Santa Barbara Mauser 98
Empresa Nacional Santa Bárbara de Industrias Militares, S.A. · Rifle · Discontinued · 1950
Also known as: Santa Bárbara Mauser, Santa Barbara 98, La Coruña Mauser sporter
Overview
The Santa Barbara Mauser 98 is a commercial bolt-action rifle built on a modified Mauser Model 1898 action and manufactured by the Empresa Nacional Santa Bárbara de Industrias Militares at La Coruña, Spain. Produced from the early postwar period into the 1970s, the action featured a solid left receiver sidewall, an omitted stripper-clip guide notch, and a smooth bridge drilled and tapped for FN- and Mark X-pattern scope mounts. Santa Bárbara actions and complete sporters were exported around the world — notably to Golden State Arms in the United States and to gunmakers such as Parker Hale — to be barreled and stocked into hunting rifles, most commonly in .30-06 Springfield. Built around the proven controlled-round-feed Mauser 98 action with its large non-rotating claw extractor and three-position safety, it offered a robust and serviceable sporting platform.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3400 g (119.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1120 mm (44.09") |
| Barrel Length | 560 mm (22.05") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Fixed Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 850 m/s (2789 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 4210 J (3105 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 4000 m (4374 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 254 mm (10.00") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .30-06 Springfield · primary — also known as 30-06, .30-06 Sprg, 7.62x63mm
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Internal Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Three Position Safety, Controlled Round Feed
- Features: Mauser 98 Action, Controlled Round Feed, Claw Extractor, Drilled And Tapped For Scope, Internal Box Magazine
Service history
Operators
- Golden State Arms
Production
Production years: 1950s-1979
Commercial actions and sporting rifles exported via Golden State Arms and Parker Hale; production ended in the late 1970s as importing the actions became uneconomical.
Origin
Country of origin: Spain
Designer: Paul Mauser
Discontinued: 1979
Notes
Spanish arsenal steel alloys and heat-treating varied; the actions are regarded as serviceable working sporters rather than premium-grade. A complete sporting rifle line built on Santa Bárbara actions was offered in the United States circa 1970, often stocked by Reinhart Fajen, but importation became uneconomical as the US dollar weakened in the late 1970s and the line was discontinued.
Background
Santa Bárbara was Spain's state-owned military industries concern at La Coruña, the same arsenal that built the FR-7 and FR-8 service Mausers. Its surplus commercial 98 actions became a staple foundation for custom and budget sporting rifles in the 1960s and 1970s, prized as an affordable controlled-round-feed alternative to FN Herstal and Zastava Mark X actions.