Mauser pistol and its technical characteristics. Pistol "Mauser": technical characteristics, price, device, caliber and review of models

In Russia, the name of Paul Peter Mauser is strongly associated with a pistol of the original design. In the West, he received universal recognition thanks to his repeating rifle.

Hereditary gunsmiths brothers Paul and Wilhelm Mauser founded their own company “Gerbruder Mauser und Co” (“Brothers Mauser and Company”) in the 70s of the 19th century. The company is located in the city of Oberndorf in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Paul Mauser began developing weapon designs, and Wilhelm carried out administrative activities.

Paul and Wilhelm Mauser.

Soon the company "Gerbruder Mauser und Co" underwent major changes. Wilhelm Mauser, who constantly experienced health problems, passed away in 1882. The company was transformed into Joint-Stock Company Waffenfabrik Mauser and then sold to Ludwig Löwe & Company in 1887. Paul Mauser remained as technical director and continued the development of weapons.
Although in Russia the name of Peter Paul Mauser is known primarily because of the pistol, he was not its developer.
In 1896, one of the three Federle brothers, who served as the director of the plant, developed an automatic pistol with a permanent magazine.

P. Mauser patented Federle's design in his own name, a common practice at that time. First in Germany (September 11, 1895), and a year later in Great Britain (1896).

Especially for the Mauser, based on the 7.65 Borchardt cartridge, the 7.63×25 Mauser cartridge was developed.

Mauser K-96 (Mauser C96) prototype 1895.

These are Model 1895 pistols produced before full-scale mass production, i.e. Mauser K-96 prototype. Main external difference is a thin elongated trigger spoke.
Serial production of the pistol began in 1897, under the designation C96.

The Mauser received its baptism of fire during the first Boer War (1899-1902). It immediately received recognition and success from the military. The pistol was modernized several times. The most famous were its 7.63 mm models 1902, 1908 and the classic type 1912 year. This "Mauser" bore the inscription "WAFFENFABRIK MAUSER A.G.OBERNDORF A NECKAR" on the right side of the frame, the serial number on the left side of the barrel and the rear of the bolt, the last two digits of the number were placed on most parts removed during disassembly.

The Mauser pistol, popular on the arms market, entered service with the Reichswehr only during the First World War: since 1916, its 9-mm pistol was produced specifically for the army. model chambered for the Parabellum cartridge.

To make it easier to identify the caliber, the number 9 was cut out on the cheeks of the handle of most pistols and filled with red paint. It is for this reason that pistols of this variety are often called Mauser Red Nine (Mauser C96 Red 9).

According to the contract, the company was supposed to produce 150,000 pistols. Due to the end of the war, only about 135,000 pistols were produced and delivered, with individual serial numbers ranging from 1 to 135,000.

9x19 mm Parabellum.

It is worth noting that the 9 mm. The Mauser model was produced earlier, chambered for the more powerful Mauser Export cartridge (9 mm Mauser Export).

Mauser Export (9 mm Mauser Export).

This ammunition was used in the hope of expanding the sales market, and pistols chambered for this cartridge were aimed at buyers in Asia, Africa and South America. However, the manufacturers' hopes were not justified, and the cartridge was soon supplanted by the more successful 9 mm Luger.
The automatic operation of the pistol operated due to the recoil of the barrel with a short stroke. The barrel in the 1912 model had 6 rifling instead of the previous 4. The bolt moved inside the receiver. The barrel bore was locked by a swinging cylinder. The receiver slid its lower grooves along the protrusions of the magazine. trigger box. When the barrel-bolt system moved backward, the larva connected to the receiver lowered and released the bolt.

When the system returned forward, the larva ran onto the protrusion of the frame, rose and engaged with the bolt. The return spring was placed in the bolt. A spring ejector was openly mounted on top of the bolt. The impact mechanism had an open hammer and a screw mainspring. To the left of the trigger there was a safety box: in early models it, being lowered down, locked the cocked or released trigger; the “safety” position corresponded to the upper position of the flag; in the 1912 model, the raised flag locked only the trigger pulled back.

