any of you guys haverhe ruger mini 14?

[Jellymon]

Fun to shoot and super reliable but not the most accurate. I was able to get 1 1/4" groups at 100yds out of mine but I think I got one of the few decent ones.

[CastleRocker]

A wise man once told me, "Shoot straight...if you can't shoot straight, shoot a LOT!".  I've had my Mini-14 since the '80's and it's just what everyone else says.   A lot of fun to shoot... a lot.  It never has shot well, but I've shot it enough that the heat mirage coming off the barrel was so bad that I absolutely could not see the front sight through the peep.  (That was when I was much younger and didn't know that wasn't good for a barrel)!

Check you CMMG's "bargain bin".  They have some great specials on complete rifles from time to time.  I've had two and both shot very well and functioned perfectly.  Also check you Model 1 sales. You can mix and match what you want. 

Read up on AR-15.com and just put one together.  It's under $500 to just do it yourself.  It's actually very simple and kind of fun too.

It's either that or call them in closer like Bofire said.

[Karl Blanchard]

savage is always a sure bet.  You might want to take a look at the T/C Venture.  It is a camo bolt action and I do believe they are under $500.  I don't know much about them except for what I have read but they seem to get good reviews.  My predator gun is a Remington model 7 .243  It is mossy oak brush camo and has a fluted barrel and boy can it shoot! It is there predator bolt action and comes in all the standard varmint calibers.  I think I paid $700 for it but its been a few years I can't remember.

[Karl Blanchard]

This is the remington.

[Goshawk]

Go over to the Olympic Arms web page and look at the AR15 line of rifles they make right here in Western Washington. Their SUM barrels are some of the most accurate out there, and are available in many different calibers from 204 Ruger,  .223, 22-250 and all the way up to the 25 WSSM. http://www.olyarms.com/
The half dozen or so I've worked with have been tack drivers and on par with other AR15 rifles of much higher cost. Their finish is not the best, but they make an excellent rifle.