demand for the Mini 30, and then their refusal for years to provide hi-caps. Ruger even ordered a design of the MINIs with a non-detachable internal 5 round magazine, but died before that could get into production.

[docsoos]

Bill Ruger made a strategic error by whoring to the anti-gunners and not making the Mini to accept AK mags which if they had done they could not keep up with the demand for the Mini 30, and then their refusal for years to provide hi-caps. Ruger even ordered a design of the MINIs with a non-detachable internal 5 round magazine, but died before that could get into production.

Absolutely. Hard to believe that a man as good as he was at copying/improving upon proven firearms designs had that viewpoint in his later years.

DocSoos

[Mad_Professor]

I was disappointed it was not offered in 7.62 nato and used m-14/M1A Clips.

[Tuckahoe]

Wouldn't you rather have an AK? Battle tested and proven is good enough for me. I am not bashing Ruger I own a mini in 6.8spc but for the x39 give me an AK. To activate Quick Reply, please click the Quick Reply icon <img src=\"http://www.backwoodshome.com/forum/vb/images/buttons/quickreply.gif\" width=\"25\" height=\"22\"> in the post above you want to reply to.

[Oblio13]

Even if I wasn't already leery of anything USA makes, I don't think I'd buy their products on moral grounds. Think of how much frustration and wasted time and money they've caused so many shooters by producing junk magazines all these years.

Ruger does one thing really well: Precision machining. Otherwise, though, they've done a lot of things I don't appreciate. Pandering to the anti's and the lawyers with the above-mentioned low-cap mags. Putting "lawyer triggers" in everything until recently. Dramatically cheapening the 10-22.

I own several Rugers. But it annoys me that I have to use aftermarket parts to make them what they should have been in the first place.

[gunsmoke]

I was disappointed it was not offered in 7.62 nato and used m-14/M1A Clips.

In the 1980s Ruger spent many years and millions trying to make a Rifle called the XG1, it was even catalogged in 1985 though they never produced it or sold any.

It was Mini-14 autoCaded to .308 dimensions. But THEY were going to control the mags juat like they did with the MINI. Ruger annouced it and said they would sell them in '85 and intro it in .243 in '86 but they never could get the gun to work. The design is fragile inherently and when enlarged it kept breaking op rods after less than a dozen rounds. So they scrapped it. They had contracted for lots of .308 bore dia barrels and to avoid the inevitable lawsuits from cancelling the XG1 they re-spec'd the barrels and the .308 Bore Mini 30 was intro'd in '87. It sold well enough so that it has been continued.

[gunsmoke]

Wouldn't you rather have an AK? Battle tested and proven is good enough for me. I am not bashing Ruger I own a mini in 6.8spc but for the x39 give me an AK.

Did I say anything against the AK?

I have quire a few AKs I fail to see how that excludes me from admiring and wanting a Mini30.

[MrGreenJeans]

Even if I wasn't already leery of anything USA makes, I don't think I'd buy their products on moral grounds. Think of how much frustration and wasted time and money they've caused so many shooters by producing junk magazines all these years.

Ruger does one thing really well: Precision machining. Otherwise, though, they've done a lot of things I don't appreciate. Pandering to the anti's and the lawyers with the above-mentioned low-cap mags. Putting "lawyer triggers" in everything until recently. Dramatically cheapening the 10-22.

I own several Rugers. But it annoys me that I have to use aftermarket parts to make them what they should have been in the first place.

I have them to and what you say is the 100% fact. After a few mods. they ain't bad.

[Pitdog]

Bill Ruger was known for reliability and making decent stuff cheap with his investment casting etc. The 10-22 and Mk II pistols are the best things he ever churned out, the P series handguns were gorgeously made- if you find bricks attractive- but they shot VERY well and were RELIABLE, and- best of all- affordable.
Minis have NEVER impressed me greatly, owned a small truck load over the years, in different configs, always sold them off after playing. If I want a semi-auto in .223- the AR is unsurpassable. When I wanted one in .308 - I bought the real deal- M1A.

