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Mauser C96
The Mauser C96 (commonly called the "Broomhandle" or "Broomhandle Mauser" due to its distinctive grip, was a German semi-automatic pistol manufactured from 1896 to circa 1937. There was a Chinese version produced from 1929 thru 1936, at the arsenal at Shansei, that was called the 'box cannon', because it was substantially larger (over 2 pounds heavier) than 7.62mm or 9mm C96 Mausers, and it was chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. The C96 Mauser was one of the first semi-automatic pistols to see widespread use and was copied in Spain and China, along with the wood holster that could also be used as a stock.
There are several major variants, though continual product improvement at the Mauser factory led to dozens or hundreds of individual variations arising over four decades of manufacture.
- The original C.96 Military Model had full-sized long grips, a fixed ten-shot magazine, a 5.5-inch [140mm] barrel, adjustable tangent iron sights calibrated to 1000 meters, and was chambered in 7.63x25mm Mauser. It was made from 1896-1921. Collectors call this model a "Pre-War Commercial".
- The small-framed M1896 Compact Model (made from 1896-1899) had full-sized long grips, a short 4.75-inch [120mm] barrel, and a 6-shot fixed magazine. Collectors call them "Pre-War Bolos".
- The rare M1912 Export Model was designed for the South American market and was chambered in 9x25mm Mauser Export.
- The M1916 "Red 9" was a 9x19mm model produced to fill a contract for the Prussian army during the First World War. As it was externally identical to the concurrently produced 7.63mm version, its caliber was burned on each side of the grip and prominently marked in red or black paint.
- The M1920 "Rework" Models were Weimar Republic government and military issue Pre-War Mausers modified to meet the restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles (1919). They had cut-down 3.9-inch [99mm] barrels and reworked and simplified fixed sights. Pistols chambered in non-standard chamberings like 9x19mm Parabellum were converted to chamber standard 7.63x25mm Mauser rounds. Converted models were stamped "M1920" to show they were compliant; this practice continued on government-issue weapons even after the ban was no longer in effect.
- The M1921 "Bolo" model had small grips, a 10-round magazine, and a short 3.9-inch [99mm] barrel. It was first produced as a variant model for domestic sales from 1920 to 1921, going into full production from 1921 to 1930.The name "Bolo" is short for Bolshevik. Reportedly the Russian Communists or Bolsheviks favored the Broomhandle and in particular the Model 1921. The model was also popular with Poles, Lithuanians, German Freikorps, and White Russians. Among collectors the Bolo model is one of the most popular.
- The simplified M1930 Model had a 5.2-inch [132mm] (1930) or 5.5-inch [140mm] (later) long barrel, a solid one-piece grip frame and large wooden grips, and a lack of decorative milling on the frame and hammer. Collectors call this model the "M30". It was also erroneously called the "M711" by military surplus dealers to distinguish it from the similar selective-fire and magazine-fed M712.
- The "Schnellfeuer" was introduced in the early 1930s in response to the select-fire C96 copies produced in Spain in the late 1920s. It used ten- or twenty-round detachable magazines and a select-fire mechanism designed by Joseph Nickl (1930-1932), later improved by Karl Westinger (1932-1936), the most commonly seen. The Schnellfeuer is popularly known as the "M712", its Wehrmacht designation during World War 2.
Many foreign copies were also manufactured :
- The Astra 900 was a Spanish copy of the C96 produced by Unceta & Cia. It retained the overall shape and locking system of the C96, but used a trigger mechanism of original design.
- The Astra 903 was Unceta's equivalent of the M1932 Schnellfeuer, though unlike Beistegui's later versions the 903 was not compatible with Schnellfeuer magazines.
- The Astra Model F was a version of the Astra 903 chambered in 9mm Largo.
- Beistegui Hermanos made copies of the Astra 900 line. Later production examples were, unlike the Astra line, compatible with Mauser-produced Schnellfeuer magazines.
- The Type 17 was a .45 ACP version produced in Shanxi, China under the orders of ruling warlord Yan Xishan in order to maintain ammunition compatibility with the Thompson M1921 clones his Taiyuan factory already produced. C96 copies of varying quality were also produced by Chinese arsenals at Hanyang, Taku, and several other locations.
- The Hanyang C96 was another Chinese copy of the Mauser C96, produced by Hanyang Munitions Works from 1923 to the 1930's. Around 13,000 guns were manufactured.
The Mauser C96 "Broomhandle" pistol and variants has been seen in the following films and television shows used by the following actors:
Mauser C96 "Broomhandle"
Specifications
(1896-1937)
Type: Pistol, Machine Pistol
Caliber: 7.63x25mm Mauser, 9x19mm Parabellum, 9×23mm Largo (Astra Model F), 9x25mm Mauser Export (1912), .45 ACP (Type 17)
Capacity: 10-round fixed box magazine was standard. Variant 6-round fixed box magazine (1896-1899) or 20-round fixed box magazine (1896) were used on experimental models.
