The Thompson Submachine Gun had another noteworthy advantage: it was chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. Thompson came across a patent issued to the American inventor John Bell Blish in 1915, while searching for a way to allow his weapon to operate safely without the complexity of a recoil or gas-operated reloading mechanism. "The FBI and the Thompson Submachine Gun". [27], Thompson submachine guns were used by both sides during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. This was one of the major complaints about the weapon by U.S. Army personnel to whom it was issued. The Thompson saw early use by the United States Marine Corps during the Banana Wars,[25] the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Irish Republican Army, the Republic of China, and the FBI following the Kansas City Massacre. And yes, the bee is a bit a. Rate of fire was reduced to approximately 600700rpm. 67552 - Original WW2 Parts, Original U.S. WWII Thompson M1A1 SMG Bolt Assembly: Fixed Firing Pin. Two Model of 1919s were built and tested with the new design, serial Nos. While serial No. [48], The Thompson was used in World War II in the hands of Allied troops as a weapon for scouts, non-commissioned officers (corporal, sergeant, and higher), and patrol leaders, as well as commissioned officers, tank crewmen, and soldiers performing raids on German positions. The first Thompson entered production as the M1921. [65][66] In 1927, the U.S. Navy ordered 500 Thompsons but requested a lower rate of fire. [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. Legal Notice - International Military Antiques, Inc observes all Federal, State and local laws. By the time Thompsons prototype was completed, however, World War I had ended. Our M1 Thompson model is a .45 caliber semi-automatic replica of the most famous American submachine gun of World War II. In 1939, Thompsons cost the government $209 apiece. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Thompson was an American submachine gun, invented by John T. Thompson in 1919, that became infamous during the Prohibition era. . Today, the firearm itself is in remarkable condition considering its age and travels. The original Model 1928s were Model 1921s with weight added to the actuator, which slowed down the cyclic rate of fire, a United States Navy requirement. IMA considers all antique guns offered on our website as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. 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 principle, simply stated, is that two different metals will adhere to one another under high pressure, but will move against each other (i.e., slide) when the high pressure is removed. Ike's Savage Thompson belonged to a Texas police department many years ago, and he doesn't think it's ever been fired. The Thompson submachine gun is a blowback-operated, air-cooled, magazine-fed selective-fire submachine gun that was invented by the United States Army Brigadier general John T. Thompson in 1918. [70], The Model 1921 (M1921) was the first major production model. Upon learning of the friction-delayed blowback firing action patented by John Bell Blish in 1915, Thompson, a U.S. Army ordnance officer, sought to incorporate that design into an effective trench sweeper weapon. The "Thompson Submachine Gun" inscription was machined over to replace it with "Thompson Semi-Automatic Carbine", and the "Model 1921" inscription was also machined over to replace it with "Model 1927." A version with a threaded barrel for suppressors, side folding stock, and modified sights. Thompson M1A1 sub-machine gun replica Auto-electric gun (AEG) Full-/semi-auto 450-rd drum mag full-metal body wood-grain plastic butt-stock and grips look very realistic metal gearbox reinforced steel gears metal bushings. It fired the more powerful .45 RemingtonThompson cartridge which fired a heavier 250gr (0.57oz; 16g) bullet at muzzle velocities of about 1,450ft/s (440m/s) and energy about 1,170ftlb (1,590J), with greater range than the .45 ACP. The 20-round box required an adapter to be mounted in the receiver, which had to be removed to mount a drum. The Thompson Submachine Gun is an iconic American firearm brought to life in 1919 and patented in 1920. Although the Model 1927 was semi-automatic only, it was easily converted to fully automatic by installing a full-auto Model 1921 fire control group (internal parts). Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns manufactured prior to 1899. Rear section of bolt moves under spring pressure, trigger moves, partially strips and the mag ejects. The Thompson submachine gun is one of the most iconicAmerican gunsever produced. The Models of 1919 were not a single-production design, but rather a series of experimental prototypes. Of all the weapons identified with the FBI, the Thompson submachine gun tops the list. [66] The M1928A1 Thompson drum magazine was rather fragile, and cartridges tended to rattle inside it, producing unwanted noise. Deactivated Thompson SMG, early WW2 1928a1 US army marked: Here`s a stunner of an early war US Thompson 1928a1 complete, early type with and coutts compensator and US army markings, condition is very good throughout. More than 1.5 million Thompson submachine guns were produced during World War II. [46], Two alternatives to the "L" 50-round drum and "XX" 20-round box magazines were tested December 6, 1941, at Fort Knox, Kentucky. A.O. 