8 used only 11 parts, while serial No. The Australian government destroyed most of their Thompson machine carbines in the 1960s. Rear section of bolt moves under spring pressure, trigger moves, partially strips and the mag ejects. The plain Thompson (without the attachment) was designated No. )or 25 rounds per second. Thompson Submachine Gun This is a one-owner Thompson which came from an estate and has not been fired in over 20 years. Original WWII Thompson M1928A1 SMG Lyman Adjustable Sight, U.S. Thompson SMG M1928 .45 Finned Barrel with Muzzle Threads, U.S. Thompson M1921 SMG .45 Finned Barrel, Original U.S. WWII Thompson SMG Demilled Receiver Nose Section- M1 / M1A1, Original U.S. WWII Thompson 1928A1 SMG Demilled Receiver, U.S. WWII Thompson SMG Leather Scabbard for Harley WLA Motorcycles and Jeeps, U.S. WWII Thompson M1 M1A1 SMG Canvas Carry Bag, Original U.S. WWII Thompson M1-M1A1 British Issue Anglicized Buttstock, Original U.S. WWII Thompson SMG Five Cell 20 Round Magazine Pouch: WWII Dated & Marked, U.S. WWII Thompson Sub-Machine Gun Cal .45 Cover, Original U.S. WWII Thompson SMG Five Cell 20 Round Magazine Pouch: Unmarked, U.S. WWII Vintage Metal Sign Hellcat Honey with a Thompson SMG, U.S. WWII Thompson SMG Five Cell 20 Round Magazine Pouch, U.S. WWII Thompson SMG Three Cell 30 Round Magazine Pouch Marked U.S.- Khaki, Original WWII Thompson M1928A1 SMG Butt Stock Oil Bottle. Of all the weapons identified with the FBI, the Thompson submachine gun tops the list. The pistol used a .30 (7.65 mm) Luger barrel attached to the frame. Yet, the M3 came in and shaved off almost two pounds, and the M3A1. A metal sling mount was fitted to the left side of the wooden buttstock. Reloading an empty drum with cartridges was a difficult and involved process in which the 50 rounds would be inserted and then the magazine wound up until a minimum of 9 to 11 loud "clicks" were heard before seating the magazine into the weapon. A patent demonstration model was built by Capt. The success of the Auto-Ordnance Co., the Thompson and an American legend were all built upon these unique Models of 1919. In addition, the gun performed better than most after exposure to rain, dirt, and mud.[36]. All of the magazines were produced by Johns Machine and Tool Co., Cleveland during early 1920. When the law goes into effect, the state will be the 26th that recognizes the right. However, due to unforeseen production delays and requests for modifications, the M3/M3A1 never replaced the Thompson, and purchases continued until February 1944. Ordnance Department since graduation, and Oscar Payne, a self-taught practical tinkerer and draftsman. Stay in the know. [71], The Model 1923 was a heavy submachine gun introduced to potentially expand the Auto-Ordnance product line and was demonstrated for the U.S. Army. It has capacity for 10 to 100 rounds, depending on the magazine used. The drum magazine also attached and detached by sliding sideways, which made magazine changes slow and cumbersome. The stated goal of Auto-Ordnance was to develop a new automatic rifle for the U.S. military. The Model 1919 was limited to about 40 units; the first built did not use the drums, as it was too difficult to fire. 11 was retained in the Auto-Ordnance Engineering Department and used as a test bed to demonstrate various designs. The .45 ACP caliber Thompson 1927A-1 has a pinned Cutts compensator, which lengthens the finned barrel length to 18", and puts the overall length for the carbine at . Rear sight adjustable for windage and elevation. by R. Blake Stevens Collector Grade Publications (2004). The box magazine was quickly attached and detached, and was removed downward, making clearing jams easier. For the Korean TV series, see, Model 1921 Thompson with vertical foregrip and 100 round Type "C" drum magazine. [57], The Thompson also found service with the KNIL and the Netherlands Marine Corps during their attempt to retake their former colony of Indonesia. One of its provisions was that owners of fully automatic firearms were required to register them with the predecessor agency of the modern Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Parts used in this gun originated in the full-automatic-only designs. The internal design of this Thompson is exactly the same as the later Colts production guns. Through Lend-Lease, the Soviet Union also received the Thompson, but due to a shortage of appropriate ammunition, its use was not widespread.