Custom Mauser C96 Late Postwar Bolo Rebarreled 9x19mm Semi-Auto Pistol C&R
SOLD FOR: $3775
LSB#: 221007MH004
Make: Waffenfabrik Mauser, Oberndorf
Model: Custom Mauser C96; Late Postwar “Bolo”
Serial#: 611966
Year of Manufacture: Circa 1923-1930, C&R
Caliber: 9x19mm Parabellum (9mm Luger)
Action Type: Semi-Automatic Short-Recoil Pistol with an Internal Magazine fed by stripper clips.
Markings: The top of the back-strap features the serial number “611966”. The right side of the frame is marked “WAFFENFABRIK MAUSER / OBERNDORF A. NECKAR”. The locking block is marked “1966”. The rear of the lock-mechanism frame is marked “611966”. The hammer is marked “NS” (Neues Sicherung; lit. “New Safety”) above“966”. The rear of the bolt is marked with a crown above a crowned “u” and “1966”. The front-left portion of the barrel extension is marked “611966” underneath a double crowned “U”. There are some faded marks at the bottom of the barrel. The top of the chamber ring is marked “WAFFENFABRIK / MAUSER / OBERNDORF AN”. The magazine floorplate is marked “1966”. The grip panels are not serialized. The left side of the barrel is marked “9mm Parabellum”.
Barrel Length: 3.9”
Sights/ Optics: The front sight is a blade fixed by the muzzle. The rear sight is a tangent leaf marked 50-1000 inclusive in increments of 50mm up to 500 and then increments of 100mm up until 1000.
Stock Configuration & Condition/ Grip: The aftermarket grip panels are two-piece serrated wood. There is a lanyard ring fixed to a provision on the butt-strap. The grip panels have light handling marks, nicks and scuffs. Notably, the grips are awkwardly fitted to the frame (the metal is shy to the wood). Overall, the grip panels are in Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is sharp. There is some light erosion concentrated in the grooves. On a scale of 1-10, the gun’s bore rates 8/10. The bore is not original and has been added well after the gun was originally produced.
Overall Condition: The refinished pistol retains about 90% of its metal finish. There are some light handling marks, nicks and scuffs on the gun’s metal surfaces. Some markings have faded, but most remain clear. The screwhead is lightly tooled and remains serviceable. Overall, the pistol is in Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The rear of the frame is slotted for a shoulder stock. The barrel extension fits snuggly to the frame. The action functions correctly. We did not fire this pistol. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box Paperwork and Accessories: The gun comes with an aftermarket brown leather holster that has two pouches that can hold stripper clips.
Our Assessment: At the end of the 19th century semi-automatic handguns were being adopted by most major powers. Germany was at the forefront of this firearms revolution, a number of prominent designs coming from the relatively young nation (it took its modern form in 1871 following the Franco-Prussian War). Among the most iconic was the Mauser Model 1896 (remembered as the C96), designed by the Feederle brothers (Fidel, Friedrich and Josef) whom were close associates of Paul Mauser, the owner of the famous German arms manufacturer, and they all worked at Mauser’s experimental workshop. They developed a number of prototypes over the course of the early 1890s before finally perfecting what would become the C96 in 1896. A number of variations of the design were produced by Mauser over a production cycle that would last over four decades; most featured a 10 round fixed internal magazine that was loaded with stripper clips. Most C96s were chambered for the 7.63x25mm cartridge and a number were later also chambered for 9mm Luger rounds (several other chamberings exist as well, but these are the two most common by far). Mauser’s design was adopted by the German military and the company secured a number of contracts with various powers to sell the weapon to their armed forces; this included the Ottoman Empire, Italy, Persia and Austro-Hungary. The gun saw extensive use during WWI and was still in service during WWII with the Wehrmacht to a much more limited degree.
This particular specimen (at least the frame) falls into the range of the Late Postwar Bolo C96 pistols which were produced during the mid-1920s. The term “Bolo” is believed to be an abbreviation of Bolshevik, the name assumed by the Russian Communists during the country’s turbulent Civil War. Mauser C96 pistols made during the early-mid 1920s were sold in large numbers to the Bolsheviks, this is generally accepted as the origin of the term “Bolo,” although many of these pistols were also sold commercially to other markets. The gun has an aftermarket barrel chambered for 9mm Luger rounds which, while not original, should make it easier to find ammunition to fire down-range. The gun has been refinished and the grips fit awkwardly, but it remains mechanically sound and retains its aesthetic charm. This is one handgun that historical firearms collectors will not want to miss out on!
