III. Firearm Information By Type
C. Semi-Automatic Pistols
2. Models and Manufacturers
m. Mauser
1. Broomhandle Mauser
by Kyrie
(KYRIEELLIS@aol.com)
Mauser Military Pistol (AKA "C96", "Broomhandle") FAQ, Version 3.1 (19JUN99)
While perusing the rec.guns FAQ, I noticed that there was none for the
Broomhandle Mauser. I have tried to fill the gap with the following, and
submit this C96 FAQ for comments, corrections, and additional
information by the knowledgeable folks here in rec.guns.
I'm not exactly a stranger to the Mauser Broomhandle (having fired my
first Broom almost 40 years ago, and bought my first C96 almost 30
years ago) but I do *not* claim to be an expert on this subject. The more
I learn about the C96, the more I find that there is to learn. The
information contained in this FAQ represents my own experience and
reading on the subject and is, no doubt(!), incomplete. It also likely
contains errors in fact and corrections are welcome. Additional
information would be *most* welcome, if the source can be cited so that
we all may know where to find the information. Please feel free to
respond publicly in rec.guns (preferred), or to me privately at
kyrieellis@aol.com.
CONTENTS
I. General
A. Description
B. History
II. Variations of the C96
III. Commonly Used Terms
A. Safeties
1. Early Safety - first type
2. Early Safety - second type
3. New Safety
4. Universal Safety
B. Hammers
1. Cone Hammer
2. Large Ring
3. Small Ring
C. Panel Milling
1. Slabside
2. Shallow Milling
3. Deep Milling
D. Markings
1. Serial Numbers
2. Chamber
3. Left Panel
4. Right Panel
E. Contract Markings
IV. Loading and Firing
A. SAFETY WARNINGS
1. Springs
2. Bolt Stops
3. Barrel Extensions
4. Cartridges
B. Loading the C96
C. Firing the C96
D. Unloading the C96
V. Disassembly
A. Field Stripping
B. Detail Stripping the Lock Frame Mechanism
VI. Recent Imports from the Peoples Republic of China
VII. Restoration of Broomhandles
VIII. Loading for the C96
IX. Recommended Reading
X. Personal Commentary on the C96
I. General
A. Description
Manufacturer Name/Model Designation:
Mauser Military Pistol
Also known as:
C96 (common usage in Europe, shortened version of
"Construktion 96")
Broomhandle (common usage in the USA)
Bolo (common name for the short barrel and small grip variation
of the C96)
"Large Mauser Pistol" (contemporary references)
Model 1930 (variation produced after 1930)
Schnellfeuer (AKA Model 712 - selective fire machine pistol)
Chambered for:
7.63 Mauser (most common chambering)
9 m/m Luger (unusual, but not rare)
9m/m Mauser Export (rare)
8.15 m/m (very rare, believed to be DWM cartridge no. 580)
9m/m Largo (some Spanish copies of the C96)
.303 Mauser (some of the C96 pistols sold commercially in
England may be found so marked - they are actually
chambered for the 7.63 Mauser)
Barrel length:
4.75 inches
5.2 inches
5.5 inches
3.9 inches
11.75, 14.50, 16.00 inches (carbine version only)
Magazine capacity (fixed box):
10 rounds (most common)
20 rounds (rare)
6 rounds, (very rare)
Magazine capacity (detachable box):
10 rounds
20 rounds
40 rounds
6 rounds, (for six round C96, exceedingly rare)
Grips:
Grooved walnut (most common)
Checkered walnut (rare)
Floral patterned hard rubber (unusual on a full sized C96)
Checkered hard rubber (unusual on a full sized C96)
The Mauser Military Pistol is a self-loading, locked breech (tilting block
system) pistol, most commonly found with a fixed box magazine.
B. History
Contrary to common belief, the C96 was not invented by Paul Mauser,
but by the Feederle brothers (Fidel, Friedrich, and Josef). Fidel Feederle
was the Superintendent of the Experimental Work Shop, and it is
reported that the C96 (then referred to as P-7.63 or the Feederle Pistol)
was designed and prototyped without the knowledge and against the
wishes of Paul Mauser. Be that as it may, production began in 1896, and
ended about 1939 with over one million C96 pistols produced.
Paul Mauser named the C96 the "Mauser Military Pistol" in the hopes
that it would achieve large sales through its adoption by the Germany
army or the army of one of the other major powers, but his hopes were
never realized. While limited numbers of the C96 pistol were purchased
for issue to members of the armed forces and/or police of Germany,
China, Indonesia, Persia, Turkey, Italy, and possibly Norway or Finland (and unofficially used by the troops of a large number of other countries), it was never officially adopted by any country as their primary sidearm.
Before getting into the variations and characteristics of the C96 pistol,
some background and cautions are in order. All of the Mauser
production and corporate records retained at the Mauser plant were
destroyed in 1945, by order of the U.S. Army officer in command at the
captured Mauser plant. While I cannot tell you what I think of this little
act of senseless vandalism (without resorting to language even *I* find
offensive), I will say that this action has bedeviled Mauser collectors
ever since.
