I have always been a fan of the C96 “Broomhandle” Mausers and not sure what is at the root of the attraction. Maybe because it was a pistol ahead of its time, maybe because of its distinctive look with the magazine forward of the trigger as opposed to inside the grip like with modern autoloaders; it’s hard to say. The “96” part of the designation stood for the year of its release – 1896. Originally in caliber 7.63 with a 10 round box magazine, it was copied by Spanish and Chinese manufacturers and saw action all over the world for more than half of the last century. The M712 Schnellfeuer (rapid fire) was the select fire version of the C96. Suffice that the C96 and M712 are iconic and historical firearms and this replica BB CO2 pistol will satisfy the collector in you while also providing many hours of enjoyable shooting. After going over the instruction manual to be certain I was familiar with any unique operational differences from the many CO2 pistols I’ve had the pleasure of shooting, I was ready to take it outside. Of all metal construction, the M712 has the heft of its real counterpart with the controls in the same places as the original and even a lanyard ring at the base of the grip. The smoothbore barrel is made of brass and is 4 ¾ inches long. In keeping with the original there is a ladder type rear sight, but with the M712’s limited range, you won’t do much with it. It sports plastic grips made to resemble real wood with a slot in back to accommodate the wooden stock/holster that came with some original guns to turn them into carbines. Umarex does not sell a replica stock at this time but I understand some internet sites have an aftermarket version.
The drop-free magazine holds both the 12 gram CO2 cartridge and 18 BBs. To charge the magazine: remove the threaded plug from the magazine’s base using the provided hex key, insert the cartridge and replace the threaded plug. (Umarex recommends placing a drop of high quality silicone oil on the tip before insertion.) Once assembled, but before piercing or loading with BBs, install the magazine into the pistol. Then, continue to screw in the threaded plug until the cartridge is pierced. Point the muzzle in a safe direction, pull back the charging handle and fire the pistol to make sure the CO2 is flowing. Remove the magazine and proceed to load BBs. It is possible to load 20 BBs, but don’t do it – the follower will not work properly and you’ll wind up with feed problems.
The bolt does not lock back on this airgun version, so clearing a stuck BB is definitely a two hand operation. Also, when firing full auto mode you will waste some gas not realizing the mag is empty and it is time to release the trigger. The M712 was a whole lot of fun to shoot, especially in the rock n’ roll mode, with one drawback: it was slow to load. It is possible to purchase extra magazines, but if Umarex could figure a way to help speed loading and/or hold more rounds, it would be just about perfect.
I’m not sure how to gauge the rate of fire, but it was fast. You can empty a full magazine in just 3 or 4 seconds. Of course, being CO2 driven, this does not efficiently utilize the gas so velocity drops during full auto firing, but it is a blast! (Please pardon the pun…) Have plenty of CO2 cartridges on hand because you’ll go through them quickly – and have great fun doing it!
After firing a couple of magazines to break-in the airgun you are ready to strike fear into the hearts of pop cans everywhere. Accuracy was very good at 7 yards and the trigger was quite nice. The chronograph showed an average reading of 357.4 FPS from a 5 shot string on a 64 degree day at 6,000 feet. The safety is excellent and disengages the trigger when the lever is pushed up.
Being a hundred twenty-something year old design, it’s different than what you are used to but proficiency comes quickly. If you have interest in famous military arms or just want to have a great time plinking in your backyard, you owe it to yourself to check out this well-made airgun. MSRP is in the $120.00 range and it comes with a 90 day warranty. Airguns of Arizona (www.airgunsofarizona.com) can certainly be your connection to this and any of the Legends replicas from Umarex.