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[Renault]

"Are you still thinking about rechambering it for 45 LC?"

No, cylinder is long enough, just too much gap on the fire wall end. Not enough rim on the .45 colt ctg. I doubt the FP would reach the primer. I'm happy with .45 ACP!

 

[Oldsarge]

Well, it works so why fix it?

 

[MrAcheson]

Oh, GOD, DUDE! That is my dream piece, complete with stock!

I must hate you now, and envy you as well. Nothing personal, you understand. It's just my burning envy and avariciousness for that firearm.

Broomhandles are great collectors pieces. As shooters they are not so fun. My last range trip with a broomhandle, I brought my 1911 and my brother brought his C96. The range portion of the trip went fine, but when we cleaned them both on the kitchen table I felt really sorry for my brother. The broom handle had small parts that tended to fall off the internals and required more than two hands along with special tools to get back together. It ended up going home in multiple parts in a sack because my brother had to consult the internet about something. He proclaimed that he now knew why the US won both world wars.

 

[BigFitz]

Yeah, and sold my C96 to a friend....... Wifey has an FEG in 9mm Kurz !!! Came in the shop about 4 months ago with an extra mag. Being that she collects small autos she had to have it! It is extremely clean. (Ssssshhh!!! I've got a 1914 Mauser Pocket auto secreted on my workbench for her!!!! )....... Someday I suppose I should post a pic of all her "pocket autos" here on the forum.....

Here's the latest addition. I decided to go ahead a snap a pic of her on my workbench today. She is lovely!!!!

New Smith &Wesson Herritage series Model of 1950 (model 22) in .45 ACP. Glad still have about 8 boxes of "auto rim" stashed! Personally I think this is the perfect revolver!!!! Can't wait to slap a polished aluminum "Tyler-T" on her!

Renault

Are you gonna "Fitz" it? Very nice.

 

[DeaconKC]

Boy, I miss 2 days and you guys are posting some gorgeous stuff! Yup, Broomies are a pain to put back together compared to more modern guns, but there is only one other gun that gets as much attention on the range and that's a Tommygun. Love the FEG and the new S&W, looks like a fine shooter.

 

[Rathdown]

Here's the latest addition.

Plug the lock?

 

[Effingham]

How much do broomies go for these days, assuming one can find one?

 

[Rathdown]

Broom handle Mauser pistols start at about $800 for a rough shooter, and go up from there. Me, I'd budget something in the neighborhood of $12-1400 and look for one of the smaller, post WWI, "Bolo" Mausers. Mauser, btw, wasn't the only manufacturer of this style of pistol-- for my money one of the Astra broom handles represents ever bit as good a gun, often for less money. In addition to the 7.63mm round, Mauser C96 pistols (and foreign made copies) were also chambered for 9mm and .45 ACP.

Mauser broom handles aren't all that rare, and you should find several for sale at any reasonably large gun show, or available on line from one of the specialist auction houses dealing in firearms.

 

[Effingham]

Hmmmm... So like the PPK, its design was copied by several manufacturers, then. (I have a Bersa T22, which is a 22lr "copy" of a PPKS.) Makes it a bit hard to know what to look for, given all those clones, but I really want one of those babies. Thanks for the info!

 

[Rathdown]

There are really only four manufactures: Mauser, Astra, Zulaica Y Cia (another Spanish manufacturer), and the Chinese, who made their pistols in 7.63mm, 7.62mm, and .45 ACP. By and large you only want to buy a pistol made by Mauser or Astra. Of the two, I prefer the short barreled Astra "Bolos". For all around shootability you probably want to buy a WWI vintage 9mm Mauser C96 as the ammo is vastly cheaper.

 

[David Conwill]

Hmmmm... So like the PPK, its design was copied by several manufacturers, then. (I have a Bersa T22, which is a 22lr "copy" of a PPKS.) Makes it a bit hard to know what to look for, given all those clones, but I really want one of those babies. Thanks for the info!

Lots of people copied the M1911 also. The Spanish, in particular, seemed fond of building everybody else's pistols. I want one of the South American, Colt-licensed 1911s myself (I think they're called Model 1927s? Was it Argentina or Brazil? Somebody help me out here). They're cheap and have a good reputation - plus that classic GI look that is hard to find anymore.

-Dave

 

[BigFitz]

Lots of people copied the M1911 also. The Spanish, in particular, seemed fond of building everybody else's pistols. I want one of the South American, Colt-licensed 1911s myself (I think they're called Model 1927s? Was it Argentina or Brazil? Somebody help me out here). They're cheap and have a good reputation - plus that classic GI look that is hard to find anymore.

-Dave

I'm pretty sure they were for Argentina but will have to research to be sure.

