Mauser Model 1896

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xeruffurex

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Hi Im new to this site I was turned on by a friend.

Ive been collecting ww2 era weapons for over a year now and I have recently came across a Mauser Model 1896 at a local gun shop in calgary. and the store owners are unsure if it is classified as prohibited, I was hoping one of you would beable to shed some light on the situation
theres a link below on the info on the same type of gun

http://www.genitron.com/Unique-Handgun/16/Mauser-Model-1896-Self-Loading-Pistol

hope you can help

G.
 
Hmmm ..... good question. In my experience they are usually listed as "prohibited - e.g. the owner of Marstar currently has 4 of these pistols personally listed for sale (in "John's Gun Vault" on the website) as "Prohibited Pistols". My initial thought was that they are prohibited because the original 7.63mm chambering (i.e. .30 cal.) is less than .32 caliber ..... and it seems to be generally thought that any handgun chambering a centerfire cartridge of .32 caliber or less is "prohibited".

However, I have just re-checked the wording of the applicable Criminal Code provision (in Section 84) and it actually reads as follows (emphasis added):

“prohibited firearm” means

(a) a handgun that

(i) has a barrel equal to or less than 105 mm in length, or

(ii) is designed or adapted to discharge a 25 or 32 calibre cartridge,

but does not include any such handgun that is prescribed, where the handgun is for use in international sporting competitions governed by the rules of the International Shooting Union,
Click to expand...

Clearly, this current wording does not prohibit all centerfire handguns which are .32 caliber or less (as commonly thought) - rather, it prohibits only handguns chambered for .25 and .32 caliber cartridges! As a .30 caliber pistol, the Mauser Model 1896 pistol, should not be caught by this silly prohibition .....

Having said that, I suppose this model may be specifically prescribed as a prohibited firearm somewhere in the regulations .... I haven't checked. One should probably check with the firearms technicians at the CFP to see what they say. Mind you, in view of the above, if they say it is prohibited I'd want them to be specific as to why they say that - i.e. are they somehow deeming a .30 caliber handgun to be either .25 or .32 caliber .... or is there a specific mention of this model in the regulations?

(To further complicate matters, if the particular handgun in question was manufactured before the end of 1897, it is an "antique"!)
 
xeruffurex said:
Hi Im new to this site I was turned on by a friend.

Ive been collecting ww2 era weapons for over a year now and I have recently came across a Mauser Model 1896 at a local gun shop in calgary. and the store owners are unsure if it is classified as prohibited, I was hoping one of you would beable to shed some light on the situation
theres a link below on the info on the same type of gun

http://www.genitron.com/Unique-Handgun/16/Mauser-Model-1896-Self-Loading-Pistol

hope you can help

G.
Click to expand...

The only way that it's a Prohib would be based off of barrel length if it's still as originally designed. Assuming it's post 1897 production then if it's the 4" barrel Bolo model it's a prohib, longer barrel models are restricted.

The store owners being unsure on classification is definitely odd to say the least, it should be right on the registration papers unless it's antique and has no registration cert.
 
loki_81 said:
The only way that it's a Prohib would be based off of barrel length if it's still as originally designed. Assuming it's post 1897 production then if it's the 4" barrel Bolo model it's a prohib, longer barrel models are restricted.

The store owners being unsure on classification is definitely odd to say the least, it should be right on the registration papers unless it's antique and has no registration cert.
Click to expand...

Ya that true, but from what i gather it comes from an estate sale so maybe it was from pre registration. from what it sounds the caliber reason is ####ed. maybe i can have them re bore it to 9mm like the webside said to beat the system? lol
 
No, I don't think so. It appears that caliber has been ruled out here as a reason for its prohibited status, so that pretty much leaves us with barrel length as the limiting factor.

Now, if it's a select-fire version, well, that's a whole different issue...
 
7.63 Mauser is not deemed to be a .32 caliber cartridge.
Status would be determined by barrel length, unless it is/was selective fire.
 
The only C96 Mausers that are "prohibited" are the short-barreled "Bolo" models from after WWI. The more numerous and more "normal" C96 has a caliber and barrel length that make it "restricted". Some were made in 9mm Parabellum (9mm Luger or 9x19mm), but most were in a caliber that is close to .32 (7.65mm), but isn't quite. The cartridge the "usual" C96 fires is very close (close enough to use) to the cartridge fired by the Soviet Tokarev pistols. However, like all guns, it's best to use the 7.63mm Mauser cartridge that the gun was made to fire. It uses a small diameter bullet, but fired at pretty high velocity. In the 1920s, police forces used to use these guns and cartridges to test the "bullet
proof" vests of the day, because they were so penetrative.
 
I believe I have seen the pistol our new friend is talking about (engraved initials, right?) and it is one of the supporting dealers (TSE), who knows it isn't prohibited. Some of the new staff may be unsure. The pistol is only tucked away with the prohibs in the "high value firearms" area to keep it from being handled by all the guys who come to the main counter. It's very nice (except for the initials, they start with "M" I think) and comes with a shoulder stock, asking $2500. If not for the engraving, it would probably be sold a long time ago. And no, they won't deal on it yet... :-(
 
tiriaq said:
7.63 Mauser is not deemed to be a .32 caliber cartridge.
Status would be determined by barrel length, unless it is/was selective fire.
Click to expand...

Hmmmm. I have not fired my grandfathers 1896 for more than 20 years. I was hoping to take it to the range and looked up this thread. I went and checked my reg certificate and it is classed as Prohibited.

It is a pre WWI 1896 in 7.63 with a barrel length much greater than 105mm. No select fire that I can see.

So assuming the Feds have made a mistake in classification, now do I go about changing this?

Also, I have 12(6). Can I take a prohib to the range with my restricted handguns and shoot it? I can't recall.

Thanks.
 
Sharkson said:
Hmmmm. I have not fired my grandfathers 1896 for more than 20 years. I was hoping to take it to the range and looked up this thread. I went and checked my reg certificate and it is classed as Prohibited.

It is a pre WWI 1896 in 7.63 with a barrel length much greater than 105mm. No select fire that I can see.

So assuming the Feds have made a mistake in classification, now do I go about changing this?

Also, I have 12(6). Can I take a prohib to the range with my restricted handguns and shoot it? I can't recall.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

You will have to contact the RCMP and probably the pistol will have to be verified, but they should change it without a hassle when chambered in 7.63.

Yes, if you are grandfathered for 12-6, you can shoot your prohibited-for-barrel-length pistol at the range.
 
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