[oldjarhead]

Stone, I don't recommend the mini-30. I have one ( a recent purchase-new)and I get better groups with my Mossberg 500 with 00 buck.
I've returned it to Ruger at their expense to have it "tuned" but have yet to get a chance to try the "tuned" version out. It doesn't appear that any work was actually done though. I'll get it to the range soon.
IMHO, the only good auto-shooting rifle/carbine made by Ruger is the 10/22; but the high-priced, super-modified, mini-14 is supposed to be good. Problem here is I have not been able to locate a shooter who is willing to pay that much for a mini-14.
As was mentioned on this thread, the only hi-cap magazines, other than Ruger's 5-shot, that will function fairly well is ProMag's 10 rounder. The major problem is the way the bolt lock is activated by the magazine follower...easy to see, hard to describe.

[oldjarhead]

I've had the opportunity to take my factory 'tuned' mini-30 to the range. A little better but not overly impressed. Ruger claimed a 2" group...maybe at 10 feet; at 100 yds it had about an 8-9 inch spread (can't call it a group). At least I could now refer to it as a bullet pusher. Subsequently, I had a trigger job done on it ($40) and reduced the pull from 6# to 3#...helped accuracy quite abit; BUT 3# may be a little too light. It will make a decent plinker but it's totally out for any serious shooting.

[Aarrgghh!!]

I think it's a good gun to have...fun and good for self defense in a SHTF situation.

You can buy 100 round clips for it....so that makes up for a little accuracy loss.

Not to mention the mini 14 is a tough gun...reliable.

[remchuck]

my accuracy improved by putting a hogue overmolded stock on it.still its not as accurate as my bushmaster.

by the way i have yet to see a scope the mini wont destroy.from pentax to bushnell its killed them all.