In the absence of factory records that show when which pistol was
made (or even the number of pistols made in any given year) people
have attempted to determine the year that their specific pistol was
produced based on serial number. Such attempts are fraught with peril.
In the early years of production the big Mauser pistol was not especially
popular, and sales were poor. In order to make it appear that more
pistols had been sold than was actually the case, Mauser skipped blocks
of serial numbers. In the later years it appears that some attempt was
made to fill in these missing blocks of numbers. To add to the confusion
pistols made under contract were usually (but not always) serial
numbered in their own series, beginning with number "1". All of which
means that pistols which appear, based on their serial number, to have
been made early may actually have been made much later. The
converse is also true.
All firearms tend to evolve over the years of their production.
Sometimes these changes are made to improve function or appearance.
Sometimes they are made to reduce production costs. Sometimes they
are made for no discernible reason. Nowhere is this more true than the
C96. Over the forty odd years that the C96 was produced a large
number of changes were made. Markings were changed, the shape and
size of parts changed, at least four different types of safeties were
produced, and even the milling patterns on the frames changed.
This evolution of the C96 has provided another technique that has
been used to date specific pistols - dating by the mechanical
characteristics and appearance of a specific pistol. Unfortunately, this
technique also has its problems. There appear to have been times when
Mauser would make a change to the C96, produce several hundred or
several thousand pistols with these changes, revert to the old way of
making C96's for a dozen or a thousand or so pistols, then go back to
producing the pistols with the changes. It's almost as if the folks at
Mauser would find cases of C96 parts, lost in some forgotten corner of
the warehouse for years, and include them in current production until
they ran out, at which point the would return to making C96's the way
they did before they found the lost parts.
It can be really very frustrating...
The significance of all this is that it is next to impossible to accurately
determine even the year in which a specific pistol was made, much less
the actual date.
And it has taught me to use the words "probably", "likely", and "seems"
a lot. I have found that the times I'm most likely (there's one of those
words!) to be wrong is when I'm most sure I'm right. Sigh...
II. Variations of the C96
OK, with all of that out of the way, let's talk variations of the C96
There are anywhere from a half a dozen to several hundred variations
(depending on how one defines "variation") of the C96 pistol. I'll list and
describe the variations of the C96 which seem to get the most mention -
those interested in other variations may find what they are looking for in
the "Recommended Reading" section at the end of the FAQ. Please note that the names of these variations are, for the most part, names
invented by collectors rather than official Mauser model designations.
Full sized C96
The "full sized" C96 has a 5.5 inch barrel, and the standard sized grip.
Typically, it will have a ten round fixed box magazine. Tangent rear
sights were generally marked 50 to 1000 meters, but the majority of C96's chambered for the 9m/m Luger appear to have rear sights marked 50 to 500 meters.
"Bolo" C96
Bolo is the common name for the C96 with a 3.9 inch barrel and a
small grip. Tangent sights generally marked 50 to 1000, but some may
be found marked 50 to 500. The name "Bolo" was not an official Mauser
model designation, and is rumored to have been coined due to an
enormous popularity of the smaller C96 with the Bolsheviks of Russia.
While this attribution may be more fancy than fact, the Russians did
soak up a large number of C96 pistols. The 7.63 Mauser cartridge was
so popular in Russia, and later in the Soviet Union, that it was adopted
as their standard pistol and sub-machinegun cartridge (as the "7.62
Tokarev Pistol" cartridge, and now called the 7.62x25) in the 1930's.
There are a number of sub-variations within these two major types. Here
are some of the sub-variants of the full sized C96.
"Slabside" or "Flatside"
Variation that has no panels milled in the sides of the frame.
"Pre-war"
General name given to C96 pistols with a serial number under about
290,000.
"Wartime Commercial"
General name given to C96 pistols numbered between about 290,000
and 434,000
"WWI German Army Contract" AKA "Red Nine"
During WWI, Mauser secured a contract with the German army for
150,000 C96 pistols chambered for the 9 m/m Luger cartridge.
Approximately (sources differ) 135,000 - 150,000 of these pistols were
delivered before the end of WWI. Whether the pistols were supplied by
Mauser with the Red Nine already etched into the grips, or the "9" was
added by army depot personnel is disputed. The pistols from this
contract may also be identified by having both a serial number between
"1" and "150,000" and (generally) the Imperial Army acceptance mark on
the right, front, barrel extension flat. Many examples have been
observed to have the Prussian Eagle stamp, generally on the front of the
magazine.
C96 pistols which have WWI Imperial German Army acceptance
markings, may be chambered for either the 9m/m Luger or the 7.63
Mauser cartridge, and do not fall into this 1-150,000 serial number range
are known to exist. It is supposed that these acquired by the German
Army for private sale to officers or issue to senior enlisted men.
Examples of this sub-variation have been noted in the serial number
range 287,000 to 434,000.