The sight is sectorial, notched up to 1000 meters. Although the range of 1000 m did not correspond to the capabilities of the pistol, effective shooting at 200 m was quite possible, and the stopping effect of the bullet at this range was still quite high. At 25 m, the 7.63 mm bullet The cartridge penetrated 8 pine boards. The heavy barrel provided not only good ballistics, but also high survivability of the weapon.

The butt holster was worn on a narrow shoulder strap and had a pocket for a screwdriver needed to disassemble the pistol. Experts consider the need for additional tools to not completely disassemble the pistol as a disadvantage of this system.
In Russia, they immediately fell in love with the Mauser. Before revolutionary Russia, in 1913, the Aeronautical Unit of the Main Directorate of the General Staff was armed with it. In 1915, due to the fact that Russia and Germany were at war and there were no trade relations, in Japan and England purchased 6,500 Mausers. In 1916, another 50,000 were ordered from England. They armed special units: aviation, automobile, and motorcycle units. During the Civil War, during the intervention and British assistance to the White Army, quite a few more of them came into the country quantity.

From the technical troops, the Mauser, along with leather jackets, migrated to the Soviet commissars and the Cheka. It was convenient where the uniform did not allow one to comfortably carry a rifle and a pouch.
Russian criminals also fell in love with the Mauser. With the Mauser, the Moscow criminal Korolkov robbed V.I. Lenin; with the Mauser, Lenka Panteleev operated in St. Petersburg.
In 1926-1930, during the period of military-technical cooperation with Weimar Germany, 7.63 mm were purchased specifically for the Red Army and the Cheka-OGPU. "Mauser" model 1920 (police model) with a barrel length of 98 mm. and a total length of 255 mm. and became widespread throughout the USSR. For this reason, abroad this model is often called “Bolo” (Bolshevik).

Mauser C96 Large Ring Hammer Bolo.

Of course, gift weapons were produced, richly inlaid, with engraving, ivory handles and gilding.

6. Model 1920

In the initial post-war period from 1918-1920, Germany was in a state of post-war devastation and the Mauser plant was idle. In 1920, factories began converting old pistols for the needs of the police - under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was prohibited from producing pistols with a barrel length of more than 100 mm and a caliber of more than 8 mm. Therefore, old 7.63 Mauser pistols simply had their barrels shortened. Since absolutely any pre-war pistols were recycled, they do not have any clear distinctive features. They are more or less united by two common features- barrel shortened to 99mm and the stamp “1920” stamped on the frame or receiver. Typically these modifications are divided into four types:

First type:

Not very a large number of pistols with 140mm long barrels, 7.63mm and 9mm calibers. They differ only in the added stamp “1920” on the chamber.

Second type

A very interesting variety - the original barrel was cut off and a coupling with a Luger-type front sight was installed on the tip of the barrel.

Third type

Conversion of Prussian Contract pistols. Since these pistols were 9mm caliber, simply shortening the barrel was not an option. Usually the barrel was cut off at the chamber and a new 7.63mm barrel was welded in. Note the weld in front of the chamber.

Fourth type

Prussian contract pistols with barrels shortened to 99mm and soldered front sights. The moving sight was removed and a fixed rear sight was soldered in its place:

7. Model “Bolo”

Since, under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was prohibited from producing pistols with barrels longer than 100mm and a caliber greater than 8mm, in 1922 the Mauser company resumed production of a shortened version of the pistol. The first buyer of these pistols was Soviet Russia purchasing two batches of 5,000 and 15,000 pieces for the needs of the army and the NKVD. Therefore, in the West, this model was nicknamed “Bolo” - short for “Bolshevik”.

