Thompson

[Theodore1]

Spring cleaning oiled up and ready.

[Theodore1]

ammo....

[the rifleer]

very cool. I think the fact that its worn and not perfect makes it extra cool. did you do that on purpose?

[Theodore1]

I've shot enough rounds at times,150-200, the barrel turns red hot. Quite a lot of fun.
As for distressed appearance...... It's been around and shows it's age.
Rounds are getting quite expensive as of late. Try to shoot brass rounds as the steel rounds tend to jam after heavy use.

[Dfariswheel]

Note that Auto Ordnance now specifically says NOT to shoot steel cased ammo in their guns.
They say the extractor may well break.

[Theodore1]

I've not shot steel for quite some time as the frequent jams were...... a real pain to remove.

[madcratebuilder]

Originally Posted by Dfariswheel

Note that Auto Ordnance now specifically says NOT to shoot steel cased ammo in their guns.
They say the extractor may well break.

I polished the chamber on mine when I was polishing the feed ramp. Did not help with steel case. I well shoot 15-20 steel rds slow fire but it does heat up and chokes. A friend reloads .45 acp on his progressive for me at very reasonably prices.

I want to send mine to Tommygunner for a detachable butt stock, SBR it with improved rear sight and comp. I wish I could afford the full auto but the War department would deport me if I did that.

[Walter]

The Auto Ordnance 1911A-1 pistols produced in West Hurley are notorious for being "unreliable" (to put it kindly), with failures to feed, eject, etc. being common to the point of ridiculous. How is your Thompson carbine, in that respect. Is it pretty reliable?

And how about magazines? Are dependable mags hard to come by?

Just curious.

Walter

[Theodore1]

I won't shoot steel rounds, only brass. Last shot this late last year with no problems. Have 2-30 rnd. Mag's. they look to be as old as the gun.
Found this online. Think it relates to this gun, although there is no A after the 3 digit serial number.
SECTION IV: National Firearms Act Weapons
Classified As Curios or Relics Under 18 U.S.C. Chapter
44
The Bureau has determined that the following National Firearms Act weapons are curios
or relics as defined in 27 CFR 178.11 because of their dates of manufacture. These
National Firearms Act weapons, classified as curios or relics, are still subject to all the
controls under the National Firearms Act. However, licensed collectors may acquire,
hold, or dispose of them as curios or relics subject to the provisions of 18 U.S.C. Chapter
44 and 27 CFR Part 178. They are still "firearms" as defined in the National Firearms Act
and 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44.
• Thompson submachinegun, Model M1, .45 cal., mfd. by Auto Ordnance
Corporation, West Hurley, New York, between 1985 and 1986, having S/Ns from
M100A to M717A.

[Dfariswheel]

The guns listed in the NFA list are FULL-AUTO machine guns, not your SEMI-AUTO gun.

In the 1970's and 80's before the law was changed to allow no more new full-auto guns to be made, Auto Ordnance of West Hurley made new full-auto Model 1928 and M1-A1 Thompson submachine guns.
At the same time they were also building the semi-auto Model 1927-A1 and the semi-auto M1 like yours.

Your gun is not covered under the NFA and is legal to own in most states other then those that have a State assault weapons ban of some sort.

[Theodore1]

Thanks for the info. I take it that this gun cannot be converted to full auto.
Were there a number of these guns produced?

[44 AMP]

Since we're showing off tommyguns, here's mine.


The commercial semi auto 1927A1s & M1s cannot be converted to full auto without the services of a full machine shop (which could also build a gun from scratch), as the internals of the semi auto are completely different than the SMG, and the dimensions of the reciever are 1/4" off from the SMG.

Completely milling out the entire inside of the reciever, and then installing the full auto parts would be the minimum necessary, and of course, it wouldn't be legal to do it, even if you could.

Getting one converted to a SBR (short barrel rifle) is much simpler, providing it is legal in your state, and you get BATFE approval BEFORE you shorten the barrel.

My gun feeds everything I've put in it, FMJ, JHP, LRN and LSWC bullets without any issues from the stick mags. Still haven't gotten the drum to run flawlessly..yet.

[mxsailor803]

I will have one of these guns one day!!

[Dfariswheel]

take it that this gun cannot be converted to full auto.
Were there a number of these guns produced?

Any semi-auto firearm "can" be converted to full-auto if you have the equipment and know what you're doing.

When George Numrich, owner of Numrich Arms/Gun Parts Corporation/Auto Ordnance introduced the semi-auto Thompson gun in the 1960's, he bragged that he'd spent $100,000 designing a semi-auto Thompson that could not be converted to full-auto.
Within two months, Shotgun News was full of ads selling instructions on how to convert Numrich's gun to open bolt and full-auto.

The semi-auto guns are very difficult to convert because internal parts are different sizes and the receiver is lower and a full-auto bolt can't fit even if you machined things.

Numrich Arms didn't make huge numbers of the semi-auto M1 version, the 1927-A1 that looks like a Roaring Twenties Thompson gun was and is more popular.
However, after Kahr Arms bought Auto Ordnance movies like "The Band Of Brothers" and "Saving Private Ryan" popularized the WWII M1-A1 Thompson gun and the M1 model has become more popular.

Here's Auto Ordnance's web site showing all the Thompson semi-auto guns.

http://www.auto-ordnance.com/

[Theodore1]

So, am I right in assuming that there were only 700 some odd semi-auto's like this one, made between 85-86?
As for converting to full-auto... don't think I'll take that route...
Thanks,

[Willie Sutton]

There were thousands produced, made during the entire production run which started in the 1960's and ran for decades. It was not long ago that there was one of these hanging behind the cash register of every self respecting gunstore, more as anm object of display than as something they wanted to sell. When I worked at SARCO in the early 80's (which was an experience) we had... <scratches head> "lots" of them. We sold several weekly.


You have a nice semi auto Tommy. It's neither particularly rare, or particularly sought after as a collectors item. It's just a nice thing to have and play with. Enjoy it.


Willie

.

[Bill DeShivs]

The Semi-auto Thompson was introduced in the mid 1970s, not the 1960s.