Mauser C96 9 mm self-loading pistol, 1916 (c)

The German Mauser could fire 10 shots before being reloaded, four more than the British Army's standard revolver. Its long barrel and high-velocity cartridges gave it superior range and better penetration than most other standard pistols and revolvers of the day. With its box magazine and wooden holster doubling as a shoulder stock, the weapon also had a unique style.

The weapon was popular amongst some British Army officers who carried them in the 2nd Sudan War (1896-1898) and the Boer War (1898-1900). In the Sudan, Winston Churchill carried a Mauser, privately purchased in London, when he charged with 21st Lancers at the Battle of Omdurman (1898). Perhaps even more famously, a Mauser C96 formed the basis for Han Solo's DL-44 Blastech blaster pistol in the original Star Wars film trilogy. This example, which takes 9 mm rather than 7.63 mm ammunition, dates from World War One (1914-1918).