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Mauser C96

From Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video Games
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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stamped "M1920" to show they were compliant; this practice continued on government-issue weapons even after the ban was no longer in effect.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"

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Pre-War dated Mauser C96 "Broomhandle" Commercial Version - 7.63x25mm Mauser. Note the rear tangent sight; in something of a display of wishful thinking, the C96's sight is adjustable for ranges up to 1000 meters. Later examples had a sight adjustable to a still unrealistic 500 meters. C96 pistols with fixed rear sights are very rare.
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Six shot Mauser C96 Broomhandle - 7.63x25mm Mauser. Note the "cone" style hammer, also seen on early examples of the standard ten shot model.
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Mauser C96 in silver finish - 7.63x25mm Mauser
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ASTRA 900 - 7.63x25mm Mauser
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ASTRA 903 machine pistol - 7.63x25mm Mauser
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C96 "Broomhandle" Mauser fitted with holster/stock combo - 7.63x25mm Mauser
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The very rare full stocked C96 carbine - 7.63x25mm Mauser
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An early Mauser prototype - 7.63x25mm Mauser

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

Title Actor Character Note Date
Spies Haghi's Henchmen 1928
Thirteen (Trinadtsat), The Outlaw Colonel Skuratov 1936
The Sea Outpost (Morskoy post) Pyotr Arzhanov Japanese officer 1938
The Stolen Border (Uloupená hranice) Robert Vrchota Kurt Reichman 1947
State Department: File 649 1949
Queen of Outer Space The astronauts' weapons were short magazine C96 Mausers painted gold 1958
Lawrence of Arabia Turkish Army officers 1962
From Russia With Love Robert Shaw Red Grant 1963
Behold A Pale Horse Gregory Peck Manuel Artiguez 1964
The Great Spy Chase (Les Barbouzes) Charles Millot Hans Müller 1964
The Second Best Secret Agent in the Whole Wide World Tom Adams Agent Charles Vine 1965
The Chief of Chukotka (Nachalnik Chukotki) Mikhail Kononov Alexei 1966
The Chief of Chukotka (Nachalnik Chukotki) Aleksei Gribov Khramov 1966
The Naked Runner Frank Sinatra Sam Laker Modified to convert into a sniper rifle. Used in "The Protectors", and in "Star Wars" 1967
Wedding in Malinovka (Svadba v Malinovke) Grigori Abrikosov Gritsian 1967
Wedding in Malinovka (Svadba v Malinovke) Mikhail Vodyanoy Popandopulo In wooden holster 1967
Salt and Pepper John Le Mesurier had shoulder stock attached 1968
The Great Silence (Il Grande Silenzio) Jean-Louis Trintignant Silence (Silenzio) 1968
The Great Silence (Il Grande Silenzio) Vonetta McGee Paulina 1968
White Sun of the Desert (Beloye solntse pustyni) Kakhi Kavsadze Abdullah the Black 1970
Anatoly Kuznetsov Fyodor Sukhov
Pavel Luspekaev Pavel Vereshchagin
Several of the Abdullah's men
The Flight (Beg) Mikhail Ulyanov General Charnota 1970
The Property of Republic (Dostoyanie respubliki) Red commissar 1971
The 10th Victim (La decimation vittima) German victim 1971
The 10th Victim (La decimation vittima) The hunter who killed a woman 1971
Officers (Ofitsery) Vasili Lanovoy Ivan Varravva 1971
Georgi Yumatov Aleksei Trofimov
Basmachi (Middle Asian Muslim rebels)
Young Winston Simon Ward Winston Churchill 1972
Joe Kidd Don Stroud Lamarr Simms 1972
Joe Kidd Clint Eastwood Joe Kidd 1972
Hell Up in Harlem Fred Williamson Tommy Gibbs 1973
Le Magnifique Jean-Paul Belmondo Bob Saint-Claire Equipped as sniper rifle with silencers 1973
The Wind and the Lion Antoine Saint-John Colonel Von Roerkel 1975
Three Days of the Condor Max von Sydow Joubert 1975
Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) Several "Street Thunder" gangmembers Equipped with silencers 1976
Days of the Turbins (Dni Turbinykh) Vladimir Basov Capt. Myshlayevsky 1976
Days of the Turbins (Dni Turbinykh) Andrei Rostotsky Nikolai Turbin 1976
The Spy Who Loved Me Richard Kiel Jaws 1977
Star Wars series Harrison Ford Han Solo as the "DL-44 Blaster" 1977 - 1983 (Original release)
Revenge (Revansa) Gheorghe Dinica Paraipan 1978
Mad Max Geoff Parry Bubba Zanetti 1979
Money Movers Terry Camilleri Dino equipped with silencer 1979
Breaker Morant Boer Commando 1980
Kto zaplatit za udachu? Vitaly Solomin Kuskov 1980
Raiders of the Lost Ark German soldiers 1981
Order: Don't Open Fire (Prikaz: ogon ne otkryvat) Soviet border guards officer 1981
The Green Wagon (Zelyonyy Furgon) Konstantin Grigoryev Chief of Ugolovny Rozysk . 1983
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome Mel Gibson Max 1985
The Lighthorsemen Jon Blake Scotty 1987
Turkish soldiers
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Kazim 1989
Stray Dog: Kerberos Panzer Cops Yoshikatsu Fujiki Inui 1991
If Looks Could Kill Roger Rees Augustus Steranko 1991
Weather Is Good on Deribasovskaya, It Rains Again on Brighton Beach Mikhail Kokshenov Kravchuk 1992
Trouble Bound Rustam Branaman Ratman 1993
The Phantom Agoes Widjaya Soedjarwo Pirate 1996
Michael Collins Liam Neeson IRA forces 1996
Half a Chance Jean-Paul Belmondo Leo 1998
All the King's Men Turkish Officer 1999
The Mummy The Medjai 1999
Hey Ram Kamal Hassan Saket Ram 2000
From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter Marco Leonardi Johnny Madrid . 2000
Avalon Malgorzata Foremniak Ash Equipped with rifle stock 2001
The Mummy Returns Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Lock-Nah 2001
The Mummy Returns Quill Roberts Shafek 2001
Smart Philip Jirí Machácek De Soto 2003
Smart Philip Mobsters Mocked up as M1921 Thompson 2003
Kung Fu Hustle Axe gang members 2004
Down in the Valley Seen in the gun cabinet 2005
Hannibal Rising Gaspar Ulliel Hannibal Lecter 2007
Speed Racer Matthew Fox Racer X 2008
Max Manus: Man of War German officer 2008
The 39 Steps Werner Daehn Ackerman 2008
Dnieper Line: Love and War Igor Sigov General Zubov 2009
Beneath Hill 60 Extra German Soldier 2010
Wild Target Emily Blunt Rose 2010
Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock Holmes 2011
Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows Paul Anderson Colonel Sebastian Moran 2011
The Front Line (2011) North Korean Army captain 2011
Saints and Soldiers: Airborne Creed Lance Otto Jacques w/ "broomhandle" stock 2012

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

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Mauser C96 "Red 9" Version for the German Army - 9x19mm. This model is World War One dated.
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Mauser C96 "Red 9" Version with 3 7/8" barrel and fixed sight for the German Police - 9x19mm.
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Mauser C96 "Red 9" Version with shoulder stock and stripper clip 9x19mm

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

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Mauser M712 Schnellfeuer - 7.63x25mm Mauser
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Mauser M712 Shnellfeuer with magazine removed 7.63x25mm Mauser

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.

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Shansi Type 17 with unfired rounds and stripper clips - .45 ACP

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

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Mauser C96 Short Barreled "Bolo" Model - 7.63x25mm Mauser
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A Mauser C96 'Bolo' with rifle stock attached - 7.63x25mm Mauser
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Highly engraved Mauser C96 'Bolo' - 7.63x25mm Mauser

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.