[Chipperman]

Saw a very nice Boomhandle today. It's in .30, all matching, immaculate condition. It also comes with a matching stock. :eek:
The stock has two minor cracks in it.
I believe it's a commercial model, not military. The shop said it was made in the '30's.

The price is $1800.

I think that's a decent deal, especially with a matching stock. The biggest problem is that I don't know that much about these guns. What do you think? That's a lot of money for me right now, but I could do layaway.

Thanks

[dragongoddess]

Of course you should. They are marvels of engineering. They are in a class of their own. It's also nice to see someone go for a quailty and historical piece then slobbering all over the next trendy 1911 clone.

Its a classic that will only rise in value. You will be happy. Frankly I'm jealous because you are getting yours before I get one for myself.

[270Win]

Go for it! It is absolutely a piece of history... and also fun to shoot, I hear!

[4v50 Gary]

I'd drop the ducats right now. Buy it, but magnaflux the breechblock before you attempt to shoot it. If it has crystalized, you're going to get an eyeful of bolt in your face. :uhoh:

[Manedwolf]

As long as they clarify that it's a GERMAN commercial one, and not a Chinese copy. The poor metallurgy of those had a tendency to explode, so I'd heard.

Also, don't ever use Tok ammo in it, no matter what bubba tells you it's okay. The chamber pressure is way too high.

[GrandmasterB]

They sure are an interesting addition to any gun collection. I like mine.

http://www.drivehq.com/file/df.aspx/publish/bungib/PublicFolder/guns/mauser2.jpg

[Chipperman]

Thanks for the replies!
I called the shop and put a deposit on it. :evil:

If it has crystalized, you're going to get an eyeful of bolt in your face.

That does not sound very appealing. I'm not sure I'll fire it because it's in such pristine condition. The shop owner said when he had it apart it appeared unfired. Don't know how much I buy that, but it certainly has not been fired a lot.

[Chipperman]

Well, I picked it up. The shop owner was on crack. After doing research on
http://www.1896mauser.com and a few other places, I have come to some comclusions. This gun was NOT made in the 1930's. It is a Prewar Commercial produced in 1910. :cool:
I don't know how much that affects the value, but I think it's much cooler that it was made before WWI. That makes the gun 96 years old. :eek:

Looking at the bolt face, I can see that the gun has definitely been fired before, but not very much. I'll try to post pics in the next couple of days.

So where do I find ammo for this thing? I may never fire it, but I cannot stand to have a gun without any proper ammo.

[Geronimo45]

Fiocchi makes ammo... I seem to recall some Portugeuse outfit doing the same.

[Chipperman]

OK here are a couple of pics. The lighting does not do the finish justice, unfortunately.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y164/Chipperman/C96-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y164/Chipperman/C96-1.jpg

I found the ammo on a couple of sites. A lot of places are not willing to ship to MA, however. :cuss: The best price seems to be from Cole Distributing. The factory ammo I found is made by Fiocchi, FNM and PRVI PARTIZAN. I don't know if there are other current producers.

[Colt46]

Still, Broomhandles are really cool and I doubt you will be quibbling about the amount you spent ten years from now.
The only good thing about chinese copies are the .45 ACP versions! Maybe a little dangerous, but a .45 C96.

BTW-Snap that baby up. You'll kick yourself forever if you don't.

[Dionysusigma]

Colt46:BTW-Snap that baby up. You'll kick yourself forever if you don't. Psst... he already did... that's where the pics came from. ;)

To further iterate a point made earlier, DO NOT USE 7.62x25mm TOKAREV AMMO IN IT. After a bit of research and (IMO) a rather stupid thread, I can't see how people would even try it. The dimensions are close, but the pressures are far too high to be interchangeable.

For more info: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=214693

[dragongoddess]

One of the guys at the gun shop I visit carrys a C96 Broomhandle as his carry weapon at work. Was thinking of getting one for myself and then use it to qualify for my conceal carry lic.but I found a Colt Anaconda with a 6 inch barrel for $575 so I think that will be the next purchase.

[Davo]

cooper said they were intended to be a compact carbine for officers, vs a pistol. Churchill didn't care.

[Chipperman]

Here's a follow-up question about ammo:
Can 7.62x25 Tok brass be safely reloaded to 7.63x25 Mauser specs?

[collector rob]

Buy it! They are fun. Here's a pic of mine.