Mauser Schnellfeuer: The Official Full Auto C96 Broomhandle

Contrary to what you might expect, Mauser was actually the last company to produce a fully automatic model of the C96 “broomhandle” pistol. The C96 was very popular in China (Mauser sent hundreds of thousands of them to China) and Spanish firms like Bestigui Hermanos and Astra jumped at the chance to make their own lookalikes and piggyback on the Mauser reputation there. The Spanish firms were also more responsive to Chinese desires for things like extended and detachable magazines and select-fire models.

Mauser shipped its first first automatic version in 1931, designed by Josef Nickl. This was not successful, and a better system was subsequently designed by Karl Westinger in 1932. These were sold primarily in China, and were reasonably popular there until European exports into China were largely cut off by the expanding Japanese invasion in 1937. The guns produced at that point but not yet shipped were held in stock, and eventually sold a year or two later to various elements of the German military like the SS (who were not part of the formal Wehrmacht supply chain).

This particular example is a 9x19mm one, which is extremely rare – the vast majority were made in 7.63mm Mauser caliber.

14 Comments

    • There was at least one, but it was a 711 (semi-auto only). It was specially made for Mr. A.F. Stoeger, the owner of Steoger’s, who were the licensed importer of DWM products in the U.S. at the time. It had barrels in both 7.63 x 25 and 9 x 25. Mr. Stoeger reportedly liked the 9 x 25 better, as it gave better accuracy than 7.63 did.

      OT, does anybody know why every Word type function online (Hyvor, WP, whatever) always completes the word “than” as “that” before you can type the last letter “t”?

      clear ether

      eon

      • It has nothing to do with the chambering.
        A “pre-sample” is a full auto imported into the US after 1968, (when it became illegal to import F/A firearms for sale to civvies) but before 1986, when the registry for civilian MGs was closed and the rules for “dealer sample” MGs changed. Basically, Dealer Samples can only be owned by a federal firearms license holder under certain conditions, but those conditions are different, and less restrictive, for “pre-samples”

    • Pure rumor, but I was told once that there was at least one in a Swiss collection, but who knows if it was a factory prototype or something a gunsmith put together

      • I know that, I just think it is ridiculous YT doesn’t do it for both.

        Anyway, great job! How about something on the VZ52 – 52/57

          • I assume Rafal meant the vz.52 self-loading rifle. Not the machinegun with the same modelyear number. About the rifles i could not find a video or blog article by Ian? I would have sworn he had already done one.

        • The crooked cross is deemed by some an evil symbol being evil itself. As silly as that notion is. A symbol is not evil, but what it stands for is the evil. And advertisers dislike being anywhere near uncomfortable things e.g. “evil” symbols. And the people making these decisions are ignorant and just go with the flow. In this case totally ignorant as that flag was the official flag of Germany at the time and this is a historical video. Oh and YT management openly hates firearms and uses every opportunity to obstruct such videos.

          That the soviet union flag is less seen as evil, well, the USSR certainly has more volunteer propagandists in the USA than the 3rd Reich. Painting the soviet union as less bad is part of pop culture. (there are more t-shirts with Che than Adolf in circulation e.g.) And advertisers are spineless opportunists, because they are not paid for having morals, but for reaching the most people in an emotinally positive way to sell products. As recently proven when firms basically insulted their target market. Gillette showing men as creeps and Bud Light beer shoving a transvestite into beer drinkers faces. Funny how people do not like being insulted and “educated” by adverts.

          I think Ian did videos about the vz.52 years ago. Karl over on inrangetv also has a few in depth videos about his vz.52/57 rifle.

          • “(…)symbol is not evil, but what it stands for is the evil(…)”
            That being said, its’ usage is restricted in Austria by Verbotsgesetz 1947, so censorship might be effect of desire to avoid legal troubles there.

        • Displaying it is a crime some places, that’s the excuse they give.

          I say excuse because displaying the H&S is a crime in some places too, but I suppose those places don’t count enough.

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