The Mini 14 is a reasonable choice for a SHTF gun; there are better choices for applications where accuracy is important.

Mini 14s shoot patterns, not groups.

ROFL. Goes with having car antennas for barrels.

Expensive = AR-15 Cheap=NEF single shot in a sufficiant cal. for both choices!!!

And for 50 dollars more than a NEF you can get a stevens (savage) Model 200, which is a much better gun then any NEF. And from my experience much more accurate.

Id say just buy a Savage 12 FVSS in 223 or 22-250. I have one in 223 with a tasco 10-40x scope and it shoots under half inch with white box winchester ammo, with handloads it shoots 1/4 inch no problem. those mini-14s will shoot groups that look like a shotgun pattern and a 7400 isn't a whole lot better for varmint hunting. If you want to hunt varmints i think you should buy a bolt action or an AR-15 of some sort. whatever your choice is itll be a lot of fun.

Another option (as if you need one) is the Kel-Tech SU 16. This is a AR variant, made to be a "truck" gun (it folds in 1/2). I have not shot one, but have read good things about the accurracy on the user forum. It is considered a more accurate alternative to the Mini-14. Price range is about the same.

Spud

I like the piston driven operation of the mini 14. Too bad Ruger does not buff the accuracy or at least give an option. Now, if anyone has a tack driving mini-14, would love to hear!

rugers supposed to be coming out with a match grade mini-14 this year has a heavy barrel and a McMillan style target stock and a better trigger. maybe it will be pretty decent I dont know guess we'll just have to see when it finally comes out

The Mini-14 can be "accurized" to produce some pretty fair groups. A heavy barrel, modifications to the gas system, and a better trigger can really improve things. By the time you get done, however, you will have more in the gun than a "V-Match" type AR-15 and it may or may not shoot as well.