topic: Krupp-Laufstahl (excellent quality).
Hello Mr. Nolte,
I'm a young hunter from Germany and I know the Luftwaffendrilling M30 quite well. I'm sorry for my bad english and I can't say that all what I write is right, maybe my little knowlege can help you.
the cartrige:
A Luftwaffendrilling M30 is not easy to find and it is also very difficult to find a pre-war Drilling in 9,3x74R. This cartrige is very popular for single shot, double and combination guns especially in Germany, Sweden, Norway, Spain, France and Belgium (in France and Belgium they even have to use non militäry cartriges, therefor they often use 7x64(R) and the 9,3x74R. I was surprised to find new cartriges (9,3x74R) in Namibia and RSA. Originated in the early 1900's, the 9,3x74R was probably our answer to the .400/.360 Nitro-Express. It is quite similar to, but slightly longer than that. I think it is in terms of ballistic&effect on game to the 375 Flanged Magnum or 9,3x62 (bolt action, not rimmed). It is easy to get various ammunition (I counted round about 15 different loads) by Norma (Swedish), Sellier&Bellot, GECO & RWS:
14 gramm Doppelkern: 730-800m/s
up to
19,4 Swift A-Frame: 600-680 m/s
I use for hunting wild-boars and moose the original M30 load:
16,7 gramm H-Mantel RWS: 740 m/s
you can get one round of ammo for ~ 2€ (depends on the bullet)
Luftwaffendrilling M30
J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl (Suhl: pre-war, after the war they went to Eckernförde -- West-Germany):
Production: between April 1941 (# 334660) to September 1942 ( # 339755) round about 2000 Luftwaffendrillinge M30. They tested them not in Suhl, but at Luftwaffenamt therefor the stamp under the barrel with an eagle and a small two (I can send you a foto). They also produced various civil hunting Drillings in 7x57R, 7x72R, 8x57IR, 16/65, 12/65, Shotguns (double but also over&under shotguns), cape-guns (most time in 7x72R & 9,3x72(!) R which has half energy of the 9,3x74R) and rifles on 98 bolt-action base.
The M30 Drilling was a "child" Herman Görings who was the head of the "Deutscher Luftsport-Verband (DLV)" which means "German AirSport Association?!. First it was a piloting sport in the 1920's (created at least between 1933-35). It was not as civil as it seems to be. The "Versailler Diktat" did not allow us to train on military-machines, therefor this sporting assosiation was very popular. Herman Göring was also a hunter (even in the war he always found enough time to go hunting), maybe thats the reason, why he ordered a survival hunting Drilling for a very high price in that time for the african corp.
The price for such a Drilling is very difficult to say- it depends what we want to pay for (-;
I saw one year ago in Germany a Standart Sauer&Sohn pre-war Drilling (1937) in 7x57R (7x57 is the same cartrige as the 275 Rigby- barrels and 98 bolt-action were ordered by British gunmakers from Mauser Werke Oberndorf). The gunmaker wanted to have 4900€ but I could also get pre-war drillings for 1000€. Most Drillings today have a Zeiss 4x32 or 6x42 scope and are very easy to get for round about 1000-1900€. Often they have an inside barrel in the right shotgun barrel in .22wmr or .22 Hornet.
Sauer & Sohn produced in the 70's or 80's a M30 Drilling again out of the 3000 System with an Zeiss scope 2,5-10x52. I don't know what they wanted to have in that time, but today they are also hard to find. I only know one offer for 5600€.
I saw in Austria 3 M30 Drillings sold for:
-2000€ (bad condition, no stamps...)
-6500€ (condition far away from fine, SEM mount and 6x42 scope)
-1700€ bad condition, not working anymore (a lot of Drillings were hide in the ground, thats why they are so rare).
In southern Germany one Drilling:
1200€ very bad condition SEM scope Jena 4x32, sold after "one hour".
These Drillings had no box and no accesories and where sold by hunters who had no idea about the value of the gun. Thats the matter: Most people have never heard of this gun, but pay for a Standart Drilling up to 6000€.
USA:
at
www.amoskeag-auction.com they sold a Luftwaffendrilling M30 in box in excellent condition ? for $10,825!!!
I can't say what I would pay for such a Drilling because I don't collect guns. I use them for hunting. I need to controll a pre-war gun, looking in the system.... A Drilling might extend one safe full of guns. I use a Drilling 9,3x74R,, 12/70 12/70 with an 2,5-10x52 Zeiss scope and inside barrel .222 on fox, goose, rabbit, wild-boar, roe deer, red-deer and even on moose . We often hunt a lot of game in the same time and you should not carry more than one gun with you. Drillings shoot very good (under 3cm, 3 shoots, 100m). It is easy and cheap to train with the inside barrel and you know your gun which you can take on most game in Europe.
I forgot to write:
the M30 has 3 Luftwaffenadler (eagle)
one at the right shotgunbarrel
one on the right stock
one as under the barrel with a small 2 (not tested in Suhl, tested by the Luftwaffenamt)
next to the safe is written WSt (never heard what it means). In Europe it is hard to find a Drilling with the original signs. After the war they took them away...
Best Regard
David
