Thompson 50 rd drum magazines

[Flying10uk]

Can anyone tell me whether Thompson 50 rd drum magazines are available, for the 1928 Thompson, at an affordable price and if so where, please? I would be most interested in an original item but failing that a good repro would suffice. Could one of the soviet drum mags be modified to fit, if all else failed? How easy would it be for a private individual to import a single mag from the states? A 1928 Thompson just doesn't look right with anything else other than a drum mag.

Thank-you

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[browningautorifle]

There were some 39 rd drums made at the end of the stuff I was able to get from Numrich, I'd ordered a proper 50 rd before that. That would have been 1992...it was $217 US at that time. I've seen them at gunshows in Canada for $500 and up. Real ones command premium prices, these mostly were repros. I sold my 1928 recently to a young guy and the drum accompanied as dewat, I believe I could have gotten near $1000 for it alone... Don't know if you can get one from the US or Canada to the UK, I'd think you'll have better luck drawing from your resources there...in Europe... I don't think a PPSh drum will make it. They just don't look close enough. We have a couple of dealers here that will know for sure about you importing them...

[Peter Laidler]

There was a lot of US lend lease drums came in from released War Stores in the Ukraine about 10 years ago. But even then, they were highly priced - and prized......... Have you ever heard the phrase '.....rocking horse manure.....'

[browningautorifle]

We had a guy at the Calgary show about three years ago selling Thompson stuff. Everything you could imagine... He did very well and never came back. It just showed me how many were around under the floor boards, so to speak. Guys younger than me buying them...and to own an F/A version, you'd have to be my age minimum. That stuff seldom appears and then it disappears for an eternity. Price is dictated by availability.

Tom Bowers sells lots of it. http://www.subguns.com/classifieds/?...=&session_key=
Rubin Mendiola too... DealerNFA Ruben Mendiola

[RCS]

difficult to find the early Colt TSMG 100 round drum in nice condition and matching front and back serial number. Some collectors buy the new repro 100 round drum for a lot less but these new repros often need internal work before shooting them.

Years ago gun shows often had 100 round drums from South America but the condition was not very good and lacking collector interest.

The 50 round drum with the New York address (depending on variation) can run $1200 to $2000 on the collector market while the WW2 drums still in the cardboard sleeve can also push $1000 nowAttachment 61831Attachment 61832

[Mk VII]

Reproductions made in Taiwan (probably) have appeared in recent years. The earliest ones had the Auto Ordnance name and trademark on them, action by the present holders of the trademark saw that removed and more recent ones have been unmarked. The Crosby name has also been on some of them. These repros do not have the rotor packed with grease, unlike the originals, so you have to do that yourself (a tool needs to be made to do this). Some have had to be 'doctored' somewhat to make them work reliably.
You should bear in mind that the bolt needs to be retracted to fasten the drum, so if the gun is one of the more recent deacts which does not do this it will be money wasted.

Reproduction Thompson Accessories Reference Guide - Thompