My secret love: the C96 Mauser "broomhandle"

PALADIN85020

PALADIN85020

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Many years ago when I was young and foolish, I had acquired a C96 broomhandle Mauser pistol. It had an inscription engraved on its right side indicating that it had been liberated from a German officer during WWI, and it gave the date and the location. Well, I kept it as a curiosity for a number of years, and then finally traded it for a mint - yes, factory new - U.S. Model 1842 musket. I was more into U.S. military long arms in those days.

I always regretted letting go of that broomhandle, though. I have no idea if the inscription on it was spurious, but I suspect that it was probably genuine. At any rate, broomhandles today in good condition are almost untouchable, so I never got another one.

Until yesterday. BIG Phoenix gun show yesterday, and I was among the first in the door. And there it was. It wasn't factory fresh, but it had been skillfully restored, and I think it will make a great photo model for a future article on this breed. I snapped it up, together with a wooden shoulder stock holster, and I'm tickled pink to finally have another C96 to play with!

C96MAUSERIRONCROSS-SMALL.jpg


Anyone here have any shooting experience with these old timers? I estimate this one was produced in 1914.

John
 
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No experience shooting them, but they are quite a handful and really neat old guns.

Some pretty famous folks carried them, as I'm sure you know, including Winston Churchill and...Han Solo.

Congrats on finding one!
 
I have owned 2 over the years one was an Oyster bay re work both were in 9mm and were fun to shoot. I always found them I hate to say romantic.
 
I have a 95% pre-war commercial made in 1916 with matching holster stock. I don't shoot it much, but it is pretty accurate. Surprisingly, it points rather well considering how awkward it looks.

If you're going to fire yours, avoid the Tokarev 7.62x25 ammunition. A steady dose of this, especially the hotter stuff, will eventually wreck havoc on the locking block. Fiocchi 7.62 Mauser ammo works well, and I have seen some S&B also marked "7.62 Mauser" that should be OK. These will cost about 2X the ComBlock ammo, but your pistol will appreciate it.

As always, looking forward to your review.

Buck
 
I have 2-one that my wife's grandfather brought back from France after WW I that was subsequently reblued & one that my father was given while billeted on a Navy ship in occupied Japan.I have the certificate allowing him to bring it back as well.We shot his quite a bit when we both were younger-very different action & an unusual gun to shoot.I credit that pistol with stimulating my life long interest in firearms of all stripes-I remember pestering dad regularly to get it down from the closet & unwrap it so I could look at it.I'm glad to have it.
Regards,
turnerriver
SWCA # 1426
 
Picked up a "few" of the Chinese returns in the 80's - only one screw (grips) and the rest of the parts are one big puzzle.

Had one "top" restored in 9mm and shot mostly lead to keep the pressures down. The sights are rather optimistic but I guess the original cartridge was up to it.

Sure wish they would drop the ban on Chinese imports - lots of interesting items came out - such as the C96's clone made in 45ACP
 
The C96 broomhandle is certainly fun to shoot, I should know. Be careful about shooting a fine collectible though. Years ago, I bought a pristine broomhandle, matching numbers and excellent bore, for $1200.00; this included the matching stock. One Saturday afternoon, I was blasting away with Fiocchi factory ball and hitting cans and bottles out to 200 yards and beyond.

And then came the fatal TINK! I blew off the extractor along with a chunk of bolt metal where the extractor dovetails into the bolt. I converted a $1200.00 collectible into a $300.00 shooter; yes I bought and installed a mis-numbered bolt.

The point is, many of these old guns are worn and may have improper heat treatment or metal fatigue. I will never shoot a nice collectible firearm again. There are too many modern, strong firearms to shoot.

My .02

Charlie
 
Ye 'ol C-96

I gotta admit I've always had a soft spot for the old "Broomie"! I never shot one but did play with a Bolo model a few years back. I often wondered if it would be possible to use said pistol in a Cowboy Action shoot? They're letting the 1911 in these days so why not the Mauser?
 