The distinctive features of the post-war “Bolo” were:

Serial number between 440000 and 795000

Barrel length 99mm caliber 7.63 Mauser

Short handle

Walnut cheeks with 22 grooves

Trigger with “Small Ring” and NS monogram

Approximately from serial number 500000, a mark appeared on the left side of the frame - a Mauser “barrel”:

The main distinguishing feature that allows you to distinguish the post-war “Bolo” from all previous models is the ring on the handle. Now it swings not back and forth, but from side to side. Unlike previous models, this model very often comes in a factory gift version.

8.Model 1930

This is the only modification of the K-96 pistol that has its own factory name - Model 1930 or M-30

In 1930, Mauser stopped producing the Bolo model and restored production of a full-size pistol. The pistol has undergone major changes aimed primarily at reducing production costs and increasing reliability and safety.

The shape of the barrel has changed - now a small “step” has been added after the chamber

In the photo above is an M-30 barrel, below is a pre-war commercial

The barrels of early pistols were 132mm long, but then returned to the classic barrel length of 140mm. At the same time, the lightening grooves were removed from the receiver:

Above in the photo is an early release M-30 (132mm barrel, grooves on the receiver) below is a main release M-30 (140mm barrel, no grooves on the receiver).

The shape of the trigger with the “Small Ring” has changed slightly, the internal decorative grooves, the NS monogram and the serial number have been removed.

On the left in the photo is the trigger of the post-war “Bolo”, on the right is the trigger of the M-30. The design of the trigger itself has changed, but more about this in the article about fuses.

A new fuse has appeared, the so-called “Universal Safety”. Outwardly, it was distinguished by its head - a through hole and the letters F and S appeared in it again.

The operation of the safety also changed - now the safety, when on, allowed the trigger to be pulled safely and prevented it from coming into contact with the firing pin.

The Mauser emblem appeared on the left side of the frame, but slightly bigger size than on the post-war “Bolo”

The photo shows the emblems on the post-war “Bolo”, M-30 of early production and M-30 of late production.

The markings have changed - now the full serial number is stamped only on the left side of the chamber. The markings on the frame also changed; now on the right side of the frame there was the inscription:

“WAFFENFABRIK MAUSER
OBERNDORF A. NECKAR
D.R.P.u.A.P.”

Since most of these pistols were intended for sale to China, many pistols have a stamp of three Chinese characters on the left side of the magazine.

This stamp means “Made in Germany”

The shape of the frame under the cheeks has also changed somewhat. On all previous models, the frame was made with a “step” to make it lighter; on the M-30 model this was abandoned:

On the left in the photo is an old type frame, the hand points to the “step”, on the right is an M-30 frame

You can also clearly see in the photo that on older models the ring on the handle swung back and forth, but on the M-30, as on the post-war Bolo, it swung from side to side.

The cheeks have also changed a little - now they have only 12 deep grooves.

In the photo on the left is the handle of a pre-war model, in the center is a post-war “Bolo”, on the right is an M-30

9. Conversion from Schnellfeuer.

This variation can hardly even be called an independent model. These are Schnellfeuer type automatic pistols converted into semi-automatic for the American market. A fire translator was taken out of them and a hole was welded in the frame. They differ from the M-30 model by a detachable magazine for 10 or 20 rounds and strange shape a groove in the frame is the place where the fire translator stood.

10. Schnellfeuer.

There is a lot of confusion with the name of this model. It is called Model 1932, M711, M712, M713, etc. It would be more correct to use official name“Mauser Schnellfeuer Pistole”. Or in Russian - Automatic Mauser Pistol. The confusion began after the appearance of this pistol in 1932 in the weapons catalog of Stoeger, the main importer of weapons in the United States at that time. An early modification of the Schnellfoer (Nickel design) was called the Model 711, and the more common one (the Westenger design) was called the Model 712.

