VERY EARLY EXPERIMENTAL MAUSER STEP-BARREL CONEHAMMER C96 CARBINE FROM KING FAROUK OF EGYPT’S COLLECTION.
SN NSN. Extraordinary experimental C96 carbine, unmarked, unnumbered and in-the-white, whose generally oversized dimensions differ in every respect from production guns. This example has a 19.5” bbl, proofed on the lower surface, with a fixed front sight and a graduated but unmarked rear sight whose height is adjustable by a cursor, centrally recessed to expose the center of the sight bar. Curiously, the sight bar markings are repeated on the lower surface of the bar. As found in a number of experimental carbines, the chamber is round, rather than octagonal, and measures 1” in length. Barrel extension rib is solid and the firing fin is secured by a separate strawed retainer. The subframe assembly is 1/2” longer than usual with a different milling pattern that has no recesses in its rearmost portion. The safety, of later form, has a solid head. Corresponding to the enlarged subframe dimensions, the transfer bar is longer than usual, the sear is more acutely angled with a broader engagement surface, and the two-lug locking block is correspondingly more robust. Even the hammer is different, having an usually broad shaft. These components are all housed in a long, flatside frame whose length is 6.75” (corresponding dimension on a standard gun is 5 5/8”) and interdigitates with the floorplate as per a standard pistol. The magazine follower is longer than usual and the follower spring more robust. The carbine attaches to the stock via a squared lug measuring 2.5” (H) x 2 5/8” (V) and is secured by a spring loaded plunger button whose checkered head protrudes from the left side. Two screws, one on each side, attach the lug to the hollowed stock, made from two pieces of walnut-stained birch, whose lid hinges on the left side. There is no provision for a tensioning spring inside the lid that snaps closed securely. Due to wood swelling, the carbine cannot enter the stock sufficiently to allow lid closure. This was a ballistic test gun, firing data for the longer cartridge with a 1.5 gm load (cf standard C96 load of 0.5 gm) being given in Wille, “Mauser Selbstalader”, Versuch 8, 1896. Chamber casting shows the cartridge case, which is otherwise unknown, to have been 44 mm long, with straight tapered body and minimal shoulder. PROVENANCE: Collection of Dr. Geoffrey Sturgess, ex-Visser collection, ex-Fred Datig, ex-King Farouk of Egypt’s collection. illustr. Schroeder, “System Mauser” p181, TBLAP. CONDITION: The Carbine is all in-the-white (except for the strawed firing pin retainer) and remains as bright, lightly cleaned metal, with sharp edges, expected machine tool marks and only minimal staining. The same holds true for the stock lug, hinge and other stock fixtures. The wood is a replacement made by the Mauserwerke in the 1960s for Henk Visser when he was their sales director and owned the gun, being birch rather than walnut, and made from two pieces. Bright, mirror-like bore with strong rifling. Perfect fit of carbine to stock lug and perfect mechanics. A truly extraordinary, one-of-a kind Conehammer carbine whose rarity and charisma would be the pride of any collector. 4-52078 LMA14 (35,000-50,000) – L
