RE: Mini-14's
You made the right choice.
Here is what I did with mine. Trigger job, 3 different base/rings combinations, 2 different Leupold scopes, just a guess, but 20 some various loads, and still never got acceptable hunting accuracy. Every once in a while I'd get a fluke 3 shot group (1-1.5"), and I'd think I was on to something. Next group was 5-6". I've since bought a few AR15s, and accuracy has never bene a problem since. I still have my Mini as its kinda a keepsake for me. It hasn't been fired in a few years now though.