Mauser C96

The Mauser C96, one of the earliest automatic pistols, was tested on March 15, 1895, and first fired by Kaiser Wilhelm II on August 20, 1896. Its popularity grew after that, with Winston Churchill carrying one during the Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902). The pistol became iconic during the Russian Civil War (1918–1922), favored by Red Army commanders like Semyon Budyonny. The legendary bandit and convinced anarchist Nestor Makhno also used a Mauser C96 as a combat weapon. In early Soviet times, the Mauser C96 was awarded to Red Army commanders for their service, often adorned with gold plates and inscriptions.