Unless the gun has to be an AK.
I’m trying to talk myself out of buying a rifle in 7.62x39. I’ve already got .308 & .223 rifles.
Part of the issue is NOT using junk, steel-cased ammo. Brass only.
.308 is heavy, typically with fewer rounds in a magazine, and expensive.
Quality 7.62x39 has the same issues, plus far less bullet selection, wind resistance, and range.
No it isn’t, both commercially and if you’re making it yourself.
I bought a Ruger American Ranch in x39 as well as Mini-30. For the lulz. They’re neat rifles, but not better than 308 in really any way.
And if you’re not already sitting on a 10K round stash, they make even less sense…
Edited to add:
Sometimes I buy shit just because I like guns. Not everything has to be “useful for” or “better than” for me to be interested. If you want a rifle in x39, then buy it. If it catches your interest and having it will bring you joy, then who cares how it measures up to 308 or whatever. Life is short…
Sounds like me and .300BLK.
Isn’t it around 14 inches with a 308 rifle that below that length you might as well just shoot 762X 39 because of the ballistic and powder in efficiencies?
Okay, the gun I was considering was a stainless Tactical model Mini-30.
Like I said, I have one .308 gun and a 5.56 Mini-14. I spent many years with 7.62 AK’s. I’m not so sure I want to get back in to that cartridge. Especially when I have a superior rifle in .308. That’s what brought about my question.
When I bought the Mini I only got the 5.56 tactical model because I had the ammo. My remaining 7.62x39 stash is all Russian junk that doesn’t work well in Mini-30’s.
Well, while researching current Mini’s I realized I’d forgotten about the Mini-14 .300.
I don’t have any so I’d still have to buy the ammo, but I do reload and have magnum pistol powder the .300 uses. I also have lots of Ruger 5.56 mags so I wouldn’t have to buy any more.
Further bonuses is the .300 Mini has a proper shoulder for suppressors / mounts. It’s also regulated to run subs with a can and supers without a can. Well, I have a typical .30 back-pressure can already.
Pretty darn tempting. I wish they made it in stainless, though. And with a @12 inch barrel.
Purpose? 200 yd fun gun / 1-50 yd HD gun.
I checked and the accessories I have on the Mini-14 can swap over. (Tech sight, Ultimak rail, light & mount, qd RDS mount & RDS, stocks, & sling)
I understand .300 is even more trajectory and wind challanged than 7.62x39. But feeding and ignition should be more reliable. Far more types of bullets available. And subs are an expensive way to get 9mm fmj performance! 
Yes I think you’re correct. Might be more like a 14 in 7.62x51 compared to a 20 in 7.62x39 barrel though.
Very good points.
For 0-50 HD I would choose .300blk over 762 Soviet. I’d choose 7.62 Soviet over 308.
762x39 has far less recoil and typically uses a much lighter platform than 308.
300blk has even further recoil reduction compared to 762x39.
It’s not always about making the biggest hole in the bad guy.
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The type of rifle and how it will be used can’t be ignored in this decision…so I can’t give an answer.
Better for what? If I was only going to shoot brass case, I wouldn’t own a 7.62x39.
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Because ironic guns are interesting…
Like this XM177 in 7.62x39 I just put together. 
I basically changed the original topic, though.
Now considering a .300 blk.
My experience with 90’s issue mini 30 was abysmal. Horrible precision even with my best reloads. Do these rifles still run .311 throats with .308 bores? Did they every improve the hammer energy? Out of 30 rounds in a magazine, atleast 5 fail to fire with harder comm bloc primers. I felt lucky to break even when I sold the package set of rifle, magazines, optic, reloading components.
They do not have .308 bores now. They are .310, 1/10 twist.
The problem with most Russian ammo isn’t that the hammer system isn’t sufficient. The problem is the primers are set deep and firing pin isn’t quite long enough for them.
The Russian ammo is also very low quality in every way.
With quality ammo and now common, affordable Ruger made 20 rd mags, reliability is good.
Mini accuracy is decent now. 2-3 moa. Better with handloads. But as it gets hot the POI changes. So, treated as the light-duty rifle it is, it’s fine. Run it hard and you get 7.62 AK-like patterns.
Have you considered a 5.56/.223 bolt rifle?
OMG Said by every gun guy ever!
And I’ll add some folks residing in “Ban states” buy Minis as it always seems to be passing muster with the idiots who pass such ridiculous “AW”laws. My 90s Mini 30 was atrocious all around so it went bye bye with full disclosure. That being said a few friends and family members stuck in ban states have all picked up a Mini or two in all the calibers offered during the mid 2000 time frame with no issues including my cousins and my buddys chambered in 7.62. The ammo prices and availability have driven them to buy Mini14s but there retaining there Mini30s because as my cousin said “ Ya never know…”
I read your first post, but this post has me puzzled. The Mini-14 was my first semi auto centerfire rifle in 1999 when I was 18 years old (because my parents wouldn’t let me have an AR-15 lol). The scope mounting system sucks, and it loses accuracy when the barrel heats up. It’s definitely a quickie ranch rifle to fire a few shots at Coyotes and that’s it. Terrible gun otherwise, subpar factor magazines. The Mini 30 would definitely be my last choice for a 7.62x39 platform for all of the previous reasons and because there are a plethora of superior choices out there for the 7.62x39 platform.
To address the caliber question, what is your intended use? I am not a 300 black out fan, but I see the purpose < 100 yards in, especially with subsonics. Having said, I have a 8.3” SBR gen 1 Galil ACE in 7.62x39 that I run suppressed exclusively and it is one of my favorite guns. Even runs Hornady subs without a hitch using the KNS piston. It’s the reason, along with my PCCs, I refuse to dump money into another caliber and weapons system (300 black out).
So again, why do you want to run 7.62x39 over .308? Hog hunting? Coyotes? Deer? for fun? That would help me answer your question better.
I put that in my post. The Mini is fun to shoot/operate.
200 yd fun gun / 1-50 yd HD gun.
I’d have to load my own subs, if I decided to shoot subs, because they’re pretty expensive.
.223 is about .45 a shot, 7.62x39 brass .55, .300 blk .60, .308 .85.
This thread has become more should I replace my Mini 14 in 5.56 with a .300 blk Mini-14. I do wish the .300 blk version was made in stainless.
200 yards for fun, 1-50 home defense?
The answer is a 13” Gen 2 Galil ACE with a KNS piston and a suppressor OR a Rifle Dynamics Quick hatch (10-12” barrel) + can.
If you choose .300 black out, buy a Daniel Defense 10” SBR or similar. I say use a barrel > 10” if you plan shooting beyond 100 yards in either caliber.
Stay away from the Ruger mini series. Terrible optics mounting system, terrible magazines, poor accuracy. Get an AK or AR platform.
oh and I forgot to mention, the new CMMG Mk 47 looks pretty sweet as well. I played with one at my LGS, have not gotten to shoot it yet.