Nickel's design was different from standard model 30th year only with a replaceable magazine and the presence of a fire switch, which, when turned on, affected the disconnector. The result was a rather unsuccessful sample - the rate of fire was about 1,100 rounds per minute, the magazine was enough for two bursts at best, and it was almost impossible to control the pistol in automatic fire mode. Westinger's modification was much more successful. In addition to the added translator, the shape of the trigger, bolt, frame insert, etc. was changed. The rate of fire decreased to 900 rounds per minute, the load on the main parts became less - the pistol turned out to be more reliable and durable. Although it was still very difficult to control it in automatic firing mode. Externally, the Schnellfoer differs from the Model 30 in interchangeable magazines for 10 and 20 rounds, a magazine latch on the right side of the frame and a fire selector on the left side of the frame. Since almost all pistols of this modification were purchased by China, on the left side of the magazine there is often a stamp of three Chinese characters - “Made in Germany.” However, unlike the M-30 model, this stamp is not at the bottom, but at the top of the magazine:

In 1937, production of K-96 series pistols was discontinued. There were two reasons for this - firstly, the Sino-Japanese War began and China, the main buyer of these pistols stopped their orders. Secondly, the Mauser company received a large government order for the production of P-08 Parabellum pistols and 98K rifles - Hitler’s Germany was preparing for big war. A small batch of Schönfoer pistols was purchased for the SS troops, but it was a drop in the bucket. After the cessation of production in Germany, pistols of this type were produced for quite a long time in Spain (Astra, Royal and Azul pistols) and China. China produced copies and its own variations on the K-96 theme until the late 80s. But there will be a separate article about the Spanish and Chinese options.

. google. com

A.B. Beetle “Revolvers and Pistols”

F.K. Bobak “Pistols and Revolvers of the World”

Wayne Erickson, Charles Pate The Broomhandle Pistol 1896-1936”

R.J. Berger Know Your Broomhandle Mausers”

Gerard Henroten “Mauser C96 Explained”

Guns&Ammo, Handguner, Shotgun News, Shooting Times, Gun Collectors

Catalogs

Stoeger, IAR, Century Arms, SOG, AIM, Sears&Reebok

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 its manufacturer is “Mauser-Selbstlade-Pistole”, which translated means “Mauser self-loading pistol”. Since the beginning of production in 1910 of the pocket Mauser chambered for 6.35×15.5 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. The remaining modifications are 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).

Before considering the design and history of this weapon, let's take a look at the various versions of the pistol. Waffenfabrik Mauser A.G. repeatedly modernized the design of the C-96, subjecting it to a variety of, as a rule, small changes. Largest quantity 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

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 Large Ring Trigger, the safety lever is at the top position and the safety lever at the 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 released 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. The "Small Ring" model sights with the "Neue Sicherung" safety were not marked "900". About 130,000 of these pistols were produced.

C-96 with "Neue Sicherung" fuse (Model 1912) Photo (c) ygran.ru

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 made the Waffenfabrik Mauser A.G. order for 150,000 pistols chambered for the standard 9mm Parabellum cartridge. This version of the 96th was later called the “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 produced under the Prussian contract are distinguished by the army mark admissions committee on the right side of the chamber, the hammer is stamped "NS" and "Small Ring", as well as walnut cheeks with 24 grooves and a carved number "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 the post-war devastation of Germany in the 1918-1920s, Mauser factories did not produce their famous pistols, but since 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 known variants The shortened C-96 became 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 D.R.P.u.A.P.” 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 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 Mauser factories in Germany ceased production, pistols such as C-96 long time were produced 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 military weapons. 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.

The first war in which this legendary pistol, became 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 by Waffenfabrik Mauser A.G. 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 in large quantities were supplied to China, where mass production of their copies was established, 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 turned out to be 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 weapons 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.

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 is 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 tsarist army. Aeronautical part of the Main Directorate General Staff The Russian Imperial Army adopted Mauser pistols in 1913, with two hundred rounds of ammunition 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 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 one is heavy and powerful pistol became a symbol of the personal combat weapon of a brave warrior. 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. Soviet cartridge differed only slightly from the German one, these cartridges are interchangeable.

