KotKotofeich
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Ottawa Valley
For sure 
Mauser C96 Broomhandle Antique?
- Thread starter kevinh
- Start date
freemanriveradventures
Member
- Location
- Fort Assiniboine AB
The serial number cut off for antique status cone hammer c96's is 5000. I have received letters for 3 so far. One in the 1600 range ,one in the 4100 range and one in the 4800 range. I have access to the FRT system and can print you off serialized FRT reports if you require one for verification purposes.
My Experience was poor I bought a C96 cone hammer pistol at auction for about 3k Canadian Pesos with the number 5528 the whole gun. It turns out what I was reading was "incorrect" on date of manufacture, the RCMP stop counting antique C96s at 5000's range most business stick to the "Turkish" contract pistols that are 2200-4400 range. That means the only place it is advertised is in Canada for the Canadian market most other country even in Europe don't have as convoluted or asinine Firearms laws. If you want to get a better Idea on the time frame a C96 was made in you can go to the Mauser archive and talk to the curator of it, Mauro Baudino with pics and the serial number he can roughly date manufacture my aforementioned pistol was from late 97 to early 98 so unfortunately couldn't even fight for an import and the RCMP does take his word seriously for a firearm been antique. Unfortunately a lot of people mix up dates for antiques with our neighbours the US is is 1898 December 31 cut of whil Canada's is 1897 December 31 so some people will see antiques in America and think it apply here and unfortunately it does not and you lose out on a firearm and money.
KotKotofeich
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Ottawa Valley
A few things to keep in mind.
The turkish/ottoman contract is in its own serial range, not the 2200-4000.
Mauro no longer puts a definite statement that a gun is 1897 manufacture. Only that it's likely.
3000 block of serials is not a longer accepted as antiques after he gave someone a letter that talked about 3000 being a 'skip' block that was filled in later.
Indeed, 5000 or so used to be the cutoff serial but may not be any longer after all the submissions from Mauro
The turkish/ottoman contract is in its own serial range, not the 2200-4000.
Mauro no longer puts a definite statement that a gun is 1897 manufacture. Only that it's likely.
3000 block of serials is not a longer accepted as antiques after he gave someone a letter that talked about 3000 being a 'skip' block that was filled in later.
Indeed, 5000 or so used to be the cutoff serial but may not be any longer after all the submissions from Mauro
This is certainly a confusing topic to try and follow. If I’m following this correctly, the 3000’s were a skipped block of serials, so in all actuality a gun in the 3000’s could have been made after a gun in the 5000’s.
And the Mauser Expert is no longer able to (willing to) verify that a pistol is 1897 manufactured. So the RCMP aren’t likely to issue any more Antique Letters, unless the pistol in question is legitimately a Pre-Production “System Mauser” demo gun for testing or a verifiable prototype, or such, because of the serial number uncertainty.
And now they’ve altered the FRT Entry to only Restricted Status, except a little unclear exception to that in the Comments below to the effect that a few, produced prior to 1898, are considered Antique in Canada. I don’t know if it’s really even worth trying to bring one in, since they won’t say which one’s are Antique (that sounds like something that can change on a whim for no real reason) but they will certainly be happy to tell you that the one you brought to show them is not an Antique. Now you have a Restricted Pistol and ,as you should have known, they aren’t allowed to register any more Restricteds. So now you’re out a pile of money.
They have found a way to not let any more Antique C96’s into the country without actually banning them.
And somewhere in some office, a bunch of Nit-Wits are patting each other on the back for finding a solution to this terrible Public Safety Issue of Ancient Expensive Antique Pistols.
If the same amount of time, money, and effort that is put into making the strangest, most byzantine, kafka-esque Firearms Laws in the entire world were put into figuring out how to take guns away from the murdering criminals that actually do constitute a “Public Safety” problem, we’d all be living in the real Canada, the one we’re losing a bit every day….
Sorry to rant, some days this hobby can be so frustrating.
And the Mauser Expert is no longer able to (willing to) verify that a pistol is 1897 manufactured. So the RCMP aren’t likely to issue any more Antique Letters, unless the pistol in question is legitimately a Pre-Production “System Mauser” demo gun for testing or a verifiable prototype, or such, because of the serial number uncertainty.
And now they’ve altered the FRT Entry to only Restricted Status, except a little unclear exception to that in the Comments below to the effect that a few, produced prior to 1898, are considered Antique in Canada. I don’t know if it’s really even worth trying to bring one in, since they won’t say which one’s are Antique (that sounds like something that can change on a whim for no real reason) but they will certainly be happy to tell you that the one you brought to show them is not an Antique. Now you have a Restricted Pistol and ,as you should have known, they aren’t allowed to register any more Restricteds. So now you’re out a pile of money.
They have found a way to not let any more Antique C96’s into the country without actually banning them.
And somewhere in some office, a bunch of Nit-Wits are patting each other on the back for finding a solution to this terrible Public Safety Issue of Ancient Expensive Antique Pistols.
If the same amount of time, money, and effort that is put into making the strangest, most byzantine, kafka-esque Firearms Laws in the entire world were put into figuring out how to take guns away from the murdering criminals that actually do constitute a “Public Safety” problem, we’d all be living in the real Canada, the one we’re losing a bit every day….
Sorry to rant, some days this hobby can be so frustrating.
I should add a little back story to that post… I was also looking at bringing one in. Incredibly expensive but they are a Dream Gun for an Antique Collector. I didn’t even want one as a Shooter that’s as close to a Modern Pistol as you can get, I just wanted to get one because they’ve always interested me.
They actually have approved 51xx recently for sure. And im pretty sure i have seen a 5400 lettered. The firearms center just makes this #### up i swear. Menno on g3np0st sold the one in the 5100 range recently. with the letter
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They are still approving, I have one on the way as we speak. You really have to stand your ground and back them into a corner. Call them out saying you know certain serial ranges have been approved by them. Whenever one comes up for sale with a letter I ask what the serial range is. Then it's kind of hard for them to argue it. Do your research, have something they can't argue and dont take their bull sh1t. I have had to teach these idiots the regulations that they are enforcing, they just aren't knowledgeable and it's pathetic
Yes! I like the Cut of your Jib, Sir!!!!
That makes sense to use what they’ve already approved against them in support of your own Antique Letter. Clearly they’re making everything a pain in the azz to discourage people from even trying.
That makes sense to use what they’ve already approved against them in support of your own Antique Letter. Clearly they’re making everything a pain in the azz to discourage people from even trying.
People have tried to put in an access to information (atip) on what serials they have approved, but they always redacted it. We as a community need to share what serials have been approved to really make this public knowledge.
Personally I have seen 17xx,18xx, 41xx, 46xx, 51xx, and others in close proximity to those, all lettered by the RCMP. I BELIEVE i have seen a 24xx but I can't swear it had a letter, and if it did they may have recinded it. That one was being worked on by vulcan gun a few years ago, he showed me pictures when I inquired about having a c96 refinished.
I just tried to go back through my c96 research and unfortunately i cant find the pictures, but I had referenced that I saw a 35xx range approved as antique as well
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