"1920 Rework"
There exist a number of C96 pistols, chambered for the 9m/m Luger,
with the barrels cut to approximately four inches, the rear tangent sight
removed, the rear sight "ears" and ramp ground off, a fixed sight
installed, and the number "1920" stamped on the barrel extension
(usually on the left chamber diagonal) or frame. The vast majority of these pistols appear to have been Red Nines from the WWI German Army Contract. This "1920" stamp is the property marking of the Weimar Republic and is not, as is sometimes said, a result of the terms of the Versailles Treaty. There exist C96 pistols marked with the "1920" which have not had their adjustable rear sights removed, and other C96's which have all the earmarks of a 1920 Rework but are chambered for the 7.63 Mauser have been reported.
"French Gendarme"
While this is not a common variation, I have included it because it is so
easily misidentified as a 1920 Rework. This is the name given to a full
sized C96, with a 3.9 inch barrel. It is conjectured that they are from a
French Police contract, but that has not been confirmed. This variation
differs from the 1920 Rework in that the short barrel appears to be
original, it has the tangent rear sight, it does not have the "1920"
marking, or the Imperial German Army acceptance stamp and have
serial numbers outside the 1-150,000 range, and the pistols are usually
found to be chambered for the 7.63 Mauser
"Model 1930"
This was a Mauser model designation. The 1930 is most easily
recognized by a step in the barrel just ahead of the chamber and the
Universal type safety.
"Schnellfeuer"
This is a selective fire variation on the 1930 Model of the full sized
C96. Easily identified by the selector switch on the left side of the frame.
Here are some of the sub-variants of the Bolo C96.
"Long Barreled Bolo"
A Bolo with a 5.5 inch barrel.
"Early Postwar Bolo"
General name given to Bolo pistols with a serial numbers in the
approximate range of 444,000 to 500,000.
"Late Postwar Bolo"
General name given to Bolo pistols with a serial numbers in the
approximate range of 515,000 to 794,000.
III. Commonly Used Terms
A. Safeties
Three different safeties may be commonly found on C96 pistols; the
"early" safety, the "New Safety", and the "Universal" safety.
1. Early Safety - first type
The early safety (first type) is placed in the ON position by moving the
safety all of the way BACKWARD (toward the shooter). When the safety
is in the ON position, it blocks the hammer from falling.
2. Early Safety - second type
The early safety (second type) is placed in the ON position by moving
the safety all of the way FORWARD (away from the shooter). When the
safety is in the ON position, it blocks the hammer from falling. The
safety may be placed in the ON position while the hammer is in the
uncocked position. In this case, the safety will cam the hammer away
from the firing pin, and prevent contact between hammer and firing pin.
The hammer may not be brought back to full cock while the safety is in
the ON position.
3. New Safety
The New Safety (identified by the intertwined letters "N" and "S" on the
back of the hammer) is placed in the ON position by pushing the safety
all of the way FORWARD (away from the shooter). In order to place the
safety in the ON position, the hammer must first be pulled all of the way
back PAST full cock, and held in that position before the safety can be
applied. To place the safety in the FIRE position, it is simply pulled all of
the way to the rear. Like the early safety, the New Safety is a hammer
block safety. The safety may be placed in the ON position while the
hammer is in the uncocked position. In this case, the safety will cam the
hammer away from the firing pin, and prevent contact between hammer
and firing pin. The hammer may not be brought back to full cock while
the safety is in the ON position. The New Safety was developed due to
concerns that the early safety could be unintentionally or unknowingly
placed in the ON position during the heat and confusion of battle. It was
thought that changing the operation of the safety to a (relatively)
complex action would prevent people from inadvertently disabling their
firearm.
4. Universal Safety
The Universal safety is placed in the ON position by pushing the safety
all of the way FORWARD (away from the shooter). Unlike the New
Safety, no manipulation of the hammer is necessary in order to place
the safety in the ON position. Unlike either the early or New safeties, the
Universal safety is not a hammer block safety in the conventional sense.
When the safety is in the ON position the hammer may be lowered to
the uncocked position - the safety prevents the hammer from making
contact with the firing pin. The hammer may be brought to the full cock
position when the safety is in the ON position.
IMPORTANT WARNING
It is absolutely critical that the hammer, safety, and lock frame
mechanism (the monoblock into which all the internal frame parts are
mounted) ALL BE OF THE SAME SAFETY TYPE. If any one of these
three parts is not of the same type as the other two parts, an accidental
discharge (AD) due to safety malfunction is very possible. It is possible
to assemble a C96 with different type parts (especially if the parts are
worn or altered), and such a pistol is an accident waiting to happen.
B. Hammers
Many people have commented on the unusually large hammer and
safety lever of the C96 pistol. During the design (and much of the
manufacturing) period of the C96, usability of pistols while mounted on
horseback was a major consideration for the award of military contracts.
Sidearms especially were designed to provide the ability to draw, cock,
fire, reload, and safe the weapon while on the move (frequently at a
canter or gallop!). Those who doubt this are invited to peruse the
documentation concerning the U.S. trials of the Luger in 1900, and the
requirements for use of same by mounted troops. The C96 safety lever
was designed to allow one handed operation while gloved, and the
hammer designed to permit cocking by dragging the hammer rowel
against the saddle.
In any event, the hammer design of the C96 underwent three major
changes during the production life of the C96.
