M30 Luftwaffe Drilling

Background

The M30 Luftwaffe Drilling was produced by JP Sauer & Sohn, and its commercial-quality finish and high manufacturing costs have led many historians and collectors to conclude it was not routinely issued to Luftwaffe pilots. The head of the Luftwaffe, Hermann Göring, an avid hunter, may have ordered the M30 through the Luftwaffe for use as gifts for visiting dignitaries, Knight's Cross holders, Luftwaffe aces, Wehrmacht generals, Nazi officials, and other guests at his hunting lodge, Carinhall. Luftwaffe general and flying ace Adolf Galland recalled that he and several squadron mates were gifted the M30 during hunting trips with Göring at Carinhall.

The M30 saw use during the North African campaign as a survival weapon by some Luftwaffe aircrews. It was also used for trap shooting, an exercise to sharpen the eyesight and reflexes of pilots during obligatory training. The powerful 9.3x74mmR cartridge, ballistically similar to .375 Flanged Nitro Express, was best suited for Sub-Saharan African plains hunting, though it was mostly used over North Africa where dangerous fauna are less common. Reasons for this cartridge include a mistaken assumption that there were big cats in the region, and Hermann Göring's personal fondness for hunting and luxurious rifles.

The original production model had been marketed to hunters starting in 1930. The military iteration was procured outside normal military channels and made to the same standards as the commercial version, making it extremely expensive. The M30 was stored in an aluminium chest on board the aircraft, containing the weapon disassembled into barrel assembly and stock, a sling and cleaning kit, and ammunition. The chest weighed 15 kilograms and was intended to be retrieved after a crash rather than taken during bailout.