Full Auto Fun today

[DR505]

I got some trigger time on one of our M1A1 Thompson SMG's today. These are just a hoot to shoot. One of the other instructors took some slo-mo video with my iPhone that looks great. This is a single frame from the video. I need to figure how to edit the video now...

[SC_Mike]

Looks like you're handling it pretty well. I'd love to get my hands on a old school Thompson. The only full auto I've ever carried was an Uzi.

[Watchdog]

Originally Posted by DR505

I got some trigger time on one of our M1A1 Thompson SMG's today. These are just a hoot to shoot. One of the other instructors took some slo-mo video with my iPhone that looks great. This is a single frame from the video. I need to figure how to edit the video now...

You can edit your iPhone video. Click here to see how. I'll say this, though...it's kinda tricky until you get the hang of it. Or it was for me. You might want to shoot some ordinary videos and use them to practice on before you tackle the cool Thompson video and risk deleting frames or whole segments.

I also use an app called Splice, which is very versatile and user-friendly. You can combine videos, cut back and forth among them, all sorts of cool stuff. Add music and text if you wish.

[29aholic]

I guess that is the first time I recall seeing a forearm band on a Thompson.


I cut my full auto teeth on various Tommy guns over the years.

[italiansport]

The Thompson is one gun I never get tired of firing. Looks like you had a great time.
Jim

[H Richard]

A really fun gun. Trying to fire only 2 to 3 shot bursts were challenging, but the more you shoot the easier it becomes.

[Bob L]

That is one firearm that I have always wanted to try out. Well done!

[ACP230]

The first full-auto I fired was a Thompson.
Next was an M3 "Grease Gun."
Then an MP5.
Overall, I liked the slow-firing M3 best.

I've shot a lot more since then. At the old Second Chance Bowling
Pin Shoot there were FA side matches. Had a lot of fun at those.
Also at "The Back Range" where dealers had guns to demo. As long as
funds held out it was a smorgasbord of FA firearms there. One memorable one was an Browning M2 .50 caliber. Only shot that one
once. Wish I'd done it more.

[Usmc5811]

The Tommy gun is a blast to shoot just ask my wife, she shot my dads for the first time last year. We set pop up targets up from 50 yards to about 120 yards. Once she got the hang of it she was tearing up the targets. Now she’s hooked, she even enjoyed tearing it down and cleaning it. I’m sure we will be shooting it again this April when we head up to the mountains for Easter. His is a 1928 A1.

[Abbynormal]

My Dad was FBI in late 40's to Early 50's. He always said the Tommy Gun climbed on him and devised a style to let the barrel fall back into his hand to control the recoil.

Dad always said to grip the gun "medium" tight with your left hand and let it rise and fall naturally, (fore end) with a stiff left arm (elbow) and just grip lightly with the right hand.

What he meant and I soon realized was to control the barrel with my left hand to the extent that it would rise in recoil, but return to the same point when it fired. The bolt on the Tommy Gun was very heavy, so you grip it to where it would rise on recoil and come back to a firm/stiff arm when feeding and firing a new round!

I had the opportunity to shoot a M1A in the 80's and remembered Dad's warning. OMG! The thing shot like a limp puppy into exactly where I wanted.

I ACTUALLY could write my signature with the damn thing!

I quickly fell in love with the Tommy Gun until I got to experience an MP5.

That one took full auto to another level. I can only guess what a MP5 in 10MM can do!

[jag312]

I have my British WW2 Lanchester. I never shoot it. Just about the only time it comes out of the safe is when people from California come to visit me. I give them a taste of freedom. When the Form 4 gets approved for an Uzi, they'll have something else to try.


My son wants me to buy a Thompson like the one that Tom Hanks had in Road to Perdition. Either that or an M60. Sure I will, just as soon as he contributes a $30,000 down payment.

[DR505]

Originally Posted by Abbynormal

I quickly fell in love with the Tommy Gun until I got to experience an MP5.

That one took full auto to another level. I can only guess what a MP5 in 10MM can do!

I really enjoyed the 10mm MP5, especially the full auto version. Alas, those have almost all left the field. We used a 190 grain JHP as our service ammo for those. I had one issued to me for a while. I requested that it be swapped out for one of the 1928 Thompsons and I was told <expletive> NO.