1. Cone Hammer
This hammer variation has the left and right sides of the hammer at
the top milled to leave cones of hammer material. Cone hammer C96's
are generally found in serial number range below 10,000
2. Large Ring
The second hammer variation, it has the top portion of the hammer
machined into a relatively large ring. Large ring C96's are generally
found in a serial number range between 10,000 and 40,000.
3. Small Ring
The third hammer variation, it has the top portion of the hammer
machined into a relatively small ring. Small ring C96's are generally
found after serial number range 40,000.
C. Panel Milling
1. Slabside
This variation has no panels milled in the sides of the frame, giving
the visual impression of a slab of metal. Generally found only on early
guns.
2. & 3. Shallow/Deep Milling
This refers to the relative depth to which the side panels were milled.
D. Markings
1. Serial Numbers
The full serial number is generally found on the frame (top of
backstrap, below lock frame mechanism), barrel extension (left chamber
flat or diagonal), and lock frame mechanism (immediately above the
frame serial number). On the Model 1930, the barrel extension serial
number may be found on the rear of the barrel extension, immediately
behind the rear sight.
As is true of most things with the C96, these positions are only
generally true - serial numbers may appear in different places on
different pistols.
2. Chamber
Chamber markings include "SYSTEM MAUSER" (very early
pistols),"Waffenfabrik Mauser Oberndorf a/N" (most common), and the
Mauser Banner.
3. Left Panel
The left frame panel may, or may not, contain the "Mauser" banner
trade mark.
4. Right Panel
The right frame panel markings may include:
"WAFFENFABRIK MAUSER
OBERNDORF A. NECKAR"
or
"WAFFENFABRIK MAUSER
OBERNDORF A. NECKAR
D.R.P. u. A. P"
E. Contract Markings
Military and police contracts can be a touchy subject. The existence of
some contracts are generally accepted (the WWI German Army contract is one such), while the reality of other contracts have sparked hot debate (such as the French Gendarme contract). It has been suggested that contract C96 pistols may be identified by the contract number found under the rear sight. This may be so, but not even all of the pistols from generally recognized contracts have been found to have a contract number under the rear sight. The presence of such a number may indicate a contract, but the absence of such a number does not disprove the existence of a contract (I said this could be a frustrating subject ). Rather than take a stand one way or the other, I'll just note all of the "contracts" I've heard or read of, with the distinguishing characteristics. People can make up their own minds as to whether the pistols in question are from a contract or are just a variation. It appears that contract pistols made before WWI generally had their own serial number range (beginning with the number "1"), while contracts after WWI were taken from commercial production and did not enjoy their own serial number range.
1. Turkey
Contract for no more than 1,000 Cone Hammer pistols. Serial
numbered in its own series, all small parts have the full serial number in
Farsi. Other markings include a six point star on both sides of the
chamber and the crest of Sultan Abdul-Hamid II and the Muslim year
1314 (1896 Gregorian) on the left rear frame panel. Sights marked 1-10.
This is a generally accepted contract.
2. Italian Navy
Contract for at least 5,000 Large Ring, Slabside, C96 pistols. Serial
numbered in its own series, from 1 to 5,000, all small parts have the full
serial number. Other markings include "DV" on left chamber flat and
crown over "AV" on the bottom of the barrel. This is a generally accepted
contract.
3. WWI German Army
Serial number between 1 and 150,000, chambered for the 9m/m
Luger, Red Nine grips, and the Imperial Army acceptance mark on the
right, front, barrel extension flat. This is a generally accepted contract.
C96 pistols which have WWI army acceptance markings and are not in
the 1-150,000 serial number range are also known to exist. These pistols
may be found in either 9m/m Luger or 7.63 Mauser.
4. WWII German Army
Schnellfeuer C96's. Reportedly, 7,800 Schnellfeuer pistols were
purchased by the Luftwaffe in 1940. Examples in the serial number
range 830,000 to 930,00 are reported. Markings include the Army test
proof on the left side of the chamber. This is a generally accepted
contract.
5. China
The existence of a "China Contract" per se is disputed. A large number
of C96 pistols were sold commercially in China, and C96's with Chinese
language markings (which usually translate to "Germany" or "Made in
Germany") are not unusual.
6. Indonesia
A group of pistols presumed to number no more than 11,000, these
pistols are not numbered in their own series and have been observed to
have serial numbers between 899,000 and 912,000. These are Model
1930 C96's and have a five pointed star on the right flat of the barrel
extension, under the ejection port. That such a contract existed is
deduced from a batch of pistols imported from Indonesia, all of which
were identically marked. This is a not generally accepted contract.
7. Persia
A group of pistols presumed to number no more than 1,000, these
pistols are not numbered in their own series and have been observed to
have serial numbers in the 154,000 range. Markings include the Persian
Crest (Lion bearing a sword, with the sun rising over its back), and the
Persian "Rising sun" on the left barrel extension flat just ahead of the
rear sight, contract number 163 under the rear sight. This is one of the
more commonly counterfeited contract C96's, and is a generally
accepted contract.
8. Norway
An unknown number of pistols in the 855,000 range. These bear what some think to be the Norwegian Lion on the left chamber diagonal This is a disputed contract - some feel that the "Norwegian Lion" marking is really a Bulgarian property mark.
