Thompson submachine gun accessories

[PALADIN85020]

I thought you might like to see some accessories associated with the WWII-era Thompson submachine guns. Some of these are becoming scarce and have become collector's items in themselves.

If you are interested in more pictures of various Thompsons, they can be found in the "pictures & albums" section of the forum.

Happy New Year, everyone!

John

 

[Evil Dog]

Thanks John.... I just lost another keyboard from drooling on it.

 

[Alpo]

Who made the gun? Colt? Savage? AOC Bridgeport? AOC West Hurley?

They just look right with a 20-rounder. The 30s ruin the balance.

 

[PALADIN85020]

Who made the gun? Colt? Savage? AOC Bridgeport? AOC West Hurley?

They just look right with a 20-rounder. The 30s ruin the balance.

That one's a West Hurley example.

John

 

[williamlayton]

The 30 rounder balanced the power.
Blessings

 

[leswad]

I Have This Old Gun: Colt Navy Thompson

AmericanRifleman.org I Have This Old Gun: Colt Navy Thompson

 

[ACP230]

I have seen one with the Federal Labs case with spaces for magazines.
Makes quite a portable package.

A Thompson was the first FA firearm I shot. M3 "Grease Gun" was next.
Shot quite a few more since then.

Made money into quick noise? Yes, I have!"

 

[jbcap]

A really nice gun and enjoyable to shoot. Amazing photos!!

 

[Eaglestroker]

My grandfather had a decommissioned original when I was growing up. Found out he sold it about a year ago and about broke my heart. Never knew about the oiler in the stock, thanks for posting!

These days this is the only one I have to remember it by:

 

[45Wheelgun]

This was my rig for years.

West Hurley "FBI"case.

Key to keeping them running is spare parts...

Note the different style oiler (left of brush) and the special bore brush on the original spare parts bag. Also a set of military controls and military forearm round it out.

 

[klondike]

My father, an officer with the 443rd AAA was so overloaded with gear; the Thompson and gear included, when he landed in No. Africa 12/44 that he gave serious thought to hiring a caddy.

 

[semperfi71]

Neat stuff! You need a 50 round drum carrier.

 

[Alpo]

My father, an officer with the 443rd AAA was so overloaded with gear; the Thompson and gear included, when he landed in No. Africa 12/44 that he gave serious thought to hiring a caddy.

Yeah, they packed a load.

 

[John Frederick Bell]

I bought an Auto Ordnance 1927A1 when I was nineteen. I just sold it this last year - thing was picky with ammo, prone to jamming, and required two adult males to get the bolt back. It was fun while it lasted, but eventually I outgrew the novelty (and the ability to afford a full box of .45ACP with a single drum).

If I ever venture into Class III territory it'd be one of the guns I'd want.

Still got a five-cell pouch of 20-rounders in the gun safe, though. Got too good a deal on that to let it go with the gun.

 

[chief38]

I live in a NON class 3 State, so no Tommy Gun for me, but I always dream that if I do move to a friendly State I would put in the paperwork before I unpack the boxes! Nice stuff!!

Chief38

 

[jimmyj]

Wasn't there a bayonet and a 100 round drum magazine for a Thompson?

 

[Armyphotog]

I have a 1927A-1, as well. Mine shoots like a dream, no jamming problems, or anything. The drum may have been your problem as they are a little cranky. Yes, the bolt is a bugger, and it's heavy, but I love to just sit and look at mine. The one thing about all that dead weight, it makes mine accurate as hell!

 

[PALADIN85020]

Wasn't there a bayonet and a 100 round drum magazine for a Thompson?

The standard Thompsons never utilized a bayonet, although I recall there were some special purpose models that might have.

And yes, 100-round magazines were made; they were big, heavy and slow to reload.

John

 

[Alpo]

Wasn't there a bayonet and a 100 round drum magazine for a Thompson?

The bayonet was only for the 1923 Military Model, which really didn't take off. It was chambered in 45 Remington Thompson, which was a larger more powerful cartridge than the 45 ACP. They were trying to make the gun better, but that would have added another cartridge to the Army inventory, and they didn't want that.

Yes, there was a 100 round drum.

Originally there were XX (20 round) stick mags, L (50) and C (100) drum mags and a special stick for the 45 shot cartridges. I believe it was an 18 round.

Along came WW2. They used the XX and the L mags. Cs were too heavy, when loaded. They modified the gun, as the original was very labor intensive and expensive to make. The new guns would not accept the drum, so they came up with a new stick, the XXX (30 round).

Much later in its life, Auto Ordnance redesigned the drum's internals, and came up with what they called the XL (even though it only held 39, not 40). Then when the assault weapons ban came in, they redesigned the XL to only hold ten, and it became the X drum.

This is a pic of one of the guns used in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, and it has both an L and a C drum in the picture.

More than you wanted to know, probably.

 

[calmex]

In my younger days, I had my own M1/A1 but loved the family 1928/A1 so much I could just kiss it. Even firing it sometimes.