Taprackbang:
The first gun I ever bought (last October, being an older late-bloomer) was the AO Carbine. Seldom shot the Savage .22 in my younger years. From the first day, the magazine spring was bad and every third round or so mis-fed.
After two months of shooting often, despite keeping the gun clean, the bolt somehow came up on the right side and was stuck. The gunsmith where I bought it would not touch it-due to the warranty, I suppose.
While the gun was gone for repairs, I tested a used Mini 14 and fell for Minis, then sold the Carbine almost as soon as it was shipped back.
My opinion is that the gun which I bought brand-new was really overpriced: $700 or so. In hindsight, I should have learned about the GI Carbines instead of buying mine on impulse.
Did learn quickly about retail prices when nobody wanted to buy my used carbine (still looked perfect, after 500 rounds+) for more than $400, and resolved to never again buy a gun at new retail prices. My Mini 14, 30, and MN 44 were all used. The SKS had never been fired
.
Many people have really good results with the AO Carbine. Even some old GI types might need an adjustment sometimes. The M-1 Carbine ammo won't work in other rifles, except maybe one, but on the other hand many experienced gun owners prefer the fun, handy carbine for a self-defense gun.
I prefer not only other dependable carbines but the versatility of both the .223 and the 7.62x39 rounds. You might want to check into the SKS or even the so-called "Paratrooper" version, if not a Mini.
"GunBroker.com" now has four full pages of Mini 14s. Thanks to Wolf and surplus Bulgarian x54R ammo prices (+ .22 prices), I can afford to shoot really often. Without Wolf, I would only have bought the Mosin 44 and Mini 14 or 30.
Good luck with your decisions.