[usmc2427765]

In RVN I was able to fire both the Thompson and Grease Gun. The Thompson had style and the Grease Gun had none, however the Thompson was very heavy and the Grease gun was not. I would not want carry either one in combat due to the fact that neither one had range and the M-14 did. You have to be able to hit them to win the fight and at 200 meters and the M-14 could and the others could not.

[italiansport]

Originally Posted by Usmc5811

The Tommy gun is a blast to shoot just ask my wife, she shot my dads for the first time last year. We set pop up targets up from 50 yards to about 120 yards. Once she got the hang of it she was tearing up the targets. Now she’s hooked, she even enjoyed tearing it down and cleaning it. I’m sure we will be shooting it again this April when we head up to the mountains for Easter. His is a 1928 A1.

It looks like you dad has an early 28 judging by the finned barrel and Lyman sight. IMO: These are the best to own since the 21s are too rare to use in their original form and the M1s, although nice guns, just to me don't have the romance of the traditional Thompson.
As far as MP5s go they are a favorite of the ladies at my club. They don't tend to climb since they fire from a closed bolt and the 9mm isn't the kicker of a 45acp.
Jim

[llowry61]

I shot one out in Vegas and was really surprised at how heavy the trigger was. We shot the M16 and the Sten. My favorite was the little slow firing Sten, but the Thompson was easy to control. I was really surprised. I had never fired a FA before and all 3 were easy to control and really fun to shoot. The Thompson is definitely heavy and would be a pain to carry for any length of time.

[DR505]

Originally Posted by usmc2427765

In RVN I was able to fire both the Thompson and Grease Gun. The Thompson had style and the Grease Gun had none, however the Thompson was very heavy and the Grease gun was not. I would not want carry either one in combat due to the fact that neither one had range and the M-14 did. You have to be able to hit them to win the fight and at 200 meters and the M-14 could and the others could not.

I was shooting an M-14 last fall. Nice rifle until you flip the selector to full auto...then it is a beast.

We also had a bunch of sub-guns and belt fed weapons to train with. The M3 Grease Gun was nice and light, and the H&K UMP45 was great. My favorite weapon of the day was the Pakistani MG3 (7.62 x 51) with a rate of fire of roughly 1,200 rpm. What a buzz-saw! It went through belts (and barrels) very quickly.

[Usmc5811]

Originally Posted by italiansport

It looks like you dad has an early 28 judging by the finned barrel and Lyman sight. IMO: These are the best to own since the 21s are too rare to use in their original form and the M1s, although nice guns, just to me don't have the romance of the traditional Thompson.
As far as MP5s go they are a favorite of the ladies at my club. They don't tend to climb since they fire from a closed bolt and the 9mm isn't the kicker of a 45acp.
Jim

Your correct 1928A1 serial is S2539XX . It came with 2 extra barrels, multiple 20 and 30 round sticks, 3 50 round drums, extra stock, springs, new bolt and close to a crate of 45 acp fmj. He’s always on me to get it out and shoot it. And I try to oblige.I guess this year my oldest daughter will get a chance to fire it also. I assume the Lyman sight is the ladder sight? I’ve not fooled much with the sights. I always use the bolt to aim from.

[BigBill]

How do we get to own a 1927 Thompson in full auto? Do we just pay the tax?

I fired my dealers fa m14 and his fa Thompson. He doesn’t know me at all he said outright I couldn’t afford them. At the time the m14 was $10 k. I never been back there since. My cash is good anywhere.

[kraynky]

Nice job catching that "6-pack" in the air. I had a 1971 Thompson semi-auto that I foolishly traded away some 25 years ago.

Ya' got'ta get a fedora.

[BigBoy99]

Originally Posted by BigBill

How do we get to own a 1927 Thompson in full auto? Do we just pay the tax?

I fired my dealers fa m14 and his fa Thompson. He doesn’t know me at all he said outright I couldn’t afford them. At the time the m14 was $10 k. I never been back there since. My cash is good anywhere.

You fill out the BATF forms, get fingerprinted and pay the $200 transfer fee. Here is an ad for a FA Thompson.

Machineguncentral -1928 C&R Thompson, Excellent, Upgraded and Tested by Dan Block

Do you have that kind of cash?

