Are the Santa Barbara receivers made by casting?

They should be cast....into the nearest lake.

In the UK all firearms must be proof tested by firing two high pressure rounds through them to simulate an overload of 50%.

Now whether you agree or not that it is a meaningful test or just a "make work" scheme for the otherwise unemployable is your choice.

What is fact is that these receivers passed this test when used by the British Parker Hale company without fail.

So are they safe? Yes. I think a lot of this prejudice has been "home grown" by some who will charge you a lot of money to do what already came as "stock" on these receivers...drilled and tapped, no clip "hump"...side safety...speedlock etc.

And others hearing this just climbed aboard the bandwagon.

Santa Barber Mauser Action is an excellent action produced to a high quality standard. It has all the desireable features of other commerical action....no thumb cut, no rear hump, standard holes drilled and tapped, proofed and a high quality bolt. Not sure who made the bolt. Same action now made by Zastava in Yugoslavia.

I've worked with several Parker Hales over the years in most calibres including 375 H&H. Make an excellent rifle and not the price of a current commerical action.

Currently there are few being sold on some of the auction sites that are raw castings. A lot of work to finishing these and of course, they need heat teating.

What is your objection?

quote:

Originally posted by rgg_7:
Santa Barber Mauser Action is an excellent action produced to a high quality standard. It has all the desireable features, proofed and a high quality bolt. Not sure who made the bolt.

Same action now made by Zastava in Yugoslavia.

I've worked with several Parker Hales over the years in most calibres including 375 H&H. Make an excellent rifle and not the price of a current commerical action.

Currently there are few being sold on some of the auction sites that are raw castings. A lot of work to finishing these and of course, they need heat teating.
What is your objection?

The above post is similar to several conversations over the years I've heard or read about the Santa Barbara actions. There is a lot of confusion, which has continued to leave me unsure of the actual facts enough so that I have strictly avoided the Santa Barbara action. That, along with actually looking at a few and saw what looked to me as inferior quality, compared to FNs and MK X actions.

First the above quoted post mentions Santa Barbara, Parker Hale, and Zastava actions all in the same post - like they are the same action. It's a common mistake, but it is my understanding that Santa Barbara actions were made in Spain, and are like a primitive version of investment casting. Maybe they are the same actions as used on Parker Hales, I dunno. But I do know that Santa Barbara and Zastava actions are not the same Mfg, and not different generations, but made in different countries altogether, and much different in quality.

The question of need to heat treat the receiver is important info. Whether true or not, it should be considered true until verified one way or another. Also, if re-heat treated, that doesn't necessarily mean that worries are over on this issue, since there is the question of the quality of the casting and metal in the first place. IMO, the receiver isn't worth the cost of reheat treatment, much less all the other work it takes to make it functional.

From the confusion of info, and from my own observation of poor quality and from the uncertainty of heat treatment, as far as I'm concerned all SB actions are junk. For my money and time, any rifle made on a Santa Barbara action is less than worthless to me.

KB

SB's are made in spain, from a casting, and are NOT asdesriable as some. far inerferior to the zastava actions

they fit the form of a commerical 98 .. but deadlasst...

quote:

Originally posted by rgg_7:
Santa Barber Mauser Action is an excellent action produced to a high quality standard. It has all the desireable features of other commerical action....no thumb cut, no rear hump, standard holes drilled and tapped, proofed and a high quality bolt. Not sure who made the bolt. Same action now made by Zastava in Yugoslavia.

I've worked with several Parker Hales over the years in most calibres including 375 H&H. Make an excellent rifle and not the price of a current commerical action.

Currently there are few being sold on some of the auction sites that are raw castings. A lot of work to finishing these and of course, they need heat teating.

What is your objection?

Last I heard, Spain is a long fucking way from Serbia. The SB's were made in Spain. Jeff has about summed this one up.

quote:

Last I heard, Spain is a long fucking way from Serbia.

...and they're both a quite a way from Belgium.

The only "issue" I ever had with one is the cocking piece. They are very hard...call it "brittle" The speed lock BS is not worth commenting about.

After the cocking piece breaks, a 98 can be retro-fitted.

Other than that, use the action ...plenty of fine spoters have been built with this action as a base

The only issue I ever had with these was the actual shaping of the steel surfaces. At a minimum they needed stoning to flatten the flats and smoothly curve the uneven ripply curves, and the bolt handles stuck out at the wrong angle. Otherwise IMO very similar to the FN including the heat-treat, for instance I've (so far at least) never seen a Santa Barbara or FN with bolt lug setback.
Regards, Joe

quote:

Originally posted by J.D.Steele:
I've (so far at least) never seen a Santa Barbara or FN with bolt lug setback.
Regards, Joe

I suppose that make them a better choice than an Argentine 1909?

