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C96 / C12 Broomhandle / Why are most C96s trash?
« on: January 19, 2016, 07:47:50 PM »
I was sitting around daydreaming about my broomhandle thats being restored, and I was thinking about how so many C96s are trashed out. I realize that there were ONLY about a million made, and there are some in better condition out there, but a whole lot are basically junk. The barrels are invariably shot out, and the general condition of them makes you wonder if someone didn't bury them in their back yard. for 02 or 30 years! There are pistols like the Colt SAA, the 1911A1, and the Luger, contemporaries of the Mauser, that rarely exhibit the utter exhaustion you see in most broomhandles. Understandably, the 7.63 is a pretty hot cartridge and could easily erode rifling with constant use, but most sidearms are not primary combat weapons so they, and police weapons, normally only get fired for practice, or as the need arises. Consider also the number of broomhandles that are lucky to have even two numbers matching! It seems then that most of the GOOD + pieces must be in collection. You don't see too many up for sale.........not unless they are totally worn out. Any thoughts on the subject?