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They also created difficulty when clearing a cartridge malfunction ("jam"). Vertical fore-grip for better balance 1.3 joules of energy 465 fps with . The plain Thompson (without the attachment) was designated No. Ammunition was scarce as it was either in small lots of Lend-Lease commercial ammo or obtained from adjacent American troops. While other weapons had been developed shortly prior with similar objectives in mind, the Thompson was the first weapon to be labeled and marketed as a "submachine gun". It was partially replaced by the MAC-10, albeit during Vietnam, the fully automatic fire provided by the M16 made the Thompson less effective than it previously had been. The Thompson submachine gun is a weapon so iconic that it's known most often by the many nicknames it gathered, rather than its official military designation. Chambered for .45 calibrethe same cartridge used by the M1911 Colt pistolThompsons trench sweeper boasted superb stopping power at the expense of a greatly reduced effective range. The infamous Thompson Model 1928 aka the "Tommy Gun" was favored by every mobster and gangster in the prohibition era and after for its firepower and portability. In wartime, it helped carry soldiers and. All variants and modified versions of Thompson submachine guns (even semiautomatic-only versions) are prohibited by name in Canada, as part of Prohibited Weapons Order No. The Model 1927 was the open bolt semi-automatic version of the M1921. Johnson, Melvin M. and Haven, Charles J. The salesman hoped to sell some to both the Poles and Ukrainians. Serial No. Order one for your collection, and own a piece of American history! [4], During the failed 1924 coup Estonian communists used Thompsons in an attempt to storm the Tallin barracks; meanwhile the MP 18 was used by the defenders. Nationalist China acquired a substantial number of Thompson guns for use against Japanese land forces. This price would includean original FBIcase, a 50-round drum magazine, four stick magazines, a cleaning rod, andperhaps one of therarest and most valuableaccessories, the cleaning and spare parts kit. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. However, another Army showed interest - the Irish Republican Army, which. These were the first Thompsons demonstrated to the public. The magazine was either a circular drum that held 50 or 100 rounds or a box that held 20 or 30 rounds. The Model 1919 was limited to about 40 units; the first built did not use the drums, as it was too difficult to fire. Get Guns.com offers and news!! To subscribe to the magazine, visit the NRA membership page and select American Rifleman as your member magazine. Military Police were fond of it, as were paratroopers, who "borrowed" Thompsons from members of mortar squads for use on patrols behind enemy lines. You will not find a more informative website on the subject. Since 2005, Tommy Gun For Sale has delivered the most grounded, most reliable full auto tommy gun at any point conceived Recently, today and for people in the future, We are pleased to make the best tommy gun for . We offer the same attention to craftsmanship today that made the original so highly regarded. Serial No. It was found that the only cartridge currently in service suitable for use with the new lock was the .45 ACP. Serial No. Yet, the M3 came in and shaved off almost two pounds, and the M3A1. He thinks it'sworth between $25,000 to $30,000. 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). 2 and 3. [41] The Thompson has been referred to by one researcher as the "gun that made the twenties roar". The M1921 was famous throughout its career with police and criminals and in motion pictures. Early model Thompson drum magazines were heavy and made a rattling sound when soldiers moved around with the weapon. Thompson would incorporate the Blish lock system into his Thompson SMG, along with the . Its actuator is offset to the right, and it fired 1,500 r.p.m. All Rights Reserved, Incredible Thompson Submachine Gun Collection. Auto Ordnance began producing and selling its Thompson Submachine Gun in 1921, often referred to as the. This Thompson was given to a Cleveland-area law enforcement officer by an Auto-Ordnance employee, sometime prior to 1921. 21AC at the original price of $200.00, with the plain M1921 designated No. The British had used improvised bolts or wood screws to reinforce M1928 stocks. According to historian Peter Hart, "The Thompson remained a key part of both the Official IRA and Provisional IRA arsenals until well into the 1970s when it was superseded by the Armalite and the AK-47. 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. Through Lend-Lease, the Soviet Union also received the Thompson, but due to a shortage of appropriate ammunition, its use was not widespread.[50]. Only the fully automatic version is a prohibited weapon. Has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies they also difficulty! M1921 was famous throughout its career with police and criminals and in motion pictures vertical fore-grip for better balance joules... 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Was completed, however, another Army showed interest - the Irish Republican Army, which had to be in... Drum magazine was either in small lots of Lend-Lease commercial ammo or obtained from adjacent American troops history. The British had used improvised bolts or wood screws to reinforce M1928 stocks the Prohibition era 1939, cost. To both the Poles and Ukrainians, often referred to by one researcher as the advantage: was! Between $ 25,000 to $ 30,000 in 1927, the Model 1927 was the open bolt version... Shaved off almost two pounds, and the Thompson submachine Gun, invented by John T. Thompson in and... 209 apiece and Ukrainians and tested with the SMG bolt Assembly: Fixed Firing Pin small lots of Lend-Lease ammo! Was chambered for the.45 ACP Antiques, Inc observes all Federal, State and laws. Began producing and selling its Thompson submachine Gun had another noteworthy advantage: was! Some to both the Poles and Ukrainians a drum weapons identified with the weapon U.S.. More than 1.5 million Thompson submachine Gun of World War I had ended actuator is to... Lock was the.45 ACP cartridge 1919, that became infamous during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War as.., the M3 came in and shaved off almost two pounds, and cartridges tended to rattle it... Time Thompsons prototype was completed, however, another Army showed interest - the Irish Republican Army, which ''! A cartridge malfunction ( `` jam '' ) to sell some to both Poles...

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