Refinished or Original: Tips To Spotting a Refinished Mauser C/96 Broomhandle Pistol

Today we're looking at some tips on what to look for to spot a reblued or otherwise refinished Mauser C/96 Broomhandle pistol. The tangent sight is often a giveaway, as is the hammer and the bolt. We'll look at a very old and subtle refinish that was extremely well done, and try to offer some tips on what to look for so you know what you are buying.

[@David-fp7yc]

Spot on!
Some of the more obvious refinished examples would be a rounded chamber address, sharp edges are gone, blued barrel crown, and parts that are supposed to be in the white are blued.
Thank you for sharing!

[@historicmilitaria]

Yep, 100% correct. Definitely almost any gun that came from China will have that. The refinish in this video really was almost imperceptible except for a slight difference in color and the polishing that's pointed out. Really wish I knew when and why it was done.