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The design of the Mauser C-96 pistol was developed in 1893 by brothers Fidel, Friedrich and Josef Feederle (Fidel, Friedrich, Josef Feederle) and improved together with Paul Mauser and gunsmith Gaiser. The finishing work was completed in 1895. At the same time, production of a trial batch began. On March 15, 1895, the pistol was demonstrated to Kaiser Wilhelm II. Paul Mauser patented the design in his name, receiving Reichspatent No. 90430 on September 11, 1895. Another patent was received in the UK. The official name of the pistol, given by it, which translated means “Self-loading Mauser pistol.” Since the beginning of production in 1910 of the pocket Mauser chambered for 6.35x15.5 HR, the pistol began to be called “C-96” (Construktion 96 - design of the 96th year). It should be clarified that this name was used only by sellers and importers. At the Mauser company, the pistol was still called the “Mauser-Selbstlade-Pistole”. Another official name is Model 1930. Other modifications have unofficial names, for example “Model 1912” or “Bolo”.
The new weapon had several distinctive features. A permanent double-row magazine with a capacity of 10 rounds was placed in front of the trigger guard and was loaded with cartridges from plate clips. The pistol was held using a round conical handle with grooves for attaching a wooden butt holster. The C-96 received the nickname "Broomhandle", which means "broom handle", precisely because of the shape of the handle. The sector sight was designed for shooting up to 1000 meters. For this pistol, a new 7.63x25 Mauser cartridge was developed, the design of which was based on the 7.65 mm Borchardt cartridge, but with an elongated sleeve and an increased powder charge. The initial bullet speed was 430 m/s, which was a record among pistols of that time. In addition, Mausers were produced chambered for 9mm Parabellum and, in small quantities, chambered for 9mm Mauser Export (9×25).
Paul Mauser
Mauser Model 1895 pistol
Mauser "Cone Hammer" pistol
Before considering the design and history of this weapon, let's take a look at the various versions of the pistol. Waffenfabrik Mauser AG has repeatedly upgraded the C-96 design, subjecting it to a variety of, usually minor, changes. The largest number of modifications were created in the early period of production - from 1896 to 1905. They changed the length of the barrel, the capacity and shape of the magazine, the shape of the handle, the shape of the trigger, the grooves on the frame and the external finish. Some variants differ only in the location of the serial number. In total, collectors counted more than 130 different versions of the Mauser-Selbstlade-Pistole. The most popular type of early release is the model with a conical hammer, the so-called “Cone Hammer”. The main distinguishing feature is the trigger with conical cheeks. The pistol was produced with a 10-round magazine, a 140 mm barrel, and a sector sight marked at a distance of 50 to 1000 meters. There are also pistols with magazines with a capacity of 6 and 20 rounds. Approximately 16,000 Cone Hammer pistols were produced.
The next popular option from the early release is a model with a large hole trigger. It was called the “Large Ring Hammer,” which means “Trigger with a large ring.” The released trigger blocked the aiming line. Most of the options belong to this variety. The most popular of them is the “Flat Side” pistol, commissioned by the Italian Navy. The model received this name because of the flat side surfaces of the frame, without milled grooves. During this period, the first shortened versions appeared with a smaller handle, a 100 mm barrel and a magazine with a capacity of 6 rounds. In total, about 25,000 copies of the Large Ring type pistols were produced.
Mauser C-96 “Large Ring Hammer” pistol, 1899
Mauser “Large Ring Hammer” in the “Flat Side” version, commissioned by the Italian Navy
Mauser "Small Ring Hammer" pistol
By 1905, pistol production had stabilized in terms of variations. Now only two main modifications were produced - full-size and shortened pistols. The exception was the release of a small number of full-size pistols chambered for the 9mm Mauser Export cartridge. One of the most famous pre-war versions was a pistol with a hammer with a small hole, called the “Small Ring Hammer”. In addition to the trigger with a “small ring,” the weapon received a slightly modified safety lock. In early models, such as the Tapered Trigger or the Big Ring Trigger, the safety lever's top position is on and the safety lever's bottom position is off. The "small ring trigger" and all later models have a reverse safety. In addition, the long ejector used in early models has been replaced with a short one.
Issued between 1912 and 1918. pistols are classified as military issue. The reason is that in 1912 a new safety design was introduced - “Neue Sicherung”, and it is impossible to determine by the number whether such a pistol was produced in 1912 or 1915 due to the lack of archives. The new fuse was abbreviated as "NS". This monogram was made on the back surface of the trigger. The fuse head is made without a through hole. On the scope of the “Small Ring” models with the “Neue Sicherung” fuse, they did not put an o. About 130,000 of these pistols were produced.
