The 'Broomhandle' Mauser

by Jonathan Ferguson, Peter Dennis (Illustrator)

Overview

At a time when most handguns were limited to six rounds, the ten-shot Mauser caught the attention of the world for its unprecedented firepower and formidable high-velocity 7.63×25mm cartridge. This saw its ultimate expression in the first-ever select-fire handgun—the "Schnellfeuer" machine pistol, fed by a detachable magazine and offering both full-automatic and single-shot modes.

The C 96 was the first semi-automatic pistol to see combat, arming both sides in the Second Anglo-Boer War, and seeing service with the German, Russian, Chinese, and other militaries. Widely purchased commercially, it was carried by none other than Winston Churchill in the Sudan and South Africa, became prized by the Irish Republican Army and Soviet revolutionaries, and even armed Han Solo in the Star Wars movies.

Featuring full-color artwork and an array of revealing photographs, this is the engrossing story of the C 96 "Broomhandle" Mauser, the ground-breaking semi-automatic pistol that armed a generation of military personnel, adventurers, and revolutionaries at the beginning of the 20th century.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472816153
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	10/24/2017
Series:	Weapon , #58
Pages:	80
Product dimensions:	7.10(w) x 9.60(h) x 0.30(d)

About the Author

Peter Dennis was inspired by contemporary magazines such as Look and Learn, leading him to study Illustration at Liverpool Art College. Peter has since contributed to hundreds of books, predominantly on historical subjects, including many Osprey titles. A keen wargamer and modelmaker, he is based in Nottinghamshire, UK.