MAUSER PISTOL STORIES - LONDON

[Surpmil]

The M96 was so very much ahead of its time and an excellent example of German engineering at its finest.
History somewhere along a long line changed significantly, allowing copying by countries like China, to erode the good name of German engineering, as much of their copying failed over and over again.
Yes they were and are good at certain low cost items, but in short, much of it is crap, and reflects, "what you pay is what you get" syndrome.
I look back at Milsurps specifically, and it was Germany/the United States/England/Australia/New Zealand and Japan who were the worlds main designers of war equipment, with Russia in there too.
Have those days of brilliance gone, as we the group who own history in our hands, in rifles, pistols and other Milsurps, continue to repair and rebuild stuff from the past that we can keep going?
Bit nostalgic this morning!!

Only certain more poorly led countries have allowed their industrial capacities to decline.

As for China, it is worth bearing in mind that Japan was also known to the average person as a producer of "cheap junk" at one time. China has a long history of technological development and artisanship of a very high order, but her stultifying social system and religions kept that from developing as it could have. Anyone who thinks China is not on the way to the top technologically is deluding themselves, in a few short years China's average income will reach the point where her huge internal market will make exporting largely unnecessary. Those who have come to depend on her exports will then find themselves going begging for them. Of course, China will keep her exports cheap for as long as it takes to thoroughly destroy the technological and industrial bases of her competitors who are willing to play that game: mostly the English-speaking countries whose leadership classes are largely donkeys when they are not simply traitors.

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[30Three]

Only certain more poorly led countries have allowed their industrial capacities to decline.

As for China, it is worth bearing in mind that Japan was also known to the average person as a producer of "cheap junk" at one time. China has a long history of technological development and artisanship of a very high order, but her stultifying social system and religions kept that from developing as it could have. Anyone who thinks China is not on the way to the top technologically is deluding themselves, in a few short years China's average income will reach the point where her huge internal market will make exporting largely unnecessary. Those who have come to depend on her exports will then find themselves going begging for them. Of course, China will keep her exports cheap for as long as it takes to thoroughly destroy the technological and industrial bases of her competitors who are willing to play that game: mostly the English-speaking countries whose leadership classes are largely donkeys when they are not simply traitors.

For some time now I have been asking the question: What happens when (or if) China stops exporting?
I think we'll be deep in it; and have to rebuild industries that have been sold off for the profit of the few.

As for the Mauser C96, it's a very good pistol. They still get good results in the Service Pistol competitions here. Excellent piece of engineering.

[vykkagur]

The Mauser was always my dream pistol when I was a kid, after seeing it used in "The Second-Best Secret Agent in the Whole Wide World". When I was buying a couple of Star autos ($85 & $105) as a teenager, the seller mentioned he knew someone local who was selling a nice example, complete with wooden holster/stock - for $400. I didn't have the money back then....

[Daan Kemp]

Did China make copies or buy the Spanish versions? Or both? Seemed to be very popular in China for a long time.

[GeeRam]

Did China make copies or buy the Spanish versions? Or both? Seemed to be very popular in China for a long time.

Must admit, I thought they were buying up a lot of the Spanish Astra made ones prior to WW2.

[Surpmil]

Interesting, but would a German smith really put a rear base on which prevented the iron sights being adjusted past 100m? And why do so when the whole thing would be custom made and making the rear scope ring leg a little longer would cost no more?

Grafted on I expect, perhaps with graft in mind.

Must have been very similar to what was in the photo though.

[vykkagur]

Interesting, but would a German smith really put a rear base on which prevented the iron sights being adjusted past 100m? And why do so when the whole thing would be custom made and making the rear scope leg a little longer would cost no more?

Grafted on I expect, perhaps with graft in mind.

Must have been very similar to what was in the photo though.

You're absolutely right. Mind you, as far as I'm concerned, anyone who thinks he's going to be effective past 150 meters with a pistol (and over open sights) probably buys a lot of lottery tickets.

[GeeRam]

You're absolutely right. Mind you, as far as I'm concerned, anyone who thinks he's going to be effective past 150 meters with a pistol (and over open sights) probably buys a lot of lottery tickets.

Exactly.
The view was probably that there was enough adjustment left on the iron sights for all practicable purposes that it wasn't an issue.

[Surpmil]

Exactly.
The view was probably that there was enough adjustment left on the iron sights for all practicable purposes that it wasn't an issue.

Will have to respectfully disagree there for the reasons stated. Such a bodge would not be "culturally appropriate", particularly in those times.

Would a typical customer paying good money for such a purchase take the "oh, well probably good enough" line? Not likely.

Waffen Goluch is still in business in Linz I see; someone could ask!

[GeeRam]

Will have to respectfully disagree there for the reasons stated. Such a bodge would not be "culturally appropriate", particularly in those times.

Would a typical customer paying good money for such a purchase take the "oh, well probably good enough" line? Not likely.

Why not. People still had deteriorating eyesight back at the turn of the 20th century, just as they do now, so if the customer was of a certain age, whereby the usefulness of the iron sights was negligible, and thus why they wanted the optics in the first place, why would they pay extra money for something to be 'sorted' that didn't need 'sorting' and that they didn't need. Perhaps the customer got exactly what they wanted?