I am strongly considering buying a Ruger mini-30 rifle.   The rifle should be NJ legal since it has no pistol grip or adjustable stock.   There are also 5 round mags available.   I expect this to be a "fun" rifle since I hope to shoot cheap Russian ammo with it (and we all know what ammo prices are like) and potentially an estate defense weapon if we get into Hurricane Sandy part Deux or something similar. 

 

Does anyone have any experience with this rifle regarding accuracy and / reliablity?  I have seen mixed review on-line. 

Why that instead of an AR to protect the homestead?

I had an older version mini thirty, I found it a very reliable and 'fun' rifle myself, to this day I regret selling it. The rifle itself is small, but very accurate. The factory mags are a little expensive and difficult to find, but that can be said about most anything nowadays. Aftermarket mags suck for it, so stick with factory. Some people will tell you not to shoot steel cased ammo through it, but I had no problems using the cheap Russian stuff. 7.62 round is more effective too in defense situations and more exciting to shoot. I also recommend getting a stabilizer bar (harbar or accustrut) not only does it make the rifle more accurate, it makes it look badass m14 or m1a style. Just my humble opinion. Anyway, hope you find what you're looking for.

Newer mini 30's won't shoot Russian ammo, it even states in the user booklet only use USA made ammo

I used wolf and 91 out 100 did not fire, mine was a 2009 model SS ranch model.

Ahhh, that makes sense... mine was a 186-xxxx serial number, 90's I think, ate the steel cased stuff no problem. Good to know, thanks for clearing that up.

Why that instead of an AR to protect the homestead?

Cheap ammo that a person can actually find.

I had an older version mini thirty, I found it a very reliable and 'fun' rifle myself, to this day I regret selling it. The rifle itself is small, but very accurate. The factory mags are a little expensive and difficult to find, but that can be said about most anything nowadays. Aftermarket mags suck for it, so stick with factory. Some people will tell you not to shoot steel cased ammo through it, but I had no problems using the cheap Russian stuff. 7.62 round is more effective too in defense situations and more exciting to shoot. I also recommend getting a stabilizer bar (harbar or accustrut) not only does it make the rifle more accurate, it makes it look badass m14 or m1a style. Just my humble opinion. Anyway, hope you find what you're looking for.

Thanks for the help!

Cheap ammo that a person can actually find.

OK, that makes sense.  Looks like it will be legal indefinitely, with no pistol grip or adjustable stock, and a 5 round mag.  Makes no sense that the antis find that less threatening than a so-called "assault weapon," but screw 'em.

Thanks for the help!

No prob, good luck bud

During the height of The Scare/ The Price Raising, I had thought to sit it out, I was pretty good all around, then I realized * IT WAS NUTS* , everything was selling n getting more expensive every day... My situation involves "family calibers" and we try to maintain use for several things in several ways, one of our "family calibers" is 7.62x39... and I saw a Mini Thirty on here that peaked my interest... I considered it with the intent on putting it in an ATI? or actually I think TAPCO stock, which has an AR Stock, a pistol grip, and a forward cluster rail... My idea was, in my head, I was going to make an M1A/SOCOM 16 style Scout/CQB rifle... changing the stock and pistol grip to Magpuls, adding an AFG and some XTM panels, and an Aimpoint or EOTech up front... was a really sweet idea...

 

 

But imho the Ruger Mini Thirty is a really unique thing, it's expensive, not cheap, it doesn't shoot AK ammo nor handle like an AK, not exactly the most common or popular so not so many options, and again, not cheap... So I changed my mind just as someone spent big money on the one I had fancied, so I said, good, I didn't want it.

 

 

 

it's probably a great rifle but it's so much money for , I am not sure what.  For that much you can get an Arsenal Russian SGL/ Bulgarian AK, or even a decked out VEPR... And that is what I'm talking about.

Scrap you bring up a good point, I bought my mini thirty a couple years ago (used) for $500, that price is a joke now because they have more than doubled that. It is a damn good rifle, but for $1000-1300 or more you can get just about any high end rifle in 7.62 x 39. With that said, as far as NJ crazy legal is concerned, it doesn't get much safer than a mini thirty, since everything else seems like a loophole or grey area here.

You guys are right that an AK variant would provide cheaper shooting fun than a mini-30, but this is NJ and getting a legal AK variant is problematic.  If I was living in PA then....

Efingers in Boundbrook has a century arms for $799

 

And Lou's in Raritan just posted on FB they got some AK variants in

I've had AK and SKS type rifles along with my Rugers. Kept the Rugers, sold all the foreign crap. After a while the "plinking" with the AK variants don't cut it. The MOA on the rugers would always be better the others.

 

Winki, I see your at Shongum, you are welcome to try my mini-30 SS, 77 Mark II, and the Colt if you would like.

 

Send me a PM, we'll set something up.

Chad and Winki I would like to say both excellent point(s) I didn't even consider and I pride myself on the situation of ALWAYS considering all that which can be considered.. and legalities and NJ and etc. didn't even enter my thoughts, well said.

 

A regular looking mini thirty is definitely less evil than ANYTHING AK looking so I take that point; now, if you ever have to use it and things get heavy, i would not for a second count on it helping you by hiding its takticool , it's a Mini that shoots the dreaded 7.62x39, and its SEMI AUTOMATIC!!!!!! which is now about the worst thing a gun can be, (They really don't even know what they're complaining about , the Piers Morgans of the world, haven't got a clue .. "if you pull your finger fast enough it becomes fully automatic! "  *riiiiight* and if you rub the damned lamp fast enough, the genie pops out.  You just haven't rubbed fast enough for long enough yet.).

 

 

I am in a lucky position to be moving to FL sometime within the next 6-12 months and actually, I just bought a $1100 rifle stock I had considered spending that money on a new AK style rifle, but where I love the rifle(s) I was looking at, there was NJ legal neutering involved, and thats just because the muzzle brake is not permanently pinned!  If I wait and just bide my time , and hopefully my money, down in free land you just....Walk in...and pick out....what the heck you want....... so close but yet so far away....

Why that instead of an AR to protect the homestead?

Because they are reliable

I've had AK and SKS type rifles along with my Rugers. Kept the Rugers, sold all the foreign crap. After a while the "plinking" with the AK variants don't cut it. The MOA on the rugers would always be better the others.

 

Winki, I see your at Shongum, you are welcome to try my mini-30 SS, 77 Mark II, and the Colt if you would like.

 

Send me a PM, we'll set something up.

Sounds great! I have some stuff I can bring as well.  

Thanks to Bill for letting me try his Mini-30.  It had more recoil than I expected.  Dirt cheap ammo though.  New mini-30s are $900-1100 bucks it seems....  Ugh.

If you're looking for a 7.62 rifle, I can't recommend a MAK-90 highly enough.  NJ legal, and of pretty high quality (relatively speaking).  I absolutely love mine.  Gunbroker has a bunch available (just make sure the seller doesn't send you a hi-cap standard-cap magazine.

 

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=358558277

Reviving this post to see if any other forum members own a newer model that's 10 year old or less.  I see alot videos reviews online saying to stay away from the steel cased ammo and lots of FTE. Is that still the general consensus? Also has anyone used the ProMag 10 round magazines and any good or bad reviews on those as well?

On 7/16/2013 at 1:28 PM, winki said:

Thanks to Bill for letting me try his Mini-30.  It had more recoil than I expected.  Dirt cheap ammo though.  New mini-30s are $900-1100 bucks it seems....  Ugh.

Winki did you ever pull the trigger on this? LOL. NO pun intended.