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Offline Dusty Miller

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Mini thirty for self-defense?
« on: November 30, 2005, 09:18:15 PM »
I see that Gun Tests is recommending the Mini Thirty as a self-defense gun.  Is it practical to fire that round in the house at night?  The gun appeals to me but I'm thinking that maybe a shot gun would do as well or better and a pump action would be simpler and more reliable.  Or is it a toss-up?
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Offline Zeke Menuar

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Mini thirty for self-defense?
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2005, 10:58:23 PM »
IMHO
A shotgun is a much better choice for fight stopping and self defense in close quarters.  The 7.62x39 Round will over penatrate walls in the home.

Instead of an Mini-30, get a SKS.  I paid $80 for my SKS.  It is more accurate(with some minor adjustments) and reliable than a Mini-30.

This is my opinion.  Your opinion may vary.

ZM
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Offline DWARREN123

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Mini thirty for self-defense?
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2005, 02:54:09 AM »
For home defense I would suggest a short shotgun, a pump action has a chilling sound when the action is worked. If you want the 7.62X39 round an AK variant because of its short length.
You must be careful of over penatration with most centerfire rifle rounds.
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Offline Omaha-BeenGlockin

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Mini thirty for self-defense?
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2005, 06:12:41 AM »
7.62x39----too much bang bang for the home----rural area would be ok----sort of.


Consider the Ruger PC9 or PC4 for a HD autoloading rifle.
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Offline hillbill

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mini thirty home defense gun
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2005, 03:57:38 PM »
ive had a mini 30 for a few years and it is reliable as any ak or sks that i have and handles very well. with a 20 rn clip id take on a whole herd of intruders. however it will shoot clean thru yur house and maybe into the neighbors house also. but it would also shoot thru a small engine block and maybe stop a car, which can be handy at times. all in all id go for the shotgun if indoor fun is your main objective.
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Offline gino

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Mini thirty for self-defense?
« Reply #5 on: December 17, 2005, 06:49:13 AM »
Several years ago we had a case of a local gangbanger shooting at a house with an AK. Bullet went through the house (I don't know how many walls) and killed his buddy who was stationed on the other side of the house to shoot anybody coming out of the house. No big lose to society, one dead, one to prison, but a lesson in penetration.
gino  :lol:
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Offline oso45-70

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Re: Mini thirty for self-defense?
« Reply #6 on: December 17, 2005, 08:58:52 AM »
Quote from: Dusty Miller
I see that Gun Tests is recommending the Mini Thirty as a self-defense gun.  Is it practical to fire that round in the house at night?  The gun appeals to me but I'm thinking that maybe a shot gun would do as well or better and a pump action would be simpler and more reliable.  Or is it a toss-up?


Dusty, In my opinion a pump shotgun would do you a much better job. I have a Mossberg 500 with a long tube loaded with some heavy buck shot setting behind the door of my bedroom as the #1 greeter of unwanted guests. If they get passed all that the heavy duty stuff comes out. Back on topic, I think a pump shotgun is the best friend a person can have in a home invasion situation. Hope you never have to use it in that way. Stay safe................Joe.............. :D
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Offline flamenblaster

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Mini thirty for self-defense?
« Reply #7 on: December 23, 2005, 06:00:57 AM »
Got both mak 90 (cheap norinco ak copy) and sks...mak 90 is very effective at close range..but u need some sort of frangible i suppose in urban environment...sks..i shoot it for fun up in the mountains just off i-90 here in washington..usually at rocks a good half mile away up on a ridge..great fun to pull the trigger..see the cloud of dust..then wait a half second for the thunk of the bullet to come back to me..if you are just looking to defend your home maybe a high quality handgun..along with some equaly good training would serve you better..7.62X39 is just to much in a home defense situation..just my opinion btw
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Offline Sourdough

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Mini thirty for self-defense?
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2006, 05:01:33 AM »
Came home early from a business trip.  Did not think to call wife to let her know I was coming home early, thought I would surprise her.  Never again!  I've heard the scariest sound in the world! Her pumping her 12ga in the dark.  Go with the shotgun for home protection.

    She ended up shooting an intruder about six months later.  Shot him with her light  skeet loads.  Did not seriously hurt him but did put him into flight, to the hospital.  He thought he was going to die.  A little joint compound and paint fixed the wall.  Shot still in sheetrock, did not penatrate past 1/2" sheetrock.
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Offline DavOh

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Mini thirty for self-defense?
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2006, 09:45:11 AM »
I'd have three.

Pump gun for the wife to hide in the closet with. Loaded with a lite load to make it burn but leave 'em alive.

A good ACP. for close in work.

The Mini THirty would be a good one for once they're on the retreat.

