Description for Item # 254268821
Subaltern Winston Churchill used one of these 9/2/1898 at Omdurman when he rode with the 21st Lancers in the last cavalry charge of British arms, during the Mahdi 'war' in the Sudan. He wrote later the new Mauser autoloader accounted for several 'fuzzywuzzies' among the 11,000 tribesmen facing them. This was the first truly successful autoloading pistol, and a marvel of German engineering. The only screw in the gun holds the grips on! Accurate, and the hottest pistol round on the market, the 7.63 mm (.30) Mauser sold more than 1 million examples in the next 30 years, many of them in China, and caused lookalikes there and in Spain. The Russians copied the cartridge for their Tokarev sidearm. This example likely served in WWI. In WWII it was taken from a German officer on Omaha Beach in Normandy by a beachmaster and brought to MO. I worked with that man and when he died, bought several weapons from his widow. I've now owned this Mauser since 1960 and doubt I've put 10 rds through it. It really should be in a museum! Everything matches -- the parts of the weapon, the holster/stock iron... The stamped 1917 leatherwork includes not only the cleaning jag but a spare magazine spring. Condition? At least 95% on wood & metal, in and out; 70% on the leather. I truly hate to offer this pistol for sale, and would not if I could afford to keep it for another 20 years or so... Questions? Ask. Frankly, I almost hope it doesn't sell!

Originally posted by oldshooter1979
reply to post by GrandpaDave

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Nice weapon, I have seen them in full auto-mode. Is this one full or just semi? I am also a fan of the Luger, they too are somewhat costly these days..