After looking at some of Ruger's recent prints, and listening to what their 'engineers' had to say- I have come to the conclusion that like so many companies in the firearms business- they hire people that have no background in firearms and expect that mechanical engineering is mechanical engineering is- you get the point.

If you like the mini- 30 I'd say go for it. If they are contracting mags through USA SURELY TO GOD they will have someone inspecting and testing- for if not, they will fail in their task miserably and Ruger will have cheapened itself. Again.

[gunsmoke]

Like I said in my original post, the thing I really like about the MINI 30 is the .308 bore as opposed to the .310 bore of the AKs.

It makes for a whole lot more options bullet wise. If I could have an AK with a .308 bore, I wouldn't worry so much about a MINI.

They can be made very accurate guns but it is much more expensive than acurizing an AR.

What I'm probably going to end up doing is buy a few of the MGI modular lowers with the AK Magwells and get an upper chambered for the 7.62x39 with a .308 bore (as soon as someone starts making a reliable piston 7.62x39 AR).

[Pitdog]

See what Adams Arms has for Piston kits, they are a GOOD reliable conversion, and may be the answer to a 7.62x39 piston upper. If they don't do it specifically for 7.62- they DO do one for the Grendel, and the gas orifice should be about the same. If nothing else, callem up and talk to em, great guys there.

[TackKS]

Did I say anything against the AK?

I have quire a few AKs I fail to see how that excludes me from admiring and wanting a Mini30.


Comments like that tend to pop up from time to time. I agree. It is almost like the AR vs. AK debate; why not just get both.

To your question, I do not have a mini30, but have had a lot of bad luck with aftermarket mini14 mags. Up until recently, the only thing even remotely reliable was the 20-rd LE mags from Ruger, which haven't been out very long either. The 20-rd Ruger mini14 mags work perfectly, with all sorts of ammo.

[gunsmoke]

Just about a week ago someone sent me links to some YOUTUBE vids of 7.62x39 Piston Uppers my Grendels were built by ADDAX man they are F I N E! Have them CERACOATED in Flectan camo, the BC and Bolt are microslicked.

[Pitdog]

They do pretty good work, all my Grendels and Beos are out of my own custom shop :) I got factory certified in CeraKote right before I graduated from school- LOVE that stuff.
Soon as my website is up and running I'll send you the link- all I have up at the moment are my Gas Blocks for sale, working on prints for my other AR accessories.
I recommend Adam's Arms for Piston guns as they are the kit which is going on AA's new mono rail Piston gun to be released for 2010. Let me know how your quest goes.

[Stinger]

...... If they are contracting mags through USA SURELY TO GOD they will have someone inspecting and testing- for if not, they will fail in their task miserably and Ruger will have cheapened itself. Again.

:eek: Yeah, I was shocked when I read that too! :(

Personally, after buying and trading a few of these carbines, I'd get an AK, too. Probably something from Arsenal, Inc.

[gunsmoke]

Arsenal builds some good guns and some guns with bent barrels and pistons, if I wanted another AK I'd buy another Galil, Polytech Legend, or Valmet.

[Stinger]

Arsenal builds some good guns ......

:eek: Really! That's the first time I've ever heard anyone say anything negative about Arsenal. Are you sure?

I've owned a lot of guns; but, my Arsenal SA-M5-S is the finest assault carbine I've ever used. I'm very glad to own it. As a matter of fact the gunshops around here can't keep 'um on the shelf. They come in; they go out! ;)

[gunsmoke]

Let me know how your quest goes.

ADDAX uses the PWS short stroke system on their 5.56 and GRENDELS. I've never had a hiccup with any of the 3 GRENDELS and I've monkeyed with them trying different recoil springs, buffers and David Tubbs BC weights. Currently I'm using the CS Flatwire springs, standard buffers and DT weights in the BCs.

