Guys, Does anyone have idea what the accuracy potential for a mini-30 runs?  I've been unable to break 2-3" @ 100m w/ good ammo and a great scope.  If this is the best possible, I may pull scope and attach to my new Bushamster VMatch.  TIA, ZT

I'm a gunsmith and I see Ruger Mini's on a regular basis.  My impression over the years is that these just aren't MOA rifles regardless of what you do to them.  The most accurate I have fired would put 5 shots into about 2" while the worst wouldn't keep it's shots inside 4" at 100 yds.  I've been less than impressed with Ruger in the past few years.  I had one Super Blackhawk brought in with a complaint that it seemed to kick harder than it should and it wasn't even marginally accurate.  The reason was easy to track down.  There was no rifling in the barrel.  In another case, the customer brought me a Ruger SP-101 (new) that was so far out of time that every shot shaved lead and spit it out the barrel/cylinder gap.  Sorry to say bad things but what you are getting from your Mini-30 is probably about all you can expect.

That's as good as I was ever able to get out of my mini30

Zutrooper:

I had a mini-30 for years and did all kinds of experimenting with handloads and scopes. The best I ever did was 1.5" at 100 yards with AA1680 and Nosler 125 bt. My average was closer to 2.0". The mini-30 is at best minute-of-deer. I sold mine and was lucky to break even. I really doubt that I will buy one again.

Karl

That`s probably it...I pulled the scope off mine..and it`s great for behind the seat of the pickup.....I found a ram line stock on sale and changed the front sight to a sight/brake unit...which helps the picture some...great for coyotes large varmint and general plinking........with the iron..it will do about 3" @ 75yrds....good enough for the "dogs"....

I have a mini-30 and I will say that 2-3" is the best you are going to get out of a stock mini-30.  These aren't made to be bench rifles.  I use mine as an open-sighted, close range hog hunting gun.  I wouldn't use one for anything that required more accuracy than this.  That scope would be much more suited for that VMatch.  By the way I think what raf is referring to is that Ruger used to put .308 diameter barrels on the mini-30's, and most 7.62x39mm ammo is .310-.312 in diameter.  However on their newer mini-30's they started using .310 barrels IIRC.

My brother had problems with both ruger handguns that he bought. Both were brand new. His 45 ejected the shells into directly into his face and then started not ejecting shells at all. On his 357 the mainspring broke after only about 200 rounds. Also the ejector on the 357 was stiff and hard to get the empties out.

I've never seen a Mini-30 that could average better than 5" for 5, 5-shot groups at 100yds.
Killing yourself over load development is just a waste of time.
Edited to say:
Most of the "under 3 inch groups" I've heard/seen out of the them have been more or less luck which was shortly followed by a 7" spoiler. Discounting that one fly out of a group of 5 is just kidding yourself.

I would say my mini 30 does 4"-6" groups consistently at 100 yards. Accurate? No. But with a stronger hammer spring it always fires anything made. And it is a lot of fun to rip off 30 round mags with Heck of a lot more PC looking than an AK when the local constabulary sees it sitting on the back seat. If I had the choice again I probably wouldn't buy one knowing what I do now. But I will probably never sell mine either.