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Head Tomcat · 09-15-2005, 02:30 PM

Doug...thanks for posting the pic I sent you! Here is some detailed information on this weird duck.......

A neighbor gave me a very old Mauser pistol several days ago and for the life of me I cannot identify exactly what it is. Overall, it looks like a cross between a Luger (the frame) and a C96/Bergmann (the slide). Here are the specifics:

1. It appears to be .30 Luger caliber...but there are no caliber markings on it. I need to make a chamber cast to be sure.
2. The barrel is fully enclosed by the barrel sleeve. Also, the barrel is in the white and not blued.
3. The grip frame is very similar to a P08 Luger. Machining cuts, design, etc. are fairly close.
4. The serial number is 914xx...there is no suffix letter. Also, there is no date on it anywhere. Neither are there any proof marks, waffenamt stamps, inspection stamps, etc. However, most all of the parts are numbered with the last two digits of the serial number. Finally, all numbers - including the wood grips - match.
5. There are no import marks on it, nor is "Germany" stamped on it anywhere.
6. The two mags which come with it look similar to Luger mags, including the circular wood piece on the bottom. They are not numbered, however.
7. The front sight is adjustable for windage via drifting.
8. The rear sight is a tangent ladder style and unusually has increments in both yards (800 yds) and meters (700 m) engraved into it.
9. The two piece wood grips are also very similar to a Luger's.
10. The operating system appears to be some kind of simple blowback while the trigger system appears to be single action. I cannot detect any cam/ramp/link unlocking as the slide is retracted.
11. The standard "Mauser" name is stamped over the chamber. It appears inside an sunburst oval and is not a "banner" like I have seen on Lugers
12. The magazines appear to hold about 8 rounds.
13. The bluing on it is in excellent shape and is typical of pre-WWI type finishes...it looks first class indeed! When held at an angle to a light source you can easily detect a light reddish tint in the bluing. The numbers are perfectly clean and indicate no "dishing, dragging, etc.", which could indicate a reblue sometime in the past.
14. The firing pin is removed by pushing out a cross bolt pin from right to left. The firing pin looks similar to a Luger's and is spring loaded. However, the pin itself is much longer and thinner than the stubbier Luger pin. Also, the spring is noticeably flimsier of thinner gage wire.

Overall, after going through a number of my reference books, this pistol looks like it came from the 1898-1910 timeframe and could have been some type of early competitor to the DWM Luger (or perhaps Borchardt Luger) being produced then.

Some friends have said this could be a Chinese clone of the combined key attributes of the Luger, C96 and Bergmann, but, the workmanship and finish is simply way too fine for that theory (to me at least). If it is a Chinese clone made at the turn of the century they must have had designers and machine shops which fully equaled anything in Europe at that time.

Thanks!

09-15-2005, 02:30 PM	#4
Head Tomcat User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Arkansas Posts: 15 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	More information on this gun... Doug...thanks for posting the pic I sent you! Here is some detailed information on this weird duck....... A neighbor gave me a very old Mauser pistol several days ago and for the life of me I cannot identify exactly what it is. Overall, it looks like a cross between a Luger (the frame) and a C96/Bergmann (the slide). Here are the specifics: 1. It appears to be .30 Luger caliber...but there are no caliber markings on it. I need to make a chamber cast to be sure. 2. The barrel is fully enclosed by the barrel sleeve. Also, the barrel is in the white and not blued. 3. The grip frame is very similar to a P08 Luger. Machining cuts, design, etc. are fairly close. 4. The serial number is 914xx...there is no suffix letter. Also, there is no date on it anywhere. Neither are there any proof marks, waffenamt stamps, inspection stamps, etc. However, most all of the parts are numbered with the last two digits of the serial number. Finally, all numbers - including the wood grips - match. 5. There are no import marks on it, nor is "Germany" stamped on it anywhere. 6. The two mags which come with it look similar to Luger mags, including the circular wood piece on the bottom. They are not numbered, however. 7. The front sight is adjustable for windage via drifting. 8. The rear sight is a tangent ladder style and unusually has increments in both yards (800 yds) and meters (700 m) engraved into it. 9. The two piece wood grips are also very similar to a Luger's. 10. The operating system appears to be some kind of simple blowback while the trigger system appears to be single action. I cannot detect any cam/ramp/link unlocking as the slide is retracted. 11. The standard "Mauser" name is stamped over the chamber. It appears inside an sunburst oval and is not a "banner" like I have seen on Lugers 12. The magazines appear to hold about 8 rounds. 13. The bluing on it is in excellent shape and is typical of pre-WWI type finishes...it looks first class indeed! When held at an angle to a light source you can easily detect a light reddish tint in the bluing. The numbers are perfectly clean and indicate no "dishing, dragging, etc.", which could indicate a reblue sometime in the past. 14. The firing pin is removed by pushing out a cross bolt pin from right to left. The firing pin looks similar to a Luger's and is spring loaded. However, the pin itself is much longer and thinner than the stubbier Luger pin. Also, the spring is noticeably flimsier of thinner gage wire. Overall, after going through a number of my reference books, this pistol looks like it came from the 1898-1910 timeframe and could have been some type of early competitor to the DWM Luger (or perhaps Borchardt Luger) being produced then. Some friends have said this could be a Chinese clone of the combined key attributes of the Luger, C96 and Bergmann, but, the workmanship and finish is simply way too fine for that theory (to me at least). If it is a Chinese clone made at the turn of the century they must have had designers and machine shops which fully equaled anything in Europe at that time. Thanks!