9. Finland
Approximately 23,000 pistols serial numbered 1 - 23,000. A number of these bear the Finnish Army "SA" property mark. This issue is complicated by a number of C96's supplied to Finland by the Third Reich or captured from the Russians in the Winter and Continuation Wars. This is not a generally accepted contract.
10. France
The "French Gendarme" variation, a full sized C96, with a 3.9 inch
barrel, and chambered for the 7.63 Mauser. It is conjectured that they
are from a French Police contract, but this is not a generally accepted
contract.
11. England
C96 pistols have been encountered with British broad arrow proofs. It
is generally accepted that these are either commercial pistols purchased
by individual British soldiers or capture pieces which have been re-
proofed. But there are some that view these as examples from some
small British contract.
OTHER CONTRACTS
A number of other contracts are suspected, but for which country and
in what quantity is unknown. Pistols with close serial numbers, contract
numbers under the rear sight, and identical characteristics come to light
from time to time (a group of pistols imported from the Far East, all
close in serial number and chambered for the 9m/m Mauser Export is an
example of one such).
IV. Loading and Firing the C96
Before getting into shooting the C96, let me share some thoughts on
the advisability and safety of doing so. Broomhandles which are in mint
condition, or completely matching, or are from a recognized contract
probably should not be fired. The wear and tear of usage can adversely
affect the value of these pieces, and a broken numbered part can
reduce their value by half in an instant.
To those folks who are lucky enough to have such a C96, my best
advice is buy one of the many rebuilt C96's available and shoot that. A
nice rebuilt C96 can be had for under $400, and can prevent the loss of
several hundred dollars which occurs when a nicely matched collector
gun become a mixed parts shooter. OK, I'll come down off of my soap
box...
Let's talk safety. The youngest Mauser C96 is almost sixty years old - some are over 100. Most of the shooter C96 pistols have seen long and hard usage. Many have seen little or no maintenance for years at a time. All of which can add up to pistols that are dangerous to fire. The following is a list of problems I've seen, and I've tried to explain what the problem is, how it happens, and what to look for.
A. SAFETY WARNINGS
1. Springs
Over time all springs lose their "springiness" and need to be replaced.
I highly recommend replacing all of the springs in a C96 before firing it.
It seems that most folks will replace the recoil spring and not the main
(or hammer) spring, based on the logic that if the hammer spring has
enough force to pop a primer it's OK.
This is a bad assumption, and can lead to the damage to the pistol and
injury to the shooter. The recoil spring in a C96, unlike most other
pistols, is mostly intended to return the bolt to battery after recoil - it is
not intended and does not do much to slow the bolt during its backward
travel. It is the main spring and the inertia of the large hammer which
acts as the primary factor in slowing the bolt during recoil, after the bolt
unlocks. A mainspring can still have more than enough strength to fire a
primer and yet have no where near the strength needed to retard the
bolt.
A worn, weak, or broken mainspring can allow the bolt to go to full
recoil with sufficient force to damage both the bolt stop and barrel
extension. If either of these two parts should fail during firing, the
shooter may receive the bolt right smack between the eyes.
2. Bolt Stops
The bolt stop is that rectangular piece on the right rear of the barrel
extension. It extends into the bolt body (the firing pin passes through the
bolt stop), and is the only thing which holds the bolt in the barrel
extension. If this part should break or shear during firing, the bolt will be
free to exit the barrel extension and strike the shooter.
I generally recommend that original bolt stops be replace with new
ones. This is especially critical if the C96 in question has been imported
from, or spent any time in, China. The Chinese replaced worn, broken,
or lost parts on C96 pistols with parts made locally. Some of these
replacement parts are as good as the original Mauser made part, but
most are not. I've seen ChiCom parts which were soft as butter, and
very dangerous. A soft bolt stop is an opportunity to pay for your doctor's
son's college education.
It is unwise to assume that a part from a pistol imported from the PRC
is original to the gun if it is numbered to the gun. The Chinese have
been know to number locally produced replacement parts to the gun,
and even forge counterfeit Mauser proof and inspection marks!
3. Barrel Extensions
The barrel extension is that part of the upper assembly of a C96 which
begins in front of the hammer and extend forward through the
loading/ejection port. The narrow portion of the barrel extension to the
immediate rear of the bolt stop is the only thing which prevents the bolt
and bolt stop from exiting the pistol during recoil.
This area should be examined very carefully for deformation. The right
rear side of the barrel extension should be perfectly plumb, and there
should be *no* sign that this narrow portion of the barrel extension is
bending backwards. Anything which makes or allows the bolt to recoil
with excess force (weak springs, hot ammo, premature unlocking of the
bolt, etc.) will pound the bolt stop back onto this area of the barrel
extension. Enough pounding at this point will cause the area to bend
backwards, and eventually fail.
If a C96 barrel extension shows any bowing of the barrel extension, it
may not be safe to fire. The only solution to this problem is to replace
the entire barrel extension - this is not a repairable problem.
