C96 adventure

[G.T.]

Hi to all! I have a C96 broom handle coming in the is stuck and cannot be disassembled? I have heard of incorrectly installing a crucial part and they are then stuck tight? Has anyone had this issue and were you able to solve the disassembly task?... Let me know, I'd like to have some knowledge going in if any is available... best, til....lat'r...GT

[schutzen-jager]

one method is to drill a hole to tip rocker tip down - another is to use a bent tol to depress rocker - i;ll look later to find description of tool use -

[schutzen-jager]

find instructions starting on page 123 in digest book - gunsmithing : the tricks of the trade by J.B. wood -

[G.T.]

Thanks schutzen-jager and Vlim, go the same article from him! Now I'm armed with a little knowledge! A dangerous thing!!! Best, GT....

[Edward Tinker]

I've only had a couple shooter broomhandles, and the first one I got, I had a heck of a time getting it back together, didn't cycle right, so I did something wrong

[Doubs]

A year or so ago I had the locking mechanism frame tip break on a C-96. I ordered one from Numrich. They sent the wrong one. Customer service was great and I soon had another one; the correct part this time but it had a crack. Third time was a charm and my shooter C-96 is back in business. The upshot was that I learned how to completely disassemble and reassemble the mechanism. It was a good learning experience.

[lugerholsterrepair]

I had one of these..it would bite me like a bad lap dog every time I picked it up, usually drawing blood or a blood blister. I was constantly thinking about the bolt flying back into my face when I fired it. The bolt has no hold open and was a nightmare to load without a stripper clip. Heavy at the muzzle when you hold it without a stock. You often could use three hands on it..

Then taking it apart! Or re assembling it..NOTHING about this thing makes any kind of intuitive sense! All the interior parts are sharp as a straight razor. I learned my lesson quickly...never buy a vicious lap dog that bites.
By comparison, a Luger is as smooth and easy to handle as a woman's breast.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by lugerholsterrepair

NOTHING about this thing makes any kind of intuitive sense! All the interior parts are sharp as a straight razor...By comparison, a Luger is as smooth and easy to handle as a woman's breast.

I've had issues with those in the past as well, Jerry. I would be most appreciative if you could offer some tips on their handling...

[lugerholsterrepair]

Well my friend, I don't remember way back when I handled many and anything recent I have found on the internet. Seems easy enough when they do it...

[Doubs]

To load without a stripper clip, hook two fingers over the bolt and place your thumb against the back of the frame to hold the bolt rearward. Then load the cartridges.

[lugerholsterrepair]

Teeth are sharp. it bites.

[Vlim]

I used plastic stripper clips that originally held .223 military ammo. Worked quite well.

The bolt stop construction is 'interesting' and knowing that flimsy piece of metal is the only thing between your face and the bolt is also sobering.

[conehammer]

I remember posting about this in the old Yahoo broomhandle forum many years ago. We're talking UNLOADED pistol here right?

I seem to recall that I'd found that if you take the muzzle and press it down on a hard surface while depressing the trigger you should be able to release the locking release at the end of the frame. It would appear to require more than two hands but it was doable. Since the old Yahoo groups is long gone I can't recall the exact procedure I'd written but it did work and it was used by several others successfully. No holes. No special tools. No tricks... You'll need the hammer cocked of course or that lock won't go anywhere...

It made sense to us at the time that Mauser must have encountered this before and there was a field-usable technique to disassemble an incorrectly assembled pistol without an armorer around...

Jerry

[reich1900]

The other thing to mention is DO NOT USE hot ammo. I only use American ammo that has a light load like American Eagle. The other thing I did to be able to shoot the original C96 was to replace all numbered parts so if they break no problem.

[G.T.]

Hello to all! So far, no good with any of the methods mentioned? This thing will not let the barrel extension come off! I'm going to clamp it in a vice and see if i can't get a better stability for prying as in the article? But so far, no cigar... It rattles back and forth about 3/8's of an inch, but then stops, and it's out of battery about the same... Not sure if i'm going to beat this one or not?... Best to all, til....lat'r....GT.....

[MikeP]

Got my 1st C96 at age 14 from the vet who brought it home. Complete rig, all matching, including stock and leather. Learned to disassemble and assemble.
How they ever designed, manufactured, and made those function is a miracle of the universe.
I took it with me my 1st year of college, 1965.
It got found in a dorm room inspection.
Dean of students freaked, might have been the 28 Thompson next to it.
Hauled myself and goods to the local cop shop in Jonesboro, Ark. They did not know what to do, and were basically uninterested. Remarked that they did not like the idea of minorities possibly getting such things.
Anyway they called the ATF who said they were busy and maybe could come in a day or to.
Cops gave me back my stuff and sent me on my way. I took it to a friend's house and stashed it.
Next day the ATF showed up and asked about them. I was on my way to enlist about then and was scared I was in trouble.
I was never charged or arrested. They had me sign a paper stating "Willful" abandonment of property and that was it. Stock combos were not legal then and the Thompson was certainly not.
Followed me around, when I got my SECRET security clearance in SF, a couple years later, I had to go to some office and 'splain myself.
When I got out the army in 1970, my buddy was working as a gun Nark for the ATF. He was going to go to the academy and they needed to replace him. "Hell no," was my response. I did speak to one of his handlers who showed me their evidence room. He brought the Mauser and Thompson story up then. Once you are in their files, it stays. No matter what. Again I was never arrested nor charged.
That sure was a nice C96 rig, though.

[schutzen-jager]

Originally Posted by G.T.

Hello to all! So far, no good with any of the methods mentioned? This thing will not let the barrel extension come off! I'm going to clamp it in a vice and see if i can't get a better stability for prying as in the article? But so far, no cigar... It rattles back and forth about 3/8's of an inch, but then stops, and it's out of battery about the same... Not sure if i'm going to beat this one or not?... Best to all, til....lat'r....GT.....

took awhile + lot of tries , but method pictured did work for me - good luck -

[G.T.]

I'm pretty sure it will eventually work out, just doesn't seem that way right now! I tried initially, with way too light of prybar... making another one this morning and with the help of my trust bench vice, we will attack again! The internet shows nothing on this and just seeing it work would be moral encouragement! More soon! Best to all, til.....lat'r.....GT...

[cirelaw]

Video C96 Assembly and Disassembly https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7Y1dAtQXug

[Edward Tinker]

Originally Posted by MikeP

Got my 1st C96 at age 14 from the vet who brought it home. Complete rig, all matching, including stock and leather. Learned to disassemble and assemble.
How they ever designed, manufactured, and made those function is a miracle of the universe.,....

Here is a story, joined the army in 1980, went through counterintelligence school before I swapped to an MP.
When we interviewed, you always started with a minimum of 3 people - blah, blah, blah, and can you give me 3 people who might know ed tinker. Go to those three, blah, blah, can you give me 3 people who might know ed. This went through a couple of iterations, just to get to where if you were hiding info, they'd find out. Most important thing is to always stick with your story or tell the truth in the beginning. If you told them the truth at the beginning, they just said ok (like smoking pot a few times, if you lied, they might kick you out of the MOS that required a clearance)

Any Top Secret and above, they went through the entire process, could take weeks. But, what they wanted was folks YOU would NOT put down on your list of folks you knew, so they got the truth about you. supposedly