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1. Mauser Serial Number List
2. 1934 Mauser Pistol Serial Numbers
3. 1934 Mauser Pistol Serial Numbers

The Mauser C96 (Construktion 96)^[5] is a semi-automatic pistol that was originally produced by German arms manufacturer Mauser from 1896 to 1937.^[6] Unlicensed copies of the gun were also manufactured in Spain and China in the first half of the 20th century.^[6][7]

Feb 23, 2018 - The first Mauser patents on blowback type pistols date from 1907, and. The pocket pistols until 1929 or 1930, at about serial number 400,000. Late models will not have the Mauser Banner on the left side plate. Some time around serial number 162,500 the right side of the slide is stamped “Mauser 7.65”.

The distinctive characteristics of the C96 are the integral box magazine in front of the trigger, the long barrel, the wooden shoulder stock which gives it the stability of a short-barreled rifle and doubles as a holster or carrying case, and an iconic grip shaped like the handle of a broom. The grip earned the gun the nickname 'broomhandle' in the English-speaking world, because of its round wooden handle, and in China the C96 was nicknamed the 'box cannon' (Chinese: 盒子炮; pinyin: hézipào) because of its rectangular internal magazine and the fact that it could be holstered in its wooden box-like detachable stock.^[8]

With its long barrel and high-velocity cartridge, the Mauser C96 had superior range and better penetration than most other pistols of its era; the 7.63×25mm Mauser cartridge was the highest velocity commercially manufactured pistol cartridge until the advent of the .357 Magnum cartridge in 1935.^[9]

Mauser manufactured approximately 1 million C96 pistols,^[10] while the number produced in Spain and China was large but unknown due to the non-existence or poor preservation of production records from those countries.^[6]

• 2Contract variants
• 3Major variants
• 4Notable copies
• 5Users

History[edit]

Within a year of its introduction in 1896, the C96 had been sold to governments and commercially to civilians and individual military officers.

The Mauser C96 pistol was extremely popular with British officers at the time and many purchased it privately. Mauser supplied the C96 to Westley Richards in the UK for resale. By the onset of World War I, the C96's popularity with the British military had waned.^[11]

As a military sidearm, the pistols saw service in various colonial wars, as well as World War I, the Easter Rising, the Estonian War of Independence, the Spanish Civil War, the Chinese Civil War and World War II. The C96 also became a staple of Bolshevik commissars from one side and various warlords and gang leaders from another in the Russian Civil War, known simply as 'the Mauser'. Communist revolutionariesYakov Yurovsky and Peter Ermakov used Mausers to execute the former Russian imperial family in July 1918.^[12]

Winston Churchill was fond of the Mauser C96 and used one at the 1898 Battle of Omdurman and during the Second Boer War; Lawrence of Arabia carried a Mauser C96 for a period, during his time in the Middle East.^[6][13] Indian Revolutionary Ram Prasad Bismil and his partymen used these Mauser pistols in the historic Kakori train robbery in August 1925. Chinese Communist General Zhu De carried a Mauser C96 during his Nanchang Uprising and later conflicts; his gun (with his name printed on it) can be viewed in the Beijing war museum.

Three Mauser C96s were used in the killing of Spanish prime minister Eduardo Dato in 1921.

Imported and domestic copies of the C96 were used extensively by the Chinese in the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War, as well as by the Spanish during the Spanish Civil War and the Germans in World War II.^[7][14]

Besides the standard 7.63×25 mm chambering, C96 pistols were also commonly chambered for 9×19mm Parabellum with a small number also being produced in 9 mm Mauser Export. In 1940, Mauser officials proposed using the C-96 as the vehicle for an upgrade to the 9×25mm Mauser Export cartridge to match the ballistics of the .357 Magnum.^[15] Lastly, there was a Chinese-manufactured model chambered for .45 ACP.^[6] Despite the pistol's worldwide popularity and fame, China was the only nation to use the C96 as the primary service pistol of its military and police.

Contract variants[edit]

1897 Turkish Army Mauser[edit]

Mauser's first military contract was with the Ottoman Turkish government in 1897. They ordered 1,000 pistols; they had their own serial number range, running from 1 to 1000.^[7] They differ in that they use a non-Arabic number system on the tangent sight and the weapon is designated in this number system in the Islamic calendar year '1314' rather than the Gregorian calendar year '1896 / 1897'. Markings include a six-pointed star on both sides of the chamber and the crest of Sultan Abdul Hamid II (a trophy of crossed Turkish flags, various polearms, and a collection of his royal awards and honours) and the Muslim year 1314 on the square left rear frame panel.

