Mauser M712

This miniature model is gilded and decorated with engravings in the shape of oak leaves. It was made in 2008 for the 10th anniversary of Astana, the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The Mauser 712, a select-fire variant of the C96, was developed in the 1930s and featured a detachable magazine along with the ability to switch between semi-automatic and fully automatic fire, thanks to a fire selector designed by arms engineer Friedrich Westinger. With a high rate of fire of around 850 rounds per minute, it surpassed the firing rates of some early machine guns. Though its use by German forces in World War II was limited, some units employed it, appreciating its compact firepower, though it was not widely used in specialized roles such as anti-aircraft artillery.