what caliber is my c96 broomhandle
 

Bought a c96 from an online estate auction. Seller thought is was 7.65 x 21mm (= .30 luger). Most C96's are 7.63 x 25 mm (=.30 Mauser) and of course some 9mm which this gun is not.

How can i tell if its chambered in .30 luger or .30 Mauser?

thanks for help

Looking at specs both are 7.65

Mauser 7.65 x 25

Luger 7.65 x 21

So a luger cartridge would chamber in a Mauser
but a Mauser cartridge would NOT chamber in a luger

You have a Mauser - so try to chamber a Mauser round - carefully
If the action does not close completely it is probably a luger

The other way is to use a Vernier to measure the chamber depth from the breech face to the beginning of the neck.

thanks for your help but the mauser is 7.63 x 25 not 7.65.

Do not consider using Tokarev ammunition in your C-96 pistol.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.62%C3%9725mm_Tokarev

This is an Eastern Bloc round, but loaded to a higher pressure level than the original ammunition designed for the C-96...

.30 luger is just shorter than .30 Mauser.

Despite the designations 7.63 and 7.65 the actual bullet diameter is similar.

SA marked ?
 

after WWI Finland acquired a quantity of C96's - in 1923 they adapted the P08 in7.65 parabellem as issue + many of the C96's were converted to 7.65 luger - personally never seen one - most were marked with SA in a box to denote army issue -

still triyng to figure out the caliber of this gun. I got some .30 mauser rounds today and place one round each of .30 mauser and .30 luger in the breach, pics attached. 1st is .30 mauser and the round sticks out a few mm from the breach, and the .30 luger (green primer) sits flush. Can anyone tell me which is correct. thanks for your help.

.30 mauser
https://www.flickr.com/photos/192708...posted-public/

.30 luger
https://www.flickr.com/photos/192708...posted-public/

.30 luger sits too deep. The extractor on top of the bolt would not grab it.

Safe to say the caliber is .30 Mauser.

Judging from the pictures I agree with Vlim; it's chambered in .30 Mauser. The bolt face will enclose the rim and small bit of the case body that can be seen. The .30 Luger cartridge clearly is too deep in the chamber.