Well, not exactly my Mini 14 since I don't have one yet. I'm trying though. The flash suppressor interests me both because I think it may someday be an advantage to mask muzzle flash at night and because I like the look. Many have integral front sights. My 14 will eventually have a red dot and I may have a scope with QC rings on the rear mounts. Either way though, good iron sights are a vital fall back.

I've seen a lot of options out there and since I have (for now) the ability to buy what I want, should I be happy with the Ruger flash hider with its integral front sight or ignore that, buy the gun I want based on the rest of the features and put my own front sight and flash suppressor on it?

I'm assuming you're looking at the Tactical Mini?

The front sight and flash suppressor aren't one piece on those models. The sight is the same as any 580-up front sight, and the flash hider is threaded on using 1/2"-28 threads (assuming it's a new model), which are the same threads used on ARs and other 5.56 rifles.

You could purchase your Tactical, remove the flash hider with a Torx bit (can't remember right now what size...), then install any AR flash suppressor or muzzle brake you choose.

EDIT: I may have mis-read your post...

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Yeah, I left that out. The Ruger flash suppressor I'm think of is on the Tactical version of the 14. And thanks CO, that makes sense. So anything that's 1/2-28 thread and built for .223 will work, right?

What if I want to pull off the stock front sight and add a different sight? Is that just a matter of finding the right tool and pulling the sight off? I've seen some that attach with a roll pin. I assume that is not compatible with the threaded design. What's involved in converting from threaded to roll pin?

Absolutely right. Anything 1/2-28 and bored for .223/5.56 will work. Again, assuming it's one of the newer Tactical models (post-2010, IIRC). Some of the early ones were threaded either 5/8-24 or 7/16-28 (again, IIRC).

It seems the factory sights are a friction-fit with a roll pin to make the lawyers happy. You can punch out that pin and work the front sight loose, then install any front sight you'd like.

That being said, I haven't found many front-sight-only replacements that wouldn't require some amount of work -- be it drilling and tapping, cutting a new/different roll pin slot, or clamping onto the barrel.

As for the pin-on FH/MB, you're right. The Choate, Masen, and (ch)NcStar brakes/flash hiders aren't compatible with the threaded muzzle on the Tactical models. AFAIK, the only way to get one of those to fit a threaded muzzle is to lop off the threads and essentially make it a "short" standard barrel.

KMO/Kelly/Mo-Rod is now making the Mo-Reaper, which is an integrated front sight (uses SKS/AK front sight inserts) and muzzle brake. He has one for the Tactical models that deals with the thread+roll pin vs. roll-pin-only differences. Many members are singing the praises of this product, but I've never held one in my hands to give you any opinion about it. I can say Kelly is an active member of the forum and is a real knowledgeable feller.

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I've seen the Mo-Reaper and it is high on the list. Despite a lot of reading, I can't get out of my head the notion of being able to see the front sight through a red dot. Sounds quite appealing, although I have no personal experience with it. Maybe the front sight just gets in the way? My eyes aren't that bad yet, but targets disappear behind the stock 14 front sight as it is, so why would I want to obscure the red dot scope view with one? Not sure, but I'd appreciate advice. My concept is to put a low profile red dot on one of the scout rails that replace the Mini hand guard.