My personal Mini 14 experience involved a 1990 era stainless version.
I just HAD to have that Mini, and sold an M1 carbine to get it.
Regretted it during the first range visit...the M1 carbine was more accurate at 100yds than the Mini was at 50yds.
Sold it fairly quickly.
The current Mini 14's are nicer rifles, but even so...
A friend bought a current Mini with the thicker barrel, and I took him to my club to try it out.
I still shot tighter groups with my 5.45 Saiga at 100yds, and I know my 16" AR parts gun build would do better.
I just HAD to have that Mini, and sold an M1 carbine to get it.
Regretted it during the first range visit...the M1 carbine was more accurate at 100yds than the Mini was at 50yds.
Sold it fairly quickly.
The current Mini 14's are nicer rifles, but even so...
A friend bought a current Mini with the thicker barrel, and I took him to my club to try it out.
I still shot tighter groups with my 5.45 Saiga at 100yds, and I know my 16" AR parts gun build would do better.