[Stealhead]

Well we are talking two different things here first to be manufactured and first to be accepted officially as the sidearm of a national military force.I shold have said first serial production semi-auto to me the term successful seemed fitting as many military officers who often could choose their own side arm choose to carry the C96 Winston Churchill for example carried an early C96 during his military career.Of course this can stem much more from status than practicality their selection.


According to my source for basic military firearms data Military Small Arms of the 20th Century by the late Ian Hogg the C96 was first produced in numbers in 1896.Where as Luger Pistole Parabellum was first produced in serial numbers(production) in 1898.I think that the PP became more popular because it had a detachable magazine where as the C96 had an internal magazine and did not have a detachable magazine as an option until much later past the time at which the PP was being selected.Also the PP is much less bulky is lighter and lines up naturally in the hand.Also ammunition wise you could carry a few mags more easily and with less space than you could C96 clips.I imagine that the Luger may have been less expensive as well.

In those days the a C96 side by side with a PP I think the C96 would have looked a bit bulky and primitive.They still do if you had the two side by side most people would say that like the Luger better.

The reason I would go with the P38 if I had to pick a German pistol 70+ years vintage?It had DA/SA trigger and a de cocker so you could safely carry a round in the chamber unlike the M1911(or most other older semi-autos) which did not and accidents where troops where walking around with a round ready where so common it was against regulations to carry one in that state right to 1985 when it got replaced by the M9 and the US Army clung to that for a a good while with the M9 as well.