A buddy of mine and I got to play with one of the new Mini 14 target rifles a couple days ago with a couple hundred dollars worth of ammo. He picked up both at a show over the weekend.
1. Ruger may say MOA, it ain't. Best group of the day was 1.75" after playing with the damper. this was with Hornady TAP 60 grain. Even my handload 69 grainers, which I've yet to see an AR or bolt gun with a 1X9 twist shoot well, ran 3.5" best group after damper adjusted.
You put MOA anywhere on the rifle, it better do just that in my book.
2. I hate thumbhole stocks on factory rifles.
3. Trigger sucked, weighed 8lbs with my scale.
4. Damper shifted after extended shooting and required readjustment for accuracy upon changing ammo, even between same bullet weights but different manufacturers. I guess you could Locktite it but then you're stuck with one ammo choice.
This rifle made me appreciate my AR more and more as I shot it. I just simply wasn't impressed with this rifle. For a few (50-200) dollars more I can have an AR that is way more accurate out of the box, is much more friendlier to customizing, 3 times easier to maintain and the market is awash in parts.
There's plenty of folks who like Mini's. That's okay, but they're not for me. FWIW my buddy's keeping his mini but is also shopping for an AR.
I'd really like to hear from a 6.8SPC mini owner,though.