CODE – 01-023-929

NAME – Shansei Mauser

NAME (NATIVE) – First Model 18 Year Pattern

COMMON NAMES – 盒子炮 (Box Cannon)

TYPE – Semiautomatic pistol

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – China

DATE OF MANUFACTURE – 1929

CALIBER – 11.43x23mm (.45 ACP)

OVERALL LENGTH – 29 cm (11.42 in)

LENGTH WITH STOCK – 66.4 cm (21.14 in)

BARREL LENGTH – 14 cm (5.51 in)

STOCK LENGTH – 38.6 cm (15.20 in)

RIFLING (TYPE & TWIST) – 6 grooves, right hand twist

BULLET DIAMETER – 11.46 mm (0.451 in)

BULLET WEIGHT – 15 g (231 grains)

MUZZLE VELOCITY – 261 m/s (855 fps)

MUZZLE ENERGY – 508 j (375 ft/lb)

WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 1.60 kg (3 lb 8.4 oz)

WEIGHT (LOADED) – 1.82 kg (4 lb 0.2 oz) with 10 rounds M1911 Ball

WEIGHT (LOADED WITH STOCK) – 2.43 kg kg (5 lb 5.7 oz) with 10 rounds M1911 Ball and stock

STOCK WEIGHT – 0.61 kg (1 lb 5.5 oz)

SIGHTS – Open, iron, adjustable for range, Front sight – Barleycorn blade, Rear sight – Tangent sight with square notch, graduated from 100 to 1000 meters in 100 meter increments (109 to 1094 yards in 109 yard increments)

EFFECTIVE RANGE – 50 m (55 yards), 150 m (164 yards) with stock

OPERATION – Short recoil single action

TYPE OF FIRE – Semiautomatic

RATE OF FIRE – 30 rpm

FEED DEVICE – 10 round internal box magazine, stripper clip loaded

FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 0.02 kg (0.7 oz) [Empty 10-round stripper clip]

FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (LOADED) – 0.24 kg (8.5 oz) 10 rounds M1911 Ball on stripper clip

BASIC AMMUNITION LOAD – Ten 10-round stripper clips (100 rounds)

LOAD WEIGHT – 2.4 kg (5 lb 5 oz)

MANUFACTURER – Shansei Province Arsenal, Taiyuan, China

STATUS – Obsolete

SERVICE – China

      These weapons were manufactured during the Chinese Civil War between 1928-1931. Basically, the pistol is a reproduction of the Model 12 Mauser broomhandle, only expanded in size to be chambered for the 11.43x23mm (.45 ACP) round. The basic M1896 Broomhandle Mauser had been copied in China since about 1923, imported specimens being highly desired and widely accepted by the Chinese. Rifles came under various embargos in China but stocked pistols such as the Mauser 1896, were exempt. Most examples manufactured in China were chambered in the original 7.62x25mm (.30 Mauser) round. The warlord of Shansei Province, Yen Hsi-shan, preferred the 11.43x23mm (.45 ACP) round in part because the Arsenal was already manufacturing copies of the Model 1921 Thompson which was chambered in that round. To simplify ammunition supply, Yen His-shan ordered that the upcoming copies of the Mauser Broomhandle be chambered for that same round.

     Externally, the Shansei Mauser is identical to the original except for the magazine in front of the trigger guard. The magazine was extended to slightly below the trigger guard so that a full ten rounds could be inserted and used. Otherwise, the Shansei mauser is simply a much larger variation of the original Broomhandle. Reportedly, approximately 8,500 specimens were originally produced. An unknown number of copies were later produced in China during the 1980s for the American collector’s market.