C-96 with "Neue Sicherung" fuse (Model 1912) Photo (c) ygran.ru
Mauser C-96 “Red Nine” pistol with attached holster-stock
The Mauser C-96 “Red Nine” pistol is a conversion of the standard 9mm Parabellum cartridge, distinguished by large numbers “9”, with red paint, on the sides of the grip cheeks
In 1916, Prussia placed an order with Waffenfabrik Mauser AG for 150,000 pistols chambered for the standard 9mm Parabellum cartridge. This version of the 96th was later called the “Red Nine” (Red Nine) for the large number “9”, painted over with red varnish, present on the cheeks of the handle of these pistols, so that they could be easily visually distinguished from weapons of 7.63 caliber mm. In addition to the caliber, these pistols were distinguished by a sight marked from 50 to 500 meters. The stamp of the Prussian Army Reception Commission was placed on the right side of the chamber. After 1917, such pistols were equipped with a recess in the feeder for greater operational reliability. It should be noted here that after World War II, a large number of 7.63 mm pistols were converted to the 9 mm cartridge. Pistols issued under the Prussian Contract are distinguished by the mark of the Army Acceptance Committee on the right side of the chamber, the hammer with the stamp “NS” and “Small Ring”, as well as walnut cheeks with 24 grooves and a carved “9”.
Models of the post-war period include pistols produced from 1920 to 1937. The earliest version of the post-war Mauser is the Model 1920. In the conditions of post-war devastation in Germany in the 1918-1920s, Mauser factories did not produce their famous pistols, but from 1920 they began to remake old pistols for the police. Under the terms of the Versailles Peace Treaty of 1919, Germany was prohibited from producing pistols with a barrel length of more than 100 mm and a caliber of more than 8 mm. As a result, a wide variety of C-96 variants were redesigned by shortening the barrel. Such pistols can be distinguished by their 99 mm long barrel and the “1920” stamp on the receiver or frame. But a small number of 7.63 mm and 9 mm pistols with 140 mm barrels were also produced. Sometimes a P.08 type front sight was attached to the cut barrel. The “Red Nines” were also redesigned by installing a 99 mm barrel of 7.63 mm caliber, as well as a non-adjustable rear sight instead of the one marked up to 500 meters.
Mauser of the post-war period, manufactured in 1920, with a 99 mm long barrel and the stamp “1920”, converted from a “Red Nine” pistol of the Prussian order
Mauser “Bolo” with a pack of 7.63×25 cartridges and clips
One of the most famous variants of the shortened C-96 was the Mauser "Bolo". In 1922, Mauser again began production of a shortened version of the C-96. The largest customer of such Mausers was Soviet Russia. Two batches of 5,000 and 15,000 copies were purchased, which were used by the NKVD and the Red Army. Such pistols are distinguished by 99 mm long barrels, 7.63 mm caliber, a shortened handle with walnut cheeks with 22 grooves, and a “Small Ring Hammer” trigger with the “NS” stamp. But the main difference between the post-war shortened Bolo Mausers is the horizontally swinging swivel on the handle.
The Model 1930 is the only C-96 pistol to have its own name given to it by its manufacturer. This variant began to be produced in 1930 after the production of the shortened "Bolo" ceased. To reduce production costs, as well as increase reliability and safety, a number of changes were made to the design of this weapon. Initially, the pistols were equipped with 132 mm long barrels, but then returned to the classic 140 mm barrel. The Model 1930 can be easily identified by the transition on the barrel with a thicker chamber area. The pistol received a new design fuse, which, when turned on, safely released the hammer from cocking, without contact with the firing pin. The shape of the “Small Ring Hammer” trigger also underwent changes, from which the grooves around the hole, the number and the “NS” mark were removed. The frame was made without a step for the cheeks of the handle. The cheeks themselves now had 12 deep grooves. The swivel is fixed, swinging not back and forth, but from side to side, like a “Bolo”. The labeling has changed. On the right side of the frame was the inscription: “WAFFENFABRIK MAUSER OBERNDORF A. NECKAR DRPuAP.” Due to large deliveries of this option to China, on the left side of the store, in the lower part, they placed a stamp with hieroglyphs meaning “Made in Germany.”
Mauser Model 1930 pistol
Mauser pistol-carbine made on the basis of the “Cone Hammer” variant
In addition to the standard full-size and shortened versions of the C-96, so-called pistol-carbines were also produced. The first of them was made in 1899. The main difference was the 300 mm long barrel. The first pistol-carbines were produced based on the Cone Hammer models. Later they began to use the “Large Ring” option. Such pistol-carbines had a fore-end and a classic-type butt attached to the frame. The butt, made integral with the handle, was completely separated from the frame, since pistols with attached butts or folding guns were allowed under the German weapons legislation of that time, carbines and rifles that could be fired with them removed were prohibited. This weapon, based on the Large Ring pistols, was produced in a limited edition of 800 copies until 1905. In 1907, the manufacturer tried to resume production of carbine pistols, but with a “Small Ring Hammer” type trigger and a new type of safety. However, after 140 copies were produced with a barrel length of 300 mm and a “Flat Side” frame, their production was completely discontinued. All original pistol-carbines produced by Mauser have such features as a removable stock with a handle, without the ability to fire a shot without an attached stock, a permanent magazine for 10 rounds of 7.63×25, barrels 300 mm or 370 mm long, a sector sight with markings from 50 to 1000 meters.
Production of the Mauser C-96 pistols ceased in 1937, mainly for two reasons. The first is the beginning of the Sino-Japanese War, since China, which was the main customer, stopped purchasing these pistols. The second reason is a large government order for 98k carbines and P.08 pistols. However, after the Mauser factories in Germany ceased production, pistols of the C-96 type were produced for a long time in Spain. China produced its own pistols of this type right up to the 1980s.