1899 Italian Navy Mauser[edit]

In 1899, the Italian government ordered Mauser's first major military contract; an order for 5,000 C96 pistols for the Italian Royal Navy.^[10] They differ in that their receivers were 'slab-sided' (i.e., lacked the milling on the sides found on commercial Mausers). They also have a 'ring hammer' (spurless hammer with a hole through its head) instead of the early 'cone hammer' (spurless hammer with ribbed cone-like projections on the sides of its head). These guns had their own serial number range, running from 1 to 5000.

1910 Persian contract Mauser[edit]

The Persian government ordered 1,000 pistols. They have the Persian government's 'Lion and Sun' insignia on the rectangular milled panel on the left side of the receiver and the serial numbers range from 154000 to 154999. It is often confused with the Turkish contract Mauser.

M1916 Austrian contract[edit]

Austria-Hungary ordered 50,000 Mausers in the standard 7.63×25mm. A small number were rebarreled to 8mm Gasser (8.11×27mm) for an unknown reason.^[16]

M1916 Prussian 'red 9'[edit]

During World War I, the Imperial German Army contracted with Mauser for 150,000 C96 pistols chambered in 9mm Parabellum to offset the slow production of the standard-issue Luger P08 pistol. This variant of the C96 was named the 'red 9' after a large number 9 burned and painted in red into the grip panels^[17] to warn the pistols' users not to incorrectly load them with 7.63 mm ammunition. Of the 150,000 pistols commissioned, approximately 137,000 were delivered before the war ended.^[7] Because the army delegated the branding to unit armourers, not all 9 mm pistols carry the nine.

M1920 French police contract[edit]

The French government set up an order for 1,000 pistols with 99 millimetres (3.9 in) barrels for the Gendarmerie Nationale. The pistol had black ebonite grips rather than wooden ones.

WW2 Luftwaffe contract[edit]

The German government purchased 7,800 commercial M30 pistols in 1940 for use by the Luftwaffe. They have Wehrmacht proof marks and the Mauser serial numbers come from the early- to mid-1930s. The weapon had ceased production in 1937 but the order was filled from remaining stocks.

Major variants[edit]

There were many variants of the C96 besides the standard commercial model; the most common are detailed below.

M1896 Kavallerie Karabiner[edit]

One of the experimental ideas was the creation of a pistol-carbine for use by light cavalry. They had a 'slab-sided' receiver, standard 10-round magazine, a permanently affixed wooden stock and forend, and a lengthened 300 millimetres (12 in) (early production) or 370 millimetres (15 in) (late production) barrel. They were dropped from production after 1899 due to poor sales and little military interest.

There was limited sporting interest in the carbine version and due to small production numbers it is a highly prized collectible priced at about twice the value of the pistol version.^[18] Recently, importers like Navy Arms imported late-model Mauser carbines with 16-inch or longer barrels for sale in the US.

M1896 compact Mauser[edit]

A version of the Mauser pistol with a full-sized grip, six-shot internal magazine, and a 120-millimetre (4.7 in) barrel. Production was phased out by 1899.

M1896 officer's model[edit]

This is the unofficial term for a variant compact Mauser with a curved wooden or hard-rubber grip, like that of a revolver. The name comes from the US Army designation of the Mauser pistol sent to participate in their self-loading pistol trials.

M1898 pistol carbine[edit]

This is the first model to come cut for a combination wooden stock-holster. The stock doubled as a case or holster and attached to a slot cut in the grip frame.

M1912 Mauser export model[edit]

This model was the first to chamber the 9×25mm Mauser export cartridge. It was designed to appeal to the arms markets in South America and China. Mauser C96 pistols in this caliber usually have an indentation milled into the upper surface of the magazine's follower to facilitate feeding of the straight-cased 9×25mm cartridge cases. The rifling in the barrel has a unique 13:8 twist. In addition, the flat surfaces extending around the chamber are longer to accommodate the higher pressures of the 9×25mm cartridge. Examples of Mauser C96s in this caliber are rare, but are still occasionally found on the private collector's market. The 9×25mm Mauser export caliber receded from the market as the armaments industry reoriented itself towards military manufacture during World War I, but the round enjoyed a resurgence in popularity as a submachine gun caliber in the 1930s.

M1917 Mauser trench carbine[edit]

This model featured an extended stock and barrel similar to the M1896 Kavallerie Karabiner. It also possessed a 40-round magazine and was chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum. The M1917 Mauser trench carbine was introduced during World War I and was intended as a cheaper replacement for the expensive Lange Pistole 08 in close-quarters combat. However, the Imperial German Army did not believe it was a cost-effective substitute, and the project was shortly abandoned with only a few ever made.^[16]

M1920 Mauser rework[edit]

The Treaty of Versailles (signed in 1919) imposed a number of restrictions on pistol barrel lengths and calibres on German arms manufacturers.^[19] Pistols for German government issue or domestic market sales could not have a barrel longer than 4 inches and could not be chambered for 9 mm cartridges.

