Where Have All the Mausers Gone?

by
posted on July 15, 2014
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
chinesebroomhandlere2.jpg

I have not seen one of these old brutes in a long time, but about 20 years back, we were awash in them. If ever there was a handgun with a colorful history, this ugly old warrior is it. The C96 Mauser was produced primarily in Germany at the DWM factory, but also in Spain and China. An unusual pistol with a double-column magazine forward of the trigger guard, the C96 (official name) was nicknamed Broomhandle for its unusual butt. Chambered for a hot .30 caliber bottlenecked cartridge called the 7.63x25mm or .30 Mauser, the broomhandle was beautifully made and finished. They were made from 1896 to 1937 in Germany, as well as a very good copy in Spain’s Astra plaint. Lots of variation in the German product, including a carbine, full auto with holster butt stock and a short pistol for French police. This was a pistol that saw hard service in many European and Middle Eastern locales.

However, the biggest single market for the C/96 was China. The Chinese liked the pistol so much they not only bought them by the tens of thousands, but also equipped a factory to make a copy. The Shansi Arsenal even scaled up the original gun to fire .45 ACP cartridges. There is so much to the Mauser story that a few paragraphs here cannot even scratch the surface. So let’s return to the original question: “Where have all the Mausers gone?”

Although many Mausers came back from the two World Wars via the duffle bags of returning GIs, the supply was not big enough that the guns were common. Then sometime in the 1980s, an importer got into the arsenals of Red China and found cases of the pistols in storage. They were able to purchase a lot of them and import them into this country. Within a year or so, the gun stores all had them. They were so popular that at least two companies set up major refurbishing plants to clean up the worn out ones. Some of the rougher specimens came out looking mighty fine and some of them were even converted to fire 9 mm Luger. If you wanted one, they were easy to find.

But I haven’t seen one of these Chinese Mausers for many years. Was the market for these things so big that they have all disappeared into safes? Indeed, where have all the Mausers gone?

Latest

Gotw Rra Lar 22 Tactical Carbine Web
Gotw Rra Lar 22 Tactical Carbine Web

Gun Of The Week: Rock River Arms LAR-22 Tactical Carbine

This week, we're on the range with the Rock River Arms LAR-22 Tactical Carbine, a rimfire variant of the AR-15 that's designed for reliability and gives enthusiasts a way to shoot affordably.

The Armed Citizen® July 11, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Japanese Last-Ditch Small Arms Of World War II

The crude assortment of fighting tools used by the Japanese during World War II give clues of an unprepared and unmatched last-ditch fight that ultimately lead to Allied victory.

Federal Ammunition Awards 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships

Federal Ammunition recently awarded the 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships to two 4-H shooting sports teen ambassadors.

2025 Optic Of The Year: Burris Eliminator 6

Even as new generation after new generation of Burris Eliminator continued to add more advanced technology and functionality, it remained odd-looking—until the launch of this year’s sixth-generation product, which is the first in the line that can mount atop a rifle using standard 34 mm scope rings.

I Have This Old Gun: Star Model B

Of the many Spanish-made firearms to emerge throughout the 19th and 20th century, one of the most recognizable is the Star Model B, largely due to its similarity to the Colt Model 1911.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.