The Mauser had very high combat qualities for pistols of its time, but was not adopted by more than one army in the world due to its high cost, complexity of design and maintenance, relatively low reliability, as well as large dimensions, but, nevertheless, it was partially used in the armed forces of Germany, Italy, Yugoslavia, Great Britain, Russia, Japan, Turkey and China. The pistol was destined for a slightly different role in world history than just a military weapon. But first, let's look at the design.
Commercial version of the Mauser C-96 pistol (Mauser-Selbstlade-Pistole) chambered for a very powerful 9mm Mauser Export cartridge
Cartridges used in the Mauser C-96 pistols: 9mm Parabellum, 7.63mm Mauser and 9mm Mauser Export (from left to right)
The automation works according to the scheme of using recoil with a short barrel stroke. Locking is carried out using a combat cylinder that rotates in a vertical plane when interacting with elements of the pistol frame. The larva is connected to a movable receiver, in the front of which the barrel is fixed. The bolt moves inside the receiver. When the barrel-receiver-bolt system moves backward, the cylinder lowers and releases the bolt. While moving back, the bolt removes the spent cartridge case from the chamber, ejects it and cocks the hammer. When the system returns to the forward position, the bolt sends the next cartridge from the magazine into the chamber, and the larva interacts with the frame protrusion, rises and engages the bolt with the lugs. The trigger mechanism is hammer type, single action, with an open trigger. To the left of the hammer is a safety lever, which in early models blocked the hammer in the cocked or deflated position, and in the 1912 model - only in the cocked position. When all the cartridges are used up, the bolt stops at the bolt stop in the rearmost position. A distinctive feature of the pistol is a permanent magazine with a double-row arrangement of cartridges, located in front of the trigger guard, made as a single unit with the frame.
The magazine capacity was different, depending on the modification - 6, 10 or 20 rounds. The magazine was loaded from clips with a capacity of 10 rounds. In later models, the magazines became separate parts and were attached to the frame with a latch. The presence of a cartridge in the chamber is indicated by the ejector, which protrudes from the surface of the bolt when the cartridge is in the chamber. The sector sight is designed for a firing range of up to 1000 meters. This calculated range is excessively excessive, since, despite the full power of the cartridge used and the long barrel, in relation to pistols, accurate shooting, even with an attached holster-butt, beyond 100 - 150 meters becomes very problematic. In almost ideal conditions of absence of wind and other factors negatively affecting shooting accuracy, at a distance of 1000 meters the dispersion exceeded 5 meters in height and 4 in width. At 100 meters it is still possible to regularly “lay” all the bullets into a silhouette, but at 200 this will no longer be possible. The best results when shooting at a distance of up to 100 meters are a group of hits with a diameter of 300 mm. According to other sources, it was even possible to achieve a group with a diameter of 150 mm.
A wooden butt holster can be attached to the pistol handle, in which the weapon can be stored when carried. This holster-stock was the only means of allowing accurate fire from this weapon over long distances without the use of a rest. For its time, C-96 pistols were very reliable weapons compared to the first self-loading pistols, and their service life is the reason that they are used even today. Here is evidence from those years about the Mauser tests: “Mr. Commercial Advisor Mauser fired his pistol with a recoil of 6, 10, and 20 rounds at His Excellency Württemberg Minister of Defense Schult von Schottenstein in the Stuttgart shooting range 1000 shots in the presence of many generals, and everyone spoke out very commendable about this weapon.” During testing of one of the first C-96s, more than 10,000 rounds were fired: “Without any damage or noticeable wear to the working parts, and accuracy changed slightly.”
But let's not forget that the C-96 was created at the dawn of the era of self-loading pistols and simply could not be perfect in everything; of course, it had quite a few negative qualities. The Mauser is a very complex pistol in design. But an even greater difficulty was the manufacture of its parts of complex shape. The production of these weapons was very expensive. The complexity and high cost, as well as the need to constantly care for the weapon and monitor its condition, which required a lot of time and skill, were the reasons that the C-96 was not adopted by any army in the world in full. But, nevertheless, Mausers were used in the armed forces of several European powers. This was facilitated by one very significant circumstance at that time - then there was no intermediate weapon between long-range, long rifles, which, however, had a low rate of fire and maneuverability, and short-barreled personal weapons - pistols and revolvers, which were distinguished by maneuverability and convenience, but had a short firing range and, again but, as a rule, a low rate of fire. There were no submachine guns at the beginning of the 20th century. Shortened rifles and carbines did not save the situation either. And here the Mauser came in handy. Quite compact, smaller and more convenient than carbines, it had a high rate of fire and shot accurately, at fairly large distances, unattainable for conventional revolvers and the first pistols. It could be successfully used by cavalrymen, signalmen, artillerymen and reconnaissance officers.
