[Shelly]

This gun has been touched up with cold blue which I despise but then it has two periods of Austrian provenance, at least one of which is post WWI Austrian Air Force. So it wasn't that hard a decision to buy the thing. The unit mark on the gripstrap is for the Austrian Fliegerregiment Nr.2, one of two in the post WWI Austrian armed forces. I think I read "somewhere" that the Austrians bought the Broomhandles in WWI for their airforce. Is this a firearms urban legend?

The wear pattern on the bottom of the barrel indicates that the gun was used with a holster stock at one time.

Download Attachment: C-96 Austrian Airforce - L.gif
261.09 KB period.

Download Attachment: C-96 Austrian Airforce - R.gif
265.21 KB

Download Attachment: C-96 Austrian Airforce - T - acceptance stamps.gif
190.42 KB

Download Attachment: C-96 Austrian Airforce - GS unit mark.gif
231.51 KB

 

[Edward Tinker]

Actually, I think cold blue will come off?

Otherwise, nice broom.

Ed

 

[lugerlou]

Shelly

Another very interesting unit marked broom,thankyou for the photo's.Do you know if their was any carry over of these weapons into the third reich when Hitlers forces annexed Austria.

 

[Jan C Still]

Shelly
Outstanding find. Do you have a key to Austrian unit stamps?
Jan

 

[Shelly]

Guys:

Yes, cold blue will come off but I'm not sure of what's underneath. Notice the odd, oval area of blue on the left frame in the panel above the grip. I don't want an odd looking gun.

I would think these weapons would have been kept in use but not in the annexed military. The only exception would be the recalibered Steyr-Hahn pistols. Other guns would likely have been kept for the police and paramilitary but not for frontline use. They were too valuable to throw away.

I found a 1937 OB of the Austrian armed forces on the internet. There are WWI OB's on the "Austro-Hungarian Army 1848-1918" website (http://www.austro-hungarian-army.co.uk/) and they are good about answering posted questions.