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LOT 428
Extremely Rare Early Production Serial Number 3
German Mauser Model 06/08 Semi-Automatic Pistol
- Serial no. 3, 9 mm Mauser (Export) cal., 4 3/4 inch round
bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. This is an exceptionally
rare Mauser Model 06/08 semi-automatic pistol, one
of less than 100 believed to have been manufactured
in total, with this early serial number 3 example being
chambered in 9x25mm Mauser Export caliber, and others
known to have been chambered for the experimental
9x21mm Mauser cartridge. Scaled down from a semi-
automatic rifle design, these early pistols were an attempt
by Paul Mauser to improve on the Mauser Model 1896
Broomhandle pistols. It was a new and unique design
with several revolutionary features, notably the forward
located detachable spring-loaded magazine with a bolt
hold open. During firing of the pistol, after the last shot,
the hold open device located at the rear of the magazine
follower retains the bolt in its rearward position, thereby
indicating to the user that the magazine is empty and
ready for a quick exchange. On other known 06/08 pistols,
such as serial number 51 (RIAC auction 87 lot 1405), the
bolt remains in the rearward position after removing
the magazine, whereas on this example, serial number
3, the bolt returns forward upon removal of an empty
magazine. The pistol also features a dual “flapper” locking
mechanism positioned directly behind the breech bolt,
which unlocks after the upper assembly has initiated its
movement rearwards, in turn making way for the bolt to
travel rearwards. Although very strong, it was also very
complicated and expensive to manufacture. A similar
internal working system was later used in the Mauser
M1916 self-loading rifles. The pistol has a 4 3/4 inch round
barrel, detachable magazine located in front of the trigger
guard, fixed front and rear sights, and a one-piece wrap-
around finely checkered walnut grip. The underside of the
barrel is marked in a single line with “8,85. 9,12” with some
more faint illegible numbers. The matching serial number
“3” is visible throughout including the magazine.