Mauser "Model 1912" with "Neue Sicherung" fuse
The first war in which this legendary pistol took part was the Boer War of 1899 - 1902. Mausers then used both sides. The Boers willingly fought them, preferring the C-96 to the old revolvers. English officers bought these pistols with their own money. It is significant that the C-96 was the favorite weapon of the future British Prime Minister W. Churchill. According to legend, during the Sudan campaign, in the Battle of Omdurman (September 1898), the patrol of the 21st Hussar Regiment, led by 25-year-old Lieutenant Churchill, was surrounded by an enemy superior in manpower, but armed mainly with cold steel. In that battle, German pistols from Waffenfabrik Mauser AG played an important role. Subsequently, Churchill began collecting Mausers. The Italian Navy became one of the buyers of the C-96. A contract was signed with the Mauser company for the manufacture and supply of one thousand early model 7.63×25 pistols with a conical hammer to the Turkish army. The contract was fulfilled in full. Mausers were supplied in large quantities to China, where mass production of their copies was launched, including those chambered for .45 ACP cartridges.
During World War I, the C-96 was used by German forces as a limited standard weapon in trench warfare alongside the standard Parabellum. As mentioned above, Mauser pistols, called “Red Nine,” were chambered for the standard 9mm Parabellum cartridge. In total, about 130,000 of these pistols were produced. During combat use, the P.08 then established itself as a more reliable pistol, easier to disassemble and reassemble, clean and lubricate, and more practical in field conditions.
Lieutenant Busch of the 4th Royal Bavarian Infantry Regiment with a C-96
WWI soldiers with Mauser C-96 pistols
However, Mausers were in stable demand in the civilian arms market at that time. The reason for the popularity of these, in general, large and heavy pistols, poorly suited for long-term carrying, was their fighting qualities. The Mauser could quickly fire ten shots in a row. And if it was possible to aim, then make these shots with high accuracy over a distance that was quite large for ordinary pistols and revolvers of that time. Where a rifle was a burdensome weapon, the C-96 was an excellent replacement. It was used everywhere. Hunters who went after a wide variety of prey took advantage of the accuracy and rate of fire of the Mauser. Although 7.63 mm pistol bullets were not suitable for shooting large animals, there was even a recorded case of a rhinoceros being killed from a Mauser. By the way, according to Russian statistics on cases of self-defense against bears using pistols in the 20th century, the 7.63 mm Mauser cartridge was among the most effective ammunition, which also included 9mm Parabellum and .45 ACP. Interestingly, the effectiveness of shooting bears of these three calibers was approximately the same.
At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, research expeditions to distant countries in Africa and Asia, to little-explored and dangerous areas of the Earth, were popular. Rifles and carbines were too inconvenient and burdensome weapons for long campaigns and, moreover, did not have the necessary fighting qualities for weapons of maneuverable, fleeting close combat. Travelers, explorers and scientists needed fast-firing, lightweight and fairly compact weapons. They chose the Mauser C-96, with which pioneers mapped uncharted corners of the Earth, paleontologists unearthed ancient fossils of dinosaur bones in virtually deserted mountains and deserts, zoologists studied the fauna of exotic countries, and gold miners hunted for the precious metal. This circumstance helped create the image of a “miracle pistol-carbine” for brave adventurers. Although it is necessary to clarify here that Georg Luger’s carbine pistols were also very popular among travelers and hunters. However, the reason for the great demand in the civilian arms market for C-96 pistols was another circumstance - the Mauser is very interesting to simply shoot, which was used by sports shooters and just shooting enthusiasts.
Early Mauser Model 1930 pistol
The Mauser was truly an advanced pistol for its time. A powerful cartridge with high energy and high muzzle velocity, combined with a long barrel, ensured high penetration. When shooting at 50 meters, the bullet pierced a pine beam 225 mm thick, and at a distance of 200 meters - 145 mm timber. The weapon had excellent shooting accuracy over long distances, which was greatly facilitated by the flat trajectory of the bullet and, again, a fairly long barrel. A big plus was the high rate of fire, especially with the attached holster-stock. Of course, the gun also had its drawbacks. The most significant of them are large dimensions and heavy weight. The center of gravity is shifted forward. The thin and sharp front sight is not convenient when aiming. High-speed shooting with one hand is very problematic due to the large toss during the shot, which occurs not only due to the power of the cartridge, but also due to the significant distance between the butt plate of the handle and the central axis of the barrel. The handle, similar to the handle of a shovel or broom, does not spoil the owner with comfort and stability of holding, which again negatively affects accuracy. During high-speed shooting, the barrel quickly heated up. After shooting 20 rounds, the barrel already heats up quite strongly, and after 100, it’s almost impossible to touch it. The problem was also the large spread when firing bursts from automatic models. However, all these shortcomings did not prevent the Mauser from becoming a legendary weapon.
Mauser C-96 pistols first appeared in Russia in 1897, entering the list of personal weapons recommended for purchase by officers of the tsarist army. The aeronautical unit of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Imperial Army adopted Mauser pistols in 1913, with two hundred cartridges for each of them, “as an accessory for airplanes.” In old Soviet films about the Civil War of 1917 - 1923. very often you can see a large wooden butt holster with a Mauser pistol inside. Moreover, these weapons were used by all the warring parties - both “red” and “white”. The Mauser was worn by both commissars and security officers, as well as the White Guards who opposed the Red Army. What was shown in the films was close to reality. During the Civil War, Mausers entered the country as aid supplied by the Entente countries to the White Guards. Captured C-96s were readily used by everyone who took part in the war at that time.
