Chinese Red 9

Kyrie · 07-17-2017, 12:46 PM

"Red Nine" is a term made up by collectors as a kind of verbal shorthand to refer to any of the approximately 135,000 C96 pistols ordered by the Imperial German Army, chambered for the 9 mm Parabellum cartridge, with a 50 - 500 meter rear tangent sight, numbered in the separate serial number range of 1 to (circa) 135000.

What you have is not a Red Nine. It looks like it started out in life as a pre-war commercial. It was originally chambered for the 7.63x25 Mauser, and may or may not have been converted to 9x19 Parabellum. The only way to know for sure what cartridge it is chambered for at present is to take a chamber cast.

My best advice, offered entirely FWIW, is don't shoot it until you are absolutely sure what cartridge it is chambered for. Be aware that a C96 chambered for the 7.63x25 will chamber and fire a 9x19 Luger cartridge. Not safe, not wise, but physically possible.

Be careful, friend. The only thing between the bolt of a C96 and your front teeth is the bolt stop. Let's not test our luck :-)

Best,

Kyrie

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07-17-2017, 12:46 PM	#11
Kyrie User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 757 Thanks: 0 Thanked 212 Times in 101 Posts	"Red Nine" is a term made up by collectors as a kind of verbal shorthand to refer to any of the approximately 135,000 C96 pistols ordered by the Imperial German Army, chambered for the 9 mm Parabellum cartridge, with a 50 - 500 meter rear tangent sight, numbered in the separate serial number range of 1 to (circa) 135000. What you have is not a Red Nine. It looks like it started out in life as a pre-war commercial. It was originally chambered for the 7.63x25 Mauser, and may or may not have been converted to 9x19 Parabellum. The only way to know for sure what cartridge it is chambered for at present is to take a chamber cast. My best advice, offered entirely FWIW, is don't shoot it until you are absolutely sure what cartridge it is chambered for. Be aware that a C96 chambered for the 7.63x25 will chamber and fire a 9x19 Luger cartridge. Not safe, not wise, but physically possible. Be careful, friend. The only thing between the bolt of a C96 and your front teeth is the bolt stop. Let's not test our luck :-) Best, Kyrie