5.56mm v. 7.62x39mm
From an availability standpoint, the 5.56mm version of the Mini makes more sense. In addition to a thicker barrel taper, I also read Ruger has settled on a barrel twist rate, I believe the early rifle were twisted slower. Plus, new Mini14's are built on newer machinery, the old machinery was supposedly getting a bit wonky. I read all this somewhere when the upgraded Mini14 was released how so ever many years back.
I wouldn't tweak anything 'till I shot the rifle....with several varieties of ammo. The Accu-strut is likely the easiest bolt on aid to possible improved accuracy.
Way back when, the USNPS adopted the Mini14 as a patrol carbine. Initially, there had been a mish-mash of carbines throughout the agency. I saw a rack full of US .30 carbines in the Chief Rangers office in the Smokey's circa 1980. Then policy emerged declaring the Rem 760 carbine in .308 as standard. This was to loosely match the manual of arms on the standard 870 shotgun. I never saw a 760 with the NPS in my career, though I'm certain they were out there. On a detail early in my career to FLETC, the US Border Patrol was indeed shooting 760/.308 with a plastic training round. The down range had been declared unsafe with full .30 ammo. Anyhow....
I finally landed in a park with Mini14's in 1985. Stainless with folding stock, flash hider and a bayonet lug......the A-team. I do not recall ever seeing a failure of any kind over the course of 3 years and multiple qualification sessions and training. If memory serves we had both 20 and 30 rd magazines. On our simple 50 yd/30 rd qual course, accuracy was not an issue. In 1990 or so the Mini's were abandoned and policy rewrite declared the AR/55.6 as the patrol carbine and the .30 cal patrol /wildlife rifle became the M1a
When Clinton was elected in '93 I bought a Mini14 to spite the system. Available and affordable, but I traded it the next week for a Mini30 which I have written about earlier. The .30 Soviet just works better for me as a hunting cartridge. At the time, a 1200 rd case of Chicom or combloc ammo cost less than $100, there was no cheaper centerfire shooting.
Best of luck with your new carbine.