Pistol Mauser C-96 "Bolo"
Later, in 1926 - 1930. To arm the Cheka-OGPU and the Red Army, shortened versions of the Mauser were purchased from the Germans, which were produced in accordance with the restrictions of the Versailles Peace Treaty on the production of weapons in Germany - pistols had a caliber of less than 8 mm and a barrel shorter than 100 mm. These “civilian” and “police” models also differed in their shortened handles. Such pistols, produced until the early 1930s, were later called Mauser Bolo, that is, “Bolshevik” in Western countries. Mausers soon became the weapon of choice for a variety of bandits and terrorist groups. He was especially loved by anarchists and radical Socialist Revolutionaries. Moscow, St. Petersburg and Odessa criminals operated with Mausers. In Central Asia, these weapons were used by the Basmachi, whose leaders used the C-96 as a symbol of authority and power, along with daggers and sabers made of Damascus steel.
The Mauser is inextricably linked with the image of a security officer in a leather jacket and a Soviet commissar. The C-96 was Iron Felix's weapon of choice. Later, Mauser became a symbol not only of the Bolsheviks, but also of all independence fighters, revolutionaries and rebels in general. This heavy and powerful pistol has become a symbol of the brave warrior's personal combat weapon. After the Civil War, Mausers became a fairly widespread weapon, both among security officers and commanders of the Red Army. In the 1920s, the Podolsk cartridge plant produced 7.63x25 cartridges for these pistols. This fact, together with extensive combat experience in using the C-96, became one of the decisive circumstances for the adoption of the 7.62x25 cartridge for the TT pistol and Degtyarev and Shpagin submachine guns in 1930 by the Red Army. The Soviet cartridge differed only slightly from the German one; these cartridges are interchangeable.
Chinese Kuomintang volunteers with Mausers
In this World War II photo, Chinese infantrymen who specialized in close combat are armed with traditional Dao swords and Mauser C-96 pistols
From the time of the Russian Civil War until the start of World War II, the C-96 managed to take part in several more military conflicts. They were used by the Spanish gendarmerie, who fought on the side of the right-wing nationalists under the command of General Francisco Franco against the Republicans during the Spanish Civil War. With the help of these long-range pistols, the gendarmes easily destroyed the enemy armed with hunting rifles, revolvers and compact pistols, and during street battles the Mausers performed well against fighters with long rifles. In the USSR, C-96 pistols, which accumulated in fairly large quantities in the first two decades of the 20th century, were still sometimes found in the Red Army and managed to occasionally take part in the battles on the Khalkhin Gol River in 1939 and the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-1940. Mausers continued to serve in the Red Army during World War II. Red Army reconnaissance groups operating deep behind enemy lines readily armed themselves with Mausers. There were more than enough cartridges for this weapon, because the domestic 7.62x25 is suitable for the Mauser. And the Germans often used both their own weapons chambered for 7.63x25 and captured Soviet ones. One fact from Mauser’s post-war career deserves attention - this pistol became the favorite weapon of the father of the Soviet Airborne Forces, General Vasily Margelov, who took the Mauser along with grenades on all his jumps.
Of the famous historical episodes in the career of this pistol, several of the most famous should be noted. Polar explorer I. Papanin took his Mauser with him to the famous polar wintering. In 1943, Guard Colonel L. Brezhnev, who later became the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU of the USSR, was awarded the Mauser. The famous photograph taken in May 1945, in which Red Army soldiers salute at the bathhouse of the captured Reichstag, is indicative. In the hands of one of the fighters was the old faithful Mauser. English surveyor Percy Fawcett, author of The Unfinished Journey, preferred to travel through the jungles of South America with a C-96. Unfortunately, he disappeared along with his eldest son at the beginning of the 20th century in the jungle during another expedition. During the famous “Siege of Sidney Street” (Siege of Sidney Street), two Latvian anarchists, who had tried not long before to rob a jewelry store and shot at point-blank five unarmed police officers hiding in house number 100, fought a long battle with the armed police officers who besieged them only revolvers and small-caliber single-shot rifles. The anarchists were armed with Mauser C-96 pistols. Over the course of a couple of hours, they seriously wounded 36 police officers and killed five. The siege was only ended when the upper floors of the house caught fire. One anarchist leaning out of the window was shot, and the other died in the fire.
