Please help me identify this broom handle

[Kyrie]

Originally Posted by bubbapug1

Many reference works do indicate the scalloping in the follower is a trait of the 9mm red nine. I have been to a few recent auctions with some vintage prussian contract red nines and the scallop was present. Here is one on line source, although I cannot vouch for his credentials he does seem to be knowledgeable about the broomhandles. Just wondering if maybe this is truly a red nine feature.

http://askmisterscience.com/1896mauserbackup/index.html

I’m of the opinion that what you are seeing is circular reporting rather than “many reference works.” Someone (maybe even someone regarded as an authority) makes an assertion, other people repeat that assertion without crediting the source, and pretty soon we have lots of people to cite :-(

I know the above site, having read it shortly after it came up. It repeats quite a bit of, well, let’s call it “questionable information.”

While we don’t, and may never, know all the Mauser contracts for the C96 I don’t believe the State of Prussia ever let one. The C96s from what collectors call the “Red Nine” contract are from a contract let by the German Imperial Army, not Prussia (which is just one of the German States that made up Imperial Germany). Prussian troops got their fair share of guns from this contract, and even stamped some of them with the property mark of Prussia (mostly on the front of the magazine box), but the contract was let and paid for at the Imperial level.

Trivia for the day:

The first pistols produced under the Imperial German Army contract were especially nicely finished and presented to important members of the General Staff in rosewood presentation cases. One such C96, presented to a Prussian General on the Staff, had a gold filled Prussian Eagle stamped on it.

Don’t even get me started on the horrible info on the 7.62x25 Tokarev cartridge on that site…