early mini 30's

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chet15

Hawkeye
Joined
Jan 22, 2001
Messages
5,993
Location
Dawson, Iowa
I've never heard of any function problems with the early guns. Collectibility-wise, the earliest Mini-30's are scarce.
They had a 186- prefix instead of the regular run with 189- serial number prefixes.
The 186- guns had a plastic "Sporter" style buttplate instead of the curved Mini-14 style carbine buttplate. Early Mini-30's also had Mini-14 marked magazines.
The earliest Mini-30's are known in the sn range of 186-00514 to 186-02174, and one of this configuration has also shown up early in the 189- prefix (189-01047). There probably weren't over 2,000 made.
SN's 186-00001 to 186-00500 were not produced.
Chet15
 

TnTnTn

Single-Sixer
Joined
Sep 27, 2009
Messages
113
Location
TN
Our 'early' mini 30 was purchased in about 1986 or so. It has the shotgun style buttplate and the bottom of the magazine is marked 'mini 14'. I can check the prefix, it is toward the back of the safe right now. My wife has killed a few whitetails with it. It has always functioned well and is accurate. I reload using 125g .308 diameter bullets. They shoot better in our rifle than the .310-.311s. TTT
 

chet15

Hawkeye
Joined
Jan 22, 2001
Messages
5,993
Location
Dawson, Iowa
TnTnTn said:
Our 'early' mini 30 was purchased in about 1986 or so. It has the shotgun style buttplate and the bottom of the magazine is marked 'mini 14'. I can check the prefix, it is toward the back of the safe right now. My wife has killed a few whitetails with it. It has always functioned well and is accurate. I reload using 125g .308 diameter bullets. They shoot better in our rifle than the .310-.311s. TTT

Yes...I'd be curious of the sn. They are scarce. Send me a PM if you wish. I always try to keep up on that good stuff for my reference.
Chad
 

TnTnTn

Single-Sixer
Joined
Sep 27, 2009
Messages
113
Location
TN
Here is a photo of my wife's early mini 30. It is a 186 series-Chet I will PM the serial # to you. She actually bought it herself before we were married and I still have both!! Lucky man indeed. TTT

mini30009.jpg


mini30010.jpg
 

chet15

Hawkeye
Joined
Jan 22, 2001
Messages
5,993
Location
Dawson, Iowa
Great pics! A lot of folks don't realize the first Mini-30's were a different configuration than later production. All of these had a 186- prefix while the curved buttplate style stock has a 189- prefix.
I only know of one super early 189- gun in the early configuration.
Chet15
 
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