Since the bore is about perfect, yes it's a great shooter.
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From the example I had years ago, I seem to recall the finish being really bright blue.
I'll dig out the pictures..
Here's the C96 I had quite a while back now, never could work out if it had been re-blued, I assumed it had because of the excellent condition, just too good to be true.
Attachment 83741
I had one 25 years back in another province, it was about perfect outside and in. The stock matched and had three digits of the gun number, had a crack along both sides of the back. I microbed epoxied that and all was well again. The inside of the frame was in the white, showing me the gun had been hand rust blued. The mechanism too was in the white. Not one speck of rust anywhere...clean and new looking... They look like artwork when new.
I picked a red 9 up a couple months ago. Had a broken firing pin and bent extractor but good finish and bore. Got the parts in the other day and took my 14 YOA son out to range to give it a test drive. It ran like a champ. It's probably in my top 3 handguns I own. I think it's my sons favorite. A real "hoot" to shoot - especially with the stock.
Thanks guys for all the info did find out its in 30 luger so family was wrong there. thanks goodness for bore cast.
That doesn't quite sound right. From the history books of the 96 they didn't offer it in 30 Luger. Just .30 Mauser which I bet it is, 9mm and 8.15 mm made only for export and very rare to find today. You really need to have the chamber checked and not the bore. The 30 Mauser round is the same bore size as 30 Luger but the case is longer and it also is a bottle neck case. The 30 Tokarev is the same as the 30 Mauser BUT do not use it in the Mauser as it's loaded to higher pressures and can damage the Mauser.
So sorry for mistake post guys it is a 30 Mauser round. Still dealing with meds from vertigo last week, :madsmile: