A Unicorn

It is somewhat funny that I am following up on the Savage 99 review with a post about another weapon that featured largely in "Joe Kidd" and one that is also something that I have wanted since I was  a kid. Unlike the Savage, though, I never thought I would acquire a Mauser C96; much less one with a shoulder stock holster. Thanks to some very generous folks and  maybe a little karma I now own this C96 made in 1918 and the matched holster/stock.

While it is in shooting condition I am not going to touch off a round untill I swap out the springs (especially the recoil spring) with new kit from Wolff. That process will be a topic for another post in a few days.

In advance of that I'll trot out a few points about the Mauser C96. While the Borchardt C93 can claim to be the first commercially produced semi-auto pistol it would have to stand on the  Schönberger-Laumann's shoulders just to kiss the C96's ass.

An early proponent of the C96 was Winston Churchill who carried one right around the time he stated "Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result".

The platform was amazing for its time and, in many ways, would be noteworthy today. The 7.63x25 round it was chambered for still qualifies as a scorcher. Compare an 85 grain .30 pill at 1450-1500FPS in 1896 to a 9MM +P+ 90 grain "extreme" defense load at 1550 FPS in 2019.  What a difference 123 years makes.

Look for more details and a range write-up to follow in the next few days.

P.S- The C96 was the platform used for Han Solo's blaster.

P.P.S- I don't give a fuck if Han shot first but if he didn't then he was a chump.