Once I had a deal going with a guy who wanted to buy a nice 98 Mauser action for a custom sporter that he was planning on spending a significant sum on it s completion - custom bolt handle, black T coating, McMillan stock, custom stainless barrel. We both used the same gunsmith, who told him that I had a varity of actions for sale. I tried to do the guy a favor, and suggested some of my best actions, including Mark X, FN, or one of the mid-30s military 98s, and priced them a little less than I figured was actual value - a buddy deal.

Well, the short story is that the guy acted like I was trying to rip him off, saying he could buy sush-n-such Santa Barbara action for much less price. I suggested that was what he should do, and quit dealing with him.

My gunsmith later said that guy did buy the SB, and did spend a lot of money on the whole project, and the action was indeed a pain to work with, and didn't feed right etc. without a lot of work, but the guy seemed happy with the end result and didn't come back and complain.

Anyway, some people just don't have the same perspective as others. For some, getting the "deal" is everything. I can't imagine spending the money to put a first rate barrel on an action as poor as the SB, but that guy saw no problem with it. To me it isn't making a pig's ear into a silk purse, but spending a lot of money on a pig's ear.

Obviouisly there is a market for practically anything. That's why the term was coined - Junk to some, treasure to others.

KB

Damn ... wish I'd known the Parker-Hale Santa Barbara action was such junk. Would never have built a .458 AR on one even though that would have delayed it a year.

Did put an FN cocking piece, shroud and safety and a Timney trigger on it.

Still ... the damn thing produces clover leafs at 100 yards pretty often and hasn't set back after 250 rounds.

Will just have to be quiet about its heritage I guess

(As a bargain hunter, I really do like the J.C. Higgins FN Actions ... when I can afford them.)

A commercial Spanish Lacoruna action using better steels. IMO about the same as most Zastava's to degree of finish but I don't know about consistency of heat treatment or strength. At least the equal of Herter's J9 which isn't praise. I shot a .300 Win built on a "Star" Santa Barb action a great deal and with many very hot loads, like 200gr Noslers at 3050fps. When I sold it the action showed no signs of set-back or other problems. FWIW

quote:

Originally posted by mstarling:
Parker-Hale Santa Barbara action.

Did put an FN cocking piece, shroud and safety and a Timney trigger on it.

Still ... the damn thing produces clover leafs at 100 yards pretty often and hasn't set back after 250 rounds.

Will just have to be quiet about its heritage I guess

(As a bargain hunter, I really do like the J.C. Higgins FN Actions ... when I can afford them.)

I like the Higgins FN actions too.

So - the Parker Hale and Santa Barbara actions are the same? If so, I had a Santa Barbara rifle once and didn't know it. Damn

The rifle was in 458 WM, and shot pretty good, and I had a lot of fun with it, killed a big moose, almost dropped in his tracks.

I spend a good bit on modifications to that rifle, restock, altered the sights, fix the floor plate release, new three-position safety, new trigger, mayby some other stuff. But I never got around to a new barrel, but did have it cut to 20". The factory chamber was the roughest I've ever seen. The tool marks were clearly visable with a flashlight, but extraction was ok, and accuracy was good too. I think I probably shot it over 200 rounds. After all the mods, I didn't have any significant trouble, except a small problem with the fitting of the safety to the bolt, which the gunsmith fixed right away. I finally sold it to a guy going to Australia who said he planned on shooting water buffalo.

Judging from the ownership and experience with that particular rifle, I still count it as more troublesome than the Mk X and FN. It had more off-the-shelf problems caused by basic fitting and machining from the factory compared to any other Mauser I've used. But obviously it was usable.

KB

mstarling,
Your friend and mine, Rick has my old Parker Hale/Santa Barbra and believe he rechambered from 458WM to Lott if I am not mistaken. I liked the rifle when I had it and traded for some other items and Rick ended up with it, but have never heard him complain about it at all.

MFD,

You probably know Rick shoots well anyhow ... but I've seen him shoot his .458 Lott and he/it does beautifully! He certainly isn't complaining.

quote:

Originally posted by Kabluewy:

quote:

Originally posted by J.D.Steele:
I've (so far at least) never seen a Santa Barbara or FN with bolt lug setback.
Regards, Joe

I suppose that make them a better choice than an Argentine 1909?

Not better, just different.

To me it isn't making a pig's ear into a silk purse, but spending a lot of money on a pig's ear.
KB

IMO if/since you hafta spend a lotta money on both, then both are pig's ears in the beginning no matter whose name is on 'em.
Regards, Joe

well, what I like about this one I just got is that its a c ring action.

quote:

Originally posted by MFD:
mstarling,
Your friend and mine, Rick has my old Parker Hale/Santa Barbra and believe he rechambered from 458WM to Lott if I am not mistaken. I liked the rifle when I had it and traded for some other items and Rick ended up with it, but have never heard him complain about it at all.

I had both my SB actioned rifles at the range today. One is a 9.3x62 and one is a .458 Lott, no problems with either rifle and they've both been fired extensively. I'm sure that there have been substandard SB actions over the years but mine work just fine.