did bauer import from mauser prior to interarms?
 

did interarms take over the import contract or negotiate a new one? was there any connection between the companies?

Tom,

Not that I'm aware of. Interarms was the official Mauser importer in the 1960s and 1970s.
Mauser did license their brand name on a few rare occassions, including to Odin for their reproduction artillery stock, which in turn made Interarms furious.

Both Mauser and Interarms were very protective about their brand names and licensing schemes. Even against each other.

was bauer limited to the long guns?
 

all i have seen were rifles and maybe shotguns......

Many rifles and shotguns were also just 'badge-engineered'. Made by other suppliers with the licensed Mauser name added. Interarms' 98 action was made by Zastava in Yugoslavia, for example. I haven't seen the Bauer name on pre-1981 documentation, but I'll keep an eye open for that name.