Mauser C96 Schnellfeuer
Mauser · Pistol · Discontinued · 1932
Also known as: Mauser Model 712, Schnellfeuer, Reihenfeuerpistole, Machine Pistol 712
Overview
The Mauser C96 Schnellfeuer (Model 712) is a German select-fire machine pistol, a fully automatic development of the C96 'broomhandle' pistol introduced in 1932. Designed by Mauser engineer Karl Westinger, it added a frame-mounted fire selector switch and a detachable 10- or 20-round box magazine to the classic short-recoil C96 mechanism, allowing the shooter to choose between single shots and full-automatic fire. Chambered almost exclusively in 7.63x25mm Mauser, it cycles at roughly 950 rounds per minute, which makes it nearly uncontrollable when fired from the hand but surprisingly effective when braced with its detachable wooden shoulder stock. Mauser created the Schnellfeuer as a response to Spanish gunmakers such as Astra and Beistegui Hermanos, who had begun selling unlicensed selective-fire C96 copies into the lucrative Chinese market. Just over 100,000 were produced in the 1930s, the vast majority exported to China, where they served warlord, Nationalist, and Communist forces alike.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1300 g (45.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 312 mm (12.28") |
| Barrel Length | 140 mm (5.51") |
| Action Type | Short Recoil |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 20 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 425 m/s (1394 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 545 J (402 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 100 m (109 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1000 m (1094 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 950 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 254 mm (10.00") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7.63x25mm Mauser · primary — also known as .30 Mauser, .30 Mauser Automatic, 7.63mm Mauser
- 9x19mm Parabellum · 9mm NATO — also known as 9mm Luger, 9mm NATO, 9x19mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Hammer Safety
- Features: Selective Fire, Detachable Box Magazine, Fire Selector Switch, Adjustable Tangent Rear Sight, Detachable Wooden Shoulder Stock, Broomhandle Grip, Bolt Locking System
Variants
- Mauser M712 Schnellfeuer Bolo — Compact
Base model
Service history
Operators
- Republic of China Armed Forces · as Box Cannon
- Schutzstaffel (SS) · as Reihenfeuerpistole
- Wehrmacht
- Yugoslav Partisans
Conflicts
- Chinese Civil War (1927-1949)
- Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945)
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 100,000 · Production years: 1932-1938
Just over 100,000 made by Mauser in the 1930s, the majority exported to China
Origin
Country of origin: Germany
Designer: Karl Westinger
Discontinued: 1938
Notes
The Schnellfeuer (German for 'rapid fire') is frequently catalogued by Mauser's commercial designation Model 712 and, in German service, as the Reihenfeuerpistole. Two competing select-fire mechanisms existed: an earlier Josef Nickl design and the simpler, more reliable Karl Westinger design that Mauser ultimately adopted for series production. Most examples used the long 140mm barrel, though a shorter 'Bolo' length was also made. A small number reached the Waffen-SS during World War II.
Background
Mauser only built the Schnellfeuer because Spanish gunmakers had beaten them to it, flooding China with unlicensed full-auto C96 clones; the company essentially had to copy a copy of its own pistol to win back the market. At nearly 950 rounds per minute a 20-round magazine empties in well under two seconds, so without its detachable wooden stock the gun climbs almost vertically and is considered nearly impossible to control one-handed.