4. Cartridges
There has been much (and often acrimonious) debate concerning the
advisability of firing milsurp 7.62x25 ammunition in a C96. The simple
truth is that most 7.62x25 will feed and fire in a C96, and much of it is
within the pressure of the 7.63 Mauser. But some 7.62x25 milsurp *is*
too hot for a C96, or even a Tokarev (the Czech loading of the 7.62x25
for their Vz-52 pistol may one example of such a cartridge).
The problem is that it is generally impossible to tell if the milsurp
7.62x25 is too hot until it is too late. I recommend firing only
commercially load ammo intended and labeled for the 7.63 Mauser, or
handloads which take into account the age and design of the
Broomhandle in a C96. It is all too easy to turn a thousand dollar pistol
into a hundred dollars worth of parts. I regret to say that I speak from
experience.
B. Loading the C96
When loading a C96, remember that the bolt is held open by the
magazine follower. Inserting a round in the magazine, the round will
depress the magazine follower and allow the bolt to slam forward. Which
is one of the better reasons to buy some stripper clips.
Loading a C96 is easy if one has stripper clips that fit. Just charge
the stripper, pull the C96 bolt back until it locks, insert the stripper into
the stripper guide, apply steady thumb pressure on the top cartridge, and
strip the rounds off the clip into the magazine. As the bolt is held open
only by the stripper at this point be prepared for the bolt to slam forward
and chamber a round as soon as the stripper clears the bolt face.
If one does not have a stripper clip (shame on you), the magazine can
be loaded by removing the magazine floorplate, spring, and follower,
inserting the cartridges, and replacing follower, spring, and floorplate.
This is not a procedure for the faint of heart.
There is a way to load the magazine from the top without a stripper or
losing a finger, but I shall not describe it out of respect for our more
safety conscious brethren.
C. Firing the C96
Be sure the bolt is completely closed and the safety is completely off.
Press the trigger. Repeat as needed.
D. Unloading the C96
Put pistol on "safe". With the muzzle in a safe direction, remove
magazine floorplate, spring, and follower. Rounds in magazine will fall to
ground. Replace floorplate, et. al., take safety off, draw back bolt to eject
round from chamber.
The alternative method is simply to work the bolt to chamber and eject
each round in the magazine.
V. Disassembly
A. Field Stripping
STEP 1: BE SURE THE FIREARM IS UNLOADED
STEP 2. Close the bolt and then remove the magazine floorplate,
spring, and follower (done just the way it is on a M98 Mauser rifle).
STEP 3: The take down lever is located at the base of the hammer. With
the bolt closed, the hammer cocked, and the safety off, press up on the
take down lever. While holding the take down lever as far up as it will
go, press back on the barrel and barrel extension; it should move
backwards out of the frame.
STEP 4: At this point the lock frame mechanism is likely still held to the
barrel extension by the locking block. If you pull down and forward on
the lock frame mechanism while holding the barrel extension, it should
come free. The locking block may then be removed from the underside
of the barrel extension.
STEP 5: To remove the bolt from the barrel, first remove the firing pin.
The cleaning rod issued with the C96 had a tip designed for this
purpose, but a small screw driver can be employed if it is used carefully.
With either the tool or the small screw driver, push the firing pin into the
body of the bolt and rotate it 90 degrees counter-clockwise. The firing
pin may now be removed.
Remove the bolt stop by pushing it forward, and pulling out. When the
bolt stop has been removed, the bolt may be drawn backwards out of the
barrel extension.
Re-assembly is accomplished by the same steps, in reverse. There are
some quirks. When re-inserting the bolt stop into the barrel extension,
the recoil spring must be compressed far enough into the bolt body to
clear the bolt stop. When re-assembling the barrel extension to the lock
frame mechanism, it is usually easiest to fit the locking block to the
underside of the barrel extension, and then attach the lock frame
mechanism to the bolt stop,
VI. Recent Imports from the Peoples Republic of China
China was one of the largest markets for the C96. Tens and possibly
hundreds of thousands of same were shipped there during period 1896-
1939. Demand was so high that a large number of copies were produced
locally, with varying degrees of skill. Copies made at the Taku Dockyard and Hanyang Arsenal were generally quite nice (and the .45 ACP variations made at the Shansei Arsenal are quite valuable). Unfortunately, some copies were made out of what appears to be railroad rail stock.
To further complicate the issue, Chinese maintenance of firearms was
generally pretty poor. Bores were allowed to rust out, broken parts were
replaced by worn parts (or locally made replacements), and a large
percentage of C96s were generally allowed to go to hell in a
handbasket.
Then came Mao and his bunch. During the late 1940s and early 1950s
most military units were required to turn in their C96s and get Tokarevs
(actually Type 54's) in their place. The turned in Brooms were
(depending on the type of fellow running the arsenal) either overhauled,
cosmolined, and stored, or simply tossed into a crate and shoved to the
back of the warehouse. A lot of C96s were issued to what passed for
police. Then followed decades of neglect and/or abuse.
About 1985 or 1986 some folks down in Rutherfordton, North Carolina managed to negotiate a deal with the PRC; hard currency for C96s. The folks in NC eventually got in over their heads, and were indicted on over two hundred counts of mail fraud (I only lost about $50 in that mess). But that opened the flood gates and tens of thousands of C96s have been imported since.