Fire Modes: Semiautomatic (C96), Semi/Full-auto (Schnellfeuer "M712", Astra 903, Astra Model F)
Film
Video Games
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time Crisis | unusable | 1996 | ||
| Fallout | 9mm Mauser | 1997 | ||
| Fallout 2 | 1998 | |||
| Time Crisis II | unusable | 1998 | ||
| Fallout 3 | Chinese Pistol | Fires 10mm Auto | 2009 | |
| Zhu Rong v418 Chinese Pistol | Bullets set target on fire | Fires 10mm Auto | ||
| Medal of Honor: Underground | unusable | 2000 | ||
| Silent Storm | Mauser K96 1912 | 2003 | ||
| vietcong 2 | 2005 | |||
| Hitman: Blood Money | as the "WW1 Pistol" | 2006 | ||
| Medal of Honor: Airborne | Found during "Operation Varsity" level | 2007 | ||
| Time Crisis IV | unusable | 2007 | ||
| The Saboteur | Raum Pistol | 2009 | ||
| Mafia II | 2010 | |||
| Heroes & Generals | Mauser C96 | 2012 |
Television
| Show Title | Actor | Character | Note / Episode | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Czterej pancerni i pies | Janusz Gajos | Cpl. Janek Kos | . | 1966-1970 |
| Czterej pancerni i pies | German officers | . | 1966-1970 | |
| State Border: Film 2, The | Russian Border guards | . | 1980 | |
| State Border: Film 3, The | Chinese police | . | 1982 | |
| Reilly: Ace of Spies | David Suchet | Inspector Tsientsin | . | 1983 |
| State Border: Film 4, The | Various characters | . | 1984 | |
| Anzacs | Johnathon Sweet | Bill Sweet | . | 1985 |
| The Professionals | . | . | Carbine Variant | 1977-1983 |
| The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles | . | German Soldiers | . | 1992-1993 |
| Rough Riders | . | Spanish and German officers | . | 1997 |
| Rough Riders | Brad Johnson | Henry Nash | . | 1997 |
| Band of Brothers | . | Used by French soldier to execute German soldiers | . | 2001 |
| King Solomon's Mines | Nick Boraine | Ivan Fleekov | . | 2004 |
| CSI: NY | German SS Officer | "Yahrezit" (S05E22) | 2004-Present | |
| Kung Fu Killer | . | . | . | 2008 |
| The Unit | . | Used by an attempted assassin | . | 2006-2009 |
| Guns | . | Gun show customer | . | 2008 |
| Deadliest Warrior | . | Nazi Waffen SS Leader | . | 2009-??? |
| Elementary | . | Masked Home Invader | . | 2012-???? |
Anime
| Film Title | Character | Notation | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gunsmith Cats | . | it is seen the shop and at Rally's house | 1995-1996 |
| Kochikame | . | . | 1996-2005 |
| Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade | . | at the shooting range and in the end scene | 1998 |
| FLCL | Giant robot | Massively scaled-up | 2000 - 2001 |
| Ghost in the Shell S.A.C. 2nd GIG | Dejima refugee | C96 Carbine | 2004-2005 |
| Hellsing Ultimate | "The Captain" | C96 pistols with Carbine-length barrels | 2006-ongoing |
| Black Lagoon | Rotton the Wizard | . | 2006–ongoing |
| Baccano! | Daily Days Reporter | C96 Carbine | 2007 |
| Dogs: Bullets and Carnage | Heine Rammsteiner | . | 2009 |
| Eden of the East | . | Seen with stock in Takizawa's closet | 2009 |
| Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood | Captain Buccaneer | 2009 - 2010 |
Animation
| Film Title | Character | Notation | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantis, The Lost Empire | Helga Sinclair | . | 2001 |
| The Brak Show | . | . | 2000-2003 |
Mauser C96 "Red 9"
Specifications
Type: Semiautomatic, short-recoil operated, single-action trigger
Caliber: 9x19mm Parabellum
Capacity: 10-round fixed box magazine
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Officers (Ofitsery) | . | Basmachi (Middle Asian Muslim rebel) | 1971 | |
| Black Caesar | Fred Williamson | Tommy Gibbs | 1973 | |
| Friday Foster | Carl Weathers | Yarbo | 1975 | |
| There Be Dragons | Wes Bentley | Manolo Torres | 2011 |
Video Games
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fallout Tactics | "HSI Mauser" | 2001 | ||
| Silent Storm | Mauser K96 1926 | . | . | 2003 |
| Resident Evil 4 | Red 9 | . | with an optional stock and fitted with an underbarrel laser pointer | 2005 |
| Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D | 2011 |
Mauser M712 Schnellfeuer
Specifications
Type: Select-fire pistol, short-recoil operated, single-action trigger
Caliber: 7.63x25mm Mauser
Capacity: 10 or 20 round detachable box magazine
