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EXCEEDINGLY RARE SYSTEM MAUSER C96 WITH STEPPED BARREL.

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:3,000.00 USD Estimated At:6,000.00 - 8,500.00 USD
EXCEEDINGLY RARE SYSTEM MAUSER C96 WITH STEPPED BARREL.
SN 444. Caliber 7.63mm. Mauser made fewer than 200 stepped bbl C96s. Though most had a serial number under 200, a small number of parts were assembled and serialized at a later date. This gun underscores that practice. It has a 5.5" bbl and a pinned 1-10 rear sight. "System Mauser" is marked in capitals on the chamber. A Crown U was marked on the left side of the bbl extension. There are no markings on the right side or anywhere on the frame except for the serial number that appears on the backstrap just below the locking lever. As true for all Conehammers, the bolt has a long extractor and separately retained firing pin. Though most stepped bbl System Mausers had solid rails, as a later assembled example, this gun has grooved rails. The same consideration holds for the grips. Early System Mauser pistols had checkered panels. This gun, having been assembled later, has serrated grips. Normally the small parts on this pistol would have been fire blued except the trigger that would have been lightly strawed or left in the white. Detailed disassembly shows all matching parts (including the firing pin) except for the floorplate that is #417. The grips are internally stamped in "A 444" and have no recesses. PROVENANCE: Joseph J. Schroeder, Jr. Collection. CONDITION: Although the gun presents very nicely, it is a gray gun with only traces of the original blue in the protected areas of the bbl extension and inside the trigger guard. There is no remaining fire blue on any of the small parts. The grips are dark with scattered dings and wear from considerable handling. No chips or splits. System Mausers are considered the holy grail of C96 collectors and are highly sought in any condition. 4-48547 LMA31