For a long time, Ike, a retired law enforcement officerwho is also a gun collector, wasn't interested in owningThompsons. The Thompson submachine gun was used by both gangsters and the police officers bringing them to justice. [36], The Thompson was first used in combat in June 13 1921, when West Virginia state troopers fired on the mountainside near Lick Creek, where striking miners were firing at passing cars. Built to modern engineering standards, the Thompson M1 is a reliable and highly accurate representation of its legendary WWII ancestors. After Auto-Ordnance personnel were satisfied with its appearance and function, a production run of Thompsons was bid out to two different firms: Colts and Savage. [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. During the Korean War, US troops were surprised to encounter communist Chinese troops armed with Thompsons (amongst other captured US-made Nationalist Chinese and American firearms), especially during unexpected night-time assaults which became a prominent Chinese combat tactic in the conflict. In May 1919, Oscar Payne was given permission to build the Model F (Freak) designs of the 1919s. In the 1930s, Taiyuan Arsenal (a Chinese weapons manufacturer) produced copies of the Thompson for Yan Xishan, then warlord of Shanxi province. [26] This was the weapon Brigadier General Thompson demonstrated at Camp Perry in 1920. The rate of fire for this Thompson was about 1,000 r.p.m. Ver 10 prototypes were similar in appearance to the later models, but without the rear sight and butt stock mounts. In 1938, the Thompson submachine gun was adopted by the U.S. military and was used during World War II. A.O. They shipped their remaining stocks to arm the forces of Lon Nol's Khmer Republic in 1975. Machine Guns for Sale The Spiwak family takes pride in the large collection of machine guns offered for sale, including fully automatic, semi-automatic and sub-machine guns (sub guns). Two Model of 1919s were built and tested with the new design, serial Nos. Another of Ike'sThompson's that he loves is his Savage M1 Thompson. A Swedish variant of the M1928A1, the Kulsprutepistol m/40 (submachine gun, model 40), served in the Swedish Army between 1940 and 1951. Sometime before Colts production, serial No. [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 was partially built, but never completely finished. [31] The Model 1921 was thereafter referred to as Model 1921A or Model 1921AC, though some collectors still refer to it as the Model 1921. Thompson submachine gun, byname Tommy gun, submachine gun patented in 1920 by its American designer, John T. Thompson. These were the first 1919s to incorporate a round bolt face, centered actuator and redesigned firing-pin system, providing improved reliability. The M1A1, standardized in October 1942 as the United States Submachine Gun, Cal. 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. ELAS was the strongest of the resistance forces during the period of Greek Resistance against the Germans and Italians and were supplied with arms from both the British and the United States. The rate of fire was in excess of 1,500 rounds per minute (r.p.m. These submachine guns were used to a limited extent by the Red Army. Thompson Autorifle Model 1923 (top) and SMG Model 1921. The company was the creation of retired U.S. Army Gen. John T. Thompson, one of America's leading firearm experts of the day, and he was backed by Thomas Fortune Ryan, a powerful Wall Street. The M1928A1 variant entered mass production before the attack on Pearl Harbor, as on-hand stocks ran out. They used the Thompson extensively in jungle patrols and ambushes, where it was prized for its firepower, though it was criticized for its hefty weight and poor reliability. Prohibition era (192033) for its use by gangsters in bloody incidents such as the St. Valentines Day Massacre. Its actuator is offset to the right, and it fired 1,500 r.p.m. This model was designed to "sweep" trenches with bullets. All orders are subject to acceptance by IMA Inc, which reserves the right to refuse any order. But then a friend of his offered to trade twoThompsons for Ike's Maremont M60 machine gun. 13 in 1995. Both the U.S. and British armies used it in World War II, as at various times have other armed forces. Asking $20,500 however all reasonable offers will be considered. The bolt face was square in profile with a square chamber face. While working for Remington, Thompson was responsible for the set-up and operation of Remingtons Eddystone Arsenal, and he believed that through the initiative of a private corporation the creation of new firearms would be possible. The magazine was either a circular drum that held 50 or 100 rounds or a box that held 20 or 30 rounds. Only the fully automatic version is a prohibited weapon. With the start of World War II, major contracts from several countries saved the manufacturer from bankruptcy. In addition, the Soviet Union received M1928A1s, included as standard equipment with the M3 light tanks obtained through Lend-Lease. It was a common sight of the time, being used by both law enforcement officers and criminals. Two of them are in the 99-percentcategory in terms of condition, which makes them very valuable. Co. The FBI had also acquired Thompsons in 1933 following the Kansas City Massacre. The frame and receiver are milled from solid steel or aluminum, the wood is genuine American walnut, and the overall finish is a blued steel or black anodized aluminum. The profile of the buttstock is elegant and very fragile, as noted by a repaired crack near the stock release button. Shortly afterwards the US Army also ordered a large quantity. "The FBI and the Thompson Submachine Gun". 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. Ammunition was manufactured in Australia or obtained from adjacent American troops. Serial No. Though it could use both the 50-round drum and the 20- or 30-round box magazines, active service favored the box magazines as the drums were more prone to jamming, rattled when moving, and were too heavy and bulky on long patrols. It was later modified for the semi-automatic mode, buttstock attachment, and front and rear sights. This submachine gun is capable of full or semi-automatic operation. [69], A .3006 variant was intended as a rival to the M1918 BAR. Examination of the trigger housing indicates that the stock attachment was an afterthought, as is a No. The first Model of 1919 was called the Persuader, and it was built in November 1917. The 1928 variant can be disassembled easily by first detaching the stock, then sliding off the lower receiver and then simply removing the internal parts, cleaning them, and then putting it back together. )or 25 rounds per second. It was used and modified for each of these changes first before other 1919s were constructed or Colts production began. It was originally designed to break the stalemate of trench warfare of World War I, but was not finished until after the war ended. We offer the same attention to craftsmanship today that made the original so highly regarded. 