Saturday, April 2, 2011

This Luftwaffen Drilling sells for $25K at auction





From the website:

This is a unique example of a World War II Luftwaffe Survival Drilling that was manufactured by J.P. Sauer in 1941. The drilling is complete with the case, accessories and ammunition and is accompanied by the original capture papers dated June 12, 1946, and a history of the drilling by the lieutenant who brought it home as his personal souvenir of WWII. The drilling has two, 28-inch, side-by-side, shotgun barrels and a 9.3x74R under barrel. Barrel selection is controlled by a lever on the upper tang, which automatically raises a 100 meter folding leaf rear sight on the sighting rib. The safety is mounted on the left stock flat. The drilling has double triggers for the shotgun barrels, which act as an adjustable double set-trigger for the rifle barrel. Barrel indicator pins for all three barrels are located on either side of the barrel latch. The barrel group has a raised, matted, sighting rib with express style front sight with nickel-silver bead. Sling swivels are fitted on the under-barrel and the butt. The barrels have a high polish, commercial blue finish and the receiver, trigger guard, triggers, pistol grip cap and sling swivels have a case-hardened finish with vivid case colors. The stock and forearm are European walnut with a low-luster oil finish. The stock has a small oval cheek-piece, black plastic serrated buttplate with the "SS" monogram in relief, case-hardened pistol grip cap with engraved screw and bottom and finely checkered pistol grip. The forearm has fine checkering on either side of the blued and case-hardened barrel latch. The upper and lower tang, trigger guard and forearm catch are decorated with well-executed open scroll engraving. The Sauer "SS" monogram is engraved on the bottom of the receiver. "J.P. SAUER & SOHN, SUHL" is roll-stamped in small letters on both sides of the receiver and on the breech end of both shotgun barrels. The caliber, "9,3 x 74.R" is engraved in an oval panel on the sighting rib. The right side of the stock and the right shotgun barrel are stamped with the large and distinctive Luftwaffe Eagle and Swastika insignia. The Luftwaffe 'Stick Eagle/2' acceptance mark is stamped on the bottom of the barrel lug. The tops of both shotgun barrels and the right side of the rifle barrel are roll-stamped with the motto: "KRUPP-LAUFSTAHL" with bullets on either end. The serial number, "336339" is engraved on the tip of the lower receiver tang and stamped on the left receiver rail and the rifle under barrel. The partial serial number "6339" is stamped on the inside of the forearm. All of the visible serial numbers match. The underside of both shotgun barrels are stamped with the gauge "12/65" and the left underside of the rifle barrel is stamped "9,3X74R". "Eagle/N" proof marks are stamped on the bottom of all three barrels and on the right receiver rail. In addition to the capture papers which identify the drilling as "one (1) dbl shot gun w/ accessories"; the drilling is complete with the original manual entitled "Drilling M.30" and the original J.P. Sauer specification sheet dated "27 M. 1941" that lists the drilling by serial number. The drilling is contained in the original Luftwaffe aluminum transit case. The case is painted field gray and the lid is stenciled: "Drilling M30/ Mit Munitions (the balance of the marking is illegible). The case interior has wooden partitions covered with felt padding. The inside of the lid is stenciled with a list of the case contents. The case is complete with: (1) manual, (2) brown pigskin sling with maker's mark on the tip, (3) black cardboard box with four partitions, (4) wooden, jointed, three-piece cleaning rod with wooden handle and brass tip, (5) glass bottle of "Mapox, Wundol" with orange label in the original cellophane wrapper, (5) black fiber shotgun bore brush, (6) wire shotgun bore brush, (7) multi-colored cloth shotgun bore swab, (8) wire rifle bore brush, (9) multi-color cloth rifle bore swab, (10) fiber rifle bore brush, (11) two, ten round, cardboard packets of "RWS" 9.3x74 R rifle cartridges with orange labels, (12) gray, cardboard picture box of 25 "Rottweil Schwarz 12/65" shotguns shells, (13) gray cardboard picture box of 10 "Rottweil Brennekegeschoss" rifles 12 gauge slugs with eight shells and (14) 23, loose, red paper "Lignose" 12 gauge shotgun shells. The drilling is complete with a letter from the consignor, Robert J. Hinchcliffe. The letter states that during WWII he served as a Lieutenant in the 78th Infantry Division which saw action in the Hurtgen Forrest, Battle of the Bulge and the Central; Europe Campaign. When the war ended the 78th Division occupied the American Sector in Berlin. 1LT Hinchcliffe was Aide-de Camp to the commander of the American forces in Berlin, General Josiah T. Dalbey. General Dalbey was billeted in the former home of Hitler's personal physician, Dr. Theodor, Morell. Lieutenant Hinchcliff's letter recounts how this M30 Drilling, in this transit case and packed in cosmoline was discovered buried in the garden and recovered by the lieutenant who retained it as his "personal souvenir of World War II" until it was offered for sale by Rock Island Auction Company. Although Rock Island Auction Company has been fortunate enough to offer other Luftwaffe M.30 Drillings for sale over the years this is the only one of these scarce and very desirable guns that has ever been offered with capture papers and historical provenance. In addition, this is one of the most complete M.30 Luftwaffe Drillings ever offered for sale by Rock Island Auction Co. It retains the very rare sling, all of the original paper work, all of the cleaning equipment and nearly all of the original ammunition that was originally issued with the gun in 1941. Few M.30 Drillings retain all of the cleaning gear and more than a token amount of the original ammunition. In addition to the M.30 Drilling case and accessories, this lot also includes a commercial, pre-WWII, Carl Zeiss telescopic sight that is not for this gun, but was liberated by the same soldier. The scope has a commercial blue finish with fixed mounts, external elevation drum, 3/4-inch objective lens, standard German tapered post and cross-bar reticule and black leather lens covers. BBL: Stock: Gauge: 12/9.3x74 Finish: Grips: Serial Number: 336339 Condition: Gun is excellent plus with 99% plus bright original blue. Case colors are vivid and also 99% plus intact. Stock and forearm are both excellent plus. Case exterior is fair with corroded latches and no handle. Most of the paint is absent. Interior and accessories are all fine.

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