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.

Weapons that have earned the status of legendary are always recognizable. Such weapons have a unique design, widespread use in many countries around the world, high penetration power, etc.

All of the above and other characteristics were combined in the MauserC96 pistol (C96 comes from the abbreviation of the word Construction and the date 1896). The weapon was developed by Fidel Federle, manager of the company's development workshop, and his brothers (Josef and Friedrich). The pistol was to be designated "Federle". However, history is unpredictable and the weapon was patented by Paul Mauser, which is why it received its appropriate name. Production, as well as the emergence of new modifications, proceeded rapidly, which gave impetus to the great popularity of this pistol.

History of creation

In 1838, Peter-Paul von Mauser, later a German designer of the famous small arms, was born in the city of Oberndorf. At the age of twelve, the boy begins to work in an arms factory, thereby following in the footsteps of his father, who was a foreman at the Württemberg arms factory. Paul's work at the factory continued until he was called up for military service.

Subsequently, together with his older brother Wilhelm, the young inventor worked on improving the bolt of the French Chassepot rifle. Later, together with the American Charles Norris, he patented a rifle with a breech loading method in the USA.

In the second half of the 19th century, the brothers returned to Oberndorf am Neckar, where they founded their own small arms company, Gebrüder Mauser, which was mainly focused on the production of rifles.

So this company created a single-shot model of 1871 for the needs of the army of the German Empire. Later, they designed a more advanced Mauser 98 repeating rifle, which served as the basis for the Mauser 98k carbine. After Wilhelm's death, the company passed into the hands of his brother Paul.

The company also had an experimental workshop, headed by Fidel Federle at the end of the 19th century. Together with his brothers, Fidel began developing a compact self-loading pistol. All experimental work and development of drawings were carried out secretly from the owner of the company.

The brothers hoped that what they created firearms will be called Federle. But Peter Paul still found out about the developments, and, seeing the future success of this project, joined the work of the Federle brothers, even making his own proposals for improving the design.

Peter Paul patented the invented weapon. Serial production of the Mauser self-loading pistol began, which very soon gained enormous popularity.

Switch to automatic fire

The fighting of the First World War showed that assault troops needed a compact automatic weapons. In order to solve this problem, experiments were carried out to adapt pistols to automatic fire. During the tests, a number of problems were revealed during automatic fire, namely:

• negative results in weapon accuracy;
• barrel overheating;
• short time between failures at a high rate of fire.

In Germany they did not radically change anything. Instead, it was decided to equip long-barreled pistols with magazines of increased capacity. A strange decision, isn't it? But, starting in the 30s of the 20th century, German designers used the experience of the Spanish company Unceta and designed their own version of the Mauser M-712 with a fire mode translator and a butt.

A holster was used as a weapon butt, which had pockets for magazines and necessary tools. Its length was 30 cm and width 11 cm. The Mauser K96 automatic pistol of the 1932 model, model 712, showed good capabilities of the holster-butt during targeted burst shooting.

Device

To reload the pistol, remove it from the safety catch and move the bolt back. Then, insert the clip into the magazine box, the cartridges remain in it, and the clip is removed. If the hammer is in the lowered position, it must be cocked thumb right hand. To fire a shot, press the tail of the trigger.
When unloading, the hammer is carefully released, provided that it has been cocked.

The K96 is turned with the handle up, then its magazine box cover is moved forward, and cartridges spill out.

The safety mechanism is located on the left wall of the frame. The safety can lock the trigger in the lowered and cocked positions. Looking at the diagram, it seems that difficulties may occur during disassembly and reassembly.

However, the design of the pistol is very thoughtful: there is nothing superfluous in it, only a single screw serves to hold the cheeks. Therefore, disassembling and assembling the creation of the Federle brothers is not so difficult.