Photo (c) Oleg Volk olegvolk.net
This weapon went down in world history and left a big mark in cinema and literature. “Mauser” at one time became a common word for self-loading pistols, along with the name “Browning”. This pistol, created at the dawn of the era of self-loading weapons, was used all over the world by a variety of people and for a variety of purposes. Mausers more than once became trophies for soldiers of the Soviet army in Afghanistan, where they were loved to be worn and used for their intended purpose by “dushmans,” as the Soviet authorities called the Afghan Mujahideen in Dari, while Soviet soldiers called their enemies “spirits.” Of course, C-96s were mainly owned by enemy commanders, and for this reason the “spiritual” Mauser was a particularly coveted trophy. During the first and second Chechen campaigns, soldiers of the Russian army also came across old Mausers, which were now the weapons of Chechen field commanders. Strange as it may seem in the era of practical pistols with plastic frames, new models constantly being released, when older pistols were no longer in demand, Mausers remained in service throughout the 20th century. This conscientiously crafted weapon, made of high-quality steel, on metal-cutting machines of the late 19th century and finished by hand, continues to work flawlessly, and those who own it certainly take good care of such a desirable and status weapon, prolonging the life of this living legend.
Development and release
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This handsome man was invented by the Federle brothers - Joseph, Friedrich and Fidel worked for, so the patent was legally received by the employer of the brilliant masters, Paul Mauser. The first pistols were released in 1896, and a year later they went into mass production. Until 1939, German factories alone produced more than a million C96 models: the machine found favor in almost every army of that time.
QUESTION FROM 1918
What weapon was used to kill Nicholas II?
One of the regicides, Pyotr Ermakov, later claimed that in July 1918 it was he who shot the former Emperor Nicholas II, his wife, heir and one of his daughters with a Mauser. In 1927, Ermakov handed over the Mauser to a museum in Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg). However, the right to be considered the liquidator of Nicholas II was disputed by Yakov Yurovsky, who in 1927 also handed over his weapons to the Moscow Museum of the Revolution. Yurovsky stated that he used two pistols at once - a Colt and a shortened Mauser. Modern researchers believe that during the execution only one Mauser was used (a total of three bullets of this system were found), which Yurovsky had, and Ermakov shot from a regular Nagan.
Efficiency and reliability
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The product of the Federle brothers was an innovative breakthrough of that time. First of all, the Mauser was valued for its extreme efficiency: compact, convenient, and rapid-fire. His wooden holster was fastened and turned into a butt (our Stechkin would later offer the same system). The rate of fire of a Mauser with an attached butt reached 900 rounds per minute - in fact, one well-trained fighter with a Mauser in his hands could stop an entire enemy squad in a narrow alley.
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Mauser K96 pistol - video
“The results of the experiments clearly indicate that the Mauser automatic pistol has excellent accuracy, and that its bullet produces terrible destruction in the human body,” wrote Guard Captain Khalturali of the Russian Army in 1900. In 1893, brothers Fidel, Friedrich and Joseph Federle , who served at the Mauser plant in Oberndorf, developed an “automatic” pistol. The owner of the company, Paul Peter Mauser, together with senior master Gaiser, finalized the design and patented it in his name. At the end of 1896, production of a pistol began under the designation S/96 (K-96). The pistol has been modernized several times. In 1899, it received a variable sight and grooves for attaching a holster-butt, turning into a “pistol-carbine” - the idea of a weapon combining the features of a pistol and a carbine was very popular for a long time, primarily due to the needs of the cavalry. The most famous models of this pistol are 1902, 1908 and the “classic” 1912.
The Mauser K-96 automatic system operated according to the recoil pattern of the barrel with a short stroke. The barrel bore was locked using a swinging cylinder that engaged the bolt with the barrel. The hammer-type trigger mechanism allowed only single fire and was equipped with a non-automatic safety catch. A characteristic feature of the pistol was a permanent two-row magazine, placed “rifle-style” - in front of the trigger guard - and also loaded like a rifle - from above, from the clip with the bolt open.
The sector sight was notched up to 1000 m. This range did not correspond to the real capabilities of the weapon in terms of accuracy and accuracy of fire, but shooting at 200 m was quite possible due to the relatively high initial velocity of the bullet. The 7.63-mm Mauser cartridge was superior to most pistol and revolver cartridges of that time in terms of penetrating action - its bullet pierced 8 inch pine boards placed one after another from 35 steps. The heavy barrel also ensured high survivability of the weapon, as well as a higher combat rate of fire than most other pistols. On the back of the handle (nicknamed the “broom” for its characteristic shape) there were grooves for a butt holster. The wooden butt holster was worn on a shoulder strap, had a pocket for a screwdriver, and a hinged lid.
Of all the “pistol-carbines,” the Mauser K-96 proved to be the most successful. Waffenfabrik Mauser promoted it on the market very actively. Not being officially accepted into service anywhere, it was purchased in large quantities both privately and by government departments of different countries (Russia, Turkey, Italy, Persia, etc.) for arming individual military units, police, gendarmerie, and irregular formations. The K-96 Mauser was first used in battle in 1898 during the Second Anglo-Sudanese War by British cavalrymen, among whom, by the way, was Lieutenant Winston Churchill, who left an excellent review of this weapon. During the Anglo-Boer War 1899–1902. The K-96 Mauser ended up in possession of both warring sides. In general, the K-96, its “descendants” and copies were widely used in large and small wars in different parts of the world - from Northern Europe to South Africa and from Latin America to China. The colonial era made the K-96 popular among officials, adventurers, and lovers of exotic hunting - even a hunting cartridge for the K-96 was produced.
