Are you sure? The Mini has a partial barrel shroud. The latest rulings and discussions have indicated they are not okay.The Mini-14, along with the Garand and the (sporting) BAR, is one of the very few centerfire semiauto rifles that can be legally bought now in the Demokratik People's Republik of Worsington state.
So, for new shooters and for those who don't already have a semiauto, the Mini-14 is the likely choice and they either pay the asking price or do without.
That's some of the problem with these awful laws... folks don't know what they really say or don't say.
My boy is in Vancouver. Our research says no Mini's for him. But when you say they are okay, then I am further confused.