During disassembly, the feed mechanism is separated using a handy method (the instructions indicate that the pointed part of the bullet can be used for this). Next, the cover of the magazine box is removed: the spring and feeder are removed. It takes some time to detach the liner from the frame.

Next, the locking cylinder is removed, followed by the firing pin from the socket and the return spring stop from the receiver (moving forward, to the right). Next, the bolt of the Mauser pistol is removed from the receiver, and from it - a mechanism for returning the moving parts of the weapon or a return spring.

The trigger mechanism is disassembled, the ejector is separated from the bolt, the sight is separated from the receiver, the sight lock, and the trigger spring are separated. The K96 is assembled in reverse order. The barrel bore is locked using a swinging cylinder, which is mobile in the vertical plane. This system very difficult to produce.

Individual characteristics designs:

• a sector sight designed for shooting up to one kilometer (but the aiming bar ((on the carbine)) has a maximum distance scale of only five hundred meters);
• high muzzle velocity;
• impressive rate of fire;
• survivability in combat conditions.

Watered-down original

The original pistol has its own cooled version - SHP (firing blank cartridges). Blank cartridges are not capable of hitting a target. Therefore, they are used in the film industry, in theatrical productions and in reconstructions of military operations.

A 9x19 mm blank cartridge is used. Such samples are of great value, since they were produced in the last century in Germany.

For deactivated ones (making changes to the combat weapon, in which the weapon is not capable of firing a combat shot) of the SHP variants, a metal rod is installed in the barrel at the muzzle.

The stops on the bolt are welded. The deactivator remains invisible.

Performance characteristics in comparison with analogues

The table shows the tactical specifications German Mauser self-loading pistol in comparison with the American M1911.

The table shows that the sighting range of the Mauser pistol, as well as the magazine capacity, is higher than that of the M1911. The presence of a holster-butt and a higher muzzle velocity also plays a role important role. The disadvantage of both samples is their significant weight and size.

Types: experimental, production models

In 1945, moving deeper into German territory, the Allied army captured Oberndorf, which housed a weapons factory (built at the beginning of the 19th century by order of the King of Württemberg) of the Mauser brothers (the brothers bought the company from the Württemberg government).

After the capture, a certain US Army officer ordered the destruction of all documentation of the plant. Therefore, today it is impossible to establish the exact number of variants of weapons produced. However, consider known species a pistol is still possible.

Pistol models can be divided into experimental ones, which were produced from 1895 to the 1900s, and those that went into mass production:

1. K96 "ConeHammer". Distinctive feature is the presence of a round trigger. Also, the notch on the cheeks of the “Cone Hammer” handle could have a diamond shape. This model provided for the use of clips with a capacity of six to twenty rounds. The pistol's production lasted from 1896 to 1899.
2. “Large Ring Hammer” – the trigger is now in the form of a large ring.
3. "Flatside" A sample made specifically for the Italian Navy.
4. “Small Ring Hammer” - a trigger in the form of a small ring. This modification is the main one. The trigger had the letters "NS" on it.
5. “Large Ring Hammer Bolo” or “Bolshevik” - short barrel and handle compared to the original, large trigger in the form of a ring. Clip holds up to six rounds. "Bolo" is chambered for 7.63 mm. The bulk of the lots were sold to Russia from 1922 to 1925.
6. Mauser 1910 is a new pocket version of the K96 with a caliber of 6.35 mm.
7. The Mauser 1914 is a smaller model based on the 1910 pistol. Used as a weapon of limited standard. The 1914 Mauser Werke pistol was intended for the police and civilian markets. Mauser 1914 was used, along with more new model 1934, in the Wehrmacht troops and SS paramilitary forces.
8. K96 1916 - Mauser chambered for 9 mm. A distinctive feature was the presence of the number nine on the handle.
9. Mauser 712 “Schnellfeuer” with a fire mode selector and a magazine with a capacity of twenty rounds.

