anyone here have any opinions on this weapon? looking to pick one up. its supposed to be a real good and accurate shooter

Reliable yes, never heard it associated with 'accurate'. 4" at 100 yards is considered pretty good for it. The main difficulty with Mini-14's is the rarity of factory mags in either 20 or 30 rounds. Buy the gun and 10 mags and you're way over the price of an AR and 10 mags.

Ruger has sold a couple of different tactical Mini 14s as of late. One had an M4 style stock. The most recent version that I've seen has an ATI stock. ATI doesn't exactly make the best stocks out there. For a bit less, you can but the tactical version (which will have the flash hider) sans folding stock and then just drop it into a Butler Creek folder purchased seperately.

Anyway, 20 and 30 round mags are now readily available since Ruger has started selling them direct to the public. You can order them from Ruger and many other places. They're more expensive than AR mags, but they are all steel and should last a very long time.

The current Mini 14s have heavier barrels than past generations and also have the location of the front sight changed. Combined with a flash hider, this should make them a bit more steady when it comes to punching holes, however for a long time, Minis suffer poor results when they heat up. Even the relatively recent 580 series (which to be fair has been improved further since my own 580 was made) are not immune from this problem.\

Obtaining spare parts for Rugers is also a problem unless they've changed their policies in that regard.

Generally, given the price point of Minis currently, most people just end up buying an AR or a Sig 556 (if they want a gas piston gun), or one of the various AKs.

The Mini I had was reliable but it was a 6" gun - I can't recommend them.

If it's a new Mini-14 I might try it, the new ones are more accurate than the old ones. I had an old Mini with a factory folding stock that was a handy little rifle. The problem was that I got better groups from my 1911 at 50 yards than with that rifle....it didn't last long.

Ruger 20 round factory mags are GOOD mags, and they are available. I never had luck with aftermarket mags.

I have an old 181 series that I bought new back in . . . well, never mind when I bought it - but it's always shot into 2" or less at 100 yards if I do my part. I'm not a particular fan of Bill Ruger's offerings and I personally know bunches of folks that have had the poor accuracy problems described here. The funniest was a friend of mine who rushed out and bought one the new 77/22's when they first arrived on the scene; off the bench on sandbags at 50 yards with a scope and they were all over a 6" paper plate. He shipped the gun back to Ruger with his test target and they shipped it back and told him this was acceptable accuracy for this gun. Needless to say, some lucky (?) soul at the next gun show got a 'good deal' on it and my friend stopped buying Rugers . . .

__________________
Qui plantavit curabit

I don't know what model you're looking at, but will tell you that my early iteration of a folding stock SS Ranch Rifle was a third-rate *** which I so desperately wanted to "fix" that I through ridiculous amounts of money, time, and agonizing into, before I came to my senses and peddled it, that I'll warn you off. The late W.B. Ruger himself called the Mini-14 "The world's most expensive plinker," and the factory has seemingly been content to turn out substandard product with poor accuracy, terrible triggers, and a cavalier concern for performance. There are many other alternatives I'd consider rather than a Mini-14.

I've bought a 580 series All Weather Ranch Rifle about 6 months ago. It goes bang every time. It shoots between 3/8's and 1/2" at 25 yards with a millett red dot sight mounted on it. Thats about 2" at 100 yards. I like the gun a lot. I just wish it would shoot a better groups. Actually 2" is better than I can shoot, so I can't complain about it. If you wait a while you should be able to pick up an ar15 for the same money and you will get 1" groups from it. I like the Ruger a lot. I'm saving up for an ar15.
Phil