Red 9 c96 Mauser, Good buy or get rid?

[BoltActionHero]

Bought this about 2 years ago... STILL haven't fired it because I have not been to a range since I moved.

Price: $950

Details...
Not sure if the grips are original, I think one MAY be. The rear sight looks like it may have had some work done. It has a fire blue Universal saftey. After looking up the serial number, it appears to be one that was produced as a late model in the 1930s... Perhaps one of the chinese production?

With this model, the floor plate, spring and follower can be removed from the pistol. A small magazine catch mechanism slides in and attaches to the "button". This allows a removable magazine to be inserted into the magazine well. But I don't have said Magazine, just the original springpiece. It has no import markings I can find. The Mauser symbol on the left side above the grip is well worn and can only partially be made out.

So... opinions? Any signs of reworking from the pictures? Any value assessment?

 

[atilla]

i can't help with your questions (sorry), but i'd shoot the living hell out of that thing. totally awesome piece.

 

[THUNDERCHIEF]

I think its flipp'n cool man. Cant offer any value assessment. I wish I owned one.

 

[Chuck Would]

From what I can see in the pictures it's been re-finished. I own one in .30 and another in 9MM.

 

[BoltActionHero]

From what I can see in the pictures it's been re-finished. I own one in .30 and another in 9MM.

Aw nuts...

 

[JuergenG]

IS IT A 9mm?
She appears to have been reblued. The internal mag is loaded by using stripper clips,
no need for a mag which weren't used with Red Nines a.k.a. Model 1916.

 

[Speedway]

You have pitting under the blueing so it was assuredly reblued in the past.

 

[TFLeader]

Check the bore. If it looks very good it may have been relined. Check GB for prices.

 

[sheriff dudley]

Back in the late 80s alot of C96s came in from CHINA and none were in 9MM but most were pitted on the outside
and in the bores so most were refinished and as someone mentiond bluing over pits means such! a goodly amount
of these were sleaved for 9MM to make them more appealing to the avg shooter, I own a RED-9 and suposedly
only 125.000 were made it should be apparent if the barrel is sleaved, take a magnifying glass and look at the
muzzel directly and you should see a deffinate ring just outside the bore, if you have one of these CHIN-9s
then someone took advantage of you! but if it is a RED-9 you made a good buy!! S.D.

 

[EddieCoyle]

I bet your barrel is not sleeved. It's a replacement.

I have one exactly like yours. It was refinished by a company called Oyster Bay Industries about 30 years ago. Oyster Bay also made 9mm uppers, replica red 9 grips, and the magazine catch you mentioned (along with magazines to fit it). They sold complete guns that were reblued and refinished .30 Mausers with their own 9mm uppers and red 9 grips.

They've been out of business for a while, but you might be able to find some mags on Gunbroker. I did.

 

[sheriff dudley]

I bet your barrel is not sleeved. It's a replacement.

I have one exactly like yours. It was refinished by a company called Oyster Bay Industries about 30 years ago. Oyster Bay also made 9mm uppers, replica red 9 grips, and the magazine catch you mentioned (along with magazines to fit it). They sold complete guns that were reblued and refinished .30 Mausers with their own 9mm uppers and red 9 grips.

They've been out of business for a while, but you might be able to find some mags on Gunbroker. I did.

I see SER# 886189 on his barrel,did they stamp the ser# on the replacement barrel on your pistol ??
the one stamped on his looks original, but if yours is "forced matched" then you might be right!!! S.D.

 

[BoltActionHero]

Back in the late 80s alot of C96s came in from CHINA and none were in 9MM but most were pitted on the outside
and in the bores so most were refinished and as someone mentiond bluing over pits means such! a goodly amount
of these were sleaved for 9MM to make them more appealing to the avg shooter, I own a RED-9 and suposedly
only 125.000 were made it should be apparent if the barrel is sleaved, take a magnifying glass and look at the
muzzel directly and you should see a deffinate ring just outside the bore, if you have one of these CHIN-9s
then someone took advantage of you! but if it is a RED-9 you made a good buy!! S.D.

So I found a picture online of a sleeved barrel and carefully inspected the muzzel and... NO RING! Thank God, that would have been a bit of a downer right there.

I bet your barrel is not sleeved. It's a replacement.

I have one exactly like yours. It was refinished by a company called Oyster Bay Industries about 30 years ago. Oyster Bay also made 9mm uppers, replica red 9 grips, and the magazine catch you mentioned (along with magazines to fit it). They sold complete guns that were reblued and refinished .30 Mausers with their own 9mm uppers and red 9 grips.

They've been out of business for a while, but you might be able to find some mags on Gunbroker. I did.

One of the grips is definitely a repro... but something tells me the other one isn't it. It looks like the 9 was burned on there where the other one was clearly molded that way.

Also, maybe I'm just being optimistic, but I don't think it's a replacement barrel either. My reasoning is that if you take a look at the below pictures the first one shows pitting that matches the ones on the handle, also blued over.

This picture below also shows a proof stamp and a very faint arsenal marking (i think) Just forward of the Oberndorf Mauser letters.

Again... possibly just despirately optimistic, but I thought it relevant.