My Dad keeps his Rem 870 loaded with buck shot. Tried to use it on my sisters boyfriend once when they were trying to steal my dad's truck.
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Offline 257 roberts

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Mini thirty for self-defense?
« Reply #10 on: February 24, 2006, 05:06:10 PM »
I hate to be different BUT a rifle in the hands of someone that knows how to use one will be a better choice.
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Offline Omaha-BeenGlockin

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Mini thirty for self-defense?
« Reply #11 on: February 24, 2006, 06:26:49 PM »
Problem is: Even in the coolest hands of the smoothest operator under the stress of defending yourself when things are happening fast and there is no time for the perfect shot or second guesses---stray shots WILL happen.

Are you willing to take that chance with your daughter in the next room---I'm not.

The 7.62x39 is widely know for its penetration---or over penetration in this case.

Not to mention---there aren't any decent hi-cap mags for the Mini-30.

Better choices are the shotgun---pistol caliber carbine---or AR-15 carbine---.223/5.56mm---using frangible bullets.
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Offline MGMorden

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Mini thirty for self-defense?
« Reply #12 on: April 18, 2006, 04:42:26 AM »
Well I'm in on this one a bit late :).

As others have suggested, go with a short barrel (as short as you can legally go) shotgun.  I'd also say to go with low-recoil buckshot (sometimes called tactical buckshot).  It has a smaller powder charge so the recoil is lighter, but it also penetrates less.  This is a good thing in a home as any shot you take is likely to be very close in and you don't want over pentration with your family spread about on the premises.  It'll have plenty of stopping power at these ranges.

Another benefit is that because of the lower powder charge, the round is quieter when fired, so you'll have some chance of actually hearing again if fired in a small room ;).
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Offline Old Griz

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Mini thirty for self-defense?
« Reply #13 on: April 22, 2006, 10:28:19 PM »
:cb2: I thought the Gun Test guys left the realm of the common man a long time ago. I have a Mini-30 and really like it, but I would not[/i] use it for home defense unless I somehow I couldn't find anything else in the dark. My DB coach gun would be my first choice. The heck with the sound of racking the slide on the 870—the only sound I want him to hear is the Devil saying, "Ahhh, home at last! You finally made it."
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Offline targshooter

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Self Defense
« Reply #14 on: April 29, 2006, 04:34:33 PM »
:D
I would define self defense as inside your house and at close range under a life threatening situation.
Cool, calm and collected? Probably not.
Give me a 12 gauge with an improved cylinder barrel loaded with number 4 or BB birdshot. This will not penetrate like buckshot or slugs (these require careful aiming) and are quite lethal at the ranges of self defense (7 yards is a long shot in the house). My 2 cents.
PS
I have an Ithaca Model 37 lightweight with the old straight cylinder choke smooth bore barrel that was their Foster slug barrel predating rifling. It has a wide pattern with shot, already opening up at 7 yards so it has a pattern diameter of several inches (about 6 or so) vs the tight pattern of about a 3 inch diameter offered by my full choked Browning A5 at that range. This is my self defense firearm.
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Offline dixiedog

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Mini thirty for self-defense?
« Reply #15 on: May 12, 2006, 03:21:48 PM »
Give me an SA-XD-45 with a M-3 tac.light ,14 rounds of stoping power and you can see your target. also a hand gun is not as easily taken away from you in close quarters.
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Offline Dusty Miller

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Mini thirty for self-defense?
« Reply #16 on: May 19, 2006, 09:05:40 AM »
Penetration sminitration!!  I'll tell ya what's penetration, and thats a 10 ga. shotgun launching a 766 gr. slug at 1280 fps now THAT'S what I call penetration!! :grin:   Just kidd'n folks.  Yeah, I've got a Beretta semi-auto 12 ga that needs to be loaded up with some heavy shot and hung inside my closet.
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Offline saltydog

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Re: Mini thirty for self-defense?
« Reply #17 on: June 28, 2007, 12:02:02 PM »
As your question is confined to shooting it in your house at night - IMO no it is not practical. Buy a shotgun - fill it with 3 rounds of 7 1/2 and the rest in case the birdshot did not stop them 00 buck. 00 buck may go through wall but not very far. The 7 1/2's at 5-9 feet will penetrate and incapacitate the target but not the wallboard. Beyond 10 yards it will mostly dust them. The Mini 30 is a fine defense weapon - easy to bring to target and hicap mags are available but it is not practical for urban home use. 
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Offline 35Rem

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Re: Mini thirty for self-defense?
« Reply #18 on: June 29, 2007, 04:18:30 AM »
http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,113828.0.html
Above is a post about shot size for HD in a shotgun.  There is a link to the box o truth thing, it's pretty telling about penetration and such.

We all seem to forget about the 10 commandments when we start talking about this stuff....know what's behind your target....
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