[Sixgun357]

I dont own any of these rifles but I hope to get one soon. Besides price and mags which of these is the best rifle?

 

[valleypine]

Originally posted by Sixgun357
I dont own any of these rifles but I hope to get one soon. Besides price and mags which of these is the best rifle?

Insufficient information provided. You're comparing apples and oranges because each of these rifles are chambered for different rounds. Need to state the intended purpose of the rifle.

 

[fastang50]

Yep, could really go either way depending on what you intend to use it for, too many variables. cost of ammo, range, power, accuracy, hunting legality....

 

[cajungeo]

Welcome to the mini forum Sixgun. I have fired the M-1, and the mini-14. I believe the m-1 out of the box is more accurate, but will cost ya twice as much as the mini-14. With only a few dollars you can tune the mini to shoot 1 1/2" to 2", 5 shot groups at 100 yds. You can also do similar tuneup to the mini-30. I guess it is mostly personal prefference, and purpose of shooting that you will have to decide on. I'm just partial to Nato/military ammo. I wanted my mini for coyote hunting up to 300 yds, but if The SHTF senerro ever happens I wanted the light weight, multipurpose solution to hunting for food, and protection. The mini-14 fits the bill for me.

Here is a 3 page thread dealing with your question:http://www.perfectunion.com/forums/showthr...=&threadid=2068

 

[Ivanimal]

My favorite rifle of the many I own is the mini 14, it goes where I go.:usa:

 

[Sixgun357]

I want a rifle that can be my plinker, SHTF, property protection and some hunting. I see all three of these being about to do the jobs. I know all three could take deer but the Mini-30 I know would be better. The Mini-14 would be neat becuase I would only need to buy one tyoe of ammo to go with my AR. I think the m1 carbine kinda falls in between the two.

 

[fastang50]

Sounds like you need a 30. If you intend to hunt with it anyhow, the 223 and 30 carbine will certianly kill things, but not legally for deer hunting. If you're concerned about legally that is. The bummer about the 30 from what I hear is that decent mags are hard to find. John Madsen co makes a 10 rounder, expect that would be a reliable one. But for fun, 10 rounds just doesn't last very long.

 

[Ivanimal]

You can legally hunt with any of the 3 forementioned rifles.:usa:

 

[fastang50]

Think you'd better check with your local Conservation Officer on that. I believe that alot of states require .30 cal or larger.

 

[Ivanimal]

While what you say may be true I have never seen a Requirement such as that in the 8 or so states I have hunted. The only limit I have seen is for shotgun in flat rural areas usually done by zone.:usa:

 

[singleside]

The M1 carbine was the weapon of its time. Now the mini14 is. I had this same problem a few years ago. The solution was to get the Mini 30,then get a Mini 14 ranch rifle. I just purchased a really nice bushmaster ar15, but there is doubt in my retired military mind when the need is great the minis will be working when others fail. Singleside out. :usa: :rapid: Remember freedom is what is all about . How can you preserve it with only one firearm.

 

[lostcajunboy]

I shot my first deer (a button buck) with a borrowed M-1 Carbine when I was 11. Was lucky at 70 yards to drop it "almost" dead. Aahh - what a perfect memory.

Of course now that I "growed" up would never think of using that puny caliber again (HaHa) on a deer. I like the .30-30 or .270 but now just got a mini-30 for love of the Garand action.

lostcajunboy

 

[MAJORMINUS]

Here in Virginia you need a .23 cal or larger for hunting deer and bear. I have no idea where they get their logic from.If I had a carbine in a 9mm Luger then I could hunt deer and bear, but a.22 centerfire is not legal.It doesn't make sense that a 5.56mm is plenty big for hunting armed men, but not for hunting deer.Also,we can not hunt on Sundays.

 

[bushwack]

MAJORMINUS---You have to remember that hunting laws aren't always made by people who hunt or are that knowegeable about firearms. When I was in the service my duty was to take the enemy out of the fight. If that meant he laid there & bleed to death that was not my concern. But as a hunter it's your duty to harvest your game as humanely as possible. There is nothing humane in hunting armed men.

Just my 2¢
Bushwack

 

[flyboy]

I had a M1 carbine in the sixties as a young man,got a hold of a couple cases of tracer rounds,and fired many off at trees,rocks,etc. the tracer rounds actually bounced off oak trees,and rolled around on the ground still glowing.....

I read an acount of the M-1 carbine during the COLD winter of the Korean War.... it was so damn cold that the M-1 Garands and Machine guns were frozen up and could not fire......

the only thing that kept the North Koreans or Chinese pinned down was the M-1 carbines that worked fine, this gave precious time to build small fires and unfreeze the rest of the weapons..
TRUE STORY by the way...........

I have now both mini 14 and mini 30, have had them for several years,not particularly happy with either one.

have shot three different deer with the mini 30 with russian hollowpoint ammo that a sporting goods store swore would expand and kill a deer, (BULL CRAP) all three times the deer got away after being shot,looked at the scene for blood and meat,hair all the tell tale evidence of a good shot, and each time nothing but a couple hairs, and a tiny piece of pink meat the size of a childs little finger nail.....

I did some tests and found out these russian hollowponts do not expand, but rather punch a clean hole all the way through.

a few months ago I discovered Barnul and wolf soft point Bullets for the 30 haven't tried them yet,but others tell me they expand well........

my mini 14 has been equipped with a red dot reflex scope and very accurate this will be my close range weapon as it can do the job very well and is light weight..

My favorite is my stg-58 a fn fal weapon in .308 caliber, this is extremely accurate at any range fired,hard hitting,20 round magazine many types of bullets around, I love it......

 

[Satan2655]

Originally posted by bushwack
MAJORMINUS---When I was in the service my duty was to take the enemy out of the fight. If that meant he laid there & bleed to death that was not my concern.
Just my 2¢
Bushwack

Just to add - wounding is better than killing in battle, because a wounded man requires two healthy men to remove him from the battle field. Thus you remove three men from the field, instead of just one. Granted those other two will probably return to the battle field, but that will be later...

 

[reloader]

The Russian HP stuff is junk for hunting, as you found out the hard way. It was never designed to expand like a hunting round, much like the Sierra Match King BTHP bullet. Makes clean, small, round holes. For hunting with the .30 Russian Short you need the exposed lead point, bonded core type bullet found in rounds designed for hunting, loaded by Federal or Remington. I have used the Federal on one particlar deer that only took two more steps after being hit. (Of course, at speed for a deer that is 10-15 yds.) Romanian AK, 124gr PSP, 20 yards trotting under my tree, high through shoulder, above heart, and out ribs with a very large exit wound. Just like it's supposed to happen.

 

[flyboy]

Thanks for the heads up reloader
I asked a few years ago about american made hunting ammo in the 7.62x39 and nobody seemed to have them then....

I bought some soft points with a lot of exposed lead made by Barnul and a couple boxes of soft point wolf, others tell me they expand well, haven't had a chance to try them yet. OHIO sucks for hunting, can not use a rifle, only bow and a couple days of shotgun slug and black powder..... florida was the best state I lived in for hunting, long season ans shoot damn near anytype gun you have.......

 

[lostcajunboy]

I see that J&G has Federal 123gr. Hi-Shok Soft Point in their normal "Classic" load. Anybody use this and can vouch for it? Being the same weight as the normal FMJ should be easy to sight in.

Thanks,
lostcajunboy

 

[Ivanimal]

I use a 308 dia. Nosler 125 grain balistic tip in my mini 30 with awsome results.:usa: