LUFTWAFFE RIFLE/SHOTGUN NOT COMMONLY KNOWN FACT

[Gil Boyd]

Thought I would show this M30 NAZI J.P. Sauer & Sohn manufactured combination issued to
air crews who might land in inhospitable places and needed it to survive.
Not many were made and probably accounts why I never heard of it, especially as it was fitted with a high quality scope as well..
Its currently advertised by Simon Pemberton on Highwood Classic Arms, a really nice piece
at what is a good price for such a rare beast and a definite for a collector!!

M30 Luftwaffe Survival Drilling
Nazi J.P. Sauer & Son
Serial No 337592
Calibre 12 Guage / 9.3mm


The M30 Luftwaffe Drilling was a superb, commercial-grade longarm possessed of two upper 12-gauge shotgun barrels and a lower barrel chambered for the long, tapered 9.3x74 mm R sporting cartridge.
The rifle/shotgun combination provided a downed aircrew not only with a self-defense gun but also a hunting arm should they be stranded in inhospitable territory.

Manufactured by Suhl, Germany, maker J.P. Sauer & Sohn, this combination gun was built to exacting standards and, in fact, was basically just a “militarized” version of one of the firm’s popular sporting arms. We use the term “militarized” loosely, for there was virtually no attempt to skimp on quality. Possessing blued barrels of Krupp Lauftstahl, the action was tastefully case-hardened and engraved. A beautifully finished walnut stock featured checkering at the wrist, fore-end and cheekpiece. .

The M30 broke like a top-lever shotgun and employed a Greener-style crossbolt. It had two triggers. To fire the rifle barrel, one pushed forward on a tang-mounted selector switch. This automatically raised a 100-meter rear sight notch. The forward single-set trigger fired the rifle barrel and the rear trigger the left shotgun barrel, which was intended primarily for Brenneke slugs. By returning the selector to its rearward position, the right shotgun barrel could then be discharged with the front trigger. A safety switch was mounted on the left side of the stock behind the receiver .

As well as the Sauer & Sohn markings and proofmarks, the drilling had Luftwaffe eagle insignias stamped in the stock and on the barrels.
Of course, one couldn’t expect such an elegant arm to just be casually tossed inside a cockpit or cargo area unprotected.

Originally, some 4,000 M30s were ordered from Sauer & Sohn, but apparently only 2,456 were actually delivered in 1941 and 1942.

A rare example not often encountered in the UK, like most of these rifles it has had the external Nazi marks removed, but all hidden markings are still intact as is the Luftwaffe inspectors stamps.

Information

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