Shooter C96 - where do I find ammo?

Olle · 05-04-2014, 12:25 AM

Found this at a local gun show, and I felt so sorry for it that I had to take it home. I took it apart entirely last night and found that it's all matching, even the grips. It has some obvious cosmetic issues, the bore is a bit rough and there's some pitting under the grips, but it seems to be very sound mechanically. I'm thinking about having it relined, let Hugh Clark fix the grips, then restore it with a rust blue and fire blued small parts to make it a looker/shooter.

I don't hand load, so now I'm wondering if there's a place where you can get reasonably priced .30 Mauser ammo. It seems like Prvi and Fiocchi makes it, but it's sold out pretty much everywhere. Old Western Scrounger has their own loads, but it's $35 for a box of 50. Or would it be possible (and safe) to reline it to 9mm? And if this is possible, are there any other parts that are specific to the caliber (for example the recoil spring)?

nukem556 · 05-04-2014, 12:37 AM

Back in the "good old days" of the 90's, I bought a C96 import in about the shape of yours for 179.00 through Shotgun News. There was a company called Mentor Arms that did a darn good restoration and relining for the princely sum of 300.00 ! Now, all I know of is a firm called Redmans that will reline it in .30, but they won't bore to 9mm. The recoil spring won't be an issue. Finding ammo just requires some scrounging....look at Midway, Graf, Midsouth Shooters, etc. It is available at about 25.00 a box. Good luck.

Olle · 05-06-2014, 09:47 AM

I know that Redmans and Broom Closet do the relining, so that shouldn't be a problem. I can do most of the restoration myself for next to nothing, the bore and the grips are the only things I don't want to try.

The ammo seems to be a bit scarce though. I have checked with the places you mentioned plus several others, but it's either sold out or $35-$45 plus shipping for 50 rounds. I could start hand loading, but I would have to invest a fortune in tools for all the oddball calibers I need. I would rather bite the bullet (no pun intended) and buy a couple of boxes when needed. Still, knowing that it costs $1 every time I pull the trigger kind of takes the fun out of it.

05-04-2014, 12:25 AM	#1
Olle User Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 1,149 Thanks: 159 Thanked 664 Times in 318 Posts	Shooter C96 - where do I find ammo? Found this at a local gun show, and I felt so sorry for it that I had to take it home. I took it apart entirely last night and found that it's all matching, even the grips. It has some obvious cosmetic issues, the bore is a bit rough and there's some pitting under the grips, but it seems to be very sound mechanically. I'm thinking about having it relined, let Hugh Clark fix the grips, then restore it with a rust blue and fire blued small parts to make it a looker/shooter. I don't hand load, so now I'm wondering if there's a place where you can get reasonably priced .30 Mauser ammo. It seems like Prvi and Fiocchi makes it, but it's sold out pretty much everywhere. Old Western Scrounger has their own loads, but it's $35 for a box of 50. Or would it be possible (and safe) to reline it to 9mm? And if this is possible, are there any other parts that are specific to the caliber (for example the recoil spring)?

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05-04-2014, 12:37 AM	#2
nukem556 User Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Irmo, SC Posts: 625 Thanks: 35 Thanked 168 Times in 107 Posts	Back in the "good old days" of the 90's, I bought a C96 import in about the shape of yours for 179.00 through Shotgun News. There was a company called Mentor Arms that did a darn good restoration and relining for the princely sum of 300.00 ! Now, all I know of is a firm called Redmans that will reline it in .30, but they won't bore to 9mm. The recoil spring won't be an issue. Finding ammo just requires some scrounging....look at Midway, Graf, Midsouth Shooters, etc. It is available at about 25.00 a box. Good luck.

05-06-2014, 09:47 AM	#3
Olle User Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 1,149 Thanks: 159 Thanked 664 Times in 318 Posts	I know that Redmans and Broom Closet do the relining, so that shouldn't be a problem. I can do most of the restoration myself for next to nothing, the bore and the grips are the only things I don't want to try. The ammo seems to be a bit scarce though. I have checked with the places you mentioned plus several others, but it's either sold out or $35-$45 plus shipping for 50 rounds. I could start hand loading, but I would have to invest a fortune in tools for all the oddball calibers I need. I would rather bite the bullet (no pun intended) and buy a couple of boxes when needed. Still, knowing that it costs $1 every time I pull the trigger kind of takes the fun out of it.