New Mauser C96

Always thought these pistols were neat as could be. Also that they're worth a pretty penny and most affordable ones are pretty rough so I wasn't expecting to buy one or looking, really. Went to sell a couple cheap guns that weren't interesting me anymore (not milsurps) and instantly knew I wanted it as I saw it. Looked fine, obviously been refinished but seemed in decent order and came with two boxes of 7.63 Mauser. Got it home and took one shot. Nice, very soft recoil. Then realize I can't see my front sight for the second. It flew off.

The dovetail looks buggered. Bad old repair I think. What concerns me most are the two holes drilled into the barrel. Not sure the barrel is safe to shoot. Disappointing to say the least. Glad I own and experienced the pleasure of firing one (shot), even if it's just an expensive paperweight at the moment. Probably the most enjoyable handgun I've shot so far.

I would just install a banded front sight. That would result in a usable sight and the current misery would be hidden.

Looks like the barrel has been cut down and that sight added. If there's no obstruction in the barrel, it's fine. Even a screw hole into the barrel won't give problems. Yes, a banded sight if you can find one...

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

Looks like the barrel has been cut down and that sight added. If there's no obstruction in the barrel, it's fine. Even a screw hole into the barrel won't give problems. Yes, a banded sight if you can find one...

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Exactly my thought. There is a good bit of barrel missing.

That explains it. As soon as I opened the thread and saw the thumbnail, but first thought was: "Dang, I've never seen one with a short barrel like that." Doesn't mean it couldn't be original, just that I'd not seen one. It does seem the jive with the bad job done installing the new front sight, too.

I picked up a nice .30 model a few years ago. A good friend of mine wanted it WAY more than I did. I got it for a song, and he gave me full value. I still kinda miss it, but it paid off my truck at the time.

Hammer is pre-1900 cone style. Interesting. Any Turkish markings?

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Originally Posted by Low & Slow

Hammer is pre-1900 cone style.

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I saw that, early type. Nice...those were always worth stripping just to look inside and see if they were still in the original hand blued finish. Even if no finish remained. If they were ever dropped in a tank they'll show it. Originals are mint white inside.

Making a banded front sight isn't all that hard with access to a lathe. The barrel is tapered. Bore out a piece of tube until it just starts onto the barrel. Tap it further on. Tap around the circumference. This will expand the tube and loosen it. Tap it further on. Repeat until the tube covers the misery. Drive it on a bit further. It should be tight on the barrel. Tap the tube off the barrel, cut it to length. File a flat. Silver braze on a small block of steel. Cut a small dovetail for a Mauser type front sight. Drill and tap a hole from the dovetail down through the sight base. Install a set screw. Tap the base onto the barrel, lock it in place with the set screw. It will probably hit the flat filed in the barrel. Install the front sight.
The above is simplified but you get the idea. It works.
The unit should be finished prior to final installation. The appearance is very much like the front sight mount on a Mauser rifle.

Admittedly I didn't know much about them when I bought it. Know a bit more now, still not much. I'd have still bought it as a parts gun. Stripped down now I can see the all numbered parts match, 4451. Looks like it's an 1897 production. No Turkish markings, only stamps are from Mauser and proof marks. Lower is blued inside also so probably it was a reblue as I suspected by the machine marks being polished away on the outside. Barrel has definitely cut down. Rifling looks OK kind of shallow. Grips are reproduction and fit very poorly. Debating sending off the pistol to Luger Man and have him replace the barrel and restore the pistol. Not much collector's value is there already with the reblue and messed up barrel so might as well make it a looker and shooter. Also, it really makes me appreciate the ease of disassembly of later pistols. Hahaha. But it really is a thing of beauty. Everything is machined.

Ross---That is a great find. 1) The barrel can be replaced with a threaded tapered blank (From breech forward) 2) Cone hammer is rare 3) Metal is not pitted and with careful hand polishing can be re-rust blued. A C96 is hard to come by without a bank loan. My favorite kind of find!

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Originally Posted by RossMkIIEnjoyer

Debating sending off the pistol to Luger Man and have him replace the barrel and restore the pistol.

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I would do that if you can. That will take all issues away.

Concur that the barrel of that Cone Hammer was cropped. Rare find.

Back in the day when Canada was a free country my grandfather owned a Mauser Schnellfeuerpistole. He was a renowned Geologist and Paleontologist and was the president of the U.S. Geological Survey for a time and travelled extensively throughout the world. During his time in China he felt obliged to carry a weapon as protection against brigands and felt the pistol gave him fire superiority. Unfortunately when he passed my uncle who was the executor of his estate wasn't into guns and turned it in for destruction. As a small consolation I was given Grandad's last box of ammunition for it.

That's a great story, Sapper. Unfortunate for the pistol's destruction.

About the Mauser, I ended up making a trade deal on a pretty nice unmodified Luger. Probably will try to get another C96 some day, maybe just as a wall hanger. In the mean time, I can enjoy the Luger.

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Originally Posted by Sapper740

Back in the day when Canada was a free country my grandfather owned a Mauser Schnellfeuerpistole. He was a renowned Geologist and Paleontologist and was the president of the U.S. Geological Survey for a time and travelled extensively throughout the world. During his time in China he felt obliged to carry a weapon as protection against brigands and felt the pistol gave him fire superiority. Unfortunately when he passed my uncle who was the executor of his estate wasn't into guns and turned it in for destruction. As a small consolation I was given Grandad's last box of ammunition for it.

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He wasn't near St. Remi, was he? I took apart a C96 that was given to te police for destruction. I wanted to cry.