The Weimar Republic banned the private ownership of military-issue or military-style weapons in an attempt to recover valuable arms from returning soldiers. The confiscated weapons were then used to arm government forces, leaving them with a hodge-podge of military and civilian arms. To meet the conditions of the Treaty of Versailles, a major reworking project was begun that set about converting these weapons.

To be compliant, pre-war C.96 models belonging to the Weimar government had to have their barrels cut down to 99 millimetres (3.9 in). This meant that their tangent sights had to be replaced with fixed sights. They also had to be converted to the standard 7.63×25mm Mauser round, though a few hybrid Mausers were made with salvaged Luger barrels that were chambered for 7.65×21mm Parabellum. Compliant confiscated government-issue guns were marked M1920. This practice was continued on German service pistols even after the ban was ignored and the conversions had stopped.

M1921 'Bolo' Mauser[edit]

Mauser began manufacturing a compliant version of the C96 for commercial sale from 1920 to 1921. It featured smaller grips, a shorter 99-millimetre (3.9 in) barrel,^[8] and was chambered for the standard 7.63×25mm Mauser. An experimental 8.15×25.2mm Mauser cartridge (DWM 580) was used to replace the banned 9×19mm Parabellum and 9×25mm Mauser Export cartridges for domestic sales but it never supplanted the 9mm caliber.

Mass-production of the weapon was from 1921 to 1930. It was sold in quantity to armies in the contested Baltic region and was carried by the Poles, Lithuanians, German Freikorps and White Russians. The Bolshevik government (and later the new Red Army) of the embryonic Soviet Union, purchased large numbers of this model in the 1920s and also appropriated them from defeated enemies.^[20] The distinctive pistol became associated with the Bolsheviks and was thus nicknamed the 'Bolo'.^[20] The 'Bolo' model was also popular elsewhere, as the shorter barrel and smaller overall size made the gun easier to conceal.^[21]

There was also a transitional version in 1930 that used the 'Bolo' frame but with a longer 132-millimetre (5.2 in) barrel.

M1930 Mauser[edit]

Also known as the M30 by collectors, it was a simplification and improvement of the M1921 Mauser. It simplified production by removing several fine-machining details and reverted to the 'pre-war' large grip and long barrel. The early model M30s had a 132 millimetres (5.2 in) barrel, but later models had the traditional 140 millimetres (5.5 in) barrel. It was made from 1930 until 1937.

Joseph Nickl designed a selective-fire conversion in 1930. It tended to 'cook off' (fire by spontaneous ignition of the propellant when overheated) when fired in long bursts. Only 4,000 of this model were made between 1930 and 1931.^[22]

Since the M1932 / M712 variant was full-auto, the semi-auto M1930 it was derived from was sometimes called the M711 by war surplus dealers and collectors.

M1932/M712 Schnellfeuer[edit]

The Spanish gunmaking firms of Beistegui Hermanos and Astra began producing detachable magazine-fed, select-fire versions of the C96 in 1927 and 1928 respectively, intended for export to the Far East.^[7]

Mauser began production of the Schnellfeuer (rapid fire), their own select-fire, detachable magazine version of the M30 designed by Karl Westinger. Production started in 1932 and ended in 1936,^[7] which has led to its unofficial designation of 'M1932' by collectors. An extremely successful design, around 98,000 guns were made overall and they had their own series of serial numbers.^[22]

It was largely intended for export to South America and China or to the opposing sides in the later Spanish Civil War. From 1932 to 1935, the Yugoslavian military tested batches of the Schnellfeuer in both 7.63mm and 9mm Parabellum for the purpose of arming mountain troops and special operations units. Improvements requested by the Yugoslavs included a detachable barrel, improved front and rear sights, more durable parts to prevent breakage under sustained fire and lowered position of the shoulder stock to avoid 'hammer bite'.^[23]

Small numbers of M1932s were supplied to the German Wehrmacht during World War II, who designated it the M712.^[7]

The US National Firearms Act of 1934 placed a $200 tax on select-fire weapons ('machine guns'), making exports of the Schnellfeuer guns to the US impractical since at the time this was roughly half the cost of a new car. After World War II, importers sold a semi-automatic conversion of the detachable magazine Schnellfeuer that was made for the US surplus market. The versions imported from China were built on new semi-auto-only frames; the ATF treats them under the law as new guns and not under the curio and relic exemption.

9 OBI[edit]

Oyster Bay Industries was an American company that made a detachable magazine conversion kit for the Mauser. It removed the floor plate, spring and follower and added a small magazine catch mechanism that allowed it to feed its own brand of proprietary fourteen round 9 mm magazines. The conversion could either be performed on a 'red 9' pistol or a new 9 mm upper receiver could be sold that would convert a standard C.96 7.63mm pistol.