During the First World War, Mauser converted some of the pistols for the German Reichswehr to use the standard 9-mm Parabellum cartridge - to distinguish them, these pistols bore the numbers “9”, carved on the cheeks of the handle and filled with red paint. This pistol should not be confused with the model chambered for the more powerful 9mm Mauser cartridge, which has not received such popularity.
After 1918, Mauser-Werke in Oberndorf on the Neckar continued to produce modifications of the K-96. The Treaty of Versailles, among other things, prohibited Germany from producing pistols with a barrel length of more than 100 mm, therefore, mainly short-barreled (so-called “police”) modifications were officially produced, and some of the old K-96s were converted into short-barreled ones. The total number of pistols of the K-96 family produced is estimated at approximately a million pieces.
The Mauser K-96 did not remain “purely German”. Since the mid-1920s. in Spain produced Astra pistols of the 900 series according to the K-96 scheme. Pistols with automatic firing capabilities also appeared - at first these were the Spanish Astra models 901-904 and F, their modifications produced by Bestegu Hermanos, then Mauser-Werke AG itself produced automatic pistols models 711 and 712 with detachable magazines for 10, 20 and 40 rounds. Although burst fire could only be effective at short range, Mauser 712 automatic pistols were successfully sold, for example, to Yugoslavia and China, and were used in SS units during World War II.
In our country, “Mauser in the block” has long been associated with revolutionary commissars and employees of the Cheka. Meanwhile, they got to Russia earlier. On the eve of the First World War, Mausers were purchased for... airplane crews. With the outbreak of World War II, Mausers, among other pistols, were purchased centrally and distributed to “special units: aviation, automobile, motorcycle.” From the technical troops, they, along with leather jackets, were adopted by commissars and security officers, as well as those formations where the uniform or features of the action made it difficult to carry rifles and pouches with cartridges. Later, the Mauser remained a weapon of the OGPU-NKVD troops and border troops. He also served on other borders - I.D. Papanin, for example, kept it with him during the polar wintering grounds.
Soviet Russia purchased 7.63 mm Mausers of the 1920 model with a barrel shortened to 98–99 mm. Not surprisingly, this model is known abroad under the nickname “bolo”, i.e. "Bolshevik". During the Great Patriotic War, special forces groups of the NKVD-NKGB often went to the German rear with Mausers, paratroopers jumped, and the infantry commanders of the Red Army also appreciated them.
Modifications
Germany
The pistol was produced for several different types of cartridges, in a significant number of modifications (22 different modifications were produced only in the period before 1912):
— Mauser K-96 Model 1896. With a conical striker, relief surface, long extractor. For 6,10 and 20 rounds. Numbers are 1-5 digits.
— Mauser K-96 Model 1899, firing pin with a large ring, relief surface, long extractor. 5-digit number.
— Mauser K-96 Model 1899 “flat”, with a smooth surface and a firing pin with a large ring. Contract for the Italian Navy (with its own numbering) and commercial, 5-digit number.
— Mauser K-96 1904. Early, transitional pre-war model number 34xxx, with long extractor, small ring.
— Mauser K-96 1905, pre-war model with a short extractor, a small ring on the firing pin.
— Mauser K-96 mod. 1912. Reduced and lighter trigger, shortened and expanded ejector, slightly weakened return spring. Barrel with six grooves (earlier modifications had 4). The safety lever head has no hole. The back of the trigger is marked “NS”. The most widespread modification, 9-mm Mausers and Bolo Mausers, were made on its basis.
— Mauser K-96 mod. 1916 - version chambered for the 9x19 mm Parabellum cartridge for the German army (the red number “9” is marked on the handle).
Pistol Mauser K96 mod. 1920 (“Bolo” - “Bolshevik”)
After the end of the First World War and the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was prohibited from producing pistols with a barrel length exceeding 100 mm.
— Mauser K-96 mod. 1920 (“Bolo” - “Bolshevik”) - a variant chambered for 7.63x25 mm with a barrel shortened to 99 mm. The pistols had a shortened handle with walnut cheeks with 22 grooves and a “Small Ring Hammer” trigger with the “NS” stamp. The main difference of the model is the horizontally swinging swivel on the handle. Most of them were sold to Soviet Russia.
— Mauser K-96 model 712 “Schnellfeuer” mod. 1932 - automatic version with a 20-round magazine. The rate of fire in automatic mode was about 850 rounds per minute.
The Mauser C-96 “Red Nine” pistol is a conversion of the standard 9mm Parabellum cartridge, distinguished by large numbers “9”, with red paint, on the sides of the grip cheeks
Foreign production
The production of several not very successful copies and variants of the K-96 model (under the name “Astra”) was launched by the Spanish company.
In China, pistols became widespread from the beginning of the 20th century, during the so-called militaristic era; later, Chinese enterprises began producing spare parts and several versions of replicas of these weapons.
- So, in 1923, the Chinese Hanyang arms factory began producing a copy of the K-96 chambered for 7.63x25 mm, known as the Hanyang K-96. In total, about 13 thousand units were produced.
