Loading the German C96 semi-automatic pistol involves inserting cartridges into its magazine and chambering a round. The C96’s unique design features a detachable box magazine that holds ten rounds of 7.6325mm Mauser ammunition. To load the magazine, cartridges are inserted into the top of the magazine and pushed down until they are fully seated. Once the magazine is loaded, it is inserted into the pistol’s grip and locked in place.
To chamber a round, the slide is pulled back and released, stripping a cartridge from the magazine and feeding it into the chamber. The C96’s unique “broomhandle” design allows the shooter to grip the pistol with both hands, providing greater control and stability during firing. The pistol’s high rate of fire and large magazine capacity made it a formidable weapon in close-quarters combat during World War I and World War II.