[6518John]

Originally Posted by llowry61

The Thompson is definitely heavy and would be a pain to carry for any length of time.

I was stunned by the weight the first time I handled a Thompson! And to think our troops carried them countless miles all over the world in WWII, Korea and I believe they were even used in Viet Nam.

[NYlakesider]

Even though I live in the peoples republic of NY I have had the opportunity to fire many FA firearms. (mostly while traveling out of state.)

I did get a chance to fire a M16 in state.(one of the early ones not the limited to 3 round burst) My centrally located gun club used to rent one of our ranges to cop shops for firearms training and qualification. I was at the club and as I was a a director/RO/instructor so I wondered down to where they were shooting. A shooting buddy was the instructor/RO and as he was in charge said want to try it.

So I got a chance to fire off 3 mags. I did all right and enjoyed shooting off free ammo!

Traveling out of state (mostly Florida) I have fired Thompsons quite a few times and it is the favorite of the 6 FAs I have used.

One time we were shooting in the Orlando area and I was being watched by 2 on duty officers that stoped in. When I was done and came out from behind the glass one asked me where I learned to shoot that gun so well. I said I read a lot about it and I had good trigger control. I did what I figured was a 15 round burst and as a very strong person controlled the gun quite well.

Spent about 5 minutes talking with the cops and made them understand I came from upstate NY not from the big city at the end of the Hudson river I remember one of the friendly cops saying to me I'm glad your on our side.

[italiansport]

Originally Posted by Usmc5811

Your correct 1928A1 serial is S2539XX . It came with 2 extra barrels, multiple 20 and 30 round sticks, 3 50 round drums, extra stock, springs, new bolt and close to a crate of 45 acp fmj. He’s always on me to get it out and shoot it. And I try to oblige.I guess this year my oldest daughter will get a chance to fire it also. I assume the Lyman sight is the ladder sight? I’ve not fooled much with the sights. I always use the bolt to aim from.

The Lyman rear sight on your dad's example was an expensive to produce early one. Later on, they went with a plain pressed metal sight to cut down on costs. It sounds like your dad got a smoking deal when he purchased his Thompson.
To the questioner above that asked about buying a full auto Model 27 the short answer is you can't as these were built as semi-autos. It's a somewhat more involved than that but I'll leave it there.

Jim

[Mexican Kerry]

I've only fired a Thompson once when at a range in Vegas. If owning and using one was an option in Canada, I'd happily pay for the stamp. The cash for the purchase would be a tough one but I'd probably try to find a way! I found it was very controllable, just lean into it after the initial muzzle rise and bring it back on target.

The M3 was another I tried, either one would be adequate for me but the Thompson definitely has a classic appeal and the M3 was a little harder to shoot with any degree of accuracy (at least for me).

[sureshotbob]

Bill in Ct. you can get a full auto only no select fire guns.
When the state tried to ban them they had no clue.
If you had a select fire gun and wanted to sell it in Ct. you had to have it converted to full auto only.

[jag312]

Originally Posted by italiansport

...To the questioner above that asked about buying a full auto Model 27 the short answer is you can't as these were built as semi-autos. It's a somewhat more involved than that but I'll leave it there...

I know someone in California who had and maybe still has a Thompson 1927 made by Colt. Someone in ATF classified it as a C&R Short Barreled Rifle, and in California, it is permissible to own a C&R Short Barreled Rifle. The receiver is the same as the 1921. Technically, it is built on a machinegun receiver and is not legal to own in California without a California Machinegun Permit. So if you don't tell California DOJ, I won't tell California DOJ. I would hate to see a very expensive collector's item confiscated for destruction.

[SLT223]

I used to have a 1928A1 transferable. Sold it to do resto work on a 71 SS Chevelle. Whoops.....

[Tom K]

Owning and feeding a Thompson is an expensive affair. Then you have to worry about breaking it.

It is possible to have full-auto fun for a lot less, with an battery powered Airsoft version. $125 is a lot less than $20K. Cybergun Thompson M1A1 Full-Metal Body AEG. Airsoft gun


They are remarkably accurate in configuration and while not as heavy as the real thing, being made of metal it has plenty of heft. I use mine to chase squirrels off the bird feeders in the back yard and it's a hoot!

