Identifying a Refinished or Reblued Mauser C/96 Broomhandle

Comparison of a correct rust blued pistol (top) and a correct salt blued pistol (bottom)

The Mauser C/96 Broomhandle pistol was manufactured between 1896 until about 1936, and over a million examples were made.  In the subsequent years, a myriad of fates befell these pistols.  A small handful survive in essentially new condition, while others have seen long years of hard service and barely function.  Over time, many C/96 pistols were refinished – either by arsenals or private individuals.  In this post, we’re going to examine some of the ways to tell if a C/96 has been refinished or otherwise tampered with.  Keep in mind that this is just a guide, and that nothing can be a substitute for years of looking at C/96 pistols and being familiar with what looks right.  These are just the basics for a beginner contemplating a purchase.

First, know what is the proper C/96 finish for a given time period.  C/96 pistols got two different kinds of blue at the Mauser factory; a rust blue from the start of production until about the early 700,000 serial range, or a salt blue from the 700,000 range until the end of production.  Rust blued guns have a blue/black matte finish, while salt blued guns have a shiny black finish.

Mauser further accentuated their guns using a fire blue finish on small parts until late production (in the 800,000 range).  A fire blue is a deep iridescent blue on small parts such as the extractor, bolt stop trigger, and rear sight cursor.  In late production guns these parts are salt blued like the rest of the gun, and will have the characteristic shiny black finish.  Fire blue fades, and an original pistol can have totally faded fire blue.  Look for evidence of polishing or overly shiny bolt or rear sight to tip you off that the gun may have been refinished.

When Red 9 pistols were reworked in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s to comply with the treaty of Versailles, some of the small parts were salt blued rather than rust blued.  It’s perfectly normal to find an arsenal reworked Red 9 with salt blued small parts, and is proper for this variant.  Arsenal reworked Red 9 pistols are generally identified by their shortened barrel and 1920 stamp on the gun.

To further confuse the matter, Mauser left early triggers (from start of production until the 15,000 range) “in the white.”  These triggers have no finish, and are a smooth shiny steel (not pictured in this article).  Mauser then switched to a strawed from the 20,000 range until the late 100,000 range.  Strawed triggers have a gold appearance, although this often wears off and will appear a more silvery gold.

When looking at bluing, remember that Mauser ALWAYS left the bolt, hammer, rear sight, and lock mechanism in the white, meaning that they will have no finish.  They will generally appear a matte grey color, although sometimes they will oxidize darker.  Either way, they will not have blue on them.  Evidence of being polished, or being extremely shiny is a sure sign that the gun might have been refinished.

Also check the markings on a C/96 for overall crispness.  Most reblued guns (even well reblued) will have a general fuzziness to markings, or have areas of pitting that the new coat of blue covers.  Additionally, look the gun over for evidence of a plum color in the blue.  Except for some very late production guns (the late 800,000-early 900,000 range), C/96 pistol should not have a plum color in their blue.  Even the small number of Mauser guns that did turn plum have it limited to the upper portion of the gun.

Overly shiny blue is also a cause for concern.  Rust blue on a C/96 is a matte color that does not overly reflect light.  Shiny blue can mean that the gun was polished heavily before bluing and is reflecting a lot of light, something not seen in factory guns.  Conversely, a salt blued gun will be a deep, shiny black, while refinished salt blued guns will most often be a dull black without much reflectivity.  (This dull black finish is seen most often on guns imported from China, and given a refinish in Chinese arsenals.)

Lastly, Mauser C/96 pistols were NEVER chromed or nickeled by the factory.  We’ve seen several so called “Presentation” guns that have a shiny finish, and are just guns that someone decided would look good refinished as such.  This was a common practice by US GIs in the immediate post WWII period who had a souvenir Luger or Broomhandle, and who wanted to make it a little more exciting.  These are interesting guns and do have some value, but nowhere near what an original C/96 has, and contrary to the stories associated with them, they were not trophies for bravery or in any way sanctioned by the German military.

These are just general tips when contemplating a purchase, and are no substitute for experience or other expert opinion.  Examine as many Broomhandles as you can, spot the subtle differences, and trust your instincts.  Error on the side of caution, and you’ll minimize your chances of getting burnt!

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