308 in MINI 30 ?????

putt-putt

Can I fire 308 win. from my mini 30 7.62?
What is the differance between these two numbers?

dcs shooters

NO WAY[B)]
The Mini 30 takes 7.62X39 ammo.
A 308 is 7.62X51. It should not chamber, and not let the bolt close all the way, or fit in the Mini mag.

nmyers

Probably the confusing thing is that both rounds are .30 caliber. That is, the size of the bore measures .30".

But, the cartridges are completely different. .308 WIN is a high power round that is much larger than the mid-power 7.62 x 39 round. Plus, there are several other .30 caliber rounds that are different from either one of them.

Bottom line: You should only fire ammunition specifically intended for your gun; failure to stick to this can have lethal consequences.

You might find it helpful to subscribe to a couple of gun magazines. I read just about every article in the American Rifleman (sent to NRA members), & Guns & Ammo. Over the years, you will be exposed to a lot of information that will help you & make this hobby more fun for you.

Neal

Ambrose

If I remember correctly, Ruger's origional intention was to build a rifle of this type in .308 called the XGI. Too many problems and they dropped the project. (Bill was not the most patient man!) The .357 Maximun went that way, too. I wonder how many other things like the car, etc. got dropped.

45er

Howdy putt, and welcome here your first postings,

Your (good!) questions have been answered. Best to ask than to step into the un-known, and that's what this site is about.

Off the top of the head, there are around ten or so currently made calibers that take the .308/7.62 bullet, of which none are readily interchangable. (Well, a couple maybe, though without controversy, at any rate. Such as the can of worms with the Winchester .308 vs 7.62x51 NATO?). So it can be confusing, yet not a completely dark subject.

Would like to add, +nmyers, that cartridge usage and identification is a study in itself for information. And quite enjoyable, too. My, (modest) library has five or six books just on that subject, not to mention another handful of reloading manuals. If interested, "Cartridges Of The World" by Frank Barnes is a good, inexpensive starting book. Last count I had some time ago, is he was up to Volume 6, so get the latest edition.

45er

beantownshootah

quote:Originally posted by putt-putt
Can I fire 308 win. from my mini 30 7.62?
What is the differance between these two numbers?


No.

7.62x39 (aka "Russian short 30") and .308 Winchester (which is usually what people mean when they say "308") are TOTALLY different calibers.

You won't even be able to fit a .308 into a mini-30 gun. . .the round itself is too long for that.

.308 is a *LOT* more powerful round, plus the rounds themselves are more expensive.

ern98

If you are going to get into the shooting sports you might want to consider picking up a good used reloading manual. Recently replaced manuals can be had off of several auction sites for cheap. They will go a long ways to explaining the basic differences between the various cartridges and their calibers and give you a good basic background for the sport. Barnes, Nosler, Speer or Sieara would all be good choices.

nononsense

putt-putt,

A picture is still worth 1,000 words.



This represents a side-by-side comparison of several military/civilian cartridges for your attention. Please note that the two cartridges you ask about are very dissimilar is size and shape.

Best.