[50]. The Annihilator prototypes first were fed from a 20-round box magazine, but later, the 50- and 100-round drum magazine models were developed. Under federal regulations, these changes make the Model 1927A1 legally a rifle and remove it from the federal registry requirements of the National Firearms Act. These Model of 1919s were advertised very heavily by Auto-Ordnance, but were never developed beyond the prototype stage. The Auto-Ordnance replica of the Thompson M1 and M1A1 is known as the TM1, and may be found marked "Thompson Semi-Automatic Carbine, Caliber .45M1". (TM1) / 8 lbs. This eliminates the risk of "cook-off", which can sometimes occur in closed-bolt automatic weapons. [65][66] In 1927, the U.S. Navy ordered 500 Thompsons but requested a lower rate of fire. In May 1919, Oscar Payne was given permission to build the Model F (Freak) designs of the 1919s. These submachine guns were used to a limited extent by the Red Army. [27], It is the first weapon to be labelled and marketed as a "submachine gun".[28]. He gave his sales kit to Col. Elbert E. Farman, Jr., then U.S. Military Attach to Poland. Both the U.S. and British armies used it in World War II, as at various times have other armed forces. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Submachine Guns Caliber .45 M3 & M3A1 Army Manual~NEW at the best online prices at eBay! For a long time, Ike, a retired law enforcement officerwho is also a gun collector, wasn't interested in owningThompsons. The Thompson M1 was used victoriously in battles throughout the world, ensuring its place for eternity as a legend among military firearms. 2 and 3. 6 is in the Rock Island Museum, and Serial No. Everything for sale on ima-usa.com is completely legal to own, trade, transport and sell within the United States of America. It was originally designed to break the stalemate of trench warfare of World War I, but was not finished until after the war ended. Of those, only 11 are known to exist today, with only five known to be in private hands. [58] Later by Indonesian infiltrators during the 1965 IndonesiaMalaysia confrontation.[59]. Still, not only did some U.S. soldiers have use of them in Vietnam, they encountered them as well. The selective-fire (semi or fully automatic) Thompson fires from the "open bolt" position, in which the bolt is held fully to rearward by the sear when cocked. I haven't seen one for sale in 10 years.". [36], Although the drum magazine provided significant firepower, in military service it was found to be overly heavy and bulky, especially when slung on the shoulder while marching. The M1A1 Thompson weighed 10 pounds. Ike's Savage Thompson belonged to a Texas police department many years ago, and he doesn't think it's ever been fired. A fully automatic firearm that has been converted to semi-automatic fire, such as the Model 1927, is prohibited by the Firearms Act 1988, as is any centre-fire purpose-made semi-automatic weapon, such as the Model 1927A1. The New York City Police Department was the largest purchaser of the M1919. [31], In 1928, Federal Laboratories took over distribution of the weapon from Thompson's Auto Ordnance Corporation. The Thompson was an American submachine gun, invented by John T. Thompson in 1919, that became infamous during the Prohibition era. [70], The Model 1921 (M1921) was the first major production model. Instead, the weapon, popularly dubbed the Tommy gun, became infamous during the U.S. Serial No. The Thompson had to be cocked, bolt retracted, ready to fire, in order to attach the drum magazine. This same scabbard goes . The magazine was either a circular drum that held 50 or 100 rounds or a box that held 20 or 30 rounds. 21A at a reduced price of $175.00. Because of their quality and craftsmanship, as well as their gangster-era and WWII connections, Thompsons are sought as collector's items. The rate of fire for this Thompson was about 1,000 r.p.m. 11 is equipped for a stock attachment, no stock exists. The M1923 was intended to rival the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), with which the Army was already satisfied. To subscribe to the magazine, visit the NRA membership page and select American Rifleman as your member magazine. The cartridge case flew out the back and was deflected to the right by the pistol frame. Many of the Colt models had French-language manuals packed with them as they had been abruptly diverted to England after the fall of France. .45, M1. Military Police were fond of it, as were paratroopers, who "borrowed" Thompsons from members of mortar squads for use on patrols behind enemy lines. Only two Model C 1919s are known to exist today: Serial No. These modern versions should not be confused with the original semi-automatic M1927, which was a slightly modified M1921 produced by Colt for Auto-Ordnance. The Model 1927 was the open bolt semi-automatic version of the M1921. The weapons had very high cyclic rates up to 1,500rpm. Serial No. The Thompson Submachine