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Rebarreling of a Mauser C96 Broomhandle.

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AVON

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I would like to bounce some ideas off you machinists. I've read the following:

Mausers from this time period may be “1920 reworks” (full size military pistols cut down to comply with the Treaty of Versailles), standard full size guns, standard Bolos, French Gendarmes (full size frame mounted with a Bolo upper, for a rumored French contract), or completely inexplicable variants such as this Long Barreled Bolo.

Mauser took a C/96 upper, cut the barrel off, and then threaded a new 7.63mm barrel into the barrel extension. They then masked the area of the cut and threading with the distinctive “hash” marks seen on this pistol. The barrel was also given a very different sight than standard C/96s, with the front sight band being sleeved and pined into place.

And I have seen the following listed on Ebay, though it was almost instantly withdrawn by the seller.
C96_b.jpg

So, the questions that comes to mind are, if one had a beat German Mauser C96 upper, formerly owned by the Chinese, would it be feasible to drill it out and thread it like the photo shows. Then, using a length of a M1 .30 Carbine barrel, turn said stub, and thread it to fit said Mauser upper to make a shooter pistol? Barrel stubs are available from Numrich. I doubt that the owner of one of these beaters would care less about hiding the seam.

Curious to hear your responses.:scratchchin:
 
I know of a guy who did two of them this way with good success. He used to post on the old C96 forum before it got hacked into oblivion. One standard length, with an original type sight, looking like a well done restoration and another with a longer barrel and a different front sight design.
He used a 1/2-28 thread. Somewhere on a drive, I believe I still have some pics of the process he posted. When I get a chance I’ll see if I can find them.
 
Thank you for your reply, and future efforts, all will be greatly appreciated.

Avon
 
I rebarreled a C/96 once using the front end of a Dewat P14 barrel.I bored out the barrel extension on a lathe using a steady rest.A setup on a Bridgeport would probably have been easier.Extreme care is necessary on the setup.I used a odd size tap for the threads;I believe 9/16x24.It worked out OK.
 
I have seen this technique done with folks rebarreling Swiss K31 rifles. In that case it is due to needing to retain the bolt/barrel face intersection because the cam action of the bolt relies on features machined into the barrel face, which was done in situ as a barreled receiver.
 
I rebarreled a C/96 once using the front end of a Dewat P14 barrel.I bored out the barrel extension on a lathe using a steady rest.A setup on a Bridgeport would probably have been easier.Extreme care is necessary on the setup.I used a odd size tap for the threads;I believe 9/16x24.It worked out OK.

Was the tap for right hand or left hand threads? What were the results of that operation? Was the piece fired afterwards? Do you know how many rounds have passed through it to date? In short was the project a success? Inquiring minds wish to know.
 
I used a right hand tap.Results were good.I fired the pistol using surplus S&B 7.63 Mauser ammo which was loaded very hot.I haven't fired the pistol for several years.I rebarreled it over 20 years ago.I'll dig it out and try it with handloads one these days.If possible I would have the a barrel relined instead of replacing.I just got a C/96 top end back from Redmans.He did a nice job.His website is out of date both price and shop waiting time required.I was quoted five months time.It took eight months.The work was very professional and worth waiting for.I believe the shop is a one man operation.Read his website before contacting him about work.Best way to contact is by Email or letter.Any contact about work in progress isn't a problem as long as you're polite.
 
The upper that trigger this train of thought has a barrel, and chamber, that already been been drilled out by a previous owner. And from what I have read of Mr.Redman's work, I have my doubts as to whether he would touch this nag. Especially with the backlog of anxious customers that he already has.
 
I recognize both sides of this coin. I seen Redman's ads in the Shotgun News, and other magazines, going back to the 1980s. Read peoples reviews of the same.

