[sand99sand]

My dad passed away a couple of years ago and had this rifle that he always referred to as an "elephant gun", but I can't figure out the make or caliber of the gun. I don't see any markings on the barrel or anywhere else other than MAG-26266 right under the scope mount. I was told that MAG is the manufacturer's code for Hijos de Jorge Bascaran Mfr. of Marke and Martigry, but I don't see much info about them online. My dad acquired the rifle in the 70s in trade for some dental work. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[BillM]

The MAG appears to be a serial number prefix, not a manufacturers mark. I suspect it is a commercial Mauser action.
Maybe the MAG was used on Magnum Mauser actions? Pull the action from the stock and look for markings on the parts hidden by the stock.
A total lack of caliber, makers and proof marks would be unusual on a commercially produced rifle. It would even be unusual on a rifle produced by a local gunsmith.
Might be possible if the rifle was built by a talented individual from a action, barrel and stock.
Did your dad reload? A search of loaded ammo. brass and reloading dies, along with any reloading data he may have recorded could give you a clue to caliber,
but the only sure way is to have a chamber cast made and measured.
Welcome to the forum.

 

[RMLamp]

Appears to be a sporterized Mauser, probably Spanish but beyond that I don't know.

 

[gvaldeg1]

Absolutely beautiful gun which looks very well done. I'm going to keep looking at future posts to see if the caliber gets identified. I've had an interest in "elephant guns" for most of my life. And, welcome to the forum from sunny Arizona.

 

[Coalcracker]

I agree very nice gun.

 

[Mike Weber]

If there are no caliber markings on the barrel a gunsmith can figure it out by making a chamber cast and taking measurements from the casting. Your rifle appears to be a very nicely reworked Mauser action. The original MFG stamp will be on the top of the receiver ring underneath the front scope mount. If Spanish the MFG is probably the Oviedo factory.

 

[Northtidesix]

The action appears to be a commercial Mauser, no thumb cut out, on the action rail. The commercial bolt shroud supports this. May be a Mk X or Santa Barbara they were both real popular back in the 70's. I made several customs in the El Paso, Tx. shop 1975 to 1980. Many of my customers did not want the caliber stamped visibly on the rifle. The thinking was if the rifle is stolen harder to sell. The ones I did mark were stamped on the barrels belly at the receiver ring. Other marking were stamped in the same area identifying the owner. The trigger with a commercial safety could be any one of several manufacturers.
Beautiful classic lines. Wish I had done it.
​

 

[Mike Weber]

I was thinking commercial action too Roy. The thing that threw me of was the Spanish stampings. I wasn't aware of commercial Mauser actions being made in Spain.

 

[Northtidesix]

I was thinking commercial action too Roy. The thing that threw me of was the Spanish stampings. I wasn't aware of commercial Mauser actions being made in Spain.

I believe the Santa Barbara's were made there. Charles Daly had license to import them from Europe.
IF it is a Santa Barbara this is the information I was able to look up. They ran from the late 1960's to the mid 1980's. Mainly barreled actions for stock makers, gun smiths, and hobbyist like us.

Empresa Nacional Santa Barbara de Industrias Militares, S.A. in La Coruna, Spain. ​

 

[Mike Weber]

I think you've got it and thanks for the info. Now I'll know what I'm looking at next time I encounter one.

 

[Northtidesix]

Ever seen a 98 Mauser made in Japan? I haven't seen one I have seen pictures of them. WW II production.
I'm like you I thought all the Spanish Mausers were Oviedo Spainish.

 

[Mike Weber]

No the only Japanese Mauser's I've seen were the Howa made commercial Mauser's that were labeled Mark X

 

[Northtidesix]

No the only Japanese Mauser's I've seen were the Howa made commercial Mauser's that were labeled Mark X

The 98's were made during WW II. I don't believe they made many of them.

 

[Mike Weber]

They didn't make many of them. I've never seen one in person but have seen pics of one in a book on WW2 rifles. I believe that the Japanese also experimented with a few Carcano's chambered in 6.5 Jap during WW2

 

[Popeye]

I believe that the Japanese also experimented with a few Carcano's chambered in 6.5 Jap during WW2

The Type I rifle Arisaka was produced during the early years of World War II for the Japanese Empire by the Kingdom of Italy (Type I is not a numeric symbol, it denominates Italian).

After the invasion of China in July 1937, all Arisaka production was required for use of the Imperial Army, so under the terms of the Anti-Comintern Pact, the Imperial Navy contracted with Italy for this weapon in 1937. The Type I is based on the Type 38 rifle and utilizes a Carcano action, but retains the Arisaka/Mauser type 5-round box magazine. The Type I was utilized primarily by Japanese Imperial Naval Forces. It is chambered for the 6.5 x 50 mm Jap cartridge. Approximately 80,000 Type I rifles were produced in 1938 and 1939, 40,000 manufactured by Beretta and an equal number by Italian government arsenals; the final shipment to Japan left Venice by submarine in 1941.

I had one for a while. It was in nearly unused condition. Short, two piece buttstock. Had "PB" stamped on the bolt knob (Beretta made). Just about 0 collector value at that time. It got traded off for something that also got traded off.