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The Famous Mauser C96 Pistol
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About the Mauser C96 “Broomhandle”
The Mauser C96, nicknamed the “Broomhandle” for its round wooden grip, was one of the world’s first commercially successful semi-automatic pistols. It was designed by the Feederle brothers at the Mauser factory in the mid-1890s and stayed in production until 1937, carried by officers, explorers and soldiers around the world.
What makes the C96 different
- Magazine in front of the trigger: the internal box magazine sits ahead of the trigger guard, which gives the pistol its long, front-heavy profile. It is loaded from the top with stripper clips.
- Fast bottlenecked cartridge: the original 7.63x25mm Mauser round was unusually quick for a pistol cartridge of its day. Later “Red 9” models were chambered in 9mm Parabellum.
- Holster-stock: many C96s came with a wooden holster that attached to the grip and worked as a shoulder stock.
Why it still matters
The C96 is one of the most recognizable pistols ever made. Winston Churchill carried one at the Battle of Omdurman in 1898, and its look has made it a favorite with collectors ever since. Condition, markings and matching numbers drive value, so look closely before you buy one. Vintage pistols reward good care, so find cleaning supplies at Brownells, and always wear electronic hearing protection and eye protection at the range. Follow your local laws.
Where to buy the gear mentioned in this post
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My Top Pick For A Hunting Rifle Under $2,000
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Choosing a hunting rifle under $2,000
Finding a reliable hunting rifle under $2,000 is easier when you know which features actually affect accuracy in the field. In the video, we take bolt-action rifles priced between $1,000 and $2,000 out to 400 yards and see how the build quality and stock furniture, including premium AAA-grade walnut stocks, hold up under real shooting.
What to look for
- Accuracy you can verify: a rifle should shoot tight, repeatable groups with the ammo you plan to hunt with. Test before you trust it, and stock up on hunting ammo at Natchez Shooting & Outdoors.
- Stock material: walnut looks great and feels classic, while synthetic stocks usually handle wet weather and rough treatment better. If you want to upgrade later, WOOX makes aftermarket stocks and chassis.
- Trigger: a clean, crisp trigger, ideally adjustable, makes long shots much easier to place.
- Weight and barrel length: a lighter rifle is easier to carry all day, and a heavier one is steadier at the bench.
- Caliber: match it to your game and distances. Popular choices include .308 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor and .30-06.
- Your optic budget: a rifle can only be as accurate as the scope and mounts on top of it, so plan to spend real money there. OpticsPlanet is a good place to compare riflescopes.
Scouting before the season helps too, and the onX Hunt app shows maps and land boundaries. Watch the video above for our top pick and the rifles we would skip.
Where to buy the gear mentioned in this post
- Shop ammo and hunting gear at Natchez
- Shop WOOX rifle stocks
- Shop scopes, optics and gear at OpticsPlanet
- Get the onX Hunt app
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This Rifle Actually FLOATS! ? (ArmaLite AR-7 Explorer)
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The ArmaLite AR-7 Explorer
The ArmaLite AR-7 Explorer is a .22 LR survival rifle designed by Eugene Stoner in 1959. Its best trick is that the whole rifle breaks down and stores inside its own waterproof, foam-filled stock, and yes, it floats.
What makes the AR-7 special
- Takedown design: the barrel, action and magazines pack away inside the hollow stock, so the rifle is compact and light to carry.
- Floating stock: the sealed, foam-filled stock keeps the packed rifle afloat, which suited it to boaters, pilots and backpackers.
- Quick to assemble: as the video shows, you can put it together in well under a minute.
- Affordable cartridge: .22 LR ammo is inexpensive and widely available. Browse range ammo at True Shot Ammo, and use ShellShock electronic hearing protection on range days.
A design that lasted
Eugene Stoner is best known for the AR-15 platform, but the AR-7 shows a different side of his work. After ArmaLite, the design was produced by other makers, and Henry Repeating Arms sells a version today as the Henry U.S. Survival rifle, so the concept is still easy to find. Keep any takedown rifle clean with supplies from Brownells.