PASAM machine pistol[edit]

The Brazilian government bought five-hundred 7.63mm M1932 Schnellfeuer machine pistols for the Policia Militar do Distrito Federal (Portuguese: 'Federal District Military Police') during the mid-1930s. The PASAM (pistola automática semi-automática Mauser,^[22] or 'semi-automatic / automatic military pistol') used the M1932 as its base but made a few alterations. The controls were the same as the standard model, except the markings were in Portuguese. The selector switch (found on the left side, above the trigger guard) was marked N for normal (semi-automatic) and R for rápido ('rapid' for fully automatic). The safety control lever (found to the left of the hammer) was marked S for seguro (safe) and F for fogo (fire).^[24] It was used with Brazilian State Military Police (Polícia Militar) forces in the 1980s. They preferred to use it as a semi-automatic carbine and reserved its full-auto setting for emergencies due to its recoil and muzzle-climb.^[24]

In 1970, the Policia Militar do Rio de Janeiro (PMRJ) asked the services of Jener Damau Arroyo, a Spanish-born gunsmith, to make modifications on their PASAMs in order to improve their handling. The first modification (PASAM MOD-1), of which 101 were modified, received a metal frame extension welded to the magazine housing. It was fitted with a metal forward grip well ahead of the gun under the muzzle.^[22] The original grip was left alone, making it compatible with the wooden holster/stock.^[22] The second modification (PASAM MOD-2), involving 89 pistols, featured a similar frame extension, but the forward grip had wooden panels and was of different shape. The pistol grip frame used thicker rectangular wooden grips and had a 1.5-foot (460 mm) 't-bar' metal shoulder stock welded to it. A metal frame attached to the receiver supported a rectangular wooden foregrip, taking pressure off the barrel. In both models, of course, the barrel was left free so as to enable it to do its short recoil during firing. For the record, 295 PASAMs were left in the original condition.^[22] It took standard detachable 10-round box magazines,^[24] although they can also take the extended 20- and 40-round magazines.^[22]

Notable copies[edit]

Shanxi Type 17 (.45 ACP)[edit]

During the Warlord era of Chinese history in the early 20th century, the province of Shanxi was ruled by warlord Yen Hsi-shan, who had established a modern arms factory in his capital city of Taiyuan. Yen was equipping his troops with a locally produced copy of the Thompson submachine gun, chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge, but was experiencing supply difficulties as his troops' sidearms were 7.63mm calibre C96 handguns.^[25]

Yen's solution was to produce a .45 ACP caliber version of the C96, thus standardizing ammunition and making supply logistics easier.^[25] Designated Type 17, production of the .45 caliber handgun began in 1929 at the Taiyuan Arsenal and ended in 1931. They are inscribed (in Chinese) 'Type 17' on the left hand side of the gun, and 'Republic Year Eighteen, Made in Shansi' on the right hand side.^[25] They were issued (along with Thompson SMGs) to railway guards in the province as defense against bandits and other warlords.

Besides being chambered for a larger cartridge, the Shanxi .45 pistols use a noticeably larger frame than their 7.63mm counterparts, with the 10-round magazine extending below the trigger guard and a 155 mm (6.1 in) barrel. It was loaded using two five-round stripper clips rather than the single 10-round stripper clips of the standard 7.63mm Mauser. Because of the overall increase in size, Type 17 pistols share no interchangeable parts with any other C96 variant.

Most of the Shanxi .45 pistols were melted down after the Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War, largely due to their odd caliber for Chinese Communist standards, but a few examples were exported overseas for sale on the commercial market.^[25] Approximately 8,500 Shanxi .45 caliber Broomhandle pistols are believed to have been produced by the Taiyuan Arsenal, but there is some debate as to how many of the Shanxi .45 caliber Broomhandle pistols currently on the commercial market were actually produced for Yen's troops, and how many are more recent productions for the US collectors' market.

Hanyang C.96 (7.63mm Mauser)[edit]

In 1923 the Hanyang Munitions Works began making a copy of the Mauser C96. The result was the Hanyang C.96, about 13,000 copies being produced, it is sometimes described as the 'fancier' of the two Chinese copies. Like the Shanxi Type 17, it is unknown of how many originals are currently left on the market.^[26]

Type 80 (7.62mm Tokarev)[edit]

