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I had a Mauser C96 in 9mm Parabellum (red 9 burned into the grips). I acquired a beautiful wood shoulder stock holster for it. The pistol is unique that there isn't a pin used in the entire pistol and only one screw (grip screw). The magazine is ahead of the trigger guard and it loads from 10-round chargers. The magazine follower locks the bolt back on the last shot for reloading. The NS (new safety) can be applied with either the hammer down or cocked. As a young cavalry officer in the British Army, the Mauser C96 was the pistol that saved Winston Churchill's life at the Battle of Omdurman, Sudan.

The Mauser C96 was designed to be used as a pistol carbine. It was equipped with a long range rifle-type rear sight graduated to 1,000 meters. Its wooden stock was hollowed out to act as a holster for the pistol and accommodated a leather suspender to hang the pistol from a Sam Browne belt. Ammunition was loaded in 10-round chargers and carried in a cartridge box attached to the belt.

Shooting the pistol with stock attached required particular caution. The shooter had to place the thumb of the right hand alongside the pistol and not wrap it around the grip. If you forgot, when the bolt stroked back to cock the hammer for another shot, the web of your hand between the thumb and forefinger was pinched by the hammer! Painful does not begin to describe the pain. I know, because it happened to me once...and only once. Ouch!

Trivia: The Mauser C96 was never officially adopted by the German military. It was purchased by the military and issued to troops during World War I and II. It was carried by officers and enlisted. The pistol was frequently issued to machine gun crews. All Mauser C96 pistols issued to German army units had the caliber changed from 7.62 Mauser (identical to 7.62 Tokarev) to 9mm Parabellum. To prevent confusion and loading of the wrong ammunition, Army pistols had large number "9" burned into the wooden grips and filled with red paint. During World War II, some German SS units carried the Mauser Model 712 selective fire pistol that had a detachable 10- or 20-round magazine.