Anyone here know their Broomhandle Mausers?

Arik · #1 08-04-2016, 10:57 PM

My lgs too two in trade. They are not in excellent or like new condition or even collectable but appear to be good shooters, which is what I want.

Both are reblued.

1) flat sides, 30 Mauser caliber. Long barrel, looks to be 5 inches. Can see some minor pitting under the bluing. No visible markings. I assume they have been taken off in an attempt to clean up the gun. Barrel looks clean. Safety is missing but everything seems to work. Larger ring hammer. Weird grips with not the typical round checkering $450

2) not a flat side. Also 30 Mauser. Possibly a 4 in barrel. Says Waffenbrik on the top and the sides. Has safety. Small ring hammer. Barrel is pitted....more like frosted. $699

Neither of the two feel like they are 40oz. Feel a lot lighter

I have a weird fascination with the C96. Always wanted one but I'm interested in a shooter not a collection piece.

Anything you can tell me about them? I realize I don't have much info. Can they function without the safety lever? Is it expensive to get one and install?

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BearBio · #2 08-05-2016, 10:10 AM

I sent you a PM

Arik · #3 08-05-2016, 10:20 AM

Replied

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Cyrano · #4 08-05-2016, 09:01 PM

The large ring hammer wil function without the safety. The safety is different than later pistols, it's used only on the cone hammer and large ring hammer pistols. I think they'd be rather hard to find. The grips weren't checkered, they had horizontal grooves in them, the number of grooves varying with the model of the pistol. Some had black, hard rubber grips with a floral design. The serial number is found on the left diagonel flat over the chamber, If it's been buffed off, you don't want to touch that pistol. (*added* The serial number of the lockwork package and the frame are found on the back side of the pistol below the hammer). There are two serial number series: the commercial slabsides were numbered from about 21,000 to 30,000. There was an Italian navy contract, and these are numbered 1 to 5000. Ialian Navy pistols will have a DV mark on the left side of the chamber and a crown over AV on the bottom of the barrel. Large ring Mauses are scarce, 'slabsides' even more so and there were only 5000 Ialian Navy pistols, so they are all priced accordingly. I'd put that large ring hammer out on the table for $1200 if Italian Navy and $1000 if just a slabside and let some collector buy it and restore it for less than he could get a good orginal.

The short barreled one, the 'bolo' is probably post-WW I production when the Interallied Control Commssion prohibited German manufacture of pistols with more than 100mm ( about 4 inches) barrels. Serial numbes should be in the 300,000 - 500,000 serial number range. They're fairly common. A frosted bore will shoot jacketed bullets (including commercial ammo) OK, but will probably lead with cast reloads. Check that the extreme rear of the barrel extension on the right side is not peened to the rear by the bolt stop striking it as the bolt recoil. Mausers aren't much fun to shoot as pistols since the sights are regulated for use with the shoulderstock which produces a lot less flip than when hand held. They shoot about a foot high at 25 yards without the stock. Take it apart (you'll be amazed at the amount of stuff thrashing around in there when you pull the trigger) clean it and oil it and put it back together and it should function just fine. If you completly strip the lock package, there's a little 'C' shaped piece. Take careful note of how it comes out and put it back exactly the same way. It's possible to put it in backwards, which locks up the whole mechanism and requires some complex surgery to put right.

You'll also find it a lot easier to load the pistol if you have a 10 round stripper clip.

Photo 1. The long extractor, bottom, as found on the large ring hammer. The short extractor, top, as found on the bolo.

Photo 2. the rear sight as found on the large ring hammer, note the 900m sight setting.

Photo 3. the rear sight as found on the bolo, note there's no 900 m sight setting.

Cyrano · #5 08-05-2016, 10:28 PM

Here's pictures of both sides of my slabside, not an Ialian Navy, and my post WW I bolo. Sorry I don't have a picture of the old style safety: all my pictures of that lockwork are from the right side which doesn't show the safety.

nicky4968 · #6 08-05-2016, 11:31 PM

Go to 1896mauser.com for a real education about the pistol.

BearBio · #7 08-06-2016, 10:40 AM

Here's some pics of my re-worked 1920 in 30 Mauser:

Brian in Oregon · #8 08-06-2016, 01:17 PM

I had a Red 9" with shoulder stock. Bore was dark and frosted. Could not hit a garbage can at 50 feet. When shooting plated 9mm lead bullets, the plating was being scrapped off by the rough bore, resulting in what looked like glitter in the air about six to ten feet in front of the muzzle. Covered the ground like gold dust. Just mentioning this as I would steer clear of anything with a questionable bore. There are too many out there with decent bores to accept one with a bad bore, unless you are a collector who does not care about shooting them.

Cyrano · #9 08-06-2016, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian in Oregon

I had a Red 9" with shoulder stock. Bore was dark and frosted. Could not hit a garbage can at 50 feet. When shooting plated 9mm lead bullets, the plating was being scrapped off by the rough bore, resulting in what looked like glitter in the air about six to ten feet in front of the muzzle. Covered the ground like gold dust. Just mentioning this as I would steer clear of anything with a questionable bore. There are too many out there with decent bores to accept one with a bad bore, unless you are a collector who does not care about shooting them.

Maybe a little J.B. Bore Cleaner would mitigate that a bit. Mausers aren't too easy to find any more, and most of them have been shot with corrosive primers.

Cyrano · #10 08-06-2016, 04:19 PM

Finally, here is a picture of the lockwork packages from my post-WW I Bolo, top, and my large ring hammer slabside on the bottom. The difference in the safeties is obvious.

Cyrano · #11 08-06-2016, 04:30 PM

Bear Bio: That's one very pretty Mauser. It doesn't look like a 1920 vintage pistol, rather one much earlier, made prior to WW I. The safety burr bored all the way through is one indication. If the rear sight has a 900 m sight setting, that's another. Serial number lower than about 300,000 is still another. The extractor may be another indication. Mauser started out with the long extractor, see photo 1 in post 4, but they changed about 1910-1912 so quite a few re-war pistols have the short extractor. They went from 4 to 6 groove rifling about the same time.

Brian in Oregon · #12 08-06-2016, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyrano

Maybe a little J.B. Bore Cleaner would mitigate that a bit. Mausers aren't too easy to find any more, and most of them have been shot with corrosive primers.

Maybe, if it was polished to 10mm.