Where to buy the gear mentioned in this post
- Shop ammo at True Shot Ammo
- Shop ShellShock electronic hearing protection
- Shop parts, tools and cleaning gear at Brownells
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Suppressed MP40! ? Shooting a Legendary WWII Gun!
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A suppressed MP40 at the range
Ever wondered what a suppressed MP40 sounds like? In this video, we take this iconic WWII-era German submachine gun to the range for some suppressed shooting. It is a real piece of military history with a very unique sound.
About the MP40
- Name and caliber: MP40 stands for Maschinenpistole 40, and it fires 9x19mm Parabellum. Fill your range bag with 9mm from True Shot Ammo.
- Built for production: it used stamped steel and plastic furniture, which made it quicker and cheaper to manufacture than older machine pistols.
- Folding stock: the underfolding stock made it compact for vehicle crews and paratroopers.
- Magazine and rate of fire: it fed from a 32-round magazine and cycled at a modest rate of around 500 rounds per minute, which made it easy to control.
Suppressors and legality
In the United States, suppressors and fully automatic firearms are regulated under the National Firearms Act, and state laws vary. Check your local rules before buying or shooting either one. If suppressors are legal where you live, Anechoic makes titanium suppressors. Even with a suppressed gun, wear electronic hearing protection.
Where to buy the gear mentioned in this post
- Shop ammo at True Shot Ammo
- Shop Anechoic suppressors (where legal)
- Shop ShellShock electronic hearing protection
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M1 Garand – The Legendary WWII Rifle That Still Impresses!
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The M1 Garand
The M1 Garand is one of the most iconic American military rifles ever made. Designed by John C. Garand at Springfield Armory and adopted in 1936, it became the standard U.S. infantry rifle through World War II and gave American troops a semi-automatic rifle when many other armies still issued bolt-actions.
Key features
- Semi-automatic and gas-operated: one trigger pull per shot, with no need to work a bolt between rounds.
- Powerful cartridge: it fires .30-06 Springfield, a proven full-power rifle round. Find ammo at True Shot Ammo or Natchez.
- En bloc clip: it loads from an 8-round clip that goes into the rifle with the ammunition, and the empty clip ejects with its famous ping.
- Built in large numbers: more than five million were made, which is why they are still around today.
Why it still impresses
Decades later, the Garand is still a rewarding rifle to shoot and a favorite of collectors and history buffs. Many shooters get theirs through the Civilian Marksmanship Program, which sells them to eligible buyers. Surplus-era rifles also reward good care, so stock up on cleaning supplies at Brownells and wear ShellShock hearing protection at the range.
Where to buy the gear mentioned in this post
- Shop ammo at True Shot Ammo
- Shop ammo and hunting gear at Natchez
- Shop parts, tools and cleaning gear at Brownells
- Shop ShellShock electronic hearing protection
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Ranking Every Rifle Under $1,000: What You Need To Know
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Ranking every rifle under $1,000
Searching for a capable bolt-action rifle without breaking the bank? We ranked the best options under $1,000. Finding a reliable firearm in the $500 to $1,000 price point is often a gamble, so we put a variety of models through their paces, evaluating build quality and ergonomics to see which ones actually deliver.
How we test
- Real-world shooting performance: how each rifle handles recoil, cycling and general accuracy.
- Build quality and ergonomics: separating reliable platforms from ones that compromise too much.
- Value: which models offer the most for your money.
Finish the setup
You will need a scope, so compare options at OpticsPlanet. Find ammo at Natchez and True Shot Ammo, and get tools and cleaning supplies at Brownells.
Subscribe for weekly rifle breakdowns, and comment if you want to see a specific caliber or model in our next round of testing.
Where to buy the gear mentioned in this post
- Shop scopes, optics and gear at OpticsPlanet
- Shop ammo and hunting gear at Natchez
- Shop ammo at True Shot Ammo
- Shop parts, tools and cleaning gear at Brownells
Affiliate links: I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.