Gun had another noteworthy advantage: it was chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. Late M1s had triangular guard wings added to the rear L sight, which were standardized on the M1A1. Its actuator is offset to the right, and it fired 1,500 r.p.m. It is a magazine-fed carbine type rifle that uses the same .45 caliber cartridge as the Colt M1911 pistol. After several prolonged firing tests of serial Nos. Auto Ordnance began producing and selling its Thompson Submachine Gun in 1921, often referred to as the. Federal sales were then followed by sales to police departments in the US, as well as to various international armies and constabulary forces; chiefly in Central and South America. Ammunition was manufactured in Australia or obtained from adjacent American troops. In addition to the .45 RemingtonThompson, the M1923 Thompsons were to be made available to prospective buyers in several calibers, including .45 ACP, 9mm Parabellum, 9mm Mauser, and .351 Winchester Self-loading.[72]. 26, was a combination of parts from several sub-model series and shows the many changes incorporated into the Thompsons design evolution right up to, and during, production. It was decided to separate the two functions into three parts. Two of them are in the 99-percentcategory in terms of condition, which makes them very valuable. They are divided into two different series of designs, with the second series divided into four families, each subsequently divided into several sub-model designs. Legal Notice - International Military Antiques, Inc observes all Federal, State and local laws. The 20-round box required an adapter to be mounted in the receiver, which had to be removed to mount a drum. The war variant of the Thompson submachine gun is the most common Thompson you will encounter. M1921 Thompsons were sold in small numbers to the United States Postal Inspection Service[34] so they could protect the mail from a spate of robberies. The Thompson short barreled rifle (SBR) is our gun that is closest in dimensions and weight to the original submachine gun made famous during the 1920's in the hands of gangsters and G-men. The Model 1927A5 is a semi-automatic, .45 ACP pistol version of the Thompson originally produced by Auto-Ordnance in West Hurley from the 1970s until the early 1990s or late 1980s. The . Later M1 and M1A1 Thompsons averaged also 600rpm. in Weimar Germany ISBN 0889353565, 9780889353565, This page was last edited on 12 April 2023, at 16:17. The first of these groups was the Annihilator III, Model C. There were originally 10 sets of components built, but not all were finished into complete Model Cs. It is generally believed that 40 Model of 1919 prototypes were built by Auto-Ordnances Engineering Department in Cleveland. Late production M1 stocks were fitted with reinforcing bolts and washers to prevent splitting of the stock where it attached to the receiver. [25] Thompsons had also been widely used throughout China, where several Chinese warlords and their military factions running various parts of the fragmented country made purchases of the weapon, and subsequently produced many local copies. A new magazine catch with the provision for retaining drum magazines removed, was produced, but most M1s and later M1A1s retained the original. 7, which is in a private collection. 17, was later modified to selective fire, and then sights and a buttstock were added to it. Thanks to Royal Range in Bellevue for bringing them out! 1 was designed to have wings in the receivers magazine well to support a group of Colt M1911 magazines to feed the arm. Approximately 1.75 million of all variants, 20 or 30 round box magazine, 50 or 100 round, 10.8lb (4.9kg) empty (Thompson M1928A1), 33.7in (860mm) (M1928A1 with compensator). [37], Some of the first batches of Thompsons were bought (in America) by agents of the Irish Republic (notably the Irish politician Harry Boland). In February 1944, the M1A1 reached a low price of $45 each, including accessories and spare parts, although the difference in price between the M1 and M1A1 was only $0.06. M1A1 .45 Caliber Thompson Submachine Gun and Manual The Caliber .45 M1A1 Thompson utilized a simple blow-back system of operation, with fully and semi-automatic operation, 20-and 30-round detachable box magazines, a 600 rpm rate of fire with 432 ft-lb muzzle energy and an effective range of 50 yards. War Thompsons, as Ike refers to them, are more common and worthless, but they arestill awesome guns. [18], During the Cuban Revolution, the Thompson submachine gun was used by both Batista's army and Fidel Castro's guerrillas. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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