Audio Prologue:
05/17/2020
Today is a handload assembly day. So no political news, no Facebook, no conversation. Maybe just a little Gillian Welch playing in the background. I would listen to Muddy Waters, but then I’d start singing along and playing air blues guitar… just too much of a distraction… for everyone.
The first real spring weekend of outdoor work awaits. Landscaping, the lawn, building maintenance, tree trimming and thinning. I am glad for the labor coming out of a long winter. The bad news; we’re apparently overrun with chipmunks. The good news; they are doing a heck of a job aerating the lawn so that will save my wife and I some work.
| Bullet | Type | Weight Grains |
OD” | Length “ | Shank Length” |
COL “ | Net H2O Grains |
| Herter’s – Factory Ammo |
SPHP | 123 | 0.3100 | 0.873 | 0.356 | 2.141 | 30.6 |
| PPU – Factory Ammo |
RNSP | 123 | 0.3095 | 0.707 | 0.420 | 1.951 | 30.1 |
| Hornady Interlock |
SPSP | 123 | 0.3100 | 0.875 | 0.387 | 2.190 | 31.5 |
| Sierra Pro-Hunter |
SPSP | 125 | 0.3105 | 0.902 | 0.331 | 2.190 | 30.6 |
| Speer Hot-Cor |
SPSP | 150 | 0.3105 | 1.006 | 0.448 | 2.200 | 28.9 |
| Sierra Pro-Hunter |
SPSP | 180 | 0.3105 | 1.192 | 0.621 | 2.200 | 25.6 |
About those .308″ bullets
Yes, OK, 0.308″ bullets can be used in the handloading of 7.62x39mm ammunition. Yes, it is out of spec and, yes, many mainstream reloading manuals from highly regarded companies list them exclusively, or in mix with 0.310″ and 0.311″ bullets.And, yes, I have included such data in articles I’ve written in the past. Still, it is wrong, wrong, wrong and we’ll be having none of that here. I just do not want to be responsible for some guy tipping his rifle’s muzzle down and having a bullet drop through the bore. More so, I wanted to hold close to Ruger’s groove diameter of 0.3105″.
Lee Precision did a great job of providing a die set for the easily confused and ill advised by including both 0.307″ and 0.310″ expanders for the full length sizer die. The 0.310″ expander was used here. Checking with a pin gauge, neck inside diameter on a fired case measures 0.311″. Sized, expanded and with brass spring back, the inside diameter checked 0.308″.
A Lee collet type factory crimp die was used as a final process step and crimp was kept light as project bullets other than the Hornady did not have a cannelure. Yes, I know Lee indicates a cannelure is not needed when a factory crimp die applied. However, bullet manufacturers worried about deformed bullets and flawed jackets say “no”. I remain ambivalent. In reality, case neck tension would be nearly enough to retain a bullet, or perhaps I could have just used the 0.307″ expander.
Yes, I do number brass so I can track each throughout the process and then when pulling chronograph and accuracy data. Previously, a given name was assigned, but it was too difficult to fit them on pistol cartridges. Not bad looking once fired brass. I finally put away all of the rotating drums and steel pins and/or hours of vibratory corn cob cleaning nonsense.
Now decapped cases are plopped into a basket in the sonic cleaner for 30 minutes; a bath of Hornady One Shot heated to 35°C. Cases are then rinsed in running water, popped into a dryer for a hour and then finished in ground walnut for 20 minutes in the vibratory cleaner. Primer pockets come out free of all residue and cases are clean and water spot free inside and out. Yes, I did use a borescope to check inside cases. Thank you for your question.
| 7.62×39 – MAP 45KPSI |
|
| Firearm | Ruger Mini-Thirty |
| Barrel Length | 18.50″ |
| Max Case Length | 1.528″ +0.000″/-0.015″ |
| Min – Max COL | 2.150″ – 2.200″ |
| Primer | CCI 200(LR) |
| Bullet Diameter | 0.3110″ +0.000″/-0.0020″ |
| Reloading Dies | Lee Precision |
| Bullet Type | Bullet Weight Grains |
Net H2O Grains Capacity |
COL” | Powder Type | Powder Charge Grains |
Muzzle Velocity fps |
Muzzle Energy ft/lbs |
| Hornady Interlock | 123 | 31.5 | 2.190 | Re 10x | 29.0C | 2414 | 1592 |
| Hornady Interlock | 123 | 31.5 | 2.190 | CFE BLK | 29.5 | 2562 | 1793 |
| Hornady Interlock | 123 | 31.5 | 2.190 | H335 | 32.0 | 2339 | 1495 |
| Sierra Pro-Hunter | 125 | 30.6 | 2.190 | Re 10x | 28.0C | 2368 | 1557 |
| Sierra Pro-Hunter | 125 | 30.6 | 2.190 | CFE BLK | 29.0 | 2538 | 1786 |
| Sierra Pro-Hunter | 125 | 30.6 | 2.190 | H335 | 31.5 | 2347 | 1529 |
| Speer Hot-Cor | 150 | 28.9 | 2.190 | Re 10x | 26.0 | 2163 | 1559 |
| Speer Hot-Cor | 150 | 28.9 | 2.190 | Alliant AR-Comp | 28.0C | 2164 | 1560 |
| Speer Hot-Cor | 150 | 28.9 | 2.190 | H335 | 29.0 | 2134 | 1517 |
| Sierra Pro-Hunter | 180 | 25.6 | 2.200 | Re 10x | 22.5 | 1858 | 1380 |
| Sierra Pro-Hunter | 180 | 25.6 | 2.200 | Alliant AR-Comp | 24.5C | 1839 | 1352 |
| Sierra Pro-Hunter | 180 | 25.6 | 2.200 | H335 | 25.5 | 1836 | 1348 |
Nothing notable within the process, but then I tend to exercise care in trimming, reaming, bullet seating, etc. and I measure each charge on a good digital scale and batch process. Brass is from a single lot source, same for bullets, primers, etc. Too many articles present too many notes, as though something unique or special was done, when they are nothing more than the details that appear in the reloading 101 pages of any reloading manual. My suggestion, if greater clarity is required, would be to read those.
I was pleased with the velocity and accuracy results. Considering all of the handload manuals and components manufacturers’ websites persist in using a SAAMI spec 24″ test barrel, little was given up to the Ruger’s 18.5″ barrel. Everything on the table shot group sizes between 3/4″ and 1 1/4″. This is a new experience for me with the Ruger Mini-Thirty. Just a few years ago, it seemed factory Mini-Thirty rifles shot 2″ and sometimes larger groups with most factory ammo. But then those guys at Ruger are always finessing product with changes that aren’t always obvious.
Overall conclusions
Quite frankly, the Ruger Mini-Thirty has gone from an OK rifle that was always fun to shoot, but too inaccurate for a guy who likes good 100+ yard precision, to a rifle that instills confidence. I’d like to credit the improvement to my old guy handloading skills, but I can’t. I am not that good and the Mini-Thirty did just fine with run of the mill factory ammo.
The Mini-Thirty was cleanly finished as received; free of factory handling marks or ticks.The satin finish stock feels good. The metal parts look substantial. Operation was slick and there was not one ignition failure as soon as I stopped feeding it cheap steel cased, Berdan primed ammo. Zero problems with Boxer primed ammo and no problems with handloads. If I were forced to complain; not something that typically takes much effort, I’d wish Ruger would bring trigger pull down to 4 lbs +/- while retaining reliable ignition.
Excellent quality, deer hunting power, minimal recoil and report. Nice gun.
Email Notification