IN 96% ORIGNAL VERY SHARP CONDITION, ALL MATCHING TO INCLUDE THE ORIGINAL MATCHING NUMBERED AND PROOFED STOCK, WE HAVE A NICE SOLID MAUSER EARLY MIL.ITARY CONTRACT 1916 PRODUCTION C96 BROOMHANDLE IN 9MM LUGER. THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT MAKE THIS ONE A REAL CORKER, THE FIRST BEING THAT THIS IS AN EARLY PRODUCTION GUN PRIOR TO THE FACTORY MARKING OF THE RED NINE ON THE GRIPS. THESE GUNS WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN ALTERED IN THE FIELD BUT SOME NEVER GOT THIS DONE AND THEY ARE QUITE RARE WITH THE UN-MAKRED GRIPS. THIS GUN HAS THE ORIGINAL MATCHING STOCK AND WHATS LEFT OF THE HARNESS.
SECONDLY AND PERHAPS MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL, THIS WAS BROUGHT BACK AND SO INSCRIBED ON THE STOCK BY CORPORAL CARL THEOBALD WHO WON THE DESTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS FOR THE CAPTURE OF A GERMAN MACHINE GUN NEST AND THE ENTIRE CREW IN OCT 1918. VERY LIKELY THIS RIG WAS CAPTURED FROM ON THE CREW AS THESE GUNS WERE USUALLY EMPLOYED FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE MACHINE GUN NESTS. THIS IS CERTAINLY A VERY EXCEPTIONAL PIECE OF WW1 HISTORY AND IT BELONGS IN A REALLY GREAT WW1 COLLECTION.
