Short quiz, photos two two Thompson SMG barrels - why are they different ?Attachment 127187Attachment 127188Attachment 127189Attachment 127190
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Short quiz, photos two two Thompson SMG barrels - why are they different ?Attachment 127187Attachment 127188Attachment 127189Attachment 127190
Is one from a 1921 and one a 1928? Early '21 Guns have thinner fins than later ones. Fins on a Colt Gun are more rounded than WW2 Fins. WW2 1928 Fins are more square. some WH barrels have rounded fins...
As above. The '21 barrel is also serial numbered while the WW2 production barrels were not. The WW2 barrel is probably Savage manufacture.
You guys know your Thompson SMG's
Thin fins were Colt Model 1921 TSMG, rear of barrel breech numbered 1 to 999 to match serial number, only
three digit numbers nothing higher. Thick fins were 1928A1
The 1928A1 had different contractors Savage/Stevens, Auto Ord
Well, I cheated. I had an earlyish 1928 with many early features. It had a Nickle bolt, and one piece ejector for instance. It was marked to the Bapty Movie Company...a vet bringback from Italy was numbered S68038. Although a Savage gun, a very elderly collector from Chicago/Portland told me it was made on the Colt machines. I've examined lots of them.
I have owned about 8 TSMG's including 2 ex-IRA '21's, and worked on a good few as well. I only have a tidy M1 Thompson now.
Jim, I remember photos of your Savage, stock bolts not factory but does not matter.
Here are photos of a Savage bolt that came from a British proofed BNP Savage Model 1928A1,
when I saw the bolt, I traded the owner another bolt.
They use to call these modified bolts " the paratroop bolt"Attachment 127194Attachment 127195
I forgot about those...I had to add those after the fact. There had been some in there at one time to help remedy a split stock but they had been removed. The whole stock came a part like a clamshell and had to be redone. There had been pins and they had been unscrewed too. The stock had the anchor marking so it had to stay. I found a pair of heavy wood screws from a C6 butt, (Mag58) and they fit perfect so they stayed. That gun is now in a dewat collection in Quebec. Sad but true...Quote:
Originally Posted by RCS
Yes, so the weapon could be placed on safe when bolt was forward. The actuator could easily catch in equipment and since it too was advance primer ignition would fire when a cartridge chambered...Quote:
Originally Posted by RCS
By 1923 a special Thompson smg was developed with a longer barrel chambering a special experimental cartridge based on the 45 ACP cartridge case. The new 1923 cartridge used a case one inch long with a 250 gr jacketed bullet at 1450 fps. Both REM-UMC and Winchester loaded this cartridge. Without any interest from law enforcement and military, this soon died,
these 1923 cartridges still turn-up, headstamped REM-UMC 45 ACP.
my photo shows a 9,8 Colt, 45 Thompson 1923 and 455 autoAttachment 127203
I have a couple .455 and lots of variation of .45ACP but never found an M1923 cartridge. Closest I have is the .45 Win Mag...about a quarter inch longer.
While on the subject of the Colt Thompson 1921, both 50 and 100 rd drum magazines were manufactured. Big customers for the 100 rd drum were both the I.R.A. and the US Post Office Dept. Post Office purchased both the Colt Thompson and 100 & 50 rd drums to supply the US Marines who were used to guard the mail trains in NY. A few years later the USMC returned some of this equipment but continued to use the Colt Thompson and large drums during the small "Banana Wars" during the late 1Attachment 127233920's and 30's.
Gangsters continue to favor the large 100 rd drum magazines during the 1930's
A few days ago I was watching a period Korean War film (sorry forgotten the name), made around the time of the Korean War. I noticed that one of the US soldiers had a Thompson SMG with 3 box mags taped together and when the centre mag was empty he flipped the mags round to change mags. I realise that it was only a film but I didn't realise that the idea of taping magazines together had been thought of as early as the Korean War period, i.e. the early 1950's.
Two TSMG or M3 smg taped together goes back to WW2 time period.
Was the name of your movie "Steel Helmet"
Sorry I can't remember the name of the film. It was 3 mags taped together though.Quote:
Originally Posted by RCS
Thinking about it, I think that you are probably correct.Quote:
Originally Posted by RCS
The Steel Helmet (1951)Quote:
Originally Posted by RCS