Krieghoff Hitler's Drilling Shotgun

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 11/20/2019 | C Cocoles

[w1n1]

Heinrich Krieghoff was in Sewanee, Germany, where he demonstrated a gas-operated rifle to Adolph Hitler, Hermann Göring, Rudolf Hess and Paul von Hindenberg, possibly to gain favor for a military contract, which he received the following year to produce 10,000 Luger pistols.
It is believed that Krieghoff offered Neptune Drillings to Göring and Hitler at this time. We do know that Göring, a German politician, military leader and leading member of the Nazi Party, owned a Kreighoff Drilling, which has been documented in books and period photos, and has his initials, H.G., engraved in the same location – bottom of the trigger guard – and in a similar style as the A.H. Neptune.

In May, 1945 the US Army’s 506th Parachute Regiment raided Hitler's Berchtesgaden retreat in the Bavarian mountains and a soldier reportedly took the Drilling as a souvenir. The 506th is one of only a few units in the US Army to be transferred to the Pacific theater (also depicted in Band of Brothers).
Due to weight restrictions while traveling, the paratrooper could not take the shotgun home with him, so he sold the souvenir to 1st Lieutenant Robert J. Lucas, who managed the mess hall and bakery, for $5. Lucas took the gun home with him and settled in central Illinois sometime after the war. His wife reported that the shotgun was kept under their bed for 50 years, and they never discussed its significance with anyone.

After Lucas's death, his family began researching the gun’s history, discovering that the weapon may have belonged to Hitler. Randall Gibson, author of the book The Krieghoff Parabellum, collector and gun enthusiast, examined the Drilling and told the family that the gun “very likely” was given to Hitler as a gift in 1934. Read the rest of Krieghoff Hitler drilling shotgun.

[yarddog]

German bombers were all equipped with a drilling as part of a survival kit. They were to be used for hunting game.

I wonder if any ever were actually used for that.

[Stevenc131]

The German Drillings look a little clumsy with the three barrels, but many of them are actually light weight and well balanced. Pretty common to find them with horn trigger guards and horn butt plates, which are frequently mistaken for plastic these days. Main disadvantage of older drillings is that the rifle caliber is obsolete.

[golux]

My understanding is that many of the more lithe jungen coming in to the SA and later, the SS, were given a Drilling by their superiors and comrades.

[Pocketdoor]

I skimmed the article and didn’t find what it sold for. Anyone know the value? $$$?

[yarddog]

I have no idea what it sold for but the fact that it was Hitler’s is a mixed bag. It has tremendous historical provenance but Hitler is not what some wish to collect.

[ops33]

Where is Sewanee, Germany?

[kennyboy509]

I found it!! HOO HOO!!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwansee

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lakes_in_Bavaria

let me know if this helps.

[ops33]

You may be correct. I had a feeling the actual location was misspelled.

[central_va]

Two 12 ga. barrels and one .410?

[CodeJockey]

What exactly is this three barrel setup? Different gauges? I could not find any details on this.

[MileHi]

Two shot guns over a rife.

[MileHi]

rife = rifle