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Branded to Kill | Jô Shishido | Goro Hanada | . | 1967 |
| Sitting Target | Oliver Reed | . | . | 1972 |
| Thunderbolt and Lightfoot | . | assassin | . | 1974 |
| A Police Commissioner Accuses (Un comisar acuza) | Gheorghe Dinica | Paraipan | 1974 | |
| A Police Commissioner Accuses (Un comisar acuza) | Mircea Pascu | Tanasescu | 1974 | |
| A Police Commissioner Accuses (Un comisar acuza) | Iron Guard legionnaires | 1974 | ||
| Brannigan | Daniel Pilon | Gorman | . | 1975 |
| The Red Spectacles | . | Kerberos squad members | . | 1987 |
| The Fifth Element | Luke Perry | Billy | . | 1997 |
| Wanted | Morgan Freeman | Sloan | . | 2008 |
| Nightingale the Robber (Solovey-Razboynik) | Ivan Okhlobystin | Solovey-Razboynik | Golden finish | 2012 |
Anime
| Title | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Skull Man | The Skull Man | 10 round magazine | 2009 |
Video Games
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timesplitters | "Mauser Pistol" | fully automatic secondary fire | . | 2000 |
| Silent Storm | Mauser M.712 | . | . | 2003 |
| Day of Defeat: Source | . | . | version with a stock | 2005 |
| Darkest Hour: Europe '44-'45 | With broomhandle stock | 2006 | ||
| Medal of Honor: Airborne | . | . | Third & final weapon upgrade (after improved rate of fire and 20-round magazine) | 2007 |
| Team Fortress 2 | SMG | . | Loose basis | 2007 |
| 7.62 High Calibre | Mauser M712 and M712 Carbine | Carbine version has a longer barrel and fixed stock | 10, 20 and 30-round magazines | 2008 |
| Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker | "C96" | 2010 | ||
| Red Dead Redemption | "Mauser Pistol" | . | Appears as a standard Mauser C96 | 2010 |
| You Are Empty (VG) | . | . | . | 2006 |
Shansi Type 17
Specifications
Type: Semiautomatic, short-recoil operated, single-action trigger
Caliber: .45 ACP
Capacity: 10-round fixed box magazine.
Video Games
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater | . | . | . | 2004 |
| Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots | Type 17 | . | Incorrectly shown as select-fire, with an M712 Schnellfeuer fire selector | 2008 |
| Fallout 3 | "Chinese Pistol" | 10mm | 2008 |
Mauser C96 "Bolo" model
Specifications
Type: semiautomatic, short-recoil operated, single-action trigger
Caliber: 7.63x25mm Mauser, 9x25mm Mauser Export (rare)
Capacity: 6 (early), 10 (normal production) or 20 (very early) round fixed box magazine
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Officers (Ofitsery) | Vasili Lanovoy | Ivan Varravva | . | 1971 |
| Lethal Weapon 2 | Joss Ackland | Arjen Rudd | . | 1989 |
| Laser Mission | Guy Pringle | Kalishnakov's Lieutenant | 1989 | |
| Passchendaele | German Seargant | . | 2009 |
Television
| Show Title / Episode | Actor | Character | Notation | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reilly: Ace of Spies | Alan Downer | General Bazan | . | 1983 |
Hanyang C96
Specifications
Type: semiautomatic, short-recoil operated, single-action trigger
Caliber: 7.63x25mm Mauser
Capacity: 10 (normal production) round fixed box magazine
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fist of Legend | Cheung-Yan Yuen | Captain Jie | 1994 | |
| Fist of Legend | Paul Chun | Uncle Noh | 1994 | |
| Fist of Legend | Shanghai cops | 1994 | ||
| Let the Bullets Fly | Wen Jiang | Pocky Zhang | 2010 | |
| Let the Bullets Fly | Chow Yun-Fat | Master Huang | 2010 | |
| Let the Bullets Fly | You Ge | Ma Bangde | 2010 | |
| Let the Bullets Fly | Bing Shao | Two | 2010 | |
| Let the Bullets Fly | Fan Liao | Three | 2010 | |
| Let the Bullets Fly | John Do | Four | 2010 | |
| Let the Bullets Fly | Li Jing | Five | 2010 | |
| Let the Bullets Fly | Mo Zhang | Six | 2010 | |
| Let the Bullets Fly | Xiao Wei | Seven | 2010 | |
| Let the Bullets Fly | Lu Yao | Hu Qian | 2010 | |
| Let the Bullets Fly | Yun Zhou | Flora | 2010 | |
| Let the Bullets Fly | soldiers | 2010 | ||
| Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen | resistance fighters | 2010 | ||
| Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen | Huang Bo | Inspector Huang Haolong | 2010 |
See Also
- Mauser - A list of all firearms manufactured by Mauser.