Spain developed its own version of the K96, produced by Unceta - Astra. Later modifications of this model received a fire mode translator. In China, the K96 was widely used during the militaristic era. Mostly copies were created with the 7.63 mm cartridge. They were called Hanyang. In Brazil, the police created their own submachine gun based on the K96 - “PASAM”.

The capacity of magazines (clips), given the many types of pistols, differed from each other. Modifications were created for six, ten, twenty, and even forty rounds. The magazine was loaded from Mauser pistol clips with a capacity of ten rounds. At first, the Mauser caliber was 7.63 mm.

Later, the pistol began to be assembled for the 9 mm cartridge, such as Parabellum, Mauser.

A number of companies produced weapons that imitated the Mauser pistol in appearance:

• LugerMk II;
• Erma KGP-68;
• "Baby parabellum" (according to the Treaty of Versailles).

Mauser is found in many literary and artistic works:

• “The Legend of Papanin’s Mauser”;
• "Rusty Water";
• "Doomed City"
• "The twelve Chairs";
• "Left March";
• "Maigret and the Ghost".

Today, pneumatic analogues are produced, an example of which is the sample from Umarex. Assembled as the M-712 model, but with its difference from the original - it cannot fire automatically.

M-712 from the company "Gletcher" - the shooter can fire automatically and disassemble the weapon. There is also AS Mauser - an analogue from SAS.

The German Mauser K96 pistol gained popularity due to its extraordinary design. Widely used in many wars (even in the Chak War of 1932-1935 between Paraguay and Bolivia), including World War II and World War II.

As award weapons many famous figures had them, for example, the Soviet military leader Semyon Budyonny, Secretary General Central Committee of the CPSU Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev.

The K96 had both positive qualities and disadvantages, which did not in any way affect its widespread use. It was not in service in virtually any country in the world, but this did not diminish its popularity. The production of pistols continued until 1939.

Video

The Mauser K-96 pistol (Mauser C96) is a self-loading pistol in which the automation operates by using the recoil energy of the barrel and bolt with a short barrel stroke. After disengaging from the barrel, the bolt moves to its rearmost position due to the acquired impulse during the initial joint movement and due to the pressure of the powder gases. The weapon is locked by means of a locking latch (cylinder), which rotates in a vertical plane.

The pistol consists of a frame, a barrel, an integral magazine, a bolt, parts of the trigger mechanism, a safety device, sighting devices, and a wooden holster that can be attached to the pistol handle and act as a butt.

The pistol frame is the frame of the weapon and consists of an insert and a base. The base of the frame consists of a magazine box in which the parts of the feeding mechanism are collected; trigger guard, with installed trigger and its spring; pistol handles with her cheeks. In the upper part of the base there are grooves for placing the frame insert and the barrel with the receiver; on the back of the handle there is a cutout in the shape of a dovetail for attaching a holster-butt.

The frame insert is milled and has a complex shaped shape. The insert contains parts of the trigger and safety mechanisms. The upper bend of the liner acts as a reflective protrusion. The insert is installed in the internal slot of the base of the frame and is fixed there with the insert latch. The internal tooth of the latch, interacting with the trigger, allows the latch of the liner to rotate, in such a way that it is possible to separate the liner from the base only when the trigger is cocked.

The moving part of the Mauser K-96 pistol (Mauser C96) consists of a barrel with a receiver, made in a single unit, as well as a bolt with its parts. The bore has six rifling, the direction of which is from left to top to right (on early models the barrel had 4 rifling). At the muzzle of the barrel, in its upper part, there is a triangular cross-section front sight.

In the front part of the receiver there is a through vertical cutout, which is a continuation of the magazine box nest and serves to fill the magazine with cartridges and remove spent cartridges. The cutout has protrusions for guiding the cartridges when chambering them, limiting the height of the magazine feeder, and guides for the reciprocating movement of the bolt. At the back of the cutout there are grooves for installing the clip. There is a locking latch in the slot at the bottom of the box; A tooth is placed at the back to limit rotation and pre-cock the hammer.