Type 80 is a machine pistol designed in late-20th Century by the People's Republic of China. It is based on the C96 which was widely used in China since the 1900s and is chambered for the Type 51 cartridge (Chinese copies of the Soviet 7.62x25mm Tokarev cartridge), but it is fed by a 20-round detachable box magazine instead of the 10-round undetachable magazine in a standard C96. A 10-round box magazine is also available for the firearm. The Type 80 features a different grip similar to that on a TT-33 but seems narrower than that of a standard TT-33. The Type 80 is said to have an effective firing range of 100 metres (about 109 yards)and a muzzle velocity of 470 meters per second (about 1542 fps).It was designed to replace some of the PLA's Type 54s (Chinese copies of Soviet Tokarev TT pistol, the Type 54 was the standard service pistol of the PLA from the 1950s to the 1990s), especially Type 54s in service in the Chinese special forces, as a small, light weapon which was asked to be good at both attacking and personal defending, similar to that of a PDW. But in the 1990s, the Chinese designed a new type of pistol, the QSZ-92,which was adopted as the standard-issue pistol by both the military and most of the police forces later and replaced most of the pistols in their service, including the Type 80.

Astra Model 900[edit]

The Spanish gunmaker Astra-Unceta y Cia began producing a copy of the Mauser C.96 in 1927 that was externally similar to the C96 (including the presence of a detachable shoulder stock/holster) but with non-interlocking internal parts. It was produced until 1941, with a production hiatus in 1937 and 1938, and a final batch assembled from spare parts in 1951.^[7] The Spanish copies of the C96 were generally intended for export to China,^[7] but after the commencement of the Sino-Japanese war (which blocked supply of guns to Chinese forces) the remaining Astra 900s were used in the Spanish Civil War, and numbers were also sold to Germany in the period 1940–1943.^[7]

ETAI / Royal MM31 (Model 1)[edit]

Produced by Beistegui Hermanos in Eibar, Spain, this was the first pseudo-Mauser on the market, a relatively crude semi-auto appearing in 1926 and full-auto variants appearing in 1927. Mechanically, it was laid out approximately like the Mauser original, but without the removable lock frame. Internal parts (trigger, hammer, safety lever, etc.) pivoted on pins and screws extending through the frame. The screws also held the frame together. The bolt was of round cross-section, unlike the square Mauser bolt. The weapon was stamped with either 'Royal' or 'ETAI'.^[27][28][29]

Royal MM31 (Model 2)[edit]

This was a much closer copy of the Mauser original than the ETAI/Royal model and variants, with the full separate lock frame and all. It was of much better quality than the earlier gun, though still not at Mauser level. The MM31 was manufactured until 1934. A total of about 10,000 were made, in perhaps four successive variants. These models came in semi-auto and semi-auto/full auto selective fire variants.^[27][28]

Royal MM34[edit]

This model was much like the MM31, but added a mechanical rate reducer inside the grip area, a three-position lever to select the firing rate. It also had a ribbed barrel to help prevent the barrel from overheating during sustained full auto fire. Only a few hundred of these weapons were made and are very rare today.^[27][28]

Azul and Super Azul[edit]

The Azul and Super Azul pistols were also manufactured by Beistegui Hermanos in Eibar, Spain, but sold by Eulogio Arostegui. The Azul was a copy of the standard C96 while the Super Azul was a semi auto/full auto select fire variant. Each accepted detachable box magazines instead of having an internal box magazine.^[30][31]

Federal Ordnance M713 and M714[edit]

In the late 1980s to the early 1990s, the Federal Ordnance firearms company in South El Monte, U.S.A. made reproductions of the Mauser 1917 Trench Carbine and C96 pistol, named the M713 and M714 respectively. The M713 came in a standard variant with a fixed stock and magazine, as well as a 'Deluxe' variant which had a detachable stock and detachable box magazines. The M714 supported detachable box magazines, unlike the original C96, and a 'Bolo' variant, with the 'Bolo' model having a shorter barrel and grip. All variants of the M713 and M714 were available in 7.62x25mm and 9x19mm ammunition.^[32]

Users[edit]

• Austria-Hungary^[16][33]
• Bolivia^[34]
• Brazil^[24]
• Finland: Used in the Finnish Civil War and in the Second World War.^[35]
• German Empire: Army issued 137,000 of the 'Red 9' variant during World War I.^[7]
• Kingdom of Italy: 5,000 bought from Germany in 1899 for the navy.^[10]
• Nazi Germany: 8,000 of the Schnellfeuer variant was issued to the Luftwaffe during World War II. Also bought thousands of the Spanish-made Astra Model 900 and 903 variants.^[7]
• North Vietnam^[36]
• Ottoman Empire: 1,000 ordered from Germany in 1896.^[7]
• First Philippine Republic^{[citation needed]}
• Republic of China (1912-1949): Hundreds of thousands were used by Kuomintang, Communist, and warlord forces.^[37]
• China: Used by the People's Volunteer Army during the Korean War.
• Second Spanish Republic^[7]
• Soviet Union: 'Bolo' variant bought from Germany during the 1920s.^[20]
• Thailand^[24]
• United Kingdom: Many were privately bought by British officers before World War I.^[11]

