The beginning of the accuracy search for most early Minis;http://accu-strut.com/

Next step is a tight-fitting syn stock to replace the OEM wooden stock.

I have an nice, early, pencil barrel Mini-14. I bought it for about $300 a long time ago. The muzzle was unmolested by savages.

Over the years, I have made almost every single mod possible to my Mini, except for replacing the barrel, and modifying the trigger group.

It comfortably shoots well within 2 MOA all day long.

It's my opinion that most Mini users either have a used firearm whose muzzle was buggered by improper cleaning technique/equipment, or the user failed to use the right weight of bullet for their barrel's rate of twist.  Of course, there is also the legendary loose fit of Ruger wooden stocks as well.

Why go through all this?  For me, it was partly a technical exercise in exploring the possible.  Besides that, my Mini won me a significant amount of money shooting against shorty AR users who were long on money, but short on shooting skill, particularly shooting under pressure.  Paid for a lot of the upgrades, and then some.

Nowadays, it's harder to find suckers, because I'm well known.

That's all right, all the upgrades on my Mini are paid-for by other folks' money.

Who knows?  I haven't brought the Mini to the range for quite a while.  Might be time for a new crop of suckers.

Raf, what's a good and inexpensive replacement stock?  laminated wood? Plastic?  I have an old stainless mini. does someone make a walnut stock for it?

I've had good luck with RamLine syn stocks, and Butler Creek folders.  Any stock will work, even a loose one, if you bed the action.  Use the instructions for bedding the M1A/M-14 stock as a starting point.  If your stock has the metal insert for the sides of the action, remove the trigger group and make sure the action does not over-ride the insert.  If it does, then trim the insert to fit the "legs" of the receiver.  That insert, stock, and that barreled action are now matched and might not fit well in another stock.  If you get another stock that requires the insert, buy another insert along with screws, etc for the new stock, and match them up, as well.  A lot of syn stocks do not require inserts.