Most fun/comfortable to shoot in the 1k price range?

[Michael Zeleny]

Of all weapons referenced above, the C96 remains by far the most effective sidearm. Here's what Timothy Mullin had to say upon reviewing it among The 100 Greatest Combat Pistols:

The men who used this pistol had a very serious fighting handgun. It is fast to use, accurate, and powerful. The M96 [sic] is a good gun that only reveals its qualities in the hands of those who are sophisticated enough to use it as it should be used: as a fighting tool, not a remote-control paper punch.

The 5300-11 C&R list exemption from the NFA provisions for a C96 accompanied by an original holster stock affords a great advantage at longer ranges. At one time, 5300-11 did not require stocks for the C96 and its likes to be original, so using a reproduction stock was not considered an NFA violation. Regrettably, ATF has since updated its C&R list to "correct" this oversight.