Non-state actors[edit]

• Irish Republican Army^[38]
• Syrian National Coalition^[39]

Cultural significance[edit]

The Broomhandle Mauser is a popular collector's gun.^[6] It was popularized in Soviet films as the iconic weapon of the Russian revolution and civil war. The C96 frequently appears as a 'foreign' or 'exotic' pistol in a number of films (such as The Great Silence, where Jean-Louis Trintignant's use of the C96 intentionally contrasts with the Colt Single Action Army revolvers used by the other characters in the film)^[40] and TV shows, owing to its distinctive and instantly recognisable shape. Author Ian Fleming outfitted agents of SMERSH in the James Bond series with Mausers on the advice of firearms expert Geoffrey Boothroyd.^[41] The C96 was the inspiration for the Buck Rogers Atomic Pistol in the movie serial and the comic,^[42] and a popular toy version was produced in 1934 by the Daisy Manufacturing Company.^[43] A C96 was modified to form Han Solo's prop blaster pistol for the Star Wars films (under the name BlasTech DL-44 heavy blaster pistol).^[6] Reproductions of the blaster became so popular in the cosplay community that gun collectors became aware that fans were buying and altering increasingly rare original Mausers to make blaster replicas.^[44] A .45 ACP C/96 was also fictional character Jon Sable's main weapon in the 1983 comic book. The C96 was also the weapon of choice of the title character in Dave Stevens' 'Rocketeer' comic and film.

See also[edit]

• Bergmann–Bayard pistol – a similar German designed semi-automatic pistol produced under license in Belgium.

Notes[edit]

1. ^Tales of the Gun: Automatic Pistols (Television Documentary). The History Channel. 1998.
2. ^https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2013/3/21/chinese-broomhandles/
3. ^Belford, James (1969). The Mauser Self Loading Pistol. Borden Publishing Company.
4. ^'Mauser C-96'. Modern Firearms.net. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
5. ^Skennerton, Ian (2005). Mauser Model 1896 Pistol. Labrador, Australia: Arms & Militaria Press. p. 5. ISBN0-949749-77-X.
6. ^ ^abcdefgWilson, R. (January 2009). 'Mauser C96 Broomhandle'. Australian & New Zealand Handgun.
7. ^ ^{abcdefghijklmn}'Spanish Guns'. 1896mauser.com. Archived from the original on 9 February 2009. Retrieved 28 February 2009.
8. ^ ^abWilson (2009), p. 100.
9. ^Bishop, Chris, ed. (1998). Guns in Combat. Kent, UK: Grange Books. p. 93. ISBN1-84013-083-0.
10. ^ ^abcSkennerton (2005), p. 8.
11. ^ ^abMaze (2002), pp. 56, 70.
12. ^Rappaport, Helen (2009). The Last Days of the Romanovs: Tragedy at Ekaterinburg. New York: St. Martin's Press. p. 181. ISBN978-0-31237-976-6.
13. ^Skennerton (2005), pp. 33–34.
14. ^Skennerton (2005), p. 33.
15. ^Mauser Pistolen: Development and Production, 1877-1946, Weaver, Speed, Schmid, Collector Grade Publications, Canada, PP. 193.
16. ^ ^abc'Mauser Model 1896 (C96) Pistol'. Manowar's Hungarian Weapons & History. Retrieved 5 December 2014.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name 'hungariae.com' defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
17. ^Skennerton (2005), p. 5.
18. ^Wilson, R. L. (2000). The Official Price Guide to Gun Collecting (3rd ed.). New York: House of Collectibles. pp. 292–294. ISBN978-0-67660-153-4.
19. ^Bishop (1998), p. 94.
20. ^ ^abcBishop (1998), p. 96.
21. ^Wilson (2009), p. 99.
22. ^ ^abcdefgOlive, Ronaldo. 'Brazilian PASAM Machine Pistol'. Forgotten Weapons. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
23. ^'YUGOSLAV MAUSER-SCHNELLFEUER AUTOMATIC PISTOLS'. smallarmsreview.com. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
24. ^ ^abcdeHogg, Ian V., ed. (1987). Jane's Infantry Weapons 1987–1988. Jane's Publishing Group.
25. ^ ^abcd'Giant .45 'Broomhandle' from China'. International Antique Reproductions, Inc. February 2001. Archived from the original on 22 June 2007. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
26. ^'Shansei Chinese C96 Pistol'. Gunsworld.com. Archived from the original on 11 March 2009. Retrieved 11 March 2009.
27. ^ ^abcPeterson, Phillip (2016). Standard Catalog of Military Firearms: The Collector's Price and Reference Guide. Gun Digest. pp. 328–329. ISBN1-4402-4676-9.
28. ^ ^abc'Beistegui Hermanos'. kpn.nl. 12 May 2006.
29. ^'Etai selective-fire pistol'. Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
30. ^Calvó, Juan L. 'Spanish Short Weapons, 1875-1950s Part 3 Chapter 11'(PDF). Catalogacion Armas.com. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
31. ^Hogg, Ivan V. (2004). Pistols of the World (4th ed.). Krause Publications. p. 20. ISBN0-87349-460-1 – via Google Books.
32. ^Lee, Jerry (2013). 2014 Standard Catalog of Firearms: The Collector's Price & Reference Guide (24th ed.). Gun Digest Books. p. 438. ISBN1-4402-3716-6 – via Google Books.
33. ^'Database'. C96 Broomhandle Mauser. Archived from the original on 1 August 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
34. ^Huon, Jean (September 2013). 'The Chaco War'. Small Arms Review. Vol. 17 no. 3.
35. ^'Finnish Army 1918–1945: Revolvers & Pistols (Part 2)'. jaegerplatoon.net. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
36. ^'WWII German weapons during the Vietnam War'. wordpress.com. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
37. ^Kinard, Jeff (2003). Pistols: an illustrated history of their impact. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. p. 183. ISBN1-85109-470-9. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
38. ^Scarlata, Paul (20 August 2009). 'Firearms of the Irish Civil Wars: Part 2 the Republicans'. Shotgun News. Retrieved 5 December 2014 – via The Free Library.
39. ^'Syrian Civil War: WWII weapons used'. wordpress.com. 27 June 2017. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
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41. ^Macintyre, Ben (2 February 2012). For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond. A&C Black. p. 114. ISBN978-1-4088-3064-2.
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Bibliography[edit]