I bought my C96 almost 20 yrs ago from a friend of mine, its a reblued job, but I mainly want one to see how it works and as a shooter, I second the comment about those 7.62 Tokarev ammo, some are loaded for sub machine gun and way too hot for the broomhandle, and accuracy are worst than a shotgun pattern at 25 yds!

If you are going to reload, keep velocity around 1,000 - 1,100 ft/sec with 100gr. round nose bullets, start with 5.0 gr. of Unique and work up.

Beware when striping the pistol, unlike many morden arms, every parts are interlocked with others and there are no pins or screws to held them together, be extra careful when remove the lockwork/hammer block, some small parts may come loose and drop out, so its best to do it on top of a clean work bench.
 
I knew a gentleman years ago who carried one concealed as his defense pistol. One can only imagine the bad guy's amazement if he would ever see that unusual beast come out of a holster!
 
Dr. Roy Chapman Andrews commented on the popularity of these in China during his scientific expeditions there in the 1920's and '30's. I think China may have been the largest foreign buyer, as well as copying the design widely.

Most of those found in Japan were probably captured from the Chinese.

I loved Churchill's comments on his use of one during the cavalry charge at Omdurman, Sudan in 1898. I think his gun was discovered recently in South Africa, where it had been captured by the Boers during the 1899-1902 war. But I think the buyer has remained confidential.

His other guns remained in the family at least until the 1997 UK handgun ban. They may be in some museum now. Does anyone here know? Man at Arms had a good article on them some years back.

John, great photo! (As ever...:))

T-Star
 
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One that has always been on my "dream" list. I kept a copy of Guns & Ammo from the '80's because it had an article on the Broomhandle in it. I've never even handled one, but am green with envy of anyone who has. Enjoy it, it's sure pretty...
 
Congrats on finding a nice one. I have owned 3. My first was a German Navy marked Red 9. I was 15yrs old. Gun shop owner was nice and let me put it on lay-away for a year!! Every Friday I would go in and pay on it. Sure wish I had it now. Next was an Oyster Bay rework. Nice shooter. Last was one of the Navy Arms Chinese reworks that would take a 10 or 20 round magazine. They are fun to shoot but wouldn't want to carry one. It raises eyes at the range.
 
I have a reworked one in 9mm and have fired it a few times.
Intended to get enough stripper clips to shoot it in a PPC type match but never did.
I had already amazed the cops shooting those matches by showing up with a Smith 1917 with full moon clips.
Figured a Broomhandle would really blow some minds.

Years ago at an MG shoot I was allowed to shoot 20 rounds from a Mauser 712 "Schnellfeur," in .30 Mauser. The stock was too short for me and I had to crane my neck back to use the sights. The gun worked fine though and I found shooting three or four round bursts of 90 grain bullets at 1,200 fps actually generated a fair amount of recoil.
 
When we were kids and saw a Broomhandle on TV we always called it a machine pistol. Were any ever made to fire full auto?
 
Yes, as posted above the Mauser 712 "Schnellfeur" in .30 Mauser had a selector switch for semi and full auto fire. They came with 10 and 20 round mags.
 
I made a more foolish move, but was too young and "uninformed" to know any better. When in the USAF and stationed in England I bought one off a Tsgt that had just shipped over from Germany. It wasn't pristine by any means, maybe 25% blue left, but no rust or pitting, and it had the wooden shoulder stock/holster. Since it was illegal to own an handgun without a permit, and also against regs to have a gun in the barracks even if you had a permit I got nervous after a few months and skating by in a surprise inspection. I had originally paid $35 (1960) for it and then sold it $55 thinking I had made a good profit. Fast forward a few years, and back home in a gun show is one laying on a table for $1200. I then made the decision I would learn more about any gun I would think about selling or buying. Lesson learned.
 
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