Here are a couple of frame grabs from a video of me shooting it (image is not reversed, I shoot long guns left-handed). If you save the pictures and toggle back and forth between them you can see the streak of the pellet as it passes in front of the first tree holding the swings, and then just before it gets to the near swing. Cyclic rate is right at 400 rounds per minute.


(It looks like the pellet is starting to head upwards - that is not an illusion! A lot of Airsoft guns have a feature called "hop-up" which imparts a backspin to the pellet. This helps counteract the drop due to air resistance.)

[Mexican Kerry]

Not to cause a thread drift here, but this is the one I have. Its a Ruger 10/22 in a dress-up kit. Pretty fun but it would be REALLY fun if it had the ol fun switch!



I also have this toy, but it makes less noise than the Ruger. It cocks and clicks, but that's it. My kids like to play with it, heck I do too.

[crsides]

Shot one for the first time last May when my son was in town. In door range about 45 mins away had one you could rent. It was a B L A S T !!!

[Tex1001]

Practiced with 28 types and S&Ws (Port Said) as an officer with DPD.
We had a local range that rented a Thompson and UZI. I gave my oldest grandson a thrill with the T. That range only has the UZI now.
I will never own an automatic weapon.
Having said that, I believe with all my heart that FOPA 86 should be repealed, and I have supported local efforts to do so when they pop up, which is almost never. The cost of a fully automatic firearm puts them out of reach for the American rank and file.

[Rayfan87]

Haven't had the pleasure of firing a Thompson yet, the only F/A was an MP5 in 9mm I rented on vacation in SC a couple years ago. It was fun, but kept jamming.

[Muley Gil]

A friend owns a 1928AC Thompson and a Ruger AC 556 full-auto. Both are fun to shoot. I have shot a M2 Carbine while I was a sheriff's deputy. Now that one climbs. I have shot the HK MP 5; that one is also fun.

While I was in Afghanistan, I shot the Russian PKM and the Hungarian AMD-65, which is a version of the AK47. I also shot the M249 and M240.

[Abbynormal]

I've shot:
Uzi 9 MM
Thompson M1A .45 ACP
Mac 10 9 MM
MP-5 9 MM
M-16 & M16-A1, M-4, 5.56
M-60 7.62
AK-47 7.62 x 39
M-2 .30 Carbine
M9 .380 ACP


And the best part is, I didn't own any of them!

My favorite was the M-60 & the MP-5

[colt_saa]

The first SMGs I fired were the MAC M10s in 45ACP, with and without cans. I got pretty good with these things but I can't recall how many cans of 45ACP ammunition that took

There was a Thompson in the cabinet so I shot it a few times. Very controllable and very nostalgic. That was almost 4 decades ago

The first SMG I carried was an UZI

The one I own today is a converted IMI Model A. I even have a can for it. It sounds very cool supressed

My youngest niece was the only shooter on her schools JrROTC rifle team with machine gun experience . I have a 22LR sub-caliber kit for my HK G3k batle rifle.

Once I got her to try it she ran me dry on 22LR ammunition

These days I mostly shoot them for fun. I have several, but the one I shoot most and the one that people most often ask to try is my MP5/357

I am building a can specifically for this SMG

I have MP5s in 9MM Parabellum and 10MM Auto as well

[KEN L]

Originally Posted by 29aholic

I guess that is the first time I recall seeing a forearm band on a Thompson.


I cut my full auto teeth on various Tommy guns over the years.

That was a Brit variation, seen mostly on re-import dealer sample guns. I've seen quite a few of them.

[colt_saa]

Originally Posted by Mexican Kerry

Not to cause a thread drift here, but this is the one I have. Its a Ruger 10/22 in a dress-up kit. Pretty fun but it would be REALLY fun if it had the ol fun switch!

I have the same Company's kit on one of mine. It is a very cool look.

I have carried it on Halloween while wearing a pinstripe suit



While this one above is a semi-auto we have converted many to Full-Auto for rental use at ranges here in Florida.

This is a Ruger 10-22 style receiver set up to look like a Krinkov that we built several years ago.

We called it the Krinker-Plinker This is a 50 round magazine dump from a double stack RamLine magazine

YouTube

Everyone smiles after doing this and with 22LR, it was a cheap thrill