new photos of WW1 .30 broomhandle in 9mm s.n. range

Joe in Colorado · 07-05-2019, 08:39 PM

I just took delivery of a .30 Mauser broomhandle just like any common "WW1 commercial" except it is s.n. 9709, which would seem to place it in the s.n. range of the "Red 9" pistol contract. I've seen that some Red 9's were relined and reworked as .30s-but there is no evidence of relining, also the pistol has the correct 2-curve .30 cal sight ramp, etc. I took the pistol to a fellow collector and Korean war veteran, he has a lot of broomhandles and took out 419386-we set it besides 9709 and both said "they're twins!" Could a 9mm have been reworked so completely and still look exactly like it's unaltered .30 cal twin? Do any fellow collectors know of other seemingly legitimate .30s in the 9mm s.n. range? Thank you all, best wishes, Joe

Vlim · 07-06-2019, 10:11 AM

Mauser was very sloppy when it came to serial numbering. Many smaller contracts had their own ranges. So basically anything can be expected.

They did not care and did not register C96 numbers, only contract volumes.

Joe in Colorado · 07-06-2019, 07:58 PM

Thank you Vlim!
I'm glad you are not saying "fake" or "rework", the pistol looks so authentic I could not imagine it was a rework/conversion of a used Red 9.
May I please ask two follow up questions?
First, if I understand you, number 9709 could have been from the "Red 9" serial number range or some other, perhaps unknown contract during the period of "WW1 Commercial" production?
Second, from your reply I imply the serial number oddity is not especially rare or valuable, not that I care, I plan to keep the pistol, but is that your view-no big deal?
Thank you again! Joe

Joe in Colorado · 07-07-2019, 07:22 AM

Here's a photo of the inspection marks, any special meaning here please? Thank you, Joe

Douglas Jr. · 07-07-2019, 01:57 PM

These are Mauser inspectors marks, whose meaning was lost to time.
There is a batch of Wartime Commercial C96s made in around 1917-1918 which seems to have its own serial numer range. I had seen them in past. Some people called them "Nordic Contract" or something like that - maybe an attempt to link them to the Finnish Civil War (1918-1919). But any definitive proof hasn't surfaced yet.

07-05-2019, 08:39 PM	#1
Joe in Colorado User Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 71 Thanks: 103 Thanked 136 Times in 38 Posts	new photos of WW1 .30 broomhandle in 9mm s.n. range I just took delivery of a .30 Mauser broomhandle just like any common "WW1 commercial" except it is s.n. 9709, which would seem to place it in the s.n. range of the "Red 9" pistol contract. I've seen that some Red 9's were relined and reworked as .30s-but there is no evidence of relining, also the pistol has the correct 2-curve .30 cal sight ramp, etc. I took the pistol to a fellow collector and Korean war veteran, he has a lot of broomhandles and took out 419386-we set it besides 9709 and both said "they're twins!" Could a 9mm have been reworked so completely and still look exactly like it's unaltered .30 cal twin? Do any fellow collectors know of other seemingly legitimate .30s in the 9mm s.n. range? Thank you all, best wishes, Joe Attached Thumbnails

07-07-2019, 07:22 AM	#4
Joe in Colorado User Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 71 Thanks: 103 Thanked 136 Times in 38 Posts	Here's a photo of the inspection marks, any special meaning here please? Thank you, Joe Attached Thumbnails

07-06-2019, 10:11 AM	#2
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,053 Thanks: 1,036 Thanked 3,988 Times in 1,205 Posts	Mauser was very sloppy when it came to serial numbering. Many smaller contracts had their own ranges. So basically anything can be expected. They did not care and did not register C96 numbers, only contract volumes.

07-06-2019, 07:58 PM	#3
Joe in Colorado User Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 71 Thanks: 103 Thanked 136 Times in 38 Posts	Thank you Vlim! I'm glad you are not saying "fake" or "rework", the pistol looks so authentic I could not imagine it was a rework/conversion of a used Red 9. May I please ask two follow up questions? First, if I understand you, number 9709 could have been from the "Red 9" serial number range or some other, perhaps unknown contract during the period of "WW1 Commercial" production? Second, from your reply I imply the serial number oddity is not especially rare or valuable, not that I care, I plan to keep the pistol, but is that your view-no big deal? Thank you again! Joe

07-07-2019, 01:57 PM	#5
Douglas Jr. User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: South America Posts: 948 Thanks: 598 Thanked 584 Times in 254 Posts	These are Mauser inspectors marks, whose meaning was lost to time. There is a batch of Wartime Commercial C96s made in around 1917-1918 which seems to have its own serial numer range. I had seen them in past. Some people called them "Nordic Contract" or something like that - maybe an attempt to link them to the Finnish Civil War (1918-1919). But any definitive proof hasn't surfaced yet.