I have a older 185 Mini 14, it "ain't" a tack driver, but neither am I at age 68. But, it never, never gives me any grief. I went that way after some bad, very bad sessions with the early M 16's in Nam (before the thumb assist) and had the Btn. armorer replace the second one issued to me.
I have a newer AR 15, has a lot of improvments, but will still give me troubles that the Mini 14 does not, with the same ammo. Like someone earlier said it is the American AK. If I had to grab something that I needed to go bang, it would be the Mini.