I think the 7.62X39 gets quite a bit of bad press, primarily because of the rifles that are chambered for the round. Most of the less expensive AK47s on the market have receivers that are so flimsy that those rifles are not gonna do anything but shoot groups that look like they were made by a shotgun and buckshot at extended ranges. I guess if you were shooting at people from moderate distances that format might make some sense for a number of tactical and political reasons. Can’t say for sure but I suspect that the 4 minute of angle (AK47) standard was what lead Ruger to come up with the initial Mini14 offering as a matter of price point and market share for that portion of the market that Ruger assumed was not all that interested in guilt-edged accuracy. Maybe it worked...who knows. Then there are those folks that have always expected more from Ruger based on their experiences with rifles like the M77. For those folks, a 4 minute of angle Mini14 was a non-starter. Ruger has more recently responded with newer Mini14s that are advertised as delivering better accuracy. Bottom line here is that if accuracy is important to you, and you go with the Mini14, make sure you get a newer one.
The idea of a moderate range “truck gun” was something I considered a year or so ago. Rifles shooting pistol calibers are short range propositions offering trajectories like baseballs. The issue for me with these rifles was those occasions when distances stretch out to 100 yards or maybe a tad further. Rifles chambered in a pistol caliber make the probability of success at those ranges less likely. For this reason I settled on the 7.62X39. That said I wanted a rifle that 1) Would not break the bank and 2) would deliver minute of angle accuracy. I settled on the Howa 1500 primarily due to their reputation for accuracy and cost...mid $400 range NIB. Roughly half the cost of a Mini 14. I’m sure the Ruger American rifle offers comparable value. However, Ruger’s “Adjustable trigger” isn’t all that adjustable. The Howa has a better adjustable trigger out of the box IMO. The other option is the CZ 527 carbine...hammer forged barrel and an outstanding set trigger. The only issue for me in this project was that the CZ was close to $200 more than the Howa, so I went with the Howa. Not sorry I did. With the right load (Sierra 125 grain .311” bullet, Winchester brass and 25 grains of H4198) she will lay down sub MOA groups all day long at 100 yards. My scope has a graduated elevation reticle. The first ring puts the rifle dead on at 200 yards and half way between the third and fourth rings puts it on target at 300 yards. Although the practical value of a 125 grain bullet doing an average of 2268 fps at the muzzle at 300 yards is pretty questionable. Wouldn’t bother me to line up on a coyote at that range with that round.
These are just my experiences and observations. The little 7.62X39 is an excellent round within its range of limitations. If you reload, stick with the .311” bullets. The .308” bullets I’ve shot are lacking in the accuracy department. I’m happy with my truck gun. At reasonable distances it shoots quite a bit flatter than any of the pistol caliber rifles and packs a good punch to boot! Oh...steel cased ammo? I think the Russians are still pissed off with us and selling us steel cased ammo is one way they are getting even. It’s will generally go bang when you pull the trigger. I have no use for the stuff.