Here's the problem. Almost all of the C96s in really nice shape were
imported years ago. What's coming in now is the bottom of the barrel.
Most (if not all) of the 100% original C96s coming in now are in fair to
poor condition with the barrels shot smooth. Some have been
"rehabilitated" by the happy workers in the PRC. Quality of these
rehabed pieces varies from good to absolutely terrible. There are mixed
parts guns where some of the parts are butter soft ChiCom counterfeit
(with counterfeit Mauser proof and acceptance markings!). Some pistols
are completely counterfeit; all ChiCom.
Telling the difference between a real Mauser C96 and a ChiCom copy
can be quite difficult. Here are some things to look for.
1. Inverted letters like "WAUSER" rather than "MAUSER", transposed
letters like "ODENBORF" rather than "OBERNDORF", and reversed
letters like a backward "S" or "N".
2. Incorrect proofing, like a "U" over a crown rather than a crown over a
"U".
3. Missing proofs and Mauser trademarks.
4. Parts which are out of dimension like barrels too long or short, barrel
extensions too wide or narrow, grip frame wrong angle, and so on.
Some fakes are easy to spot (like "WAUSER") and some are next to
impossible. The real danger lies in authentic guns that have ChiCom
parts (like bolts, locking blocks, and bolt stops). If a critical part has been
replaced by a substandard ChiCom substitute it may fail with injury to
the shooter a real possibility. It's a good practice to have all the C96s
from the PRC rehabed and all suspect parts replaced. It's also a good
idea to be very careful firing the first hundred rounds or so, even after it
has been rehabed. I'll generally detail strip the pistol after the 1st, 2nd,
3rd, 5th, and every 10th round for the first hundred rounds and look for
deformation in the bolt (esp. around the locking lugs), locking block, bolt
stop, and barrel extension (esp. at the rear where the bolt stop bears on
the barrel extension when the bolt is in full recoil).
In 1994 a friend and I each bought 2 of the C96s from Navy Arms (this
was back when they were advertised as "Very Good"). Of those four
guns:
1. A "Bolo" model which was actually a full sized C96 with the original
barrel cut off at the barrel extension and a new 3.9 inch barrel screwed
into the stub. Bore excellent, complete mismatch, replaced the springs
and it shoots fine.
2. A true Bolo, bore shot out, mis-matched. Had it rebarreled (sleeved)
to .30 Mauser. After firing 3 rounds it shed the extractor. When we
pulled it apart and examined it, we found that the locking lug was
ChiCom (with bogus Mauser proofs) and soft as could be. It was peened
all to hell and gone and had been allowing the bolt to open prematurely.
The rear of the barrel extension was bowed out and if we had kept
shooting, would likely had failed with the shooter catching the bolt right
between the eyes.
3. A true C96, bore shot out, mis-matched. This one had too many
problems to name. Completely inoperable and unsafe. Returned to
Navy.
4. A completely counterfeit C96. All parts ChiCom, Chinese characters
on frame the only marking. Poorly made and unsafe, I cut the point off the firing pin on this one and it's now hanging over my mantle.
So buying one of these from anyone is a real crap shoot. But all is not lost - see the section on restoration of Broomhandles.
Model TU-711 (AKA "Box Cannon", "Model 1943")
These are Chinese made pistols (frequently made with parts from Schnellfeuer C96's) similar to the detachable box magazine C96. Some of these are quite well made, and some are not.
For those folks thinking of buying one of these (or already own one),
some caution is indicated. Firstly, be aware that what you will be getting
is not a Mauser in any meaningful sense of the word "Mauser".
Secondly, be aware that these pistols may, or may not function in the
same way that a Mauser Model 1930 would, nor as a detachable
magazine C96 would. As an example, the safety on one of these pistols
does not function as any C96 safety would. It works, but is different
from, any of the Mauser safeties (old model, New Safety, or Universal
Safety). The bolt may, or may not, be held to the rear during magazine
changes (one of these pistols will, and one won't).
There is another caution, unrelated to any of the above, which is worth
mentioning. Spare parts may be a problem, depending how close a copy any individual pistol is of a C96.
VII. Restoration of Broomhandles
Here is what I know about the process of restoring the bores on the C96.
There are three options; sleeving, re-boring, and re-barreling.
Sleeving
In sleeving a C96 bore, the existing bore and chamber are drilled out
(cored) and a new barrel and chamber are installed into the barrel from
the breech end, and silver soldered in place. This appears to be the
process done by Mentor Arms of Ohio. They have done a couple of
C96's for me I have nothing but praise for their work. A variation on this
is to just core the bore, leaving the existing chamber in place. In this
case the sleeve is installed from the muzzle. Sleeving is not a bad
approach to the problem of shot out bores. When it is well done it can be
hard to tell it was done at all. When it is poorly done, it is one headache
after another (I had one which had been poorly done - Lord save me from another such experience!).
