santa fe arms

Question
QUESTION: i have a 308 that i was told it was a santa fe arms rifle with a bolt action. I'm trying to get as much info on it as i can. do you know of anyplace i can research it? I've looked online to find anything but not having any luck.

ANSWER: Dale,

Santa Fe was the trade name for a series of sporterized Military Surplus rifless churned out by an importer named Golden State Arms. They made sporterized Enfields and Mausers and such.  Sometimes they even built guns out of surplus parts and gave them model numbers that didn't mean much.

Golden State Arms introduced a commercial sporting bolt-action rifle based on the Mauser Model 98 large ring-type action. Many of these rifles have the word 揝pain?stamped on the left side of the receiver tang in small letters, indicating Spanish manufacture.

There is not a lot more info out there.  Golden State was active in the 50's and 60's.  Nothing much more that I can tell you.  It would probably be a good idea to have the gun checked out before shooting it.  You want to make sure it is functioning properly...

Hope this gives you a bit more info...

Regards,

Doug



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: i have shot the gun several times it's a decent rifle. i would also like to see if i can find out the year. I've pulled the stock away from the rest of the rifle looking for any kind of markings. all I've found were several different numbers but no make or model of it. i found out that it was a Santa Fe arms make from a couple of different people at a local gun show. is there anyway to trace it back to the year it was made?

Answer
Dale,

Golden State Arms no longer exists and from what I have been able to research about them, they kept very little accurate info on Models / Serial Number.  Like I said in my earlier answer, you could even have one that was assembled from parts and none of the numbers would match.

Unfortunately, without serial number records, which would still be iffy from Golden State, there is really no way to figure out what the specific age of your gun is.  

It sounds like you were lucky and got a decent one.  I am glad for that...

Wish I could be more helpful...

Doug