But, I was hoping to avoid this type of off topic posting. These sort of posts is why I started this thread. I am seeking to keep this thread on how to re-barrel a Mauser Broomhandle C96 upper. Not create yet another review for shops that do such work. :ack2: :Yawn:

I am more interested in hearing first hand accounts of those who have done this work themselves, or witness said work being done. Already some very important tidbits have been harvested here. I wait with great anticipation for Tim the Grim to report back with the lost postings that he has squirreled away. :drool5:

These sort of postings defeat the reason that we are all here, to learn from others the techniques needed to machine proper repairs.:)
 
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I have begun to make the tooling I think will be required to straighten and reline mine and will post my efforts. I have found .30 cal liners which is sold by the inch at Track of the Wolf.


Did it for you.
 
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My apologies. I would delete the post but it will not let me.

I have begun to make the tooling I think will be required to straighten and reline mine and will post my efforts. I have found .30 cal liners which is sold by the inch at Track of the Wolf.

OFF TOPIC! The title of this thread is "Rebarreling of a Mauser C96 Broomhandle" NOT Barrel Straightening, NOT relining.
 
the source of the barrel blank would seem to be the key.
then proper fixture and set up.
people will tell you you can't do something but not have a good reason

Mauser made em with tooling available over 100 years ago,
just a mater of how bad you want to do it

partly why people reline is to help preserve some collector value
but on a beater well really not an issue
 
My my, it seems I have spoiled your party - you asked for a pony but didn't get it. Now I feel bad.
Actually I don't. My first response to your post was relevant to your pistol and to get it shooting accurately again and would have probably been interesting to anyone else faced with the same problem. But not you - YOU WANT THE DAMN PONY! And that is all you are going to settle for. Suggestions you get on internet forums are part of the price of admission. I apologized but you wouldn't accept it because you didn't "feel" I was sincere? I didn't use the insincere emoticon so how would you know? Your suggestion that I may have felt threatened by your post is laughable. Did you know that you can actually ignore stuff that is written here? Your opening line in your post states that you "want to bounce some ideas off you machinists". I bounced back with some input and real life experience pertaining to your pistol and your desire for a good bore but it wasn't the pony you actually had in mind.
I will add that the 1920 rework Red 9 pistol that I have had the barrel shortened, the front sight was reused by boring out the cut off portion and fitting it back on the shortened barrel. I have never seen a C96 that was rebarreled for a 1920 rework and I have seen quite a few.
AVON said:
Yes, may I offer you some samples of black & blue eye shadow? Or perhaps some red lip rouge?

I am trying to search out what others may know about re-barreling techniques. You already have a thread for barrel relining, perhaps you feel threaten by my thread.

Or is it your animosity towards Redman's customer service? If any one has issues I would say go look in a mirror.

Sensitive, yes morons such as you give me a rash. I'm not the jerk who seizes every opportunity to disrupt sensible threads with off topic anger rants because you have a problem with someone.

I gave you several suggestions for recourse with Redman, did you even pursue them?

Don't go away mad, just sod off. Now where's my anti-itch cream.

Gazz said:
Avon - any connection to the "Skin so Soft product"? Sorry about your feelings too. I hope nobody ever looks at you funny once you get your project done as you seem rather sensitive. Your thread was never "derailed" as you put it - I am thinking you are a bit derailed in your head. To bad the nice folk here willing help out jerks like you.

AVON said:
I would like to thank you for derailing the C96 Broomhandle RE-BARRELING thread. You just had to poison the well. Not happy that you already had a poison well:ack2: of your own. I will be deleting my account as soon as I find out how to do it.:mad5:
 
My my, it seems I have spoiled your party - you asked for a pony but didn't get it. Now I feel bad.
Actually I don't. My first response to your post was relevant to your pistol and to get it shooting accurately again and would have probably been interesting to anyone else faced with the same problem.

False, you already started a thread, supposedly looking for questions on the subject of relining the C96 barrel, where your very first post was to rant about your experience with Redman's Rifling and Reboring. The same rant that you repeated, in your very first post, in the thread that I started for questions about rebarreling the C96.