Ok, apparnetly Colt made appox. 10,000 units that have the Prancing horse on the slide. Argentina also manufactured some under license from Colt. The ones made in Hartford, CT are woth more than the Argentina built models. The ones built in Argentina will be marked "D.G.F.M.".

Would love have one too.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Yes, they're Argentina, Model 1927s, some were made in Brazil, but weren't 27s.

Lots of people copied the M1911 also. The Spanish, in particular, seemed fond of building everybody else's pistols. I want one of the South American, Colt-licensed 1911s myself (I think they're called Model 1927s? Was it Argentina or Brazil? Somebody help me out here). They're cheap and have a good reputation - plus that classic GI look that is hard to find anymore.

-Dave

 

[David Conwill]

Ok, Argentina is ringing bells with me. I nearly got my C&R FFL just to acquire one. The gun shops around here are sadly deficient in military surplus type arms. They’re very high-tech hunting and/or tactical home-defense oriented.

-Dave

 

[AtomicEraTom]

It's tough to get Military Surplus. We can keep Mausers and the like on the shelves pretty easily, but handguns, especially, are tougher to find. A Curio and Relic license isn't too tough to get, either. If you're into antique firearms, it'd be worth it. We have a Class 3 for full-autos and that's considerably more work.

Ok, Argentina is ringing bells with me. I nearly got my C&R FFL just to acquire one. The gun shops around here are sadly deficient in military surplus type arms. They’re very high-tech hunting and/or tactical home-defense oriented.

-Dave

 

[Oldsarge]

If you reload, most of the big component internet dealers will give you the FFL discount if you only have a C&R. Given that the license costs so little, you can save the cost of it over the length of the license in component costs alone. It's got to be one of the best deals the gov. gives.

As for 'GI looks', my Springfield Armory 1911 sure looks like the issue thing to me. Shoots well, too.

 

[Story]

Hmmmm... So like the PPK, its design was copied by several manufacturers, then. (I have a Bersa T22, which is a 22lr "copy" of a PPKS.) Makes it a bit hard to know what to look for, given all those clones, but I really want one of those babies. Thanks for the info!

Online resources - go forth and edumacate thyself.

http://www.g6csy.net/c96/index.html

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/C96_Forum/

http://luger.gunboards.com/forumdisplay.php?38-1900-1918-German-(non-P08)-Pistols-amp-Holsters

 

[DeaconKC]

Also, please drop in over at www.surplusrifleforum.com and say hello. I'm a moderator there and we are a very friendly, laid back place. I have one of the DGFM Argentine 45s and it is still a great shooter. Also, on the C96s, most have lousy bores in either caliber, I am thinking about having my 7.63 relined as it is pretty worn. If you can get one in 9, it is defintiely worth the extra just for the ammo savings. Under NO circumstances, shoot 7.62x25 in your Broomie. The Combloc stuff is identical in size, but is loaded much hotter for submachinegun use.

 

[Effingham]

There are really only four manufactures: Mauser, Astra, Zulaica Y Cia (another Spanish manufacturer), and the Chinese, who made their pistols in 7.63mm, 7.62mm, and .45 ACP. By and large you only want to buy a pistol made by Mauser or Astra. Of the two, I prefer the short barreled Astra "Bolos". For all around shootability you probably want to buy a WWI vintage 9mm Mauser C96 as the ammo is vastly cheaper.

Well, you inspired me. I just put in a purchase offer for a "red nine" Mauser on gunsAmerica.com.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

The only way to stop any animal in its tracks is by incapacitating the central nervous system, i.e. a brain or upper spinal cord shot.

We don't have bears here in Africa, but we do have some pretty nasty stuff, big and tough.

The key to stop a charge is not the caliber of the bullet, but shot placement and bullet behavior - directly linked to bullet construction and shape.

At handgun velocities, the best bullets available for deep and straight penetration are hard lead flat nose bullets ("Keith" FN and their derivatives).

Get a good bullet in a gun that you handle proficiently, and your bacon will be much safer than relying on a howitzer dumping humongous amounts of whatever all over the place.

Foot-pounds and loud noises don't kill. Holes in the right places do.

Thanks for the advice Philip,..and Rathdown, Oldsarge, and all.
Bear encounters are fairly rare overall if the entire country is included in statistics, but out here it seems we have at least one or more incidents each year. Last year I think it was,..several people were killed while camping by a grizzlie sow and her cubs. The year before, a father and son barely escaped while out hunting. The story as I recall was that they stumbled upon a bear, the bear was trying to run down the son, who saw something whiz by him as he was fleeing. Turned out that the something was an arrow fired by his father that hit the bear in the heart, killing it. A lucky shot it seems for sure.