• Skennerton, Ian (2005). Mauser Model 1896 Pistol. Gold Coast, QLD (Australia): Arms & Militaria Press. ISBN0-949749-77-X.
• Wilson, Royce (January 2009). 'Mauser C96 Broomhandle'. Australian and New Zealand Handgun.
• Bishop, Chris, ed. (1998). Guns in Combat. Kent (UK): Grange Books. ISBN1-84013-083-0.
• Maze, Robert J. (2002). Howdah to High Power: A Century of Breechloading Service Pistols (1867–1967). Tucson, Ariz. (USA): Excalibur Publications. ISBN1-880677-17-2.
• Breathed, Jr., John W.; Schroeder, Jr., Joseph J. (1967). System Mauser – A Pictorial History of the Model 1896 Self-Loading Pistol. Handgun Press.
• Belford, James N.; Dunlap, Jack (1969). The Mauser Self-Loading Pistol. Borden Publishing Cie.
• Hogg, Ian V., ed. (1987). Jane's Infantry Weapons 1987–1988. Jane's Publishing Group.

External links[edit]

The Mauser HSc is a 7.65mm pistol made in Nazi Germany during World War II and post-war. The designation HSc stood for Hahn Selbstspanner ('self-cocking hammer') Pistole, third and final design 'C'. Production was continued in 1945–46 during the French occupation and, later, from 1968 to 1977 by Mauser. It features a semi-exposed hammer, double-action trigger, single-column magazine, and a spring surrounding the barrel.

The Mauser HSc was originally intended as a commercial pistol. It competed with the contemporary German Walther PPK and PP and Sauer 38H for police and military use. It was procured initially by the navy (Kriegsmarine) soon followed by the Army and police. HSc pistols used by the Luftwaffe or Waffen-SS were procured from Army and police stocks.

Production[edit]

Production began in late 1940 at serial number 700,000, as an extension of the serial number range of the Mauser Model 1934 pistol, a much more difficult pistol to manufacture. The early pistols have well-made wooden grips, and are highly polished and richly blued. The first 1350 pistols were made for the commercial market and, because of the low positioning of the grip screws, have become known as the 'Low Grip Screw' variety. Approximately half of this initial production was purchased by Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. Mount and blade warband wse 1.153 download. All these early low grip pistols are today very rare. At approximately serial number 701345 the grip screws were relocated upward to a more central and sturdier position.

The German Army began HSc procurement with an initial order for 3,000 pistols in early 1941, beginning with serial number 701,345, and, intermittently, ending about #712,000. These pistols are marked with an Eagle/655 inspection stamp on the left rear trigger guard web, a factory firing proof Eagle/N on the right rear trigger guard web and at the front of the right slide. Also a small Army Test Proof stamp was stamped on the left rear grip tang. Subsequent orders were placed by the Army throughout the war, along with pistols procured by the Police and Kriegsmarine, with almost 24% of the total production of 252,000 pistols going to the commercial market.