But not you - YOU WANT THE DAMN PONY! And that is all you are going to settle for. Suggestions you get on internet forums are part of the price of admission.

You are quite the spin doctor. You offered no suggestions. You only ranted about your anger towards Redman's customer service. Stomping your feet, clinching your fists, and whining at the top of your lungs because you didn't get your way.

I apologized but you wouldn't accept it because you didn't "feel" I was sincere? I didn't use the insincere emoticon so how would you know? Your suggestion that I may have felt threatened by your post is laughable. Did you know that you can actually ignore stuff that is written here? Your opening line in your post states that you "want to bounce some ideas off you machinists". I bounced back with some input and real life experience pertaining to your pistol and your desire for a good bore but it wasn't the pony you actually had in mind.

You are either off your meds or in dire need of some. YOU GAVE NO CONSTRUCTIVE INPUT, ONLY OFFERING A REPEAT OF THE SAME ANGRY RANT THAT YOU POSTED IN THE THREAD THAT YOU STARTED, SUPPOSEDLY FOR QUESTIONS CONCERNING RELINING THE C96. LATER, Your so-called apology was immediately follow by off topic comments on how you planned to reline your bent barrel C96, which belonged in your thread on said subject.

I will add that the 1920 rework Red 9 pistol that I have had the barrel shortened, the front sight was reused by boring out the cut off portion and fitting it back on the shortened barrel. I have never seen a C96 that was rebarreled for a 1920 rework and I have seen quite a few.

Then you still have much to learn about the history of the Mauser Construktion 96 aka C96, aka Broomhandle Mauser, aka Bolo Mauser. Perhaps you should do a google search for the Hash Barrel Mauser. For a bit of history concerning the Hash Barrel Mauser:

The following excerpt was found at Mauser C/96 Broomhandle Long Barrel "Hash Barrel" Bolo | Parker Gun Store

Hash Barrel Mauser C96 were produced in the immediate Post WWI era, a very chaotic time in German Arms production.

C96s from this time period may be “1920 reworks” (full size military pistols with barrels cut down to comply with the Treaty of Versailles), standard full size guns, standard Bolos, French Gendarmes (full size frame mounted with a Bolo upper, for a rumored French contract), or completely inexplicable variants such as Long Barreled Bolos.

Mauser took a C/96 upper, cut the barrel off, and then threaded a new 7.63mm barrel into the barrel extension. They then masked the area of the cut and threading with the distinctive “hash” marks seen on these pistols. The barrel was also given a very different sight than standard C/96s, with the front sight band being sleeved and pined into place. All this was then mounted on a Bolo frame, to complete a very strange and rare pistol. The few of these guns that were manufactured all seem to occur in fairly tight serial number range groupings, meaning they were not just guns sent back to Mauser to be reworked. The guns we have examined in this configuration also have no variance in their bluing, nor any evidence of rebluing, which tends to show that the entire pistol was assembled together at the factory at the same time. They seem to have left the Mauser factory in this configuration, the exact reason being speculative at best.

These guns left the factory with all matching factory stamped serial numbers, and while we have not seen a matched stock with one of these, it would stand to reason that they left the factory with a standard matched wooden holster stock. All the other Mauser markings are standard, with no variance from standard stamping. The rear tangent sight is the standard 100-1000 sight found on most C/96s of that era.

So, are you claiming that you are the end all of all knowledge pertaining to the Mauser C96? Or are you just a wannabe know it all, out to disrupt any thread that you don't control?

POSTSCRIPT
gAZZ copied his post, then, sent it to me via PMS, that's Personal Message System. I suggest that he find a fresh Depends and take his Meds. I think that the nursing home should cut off his computer access. :nutter::crazy::willy_nilly::codger:
 
It has been done. The best way, however, is what I have been trying to research. Others have done it, but their techniques have been lost. I have some of the more important tidbits needed. I hope to have more soon.
 








 
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