I've ordered some BERGER 130 grs. and I'm going to see how they fly, up until now I've settled on the Hornady 129 SSTs for the best overall combination of terminal performance and flight characteristics but I've been wanting to try some BERGERS ever since I saw one out of a .264 WIN MAG vaporize a pretty big watermelon at 600m.

ADDAX tells me they're working on a 7.62X39 using the PWS long stroke system, I told them what I wanted re: Chamber and groove but I have not heard back from them on that yet.

[gunsmoke]

:eek: Really! That's the first time I've ever heard anyone say anything negative about Arsenal. Are you sure?

I've only seen three problematic ones in person but to me out of the 12 or so I've held in my own hands, thats a lot.

[Tuckahoe]

I own a mini 14 in 6.8SPC. I use it for deer hunting.As a hunting rifle it is just fine and shares much in common with .308 winchester. BUT the Ruger mini 14 is not my choice as a long term combat/battle rifle so the five round mag is just fine.

[jim]

Ruger gets none of my business because of their crooked and PC policies.

Can an SKS be converted to use AK mags. The only thing I've seen used a midified AK mag and it flopped around in the action, and didn't seem secure.
jim

[Pitdog]

There were SKS variants that used AK mags. A regular old run of the mill SKS can have detachable mags installed, and they are where most beginners start, but they are not reliable or of quality. Were I using an SKS, I would have a heck of a lot of stripper clips and use them. SKS is GREAT- in it's intended form, all the modifications and bells and whistles are less than desireable.
For what you pay for a lot of SKS's these days (around here anyway) you can pick up a Romanian AK with reliable detachable magazines for a little more. Gone though are the days of the cheap 7.62x39 round. Although by today's standards it is still more cost effective than say a box of commercial hunting ammo, but the boxes I have piled up that have $2.25 cent stickers are quickly becoming antique.

Mini 14/ 30 used to be a 'Tweener' when the 'assault rifle' buying started. You could buy SKS and AK variants for 99$-250$ but to go to an AR you were jumping quickly to the 7-800$ plus category. The Mini filled the gap price wise, and gained a following in both calibers. Ruger has tried lately to resurrect interest in it as it's price has risen and the AR price has fallen, with VERY limited success. Every one who wanted a mini, basically had one by the time they announced all of their changes, and their Mini sales jumped superficially when the latest buying craze hit.

It is what it is, like it or don't :)

[gunsmoke]

Years ago long before AKs were regularly imported, someone was selling plans in SHOTGUN NEWS to convert your SKS to take a MODIFIED AK mag. All I ever heard about it was negative.

The only SKS that I own are originally manufactured to take AK mags. They are good shooting but very heavy and the full size ones are way too muzzle heavy. The "PARATROOPER" variation with shortened barrel and no provision for a bayonet is a much better balanced rifle.

The really good AKs are heavy as well except for the Galil ARs. They are very light well-balanced AKs even in 7.62 NATO.

The answer for me is an AR-15 with an AK magwell and a piston-driven upper receiver group in 7.62 x 39 makes the most sense easiest and cheapest to accurize and the barrel can have the chamber cut for .310 dia bullets with a .308 groove dia so I can use .308 bullets and AK mags, but will still be able to use standard 7.62 x 39 in a pinch when that is all that is available.

[dksac2]

The Ruger 20 round magazines are great quality and work far better than the off brands. I would think that Ruger would insist on the same quality from whom ever makes the new 30 rounders. The new mini's are high quality weapons that can be depended on to work. I have an older mode skinny barreledl mini 14 that now with mods shoots under MOA. The older skinny barreled mini's were not known for their stellar accuracy. Ruger kept making mini's with old tooling and the quality suffered for a while. They have re tooled and their new rifles with the thicker barrel are really good. A tip for those of you that have aftermarket mags that are not reliable. Find a good welder and have them tig just a small amount of metal under the locking tab that is on the top rear of the mag. File the metal off the tab, a little at a time until the mag locks up tight. This will cure the problem on most mags. Make sure the followers are not catching on anything and replace the mag spring if weak.

Best regards, John K