The 'Bolo' '96s were Chinese not Russian as far as I know. The Chinese loved the design.
I have always believed the Bolos were most common in Russia. I had always heard the "Bolo" referred to the Bolsheviks. Where ever they are from mine is an interesting piece of history and a modern marvel in its day but not that great of a shooter compared to a modern firearm. I think they were most effective when converted to "blasters" in a galaxy far far away.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauser_C96#M1921_"Bolo"_Mauser
M1921 "Bolo" Mauser
Mauser began manufacturing a compliant version of the C96 for commercial sale from 1920 to 1921. It featured smaller grips, a shorter 99-millimetre (3.9 in) barrel,
[7] and was chambered for the standard 7.63×25mm Mauser. An experimental 8.15×25.2mm Mauser cartridge was used to replace the banned 9×19mm Parabellum and 9×25mm Mauser Export cartridges for domestic sales but it never supplanted the 9mm caliber.
Mass-production of the weapon was from 1921 to 1930. It was sold in quantity to armies in the contested Baltic region and was carried by the Poles, Lithuanians, German
Freikorps and
White Russians. The
Bolshevik government (and later the new
Red Army) of the embryonic Soviet Union, purchased large numbers of this model in the 1920s and also appropriated them from defeated enemies.
[19] The distinctive pistol became associated with the Bolsheviks and was thus nicknamed the "Bolo".
[19] The "Bolo" model was also popular elsewhere, as the shorter barrel and smaller overall size made the gun easier to conceal.
[20]
There was also a transitional version in 1930 that used the "Bolo" frame but with a longer 132-millimetre (5.2 in) barrel.
I think one of the most notable versions of the C96 is a Chinese version:
Shanxi Type 17 (.45 ACP)
During the
Warlord era of Chinese history in the early 20th century, the province of
Shanxi was ruled by warlord
Yen Hsi-shan, who had established a modern arms factory in his capital city of
Taiyuan. Yen was equipping his troops with a locally produced copy of the
Thompson submachine gun, chambered for the
.45 ACP cartridge, but was experiencing supply difficulties as his troops' sidearms were 7.63mm calibre C96 handguns.
[24]
Yen's solution was to produce a .45 ACP caliber version of the C96, thus standardizing ammunition and making supply logistics easier.
[24]Designated
Type 17, production of the .45 caliber handgun began in 1929 at the
Taiyuan Arsenal and ended in 1931. They are inscribed (in Chinese) "Type 17" on the left hand side of the gun, and "Republic Year Eighteen, Made in
Shansi" on the right hand side.
[24] They were issued (along with Thompson SMGs) to railway guards in the province as defense against bandits and other warlords.
