cataway

whats a good loal for this thing ?

Charley

I spent over a year fiddling with different loads, trying to find one that would shoot decently. I finally found it didn't really matter...the BEST loadI worked up would average about 2 to 2 1/2 inches at 100 yards, with a scope and rest. I traded the Mini for something that would shoot.

After telling a gunsmith friend about how hardI tried to tune a load that would beat the 2-2 1/2 inch range, he exclaimed, "You got into 2 1/2 inches? Wow, you must have the Olympic target model! I've never seen one that shot THAT good!"

steve4102

First let me say that Charley is correct that the out of the box mini is a poor shooter. BUT, as with any rifle a little TLC and some fine tuning andthe mini can be a real shooter. The first thing is to bed the action, we bedour bolt guns all the time, do the same for the mini. Have the trigger done, we replace and rework the triggers onour bolt guns all the time, do the same for the mini. Retourque the gas block screws, and of course good load development. Here is a web site that will help you get any mini shooting well.

http://www.perfectunion.com/forums/index.php?s=22bcb3c13f346354f8c6ed12ff05ece0&s howforum=8



Now for Mini-30 loads. Depending on the year your Mini-30 was made it might like the ,308 or the .310-.311 dia bullets. Mine is an early model and it shoots the .308 bullets better than the .310-.311. I have tried just about every bullet you can think of in my Mini-30. This is what I have found... My mini-30 hates "Boat Tail" and likes "Flat Base" bullets; Hates allHornady Bullets and likes all Sierra Bullets; Hates 130 and 135gr bullets and likes 125 and 150gr bullets; Hates top velocities over 2350fps and likes loads about 2000-2300fps.

My best 125gr load is
125gr Sierra Pro Hunter #2120
29.5gr AA 2230
WSR Primers
Rem Brass
COL 2.185
This load is on the slow side but it is very accurate.

My best 150gr load is
150gr Sierra Pro Hunter #2130
29gr Ramshot X-Terminator
Rem 7 1/2 Primers
Rem Brass
COL 2.185
This load is very accurate and has a velocity of 2100fps. I have also used this powder combo with the Speer Hot Core #2017 round nose. A bit slower and accuracy sufferssome, but I think it would be a real thumper on Whitetails at under 150 yards.


I have tried many many powder bullet combos for my mini and I would recommend Sierra Bullets, AA 2230, R-7, H 335 and AA 2015 to start. Ramshot is fast becoming my powder of choice for all my rifles, if you can find it you should try it as well. My Ramshot load was worked up using "QuickLoad" so as always start low and work up.
Good Luck and Be Safe

cataway

that pic is just to hard to belive , but ok i'll try it

eldeguello

The best load I ever found for mine was 28.5 grains of H335 with the Speer .311" 180-grain round nose bullet. The MV of this load was over 1900 FPS, or more powerfuil that the ORIGINAL.30/30 load of 1894! BUT IT HAS TO BE WORKED UP FROM AT LEAST 10% BELOW!!

I got pretty good groups from my Mini-30 with this load, but the rifle changed zero from day to day regardless of what ammo I used in it, so was essentially worthless as a hunting rifle. (This was the only Ruger rifle I've ever owned that had accuracy problems.)

I got rid of it after abou two years of trying to get it to shoot well. I now have a CZ 527 carbine in 7.62X39. It's zero stays the same, and shoots very well to boot.

eldeguello

Steve, yours shoots amazingly well!

steve4102

This is one of my Mini targets before I bedded it and retorqued the gas block screws. Not to good. Lots of fliers.

cataway

whats the deal with the gass block screws?

steve4102

Slip on over here
http://www.perfectunion.com/forums/index.php?s=842c6c5bd07fc44c7f5d844227eec729&s howforum=8
And these guys will tell you all about the mini and how to make it shoot better. This is where I got all the info on the gas block, bedding etc.