Finally got to spend some "quality range time" the other day with a
recent vintage Ruger Mini 14 and my conclusion is that it is a real "fun
gun."

It's lighter than all the AR 15's I've shot, more "rifle-like," operates
smoothly, and I really liked the stock "peep" sight. Took me a couple of
tries to seat the magazines properly, but once I figured it out, they
were no problem. Tried 20 and 30 rounders.

The rifle was accurate enough for me to "kill" a dozen two liter soda
pop bottles at 50 yards, and consistently hit the two steel "gong"
targets we have at our informal range. Didn't try to shoot any tight
groups, but the owner of the rifle says he regularly plinks 1-1/2" to
2-1/2" groups with "regular" (cheap) brass cased non-ferrous ammo.
Friend had a gunsmith do a $50 "trigger" job on his rifle, and the
trigger action is smooth and breaks nicely. I'm guessing no more than a
four pound pull. Don't know what the stock trigger mechanism is like.

Friend has the "Ranch Rifle" with the wood stock. I like the looks of
the model with the polymer or whatever it is made of stock with the
stainless steel barrel. Might shop around for one...