Shanxi Type 17
Taiyuan Arsenal · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1928
Also known as: Shansei Type 17, Shansi Type 17, Shanxi .45 Broomhandle, Chinese .45 C96
Overview
The Shanxi Type 17 is an enlarged Chinese copy of the Mauser C96 'broomhandle,' scaled up to chamber the powerful American .45 ACP cartridge. It was built at the Taiyuan (Shanxi) Arsenal from roughly 1928 to 1931 under warlord Yan Xishan, who chose .45 ACP so that his pistols and his locally produced Thompson submachine guns could share a single cartridge. Fewer than about 9,000 were made, and it remains one of the rarest and most sought-after broomhandle variants.
Specifications
| 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 | 10 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 260 m/s (853 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 500 J (369 ft·lbf) |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .45 ACP · primary — also known as .45 Auto, .45 Automatic, 11.43x23mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Internal Box Magazine, Stripper Clip
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety Lever
- Features: Enlarged Broomhandle Frame, Detachable Shoulder Stock Holster, Tangent Rear Sight, Stripper Clip Loading, Arsenal Markings
Service history
Operators
- Shanxi Clique (Jinsui Army of Yan Xishan) · adopted 1928 · as Type 17
Conflicts
- Central Plains War (1930)
- Chinese Civil War (1927-1949)
- Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 8,500 · Production years: 1928-1931
Roughly 8,000-9,000 made; many surviving examples reportedly destroyed after the Communist victory, making originals rare. 1980s US imports were poor-quality reproductions, not genuine originals.
Origin
Country of origin: China
Discontinued: 1931
Notes
'Type 17' marks the 17th year of the Republic of China (1928). It retains the C96's fixed top-loaded 10-round magazine fed by stripper clips, hammer-fired single-action lockwork, and a wooden combination shoulder-stock/holster, but with an oversized frame to handle the fat .45 round. Beware unreliable online figures: a 607 m/s muzzle velocity quoted on some wikis is a 7.63mm-Mauser carry-over and is wrong for .45 ACP.
Background
Warlord Yan Xishan's armorers super-sized the iconic German broomhandle so his soldiers could feed it the same fat .45 ACP rounds as their Tommy guns, creating a logistically tidy but gloriously oversized 'hand cannon' found nowhere else on earth. Most were scrapped after the Communists won, making the Shanxi .45 a holy-grail oddity for collectors.