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. It was later replaced by the 9mm Sten gun and Lanchester SMG. The Model 1919 was limited to about 40 units; the first built did not use the drums, as it was too difficult to fire. [29] Thompson gained financial backing from the businessman Thomas F. Ryan and proceeded to found a company, which he named the Auto-Ordnance Company, in 1916, for the purpose of developing his new "auto rifle". The Model 1928 was the first type widely used by military forces, with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps as major buyers through the 1930s. In addition, the gun performed better than most after exposure to rain, dirt, and mud.[36]. The Thompson was one of the earliest submachine guns to incorporate a double-column, staggered-feed box magazine design, which undoubtedly contributed to the gun's reputation for reliability. Though the M3 was considerably cheaper to produce, at the end of World War II, the Thompson, with a total wartime production of over 1.5 million, outnumbered the M3/M3A1 submachine guns in service by nearly three to one. War Thompsons, as Ike refers to them, are more common and worthless, but they arestill awesome guns. This model gained fame from its use by criminals during Prohibition, and was nicknamed "tommy gun" by the media. It was originally designed to be used by both infantry and cavalry troops, but it quickly became standard now and be the talk of the town! The company was the creation of retired U.S. Army Gen. John T. Thompson, one of Americas leading firearm experts of the day, and he was backed by Thomas Fortune Ryan, a powerful Wall Street financier. The Hellenic Armed Forces, gendarmerie and police units were equipped with Thompson submachine guns supplied by the British and later in the war by the United States. 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. Johnson, Melvin M. and Haven, Charles J. They soon discovered that the weapon was prone to jamming due to sand. Responding to a request for further simplification, the M1 was standardized in April 1942 as the United States Submachine Gun, Cal. 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. Ike's Savage Thompson belonged to a Texas police department many years ago, and he doesn't think it's ever been fired. A notable variant of the Model 1928 with an aluminum receiver and tenite grip, buttstock, and forend, was made by Savage.[73]. In wartime, it helped carry soldiers and Marines to victory inEurope and the Pacific in World War II. He gave his sales kit to Col. Elbert E. Farman, Jr., then U.S. Military Attach to Poland. 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. Of those, only 11 are known to exist today, with only five known to be in private hands. It is believed that only four were completed, serial Nos. Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. This same scabbard goes . All Rights Reserved, Incredible Thompson Submachine Gun Collection. By the end of the war, the M1A1 was replaced with the even lower-cost M3 (commonly called the "Grease Gun"). 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 . New mnfr. 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 look and feel are authentic, right down to the side bolt action. This Model of 1919 Thompson, an Annihilator III, Model G, never had a factory-stamped serial number applied. The Model 1927A1 is a semi-automatic replica version of the Thompson, originally produced by Auto-Ordnance of West Hurley, New York for the civilian collector's market from 1974 to 1999. "[15], The Thompson was also used by U.S. and overseas law enforcement and police forces, most prominently by the FBI. It became so prized that soldiers routinely picked up Thompson guns dropped by killed or wounded comrades. Originally a full-automatic-only gun, serial No. "The Tommy Gun in Jungle Warfare: The Use and Usefulness of the Thompson Submachine Gun for Australian Soldiers on the Kokoda Trail, New Guinea, 1942,", Rice, Glenn E. "$210K for Bonnie & Clyde Tommy Gun, shotgun", The Ultimate Thompson Book by Tracie L. Hill, sfn error: no target: CITEREFSmith1969p461 (, As mentioned in a notorious reportage on the death of outlaw, sfn error: no target: CITEREFSmith1969p516 (, "Thompson Submachine Gun: Principles of Operation 1943", running various parts of the fragmented country, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Front de Libration de la Cte des Somalis, List of U.S. Army weapons by supply catalog designation, "Diario de la Guerra de Honduras: 30 de enero-30 de abril 1924, Mario Rivas", "Forgotten History of Thompson SMG in Secret Police and Army of Soviet Russia", "Silah Report Podcast V33: Iranian Submachine Guns (19411979)", "SOMALIA: Weapons We Used, Weapons We Captured", "Surveying the Battlefield: Illicit Arms In Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia", "Full Power/Full Auto: The Thompson Goes Metric And the MP5 Goes American", "Digital Resources: The Sandino Rebellion Digital Historical Archive, Nicaragua, 19271934", "Development of the Thompson Submachine Gun", "An Official Journal Of The NRA | Guns of the Battle of Blair Mountain", " : - ", "St. Valentine's Day Massacre: Tale of two guns", "Thompson Submachine Gun: The Tommy Gun Goes to War", "12 Viet Cong Homemade Thompson Submachine Gun", "Thompson "Tommy Gun" SMG .30 Carbine Version -", M1 Vs M1A1 Thompson Submachine Gun Cyclic rate, "Submachine guns of UK BSA Thompson 1926 Thompson 1928A1 Lanchester Sten and Sterling", List of Restricted and Prohibited Firearms, "Handvuurwapens van de Belgische Rijkswacht", "MEMRIA E IDENTIDADE NA TRAJETRIA DOS RFOS DE PAU DE COLHER: ACONTECIMENTOS, PESSOAS, LUGARES", "Police Small Arms Arsenals in the Northern Central American Triangle", http://www.ilcassetto.it/notizia.php?tid=148, ":: Revista Militar::-Revistas As Indstrias Militares e As Armas de Fogo", " , ( 1)", "Viet Cong Weaponry: 14 Small Arms From the Vietnam War", "The American "Tommy Gun" In The Pak-Afghan Region Report", "La fusillade de Loyada: Quelle balle a tu? 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