Initially the C96 was chambered in the 7.63x25 mm Mauser, but by 1902 it was made in 9x19 mm Parabellum, usually, but not always, distinguished by a large red “9” burned deeply into its wood grip.

One of the earliest automatic pistols enjoyed a pretty healthy service life. Mauser's exotic C96 is often called the Broomhandle because of the distinctively shape of the butt.

And unlike the German-made Luger P08 or American Colt 1911 .45, which placed the magazine well in the handgrip—a feature almost universal with semi-automatic pistols today—the C96 had a ...

C96 “Broomhandle” 7.63 mm Mauser History & Specifications. Movie buffs will recognize the iconic “Broomhandle” Mauser as the template for the BlasTech DL-44 blaster that Han Solo uses in ...

Solo’s DL-44 does little to mask the fact that it is just a heavily modified German Mauser C96 pistol. The C96 was a semi-automatic pistol introduced at the turn of the 20 th century. With an ...

FADEL: Joel Kolander with Rock Island Auctions says the blaster was made from a semi-automatic pistol and modified with surplus parts. JOEL KOLANDER: It starts off as a Mauser C96 broom handle.