[imarangemaster]

Working part time at the shop, we got a brand spanking new stainless/Poly stocked Mini-30 in. I was able to get it for a crazy good price using my accumulated work hours credit and employee discount. ZERO dollars out of pocket! It will go in 10 day Commiefornia jail on Dec 14th (we have a draconian one rifle or pistol in 30 days rule, and I just got the PC9.

I love the 580 series front sight on the new ones and also like the heavier, tapered barrels new ones have, compared to my 1999 Mini-30. I took the Tech sight off of the 1999 and mounted the Ruger 4x scope on the 1999. I also put the strut on the 1999.

The factory 20s were mine already for the old girl. I have about a dozen of the "Commiefornia Freedom Week" mags. The new one will likely be my grab and go as is. (with buffers, Choate hand guard, and Tech Sight), and the old one will be my scoped rifle.

I love workin at a gun shop!

 

[Nerostarr]

Congratulations Rangemaster she's a beauty for sure, I love the stainless/black combo. The 10 day wait sucks for sure, but it will be worth it in the end.

 

[Bepe]

Good deal IMA......can't go wrong with another Mini. I went on a tear this Fall, bringing the wood/stainless 30 Tactical for my weekly range trips for two months. I was shooting it at 200 yards. Minute of Zombie with the 3 MOA Fast Fire. Plenty good.

Went to remove the Fast Fire and the mount stripped out. I had to drill that and the Ultimak out in order to get it off. Big mess but didn't damage the gun. Put the Choate back on and have been shooting with the irons. WAY more fun and I really like them stripped down clean. Just fabulous rifles. Bepe

 

[imarangemaster]

I love shooting irons. My M1 Carbine, Mini-14, Mini-30, Ruger PC, and two AR15s are all irons. The old Mini-30 that I put the scope on is the exception. It loves my .308 125 grn 2550 fps and .311 VMAX 2450 fps handloads I cook up. In fact it loves Chinese steel core and Wolf Also picked up some Red Army Standard 123 HPs to try.

I swapped out the .045" firingpins.com I had in the old Mini-30 for the other cast firing pin I had in it before. The .045" is going in the new mini, along with front and rear buffers, and the Tech Sight 200 I had on the old one. Since it is scoped, now, I put the leaf back on the old one. With the post and wing Choate front sight, the leaf with the peep hole in it gives a credible sight picture. I also took the Choate handguard off the old one and will put it on the new one. I put the factory one back on the scoped one.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

Quite a nice Mini you lucked in to. I am envious.
and good range report Bepe.

 

[Bepe]

Thanks Marlin....the orange dot and the orange target made it difficult to obtain a consistent POA. Add in the zero magnification and the eyes don't see as quite as well as they used to. Excuses aside..... the Mini 30 performed well. Minute of Zombie @ 200 yards. Can't ask much more form the old girl. Load was 25.5 H4198 and the Hornady Z-Max bullet. I recently picked up some RL-7 and have started testing that. Very happy with the initial testing. I'll post up a 200 yard iron sight as soon as I can get to the range.
Bepe

 

[imarangemaster]

Wow, didn't see this coming. Was talking to a regular customer while I was at work at the local gunshop about buying the new Mini-30. He knew I already had a vintage Mini-30 and he offered me $1300 on the spot for my old Mini-30!

That's $300 more than I spent for everything on the new Mini-30. Also having Mini-14, PC9 and M1 Carbine, I decided to sell. That is how scarce MInis are in Commiefornia!

 

[imarangemaster]

Went to install my Tech-200 rear sight on the new Mini-30 and found Ruger has increased the size of the screw that holds on the rear ghost ring sight! Had to drill out the tech Sight mounting hole to the next size drill up. Must be a PIP (product Improvement Program) to make the rear sight more secure.

 

[Bepe]

IMA.....Ruger made that change somewhere in the middle of the 583 series. My early 583 30 Tactical had a taper head screw with a small shank. My end of run 583 had a socket head style bolt with a larger diameter shank. When I called Tech Sight to order I told the lady that and they sent me the correct sight. Tech Sight has probably transitioned over by now. If installing an older sight as you did than an issue.
Bepe

 

[imarangemaster]

Wow, trying to find a new production Mini-30 with a wood stock was totally impossible when I got my 584, so I thought I would try to find a use wood one. Searched eBay, Gunbroker, etc with no joy. LOTS of Mini-14 wood, but no Mini-30. I think it is a proverbial "Unicorn"!

Accuracy systems has them (or at least can order new ones, but the better part $250 with shipping is a bit steep.

 

[jumpluff]

Have you contacted Ruger to see if you can buy a new wood stock for your Mini-30 from them? Might be an option?

 

[imarangemaster]

That is a thought.... Maybe I'll call them today.

 

[Unit59]

I just bought a new wood stock for a mini 14 from Midway USA. I tried it on my mini 30 and it fit perfectly, and the trigger assemble snapped right in tight. This stock came with everything included nothing else needed. Ruger must have changed something on the new rifles so stocks interchange between the mini 14 and 30.
Ruger Rifle Stock Assembly Wood Recoil Pad Liner Ruger Mini-14 (midwayusa.com)

 

[imarangemaster]

I just bought a new wood stock for a mini 14 from Midway USA. I tried it on my mini 30 and it fit perfectly, and the trigger assemble snapped right in tight. This stock came with everything included nothing else needed. Ruger must have changed something on the new rifles so stocks interchange between the mini 14 and 30.
Ruger Rifle Stock Assembly Wood Recoil Pad Liner Ruger Mini-14 (midwayusa.com)

DOes the Mini-30 magazine fit in it?

 

[M92PV4U]

DOes the Mini-30 magazine fit in it?

According to q&a no.

 

[Unit59]

You are correct the mag does not fit, it's going to need a mini 30 reinforcement bracket, sorry for the confusion. My bad.

 

[M92PV4U]

You are correct the mag does not fit, it's going to need a mini 30 reinforcement liner, sorry for the confusion.

Good to know, thanks for confirming.

 

[RIBob]

ETA: corrected my post to specify the stock reinforcement bracket,as opposed to the fore-end tock liner. Regret my imprecision in terminology.

Are there any issues with obtaining a Mini-30 stock reinforcement bracket? Where are the Mini-30 stock reinforcement brackets available?

Am I correct in "remembering" that some folks had problems with obtaining Mini-30 stock reinforcement brackets? The stock reinforcement bracket for the Mini-14 was easily available, IIRC.

As an aside, there are some syn stocks for the Mini-14 (and presumably also for the Mini-30) which do not require metal stock reinforcements.

 

[sandog]

Never mind.

 

[Unit59]

Reinforcement brackets and forearm liners are available from Numrich gun parts for the mini 30. I believe Accuracy systems carries these parts also.