I can't believe the thompson thread was the first i saw today. My son's b-day today and I took him to a range that offers Sub Machine gun rentals. Their web site listed M4's and such, but when we got there, there sat a thompson. We had a BALL, shooting the old timer. The rental was $30, plus you had to used their ammo, at $25 per 50. Not bad for a captured audience. I have been wanting to do this for sometime now, and it won't be as long as it has been til I am back there. If you have one in your area, go for it.

Charlie

No pictures ?
I agree, they are a lot of fun to shoot.
Regards,
turnerriver

Attached Images

22229C65-A593-499F-B78E-41CAF6350CD3.jpeg (110.2 KB, 174 views)

__________________
turnerriver

Glad you and your son had a good time. I was involved in the other "Thompson" thread and saw a LOT of different people shoot full auto generally for the first time. The big grin on their faces after made it all the more enjoyable.
Also be thankful we live in a Country where this is possible in many States. The bus loads of people that show up at the SGC are generally foreigners and have usually never had the chance to even handle a full auto weapon much less shoot one! I talked to several after they shot and every one of them said it was a memorable experience and they couldn't wait to get home and tell their friends and relatives about it. Of course many had their shooting experience recorded to play back for them!
Jim

Congratulations

Every firearms enthusiast should shoot a sub-machine gun at least once. There is nothing better than seeing that first Ear-to-Ear grin on a fellow shooter's face

The Thompson is one of the Classics for us Americans

I came into possession of a WW2 Thompson SMG, M1A1 made by Savage Arms, while serving in Vietnam. Excellent short range defensive weapon, but a bit heavy to carry (especially with 8 or 10 mags) on patrols. When I DEROS'd out of Vietnam I gifted it to my successor, didn't think I could get away with stuffing it into my duffle bag for the flight home (I preferred going home to spending time in the stockade).

Left the Army, joined a police department that had 8 M1928 Thompsons in the armory. Somehow the bosses found out that I knew a little bit about the Thompson guns (which had been sitting around for a decade or two), so I ended up spending a week in the armory field-stripping, cleaning, test firing, re-cleaning, etc. All of the ammo was WW1 (1917-1918 headstamps) and WW2 (mostly steel-cased ball ammo in 20-round tear-open cardboard boxes).

About 1976 the department decided to trade in the Thompsons for new Colt AR-15 rifles. As I recall the dealer involved allowed $200 trade-in allowance per M1928 Thompson. No one wanted the ammo, so it was offered to officers for a nickel per round ($1.00 per 20-round box, $2.50 for the 50-round boxes from WW1). I stocked up and didn't have to worry about blasting ammo for several years. Still using some of the old WW1 brass for reloading range ammo these days (the steel cases aren't worth scrap value).

I have always enjoyed our national history. I never planned on being part of history, but somehow that appears to have happened.

At Lackland in ‘66 the entire line of recruits opened up with the M1 carbines.... made my day.
Still have some of my Dad’s 45ACP and his 30Cal rounds.
Sadly no firearms from the 10th.

A fresh can of WWII ball manufactured by Chrysler in 1943 came into my possession this year. Steel case, corrosive primers, and a wonderful story on how Chrysler won and managed the contract as well as developed the first steel case. (Bullets by the Billion). The ammo shoots perfectly. This is a great read start to finish!
Bullets by the Billion

Attached Images

	20180303_170913.jpg (121.1 KB, 65 views)
	20180303_170947.jpg (111.4 KB, 65 views)
	2018-06-01_7-13-23.jpg (207.7 KB, 67 views)

I got a video, but don't know if I can post a video, or how to do it. I am sure there is a ding in there somewhere.

Charlie

I had a Thompson when in RVN. I was in XXIV corps in MR-1
we were allowed anything as long as you had your issue weapon.
I was on Dusters so carry was no problem. Then I got sent to
MR-2. I had Thompson in my duffle bag and was in a health and
welfare search by MPs at airfield. They were actually looking for
dope but they found my Thompson and confiscated it, as a
Unauthorized weapon. They weren't fooling me they wanted it
for themselves. CARs were harder to come by than Thompsons
a lot of guys had M3s. A lot easier to take through hatches and
tight spaces.

Charlie,
Create a YouTube account and upload the video there.

Then you just need to put the URL here on the Forum and you are done. The Forum automatically grabs the frame shot to display

This is one of our Ruger 10/22 conversions to open bolt full auto. This one is dressed up in a Krinkov style stock.

We called it the Krinker-Plinker


I have another one that we dressed up as a Thompson. It weighs quite a bit less and burning through a Type L drum is much less expensive.

One of the truly great firearm experiences is getting to fire a Thompson.
Don't ever pass it up if you get an opportunity!

__________________
LEX ET ORDO

Charlie....that sounds like a great time. I'm sure that your son will always remember
this birthday!

They’re very cool guns indeed. Do you happen to know by chance what model? 1921, 1921/28, 1928 or M1A1? They are all neat and fun to shoot I’m just curious (I’d be surprised to see a 1921 or 21/28 as a range gun).

__________________
Some Might Say.

My son and I shot a S&W silenced 9mm, it was a blast at a pay-as-you-go range.
-----
I went to a gathering of friends who would bring assorted weapons (I brought just some of my own) and they said they were testing an M1A1 Thompson and bring your 45 acp. i did, really enjoyed shooting it.

Another time, they had a almost new .45 Reising submachine gun - I really liked it, more than the Thompson I hate to say.

Attached Images

Reising Ed shooting.jpg (186.8 KB, 20 views)

I was trying to recall the name of the Reising submachine gun. In 1955 we had them in the Border Patrol only for special operations when required. I never really liked it. The Reising 'rose' when you fired it. It was difficult to control. Would begin firing say on the lower left and rose up toward the right. Plus they were too much like a rifle.