Brothers in Mini-14 vs. Mini-30 battle of which is better!?

Mini 30 is better because:

More power

cheaper to shoot

The mini 14 only has a little more range than the 30 but long range shooting isnt the objective of these rifles.

Mini 14 Vs Mini 30

I happen to own both..... Even though both have Ruger Mini in there names they are different.....

The Ruger Mini 14 hands down is more accurate. Its got longer range capability's the Mini 30 doesn't have....

On the other hand the Mini 30 with its 7.62X39MM and its associated .30 (roughly) caliber bullet has much more knockdown power at close ranges...

With a scope on each the mini 14 has tighter gropus than the 30.... Another thing I noticed is the Mini 30 - when its barrel gets hot does not keep tight groups... It becomes paper plate accurate to 100 yards and thats about it.....

I will point out when the Mini 30 rifle is cool - like when your hunting the Mini 30 can accurately take deer to 150 yards.... The Mini 14 cannot with its lighter bullet....

Which ones a better gun??? Depends on what you want it for.... If you want deer then the Mini 30 is the only way to go.... If you want longer range accuracy then the Mini 14 is the way to go... I wouldnt use it on deer but for coyote its an excellent choice....

neither I should point out is a long range shooter.... Both are excellent close range carbines.........

When out for a walk in the woods I carry the Ruger Mini 30 across my back... In the last 4 years I was confronted by some kind of big cat on a Neveda hike. I almost crapped my pants... I was actualy afraid to move - he ran off... And a bear -- dont know what it was but it looked about 500 pounds... NO I didnt shoot them -- they took one look at me and took off... I was glad I had that Ruger Mini 30 rifle with me......

I had a mini 30 and dad has a mini 14. They both have their place. I shot a few deer with mine. His is probably more pracitcal for varmints. I think my mini 30 was a fluke. It was insanely accurate, but only with the 311 diameter bullets. If you tried to shoot the high dollar domestic 308 diameter load, it didn't group worth crap. I shot several 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch groups with my mini 30 with cheap military surplus ammo. I've heard that this level of accuracy is rare in either mini. I know dad's mini 14 is accurate enough for what it is, but would never shoot with my mini 30. They're both fun guns, it is just personal preference. Anyone that says differently is just showing you their preference.

I own a Mini-30 and love it! That said, the Mini-14 is great as well, but I have an AR-15 as my .223 platform. The reason I went with the Mini-30 is it's ability to be a back-up deer rifle if necessary and still shoot inexpensive milsurplus ammo for plinking. You can get the Mini-14 in 6.8SPC, which can be a great deer round, but the ammo is not cheap by any means for plinking. I dunno that I would use either one against bears though unless I had no other options.

Bottom line....if it says "Ranch Rifle", it's a good fun shooter!

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RE:

Brothers in Mini-14 vs. Mini-30 battle of which is better!?

I have a mini-30....my bro has a mini-14....we are in constant battle on which is better. Opinions from my fellow hunters/shooters!?

We use them when scouting....shooting yotels (coyotes) when they appear....we live in wolf (shooting wolves when they appear only not admitting to it hahaha) and...

Mini-30 will carry more power because you are shooting a .30 bullet -v- a .22 bullet. 7.62 x 39 ammo is in the same price range as the .223 Russian stuff. If you have bear in the area I would go with the Mini-30. I have an AR15 and a Mini-14. I have gone hog hunting with my sons and we both shot feral pigs at the same time in the same location on pigs that were side by side mine dropped and his didn't. Before anyone says anything about the bullet I had load to the same specs as a 7.62 x 39.

No matter how loud the 'poodle shooters' or 'paper-punchers' squeal, at any truly effective range, the Russki 7,62x39 is FAR superior to the ineffective 5,56x45NATO, at least on anything larger than a wharf rat. . . . .

Either of these well-made rifles are well worth the price, but, especially with the difference in ammo prices now-a-days, I would buy the Mini-30, even if I didn't already own an AK clone.

I shot series-high score in Marine boot camp ( platoon 3321, Parris Island, SC on Thanksgiving Day, 1977), with a worn out M-16, and I STILL wouldn't own any of its' clones. All MY rifles (except my .22rf's & the AKMS) are 7,62x51NATO (.308Win.) or larger caliber.

At close range a mini 14 will kill any bear. Google MINI 14 Polar bear. Five rounds will take down a bear (over kill) . I used 2 rounds so the animal dies quickly . Only done one time at 50 yards in a pasture lease. At close range the 223 bullet tumbles creating a large cavity when the bullet travels through the animal.

Against bears and heavier animals, neither is good, but the 7.62x39 will be better than the .223, as it has better penetration. Against varmints, it's pretty hard to beat a .223- easy to shoot, and flat shooting out to max range.

Right now, 7.62x39 is much cheaper to buy and shoot, so you'd probably be better off with a Mini-30.