German Shotgun use

[jaeger]

I saw the thread on a new DE shotgun and it brought up a question in my mind. Does anyone know anything about shotgun use by the Germans in World War II? Would it have just been pick-ups or battlefield finds? I know it was rare at any rate, but am still kind of curious as to what some possible makers/models that would have showed up are. Any links to further info would also be cool. Thanks!

Nick

[2ndranger]

I wouldnt imagine a shotgun within the German Military, "Regarding weapons the Volksturm deliberately avoided using "old shotguns" and the like so that there would be no question as to their legal status" Quoted from the Feldgrau website. So Id take that as a "no" on the Volkssturm using the shotgun.

Franz

[flectarn]

We've got a driver in our unit who carries a double barreled shotgun in his opel and uses that when he gets out of the vehicle.

[Adler69]

Volkssturm might have used hunting shotguns , but not front line units , the Germans didn't have a pump action shotgun , only double barrel ones , both side by side and over and under types.
On a side note, during WWI the Germans tried to have the Trench gun banned from use by American troops as they considered it a Cruel weapon , and this coming from the guys who pioneered the use of Gas attacks and Flamethrowers.

[2ndranger]

They did have access to a single barreled bolt action shotgun, but I believe that like the quote I found above says, that if they avoided "non-military" weapons. This is because if they were caught they would be shot as partisans, not tried as a military force.

Franz

[jaeger]

Thanks Adler! I wasn't necessarily refering to Volkssturm units, but rather standard units. Of course a shotgun would not be given as standard issue, but I was thinking that possibly during house to house fighting, etc. they mave have seen minimal use. Another reason that I brought it up was because my grandfather mentioned seening shotguns being used. He was with the Wehrmacht's Cossack forces and spent time in Italy. Towards the end of the war, he mentioned encountering one lower lever officer using a shotgun (and most likely a pistol). I guess you answered my main question, and that was in regards to the pump action vs. break-barrel/double barrel types. Thanks again!

Nick

[YankeeDiv26]

I think using any shotgun for a german front-line impression would really really be stressing it, a high-quality double barrel shotgun would be the only thing that would fit in my opinion. The german military regarded shotguns as excessively cruel weapons, so they didn't supply any. Shotgun use in the ETO was really only by MP's and rear-echelon prisoner gaurds (usually MP duty) so using one as a captured weapon would also be a huge stretch. So in a nutshell, it was such an extreme rarity that I wouldn't use it for a basis for an impression.

[jaeger]

Thanks again! Just to clarify, my question was purely historical in nature. I never intended to create any impression around a shotgun. I don't think anyone makes a real decent period correct shotgun anyways :-).

Nick

[gliderrider]

The Germans Did issue a double barrel shotgun, and I was luck enough to have a go. Though, it was apparently only issued to LW maintenance troops to use against birds.

[Lev]

Herman Goering was an avid hunter and saw to it that some Luftwaffe personnel were issued a shotgun for survival in case they were shot down and had to subsist off the land.

www.theothersideofkim.com/index.php/ggps/5067/

The Luftwaffe Drilling was a side-by-side shotgun over a rifle barrel (and quite a heavy lollipops ). This way the downed pilot could take birds or deer, rabit, etc until finding his way back to a friendly area.

I don't know how frequently these were issued, but I would think they were fairly rare.

[YankeeDiv26]

huh, interesting bit of info. Seems like if a Luftwaffe pilot had to have a weapon in a survival situation, a 15lb shotgun that looks more like it belongs in a hunting club instead of a cockpit wouldn't be the best candidate for the job.

[Lev]

screamineagle101 said:

huh, interesting bit of info. Seems like if a Luftwaffe pilot had to have a weapon in a survival situation, a 15lb shotgun that looks more like it belongs in a hunting club instead of a cockpit wouldn't be the best candidate for the job.

Yea, it's an odd duck for sure. Typical Goering if you ask me. Completely unnecessary and extravagant

[gliderrider]

Their was an article in a british magazine called "Combat and Survival" about fifteen years ago about the best survival weapon for hunting once you have been seperated from your vehicle, and the conclusion was that a Mauser broomhandle with the stock/ holster was still miles ahead.