The Mauser brothers and their company, the famous Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken A.G. (DWM) concern, was perhaps the world’s premier bolt-action rifle makers for decades and armed the military of their own country and dozens of others with their rifles. They also made millions of pistols, the best know of these being the Luger series and the C96 “Broomhandle” Mauser. Then there was the much smaller and often forgotten “other” pistols.
Why were they made?
DWM had come out strong in the full-sized military pistol market by 1908, with their 7.63x25mm, 7.62x21mm (.30 caliber Luger) and 9mm C96 and P08 offerings. These guns were even sold with extended magazines, extra length barrels, and buttstocks, which in effect could turn them into carbines for cavalry and artillery use. However, they were lacking a smaller pocket and vest style gun that could be carried by gentlemen who desired such additional protection of their person and by staff officers who likely only needed a pistol as a badge of honor– not for a firefight.
That’s where the Mauser M1910/14/34 pistols came in.
Read the rest in my column at Firearms Talk