A second Army variation of about 5,000 pistols consisted of pistols whose serial numbers ranged, intermittently, from about 712,000 to about 745,000. These have an Eagle/655 WaA (Army acceptance) on the left rear trigger guard web and the Eagle/N firing proofs on the right rear trigger guard web and on front of right slide, but have no proof mark on the left rear grip tang. The finish on these pistols is also of the first quality.

The third Army variation of some 4,000 pistols ranged in intermittent serial numbers from about 745,000 to about 790,000. These bear an acceptance mark of Eagle/135 on the left rear trigger guard web and the two Eagle/N firing proofs on the right side. The high quality finish of the earlier pistols starts to decline in this production segment.

The fourth variation consists of 31,000 intermittently numbered pistols from around #790,000 to #886,000. These pistols have an Eagle/135 acceptance and Eagle/N proofs as before. On pistols after #855,000 the left side of the slide now has a three-line device stamped along with the Banner. The polish of these pistols is rougher and the military 'dusk blue' is now in evidence. The cross hatched machining inside the top sight channel is no longer there.

The last variation, of some 32,000 intermittently numbered pistols in a serial number range of about #886,000 to #952,000, has the three-line device on the left side of the slide and bears an Eagle/WaA135 acceptance and the Eagle/N proofs. Beginning in the late #940,000 range some pistols were given black plastic grip panels. The very last pistols, in the #949,500 to #952,000 range, were finished with Mauser's phosphate finish, somewhat similar to the U.S. parkerizing finish used on most M-1 rifles, M-1 Carbines and M1911 pistols. The Mauser phosphate finish is variable in color, from a dark grey to an almost green color. These phosphated pistols are quite rare today and, with Eagle/WaA135 acceptance, are highly desirable to military collectors. The Eagle/WaA135 marks are generally 'right side up' on the early phosphate pistols but 'upside down' on the later pistols. Small parts on many of these very late phosphate pistols are usually a mix of older blued parts and later phosphated parts. HScs with frames and slides of different finishes may exist and would be extremely rare and desirable to military collectors.

Mauser Serial Number List

Final German World War II production ended with the capture of the Oberndorf area by American troops in late April 1945. After the area was given to the French production resumed for French use and was concluded in 1946.

Military personnel of all ranks not issued sidearms often purchased HSc pistols in the commercial marketplace and carried them in the field. Such commercial pistols often returned with veterans as World War II war souvenirs, often in military proofed HSc holsters.

Distribution of total HSc pistol production (1940–1945):

• Army (Heer): 137,121 (54.4%)
• Navy (Kriegsmarine): 27,100 (10.8%)
• Police (Polizei): 28,300 (11.2%)
• Commercial (Civil): 59,467 (23.6%)
• Total: 251,988 (100.0%)

The HSc pistols made by the French in 1945–46 bear an RW proof. Most of these pistols were destined for French forces fighting in the First Indochina War.

Production of high-quality commercial pistols had been resumed at the Mauser factory in Oberndorf from 1968 to 1977. German police units saw the most use of the Mauser HSc, while others were exported primarily to the North American commercial market where they would be available in both blued and nickel finishes.

The pistol originally chambered the 7.65 mm (.32 ACP) cartridge, but the majority of Mauser HScs manufactured in the 1970s were chambered in 9mm Kurz (.380 ACP).

The full serial number of each pistol is located on the front of the grip frame, just above the magazine. The last three digits of that serial number are located on the bottom of the chamber (stamped) and the flat panel of the slide just under the muzzle (electropenciled).

The model 'HSc Super,' 'HSc Mod. 80,' or 'SAB-2001 Super' was a variant made by Renato Gamba in Gardone, Italy, under license from Mauser. This pistol was chambered in .32 ACP, .380 ACP and 9×18mm Ultra, and featured a double-column magazine, a recurved trigger guard (on some models), and an 'American-style' magazine release behind and below the trigger guard.

References[edit]

1934 Mauser Pistol Serial Numbers

1. ^Small Arms Survey (2007). 'Armed Violence in Burundi: Conflict and Post-Conflict Bujumbura'(PDF). The Small Arms Survey 2007: Guns and the City. Cambridge University Press. p. 204. ISBN978-0-521-88039-8.
2. ^^[dead link] Mauser HSc Production History^{[permanent dead link]}
3. ^Chamberlain, Peter (1976). Axis pistols, rifles, and grenades. Gander, Terry,. New York: Arco. p. 19. ISBN0668040769. OCLC2388349.

• The Mauser HSc Pistol, Burnham and Theodore, 2008,
• Mauser Pistolen, Weaver, Speed and Schmid, 2008
• Axis Pistols in World War II, Jan C. Still, 1989
• Mauser Pocket Pistols, Roy G. Pender, 1971
• German Pistols and Holsters 1934-1945, Maj. Robert Whittington 1969

External links[edit]

1934 Mauser Pistol Serial Numbers

• Mauser HSc at guns.ru