Antique Mauser C-96 pistol
- Thread starter CBT40
- Start date
My understanding, is that the gents that made those, we're not at all regular or consistent with the numbering system used, or very faithful in getting them out the doors entirely in any particular sequence, making it a bit of a requirement to have a solid handle upon both the serial numbers, and the various combined features which were added or subtracted, during the production life of the various versions, in order to reasonably firmly fix a manufacturing date.
YMMV, but that is what I have read, mostly here, in conversations about this subject.
Cheers
Trev
YMMV, but that is what I have read, mostly here, in conversations about this subject.
Cheers
Trev
According to another thread on the topic, the cutoff is below serial number 6000, but the early numbers seem pretty solid from my research so far. I think you can go by features of the pistol plus serial number plus historical information (even photographs) putting various pistols into the hands of people at historical events.
RCMP suggests Mauser was capable of producing some small number of pistols each day. If you add up what they made by the end of 1899, it's over 40,000. The work week was 6 days long back then, but the 4 year average is clearly 10,000 a year. I would guess they made more later and less sooner, but the first two years are well over 15,000 production and RCMP recognizes 1/3 of that.
RCMP suggests Mauser was capable of producing some small number of pistols each day. If you add up what they made by the end of 1899, it's over 40,000. The work week was 6 days long back then, but the 4 year average is clearly 10,000 a year. I would guess they made more later and less sooner, but the first two years are well over 15,000 production and RCMP recognizes 1/3 of that.
