Never Heard of this Gun

[roymack]

The following is from a newspaper article from 1909. A Kentucky feudist is describing his gun. Does anyone have any idea what kind of gun this is?

Would you like to see my gun?" he asked. He led the way to a secluded spot in the rear of the building and with a certain degree of pride pulled from his handbags a formidable .44-caliber Mauser pistol, its barrel nearly a foot long. He fondled it a moment and then said:
"This will talk to you nine times and about 1,000 yards. All you've got to do is to hold your finger on the trigger. It will do the rest.

 

[Texas Star]

The following is from a newspaper article from 1909. A Kentucky feudist is describing his gun. Does anyone have any idea what kind of gun this is?

Would you like to see my gun?" he asked. He led the way to a secluded spot in the rear of the building and with a certain degree of pride pulled from his handbags a formidable .44-caliber Mauser pistol, its barrel nearly a foot long. He fondled it a moment and then said:
"This will talk to you nine times and about 1,000 yards. All you've got to do is to hold your finger on the trigger. It will do the rest.

Tsk tsk, FAKE NEWS .

 

[Old_Cop]

My guess is a miscalibered Mauser Broomhandle.

 

[lawandorder]

Getting it wrong when it comes to firearms for one hundred and eleven years, the American press.

 

[jimbo728]

Sounds like a Jack Daniels or Jim Beam special.
Jim

 

[NYlakesider]

The following is from a newspaper article from 1909. A Kentucky feudist is describing his gun. Does anyone have any idea what kind of gun this is?

Would you like to see my gun?" he asked. He led the way to a secluded spot in the rear of the building and with a certain degree of pride pulled from his handbags a formidable .44-caliber Mauser pistol, its barrel nearly a foot long. He fondled it a moment and then said:
"This will talk to you nine times and about 1,000 yards. All you've got to do is to hold your finger on the trigger. It will do the rest.

I think if it was real Elmer Keith would have had one.

 

[murphydog]

Quite a story, literally and figuratively.

The full auto Mauser C96 didn't show up until the early 1930s, and neither they or the Spanish guns that preceded them were in .44 anything or found in the USA at that time (most were sent to China). The only thing I can think of to explain it is a typo in the date, the wrong caliber and someone converting a standard C96 to full auto. Weird story all around.

 

[loc n load]

Some things have remained constant apparently in "news" reporting. I have a newspaper article with a photo of me holding a less lethal 870 with orange furniture, during an agency "dog & pony" show. I had explained in painful detail what the 870 was and it's use. The reporter identifies me and identifies the shotgun as an "automatic weapon".

 

[Texas Star]

The closest thing to this error is the Chinese Shensi (sp) copy of the Mauser, made in .45 ACP. And I think it considerably postdates that article.

I did read a similar account of a Western sheriff shooting a rattlesnake that menaced his party on a picnic, but the reporter said he used a Colt .32 auto, very probably correct. None of those "AR-14's" the media fears.

 

[dougb1946]

Some things have remained constant apparently in "news" reporting. I have a newspaper article with a photo of me holding a less lethal 870 with orange furniture, during an agency "dog & pony" show. I had explained in painful detail what the 870 was and it's use. The reporter identifies me and identifies the shotgun as an "automatic weapon".

While reporters are well known for mistakes about weapons, there is one senior military expert who would probably have called it a "full semiautomatic" with full manual reloading.

 

[Sistema1927]

Could it be that someone was having some fun with that journalist?

 

[Mrnurse]

Mauser did Make a .45 acp as did the Chinese. Full Auto Broom handles were made as early as 1909 as Prototype. .44 Cal has to be a Print Error.

 

[jimmyj]

Didn't Mauser/ or Germany made a large caliber Revolver prior to the P-08 ?

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Didn't Mauser/ or Germany made a large caliber Revolver prior to the P-08 ?

11 or 11.4 mm, basically a proprietary loading of 44 Russian! Italy and several other countries did the same thing. You could often use one country's ammo in another's gun and it function, but usually the point of aim and point of impact were messed up.

Ivan

 

[CelticSire]

Sounds like a Jack Daniels or Jim Beam special.
Jim

Jim Beam. Jack Daniels is made in Tennessee.

 

[DWalt]

See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauser_C78_"zig-zag"