Mauser Model C96

It’s an odd looking pistol, but I love it. The Mauser C96, the famous “Broom handle”, was on the world stage from 1896 to 1945. Winston Churchill had one and used it in the Battle of Omdurman and in the Boer War. Lawrence of Arabia carried one in the desert. It went through a few design variations, the largest being a detachable magazine in the 1930s. The Mauser C96 was even the basis for Han Solo’s blaster in the movie Star Wars.

They’re still around today in shootable condition. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a chance to shoot one sometime. You won’t forget it.