The inner part of the receiver has a cavity of rectangular cross-section in which the bolt is located and moves.

The bolt consists of a mirror, side surfaces, cocking grips and guides. Inside the bolt there is a firing pin with a striker and a spring, a return spring and an ejector. By the raised position of the ejector, you can determine the presence of a cartridge in the chamber.

The pistol's slide stop is structurally designed in the form of a rear elongated feeder protrusion. After the ammunition is used up, the feeder occupies the uppermost position, and its protrusion, which is the bolt stop, covers the front of the bolt and holds it in the rear position.

On most pistols, a sector sight is installed on the top of the receiver, designed for a distance of up to 1000 meters. The sight is graduated every 50 meters up to a distance of 500 meters and every 100 meters at a distance from 500 m to 1000 m. Some pistols had a fixed rear sight, and on early models a sector one with a distance of 500 m and 700 m.

The safety mechanism of the Mauser K-96 pistol (Mauser C96) is installed on the left wall of the pistol frame liner, the protrusion of the safety lever is located at the rear of the frame from the trigger on the left side.

The safety has the ability to lock the trigger in both the lowered and cocked positions.

When the Mauser K-96 pistol is put on safety, in which the hammer is in the lowered position, the safety mechanism moves the hammer away from the firing pin. The safety prevents the trigger from affecting the firing pin, even if the trigger is accidentally hit.

The hammer mechanism of the Mauser C96 pistol is hammer-type with an open trigger position. The mainspring of the weapon is located inside the pistol frame. The impact mechanism consists of the following parts: a hammer with an axis, a hammer with a spring, a mainspring with a guide rod and a stop, which is also a disconnector. The trigger mechanism of most Mauser K-96 pistols is designed to fire single shots only. The trigger mechanism is assembled in the pistol frame and consists of a trigger with a spring and transmission and trigger levers.

To equip the Mauser K-96 pistol with cartridges, it is necessary to remove it from the safety catch, move the bolt to the rear extreme position until the weapon engages the bolt stop.

When the bolt is pulled back, the barrel and the receiver first move with it. After the protrusion of the locking cylinder reaches the cutout of the frame liner, the larva rotates under the action of the mainspring and the barrel is unlocked. Next, the bolt moves to the rear position on its own, while compressing the return spring and cocking the hammer. In the rearmost position of the bolt, the magazine feeder rises up and the bolt is fixed on the bolt stop. After installing the clip with cartridges and loading the magazine, the feeder lowers down, releasing the bolt from the bolt stop; after removing the clip, the bolt moves forward under the action of the return spring and sends a cartridge into the chamber.

The weapon is fired like any other self-loading pistol. To fire each next shot, you just need to release and press the trigger again. After all the cartridges are used up, the bolt remains in the rear position on the bolt stop.

Basic performance characteristics pistol Mauser K-96 (Mauser C96):

Mauser K-96 pistols (Mauser C96) were manufactured for the following ammunition: 9x19 mm Luger/Parabellum, 7.63x25 mm Mauser (0.30 Mauser), a small number of pistols were chambered for the 9x25 Mauser export cartridge.

The initial bullet speed of the 7.63x25 mm Mauser cartridge is 425 m/sec. The kinetic energy of the bullet is 520 J (for the 7.63x25 mm Mauser cartridge) and 667 J (for the 9x19 mm Luger/Parabellum cartridge).

The capacity of the magazine box is most often 10 rounds; models with a capacity of 6 and 20 rounds are less common.

The length of the pistol barrel can vary from 140 mm, 120 mm to 99 mm.

The length of the Mauser K-96 pistol, for weapons with a barrel length of 140 mm, is 295 mm. The weight of the pistol without cartridges is 1100 g.

Popularity: 39%

Go to home page site