- in Taiyuan, the main city of Shanxi province, which was at that time under the control of General Yan Xishan, a military factory was built in the 1920s, producing a copy of the 45-caliber Thompson submachine gun for his troops. In order to simplify the supply of ammunition to troops, Yan Xishan authorized the conversion of the K-96 pistols in service to the .45 ACP cartridge. In 1929, the Taiyuan Arsenal began producing the Shanxi Type 17 pistol, which entered service with the railway guards, who protected the roads from bandits and detachments of other militarists. Chambered in .45 caliber, the Type 17 was noticeably larger than its 7.63 mm counterparts, with a 10-round magazine that dropped below the trigger guard. To load the magazine, two clips of five rounds were used, instead of one clip of ten rounds like the original Mausers. The markings consisted of the Chinese inscriptions "Type 17" on the left side, and "Eighteenth Year of the Republic, Made in Shanxi" on the right. In total, about 8,500 Type 17 pistols were produced; in addition to Yan Xishan’s units, captured pistols were used by other participants in the Chinese Civil War, including the PLA. After the end of the war, most of the pistols were melted down, and a certain number ended up on the civilian weapons market.
- in the late 1970s, based on the design of the German M712 Schnellfeuer, production of the Type 80 automatic pistol chambered for 7.62x25 mm TT cartridges began for PLA officers
In the 1970s in Brazil, gunsmith Jener Damau Arroyo modernized the M1932 Schnellfeuer pistols (500 were purchased in the 1930s in Spain): instead of loading from clips, they received detachable box magazines for 10 and 20 rounds, an automatic fire mode and a front handle . The weapon entered service with the Brazilian police under the name PASAM automatic pistol (Pistola Automática Semi-Automática Mauser).
Features and Pros
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The Federle brothers initially positioned their weapon as a compact automatic carbine. Accordingly, a layout similar to a machine gun was chosen. The magazine is deliberately moved a little forward, towards the trigger guard, and the weight is slightly higher than the usual revolvers and automatic pistols of that time. The undoubted advantages of such a solution include both accuracy and combat range. And the power of the 7.63 caliber cartridge, coupled with the ability to fire in bursts, played a significant role in combat conditions.
Butt
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The Mauser became the world's first pistol equipped with a holster-butt. It was traditionally made of walnut, with a steel insert with a locking mechanism on the front edge. The length of the holster was 35.5 cm, and at its widest part it reached 10.5 cm - you couldn’t put such a thing in your pocket. But no one complained about the size of the weapon: with the butt attached, the effective firing range of the Mauser was an impressive 300 meters.
Filmography
After defeat in the First World War, under the Treaty of Versailles, Germany did not have the right to produce pistols with barrels longer than 100 mm. The legendary Mauser also had to be redesigned. Complying with the new requirements, Germany supplied a large batch of shortened Mausers for the needs of the Red Army, which in the West were called “Bolo-Mauser” (Bolshevik Mauser). In the USSR, Mausers were used during the Winter War of 1939-1940 by reconnaissance ski teams, and during the Great Patriotic War they gained popularity among partisans. The Podolsk Cartridge Plant even started producing copies of cartridges for the Mauser.
Because of its unusual appearance, the Mauser became an indispensable participant in Soviet films about the revolution and the Civil War. Moreover, with the light hand of the filmmakers, almost all the heroes turned out to be armed with Mauser. He was present in “White Sun of the Desert”, and in “The Elusive Avengers”, and in the film “Officers”.
In fact, it was a very rare and prestigious weapon, most likely used as a reward.
Love at first sight
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The handsome pistol fell in love with the Soviet authorities at first sight. In 1922, a large purchase of a Mauser police model was made for individual units of the Red Army and the Cheka-OGPU; a huge amount of weapons fell into the wrong hands. In particular, it was the Mauser C96 that was in the hands of the thief Korolkov when he robbed Lenin himself. By the summer of 1928, the pistol was so widespread in the Red Army that the command decided to make the 7.63 caliber the standard cartridge. Thanks to cinema and literature, the Mauser became an integral part of the image of red officers and security officers - just like leather uniform jackets and heavy sword belts.
Owners
During the Civil War, 7.63 mm pistols of the 1912 model were mainly used. Award “Mausers” with the Order of the Red Banner on the handle, called “Honorary Revolutionary Weapons” (the highest award of Soviet Russia), were received by the Soviet commander in chief Sergei Kamenev and the commander of the First Cavalry Semyon Budyonny. In 1943, Leonid Brezhnev received the Mauser award.
“The first red officer” Klim Voroshilov even named his horse after his favorite pistol. Hero of the Soviet Union, the legendary border guard Sergeant Nikita Karatsupa, who personally destroyed 129 saboteurs and detained 338 border violators, was also armed with a Mauser. The famous polar explorer Ivan Papanin went to his ice wintering not with anything but a reliable Mauser.
Mausers were widely used by opponents of Soviet power, and even by criminals. The famous White Drozdov commander, General Anton Turkul, fought with the Mauser. Among other things, the Mauser was used by the raider Yakov Koshelkov, who attacked Lenin himself in 1919. In Armenia, opponents of Soviet power in the early 1920s were even called “Mauserists,” and in Turkestan, “Mausers” gained popularity among the Basmachi.
Winston Churchill was also a connoisseur of this pistol.