Re-boring
In re-boring a C96, the original bore is drilled out to a larger caliber and
re-rifled. This appears to be the process done by EBCO, and is not a
process I would recommend for a C96, for several reasons. Firstly, a
7.63 Mauser bore cannot be re-bored to a 7.63 Mauser - it must be re-
bored to a larger bullet diameter (the 9m/m is common). Secondly, no
rechambering is problematical - if you start with a chamber for the longer 7.63 Mauser, you end up with the same long chamber. The 9x19 re-bored barrels may not headspace correctly. Thirdly is the loss of barrel
thickness. While I would not expect the thinner barrel to be a problem
under most circumstances, even one ruptured barrel can really ruin
one's day.
Re-barreling
In re-barreling, the existing barrel is cut off at the barrel extension (or
at the step in the barrel for the 1930 C96's, and the barrel extension stub
is threaded. A new barrel is then screwed into the barrel extension, and
turned down to blend the contours. This is the method used by Briklee
(and used to be done by the defunct FedOrd). I have two C96's done by
FedOrd, and it's *very* well done. Luger barrels have been used for this
process, and there is a picture of same on pages 130-131 of Breathed &
Schroeder's "System Mauser".
While there are any number of companies who offer to rehabilitate
C96 pistols to varying degrees, the two companies with which I've had
the best experiences are:
Briklee Trading Company
13351 D Riverside Drive STE 373
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
and
Mentor Arms Company, Incorporated
6105 Magnolia Drive
Mentor, Ohio 44060
VIII. Loading for the C96
While both Remington and Winchester offered 7.63 Mauser cartridges
at one time, this cartridge has not been loaded commercially in the
United States for some years. OTOH, loading dies are available from
RBCS.
BRASS
Starline Brass now offers new, boxer primed brass for the 7.63 Mauser
(early reports indicate it may have thick neck walls), and Fiocchi makes
non-corrosive, boxer primed FMJ ammo for the 7.63 Mauser. Good
stuff. I'm told Hansen does also but have never seen any. Brass can be
made from 9m/m Magnum, .223, .38 AMU, and even .38 Special.
BULLETS
Hornady makes an 86 grain JSP (available from the Old West
Scrounger). Cast bullets can be a real problem; leading due to the high
velocities are possible with this cartridge). But guns differ and you may
have no problems or big problems. Only way to tell is to try (very
carefully!).
Loading data may be found in:
"HANDLOADER" Magazine
Lyman Reloading Manual (45th edition)
Guns and Ammo magazine, Aug of 1994 issue
Barnes "Cartridges of the World"
VihtaVouri Loading Guide
Handguns magazine, Nov of 1995
IX. Recommended Reading
"System Mauser" by John Breathed, Jr. and Joseph Schroeder, Jr.
"The Mauser Self-Loading Pistol" by James Belford and Jack Dunlap
"Axis Pistols" by Jan Still
"The Pistols of Germany and It's Allies In Two World Wars" by Jan Still
"Know Your Broomhandle Mausers" by R. J. Berger
The parts catalog from The Gun Parts Corporation, West Hurley, NY
X. Personal Commentary on the C96
I was five or six years old when I was first introduced to the big Mauser
pistol. My uncle had a very nice pre-war C96 with stock holster - a bring
back from the Great War. He and I would pot at an empty 55 gallon
drum across the pasture with the C96 and an Artillery Luger. Early on a
calm morning, I could generally hit that drum nine out of ten times, while
my uncle seldom missed. By late morning the wind had kicked up, and
mirage would have raised its unlovely head such that it was a rare for
me to be able to hit the drum. My uncle, on the other hand, could still hit
that blasted target about half of the time.
Many years later I happened to be there while a surveyor was doing
some work, and talked him into checking the actual range from our
shooting point to the drum. Turned out to be 565 yards! If I had known
how great the range to the drum really was, I most likely wouldn't have
tried what I always believed to be an impossible shot. And would have
missed some of the more memorable experiences of my life!
I'm sure that there will be many folks who, upon reading the above,
deny that such shooting is even possible. I'll say only this - give it a try,
you may just surprise yourself.
In any event, if I had to choose just one word to describe the C96 I
think that word would be "ubiquitous". For a pistol never chosen as a
primary sidearm, the C96 seems to crop up at every violent turn of
history.
No less a personage than Winston Churchhill is known to have carried
a Mauser Broomhandle (in the Sudan and the Boer Wars). In WWI, the
C96 was used by the Germans, Russians, Austrians, Turks, and Italians.
One or more C96 pistols were used in the murder of the last Czar of the
Russians. In the turbulent years which have followed WWI, the C96
crops up again and again in global hot spots. The C96 was used by all
sides in the Chinese Civil War, and may be seen in a number of period
photographs. More recently, the occasional Mauser C96 could be seen
in news footage from the Soviet incursion into Afghanistan (I especially
recall seeing a Schnellfeuer with a twenty round magazine being used to
hold down the corner of a map in the film of an Afghan bunker).
Nor has the C96 faded from view with the demise of the Soviet Union.
A few months ago I was watching news footage of the current conflict in
the Balkans when I noticed the sidearm of one of the "Bosnian
Militiamen" was a C96, complete with stock/holster...