8.15mm C96 Mauser cartridge???

[alvin]

I still doubt the existence of 8,15m/m C96. There could be a few prototypes, but any production? (production....in my dictionary, even those 50 cartridge counter 1902 Parabellums could be called production). So far, the most sensible theory (to me) was that 8,15 created in Weimar era to offer a caliber bigger than 7,63, but smaller than 9. If it was ever put into production, the context is still missing -- to whom Mauser want to market this new caliber? Who would care a new caliber? German, most likely?

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by alvin

If it was ever put into production, the context is still missing -- to whom Mauser want to market this new caliber?...

Here's a partial quote from the thread I linked in the first post -

Following World War I, the â??Treaty of Versaillesâ?? placed various restrictions on the German arms industry regarding the manufacture of armaments including pistols (quantity, barrel length, caliber, etc)...After all of the above is considered, it is clear ...that the first testing of the C96 8.15mm pistol began after the end of World War I. This was an attempt to comply with the particular Treaty restriction that forbade the German arms industry from manufacturing pistols in any caliber that had been used during the War.

[George Anderson]

Originally Posted by postino

Here's a partial quote from the thread I linked in the first post -

Following World War I, the â??Treaty of Versaillesâ?? placed various restrictions on the German arms industry regarding the manufacture of armaments including pistols (quantity, barrel length, caliber, etc)...After all of the above is considered, it is clear ...that the first testing of the C96 8.15mm pistol began after the end of World War I. This was an attempt to comply with the particular Treaty restriction that forbade the German arms industry from manufacturing pistols in any caliber that had been used during the War.

If this were the case, "...forbade the German arms industry from manufacturing pistols in any calibre that had been used during the war." there would have been a restriction on the manufacture of 7.65 (.32 auto) pistols which were the second most widely used military pistols by the military after the Parabellum. The Versailles restrictions are widely misunderstood and misinterpreted by modern day collectors.

Specifically the restrictions forbade the manufacture for export of military calibre weapons 7.92 mm and 9 mm Parabellum. This was most likely an effort to hinder the German arms industry's rebirth in the very competitive export arms business.

The treaty makes no mention of barrel length restrictions and permits production of military calibre small arms adequate to fullfil the needs of an army of 100,000.