[Seahawk]

I have a Ruger Ranch...I traded a Bushmaster Varminter for it with my neighbor five or six years ago, maybe more. I also got a whole bunch of ammo in the deal

I don't like the way the Bushmaster, or any AR for that matter, feels. Great guns, just not for me. Believe me, I have a rifle range on the farm and guys love to shoot here. The price of entry is I get a few clips with their babies: I have shot every possible variation of AR rifles from auto fire, NVG scopes, Red Dots, floating holographic images of targets (I kid), Mall Ninja rigs to impossibly milled, very simple sniper guns. Just not for me.

The Mini 14 is not as accurate as some AR's, but it is all relative. The rifle feels right in my hands and I am accurate with it.

Hard to go wrong. I have over 1k rounds through it with no issues at all.

Edit: I also own a few older semi auto rifles, an M1 Garand and and M1 .30 caliber Carbine. The Garand is a complete monster compared to either the Ranch or the Carbine. If you are looking for a nice little self defense rifle, see if you can find a .30 caliber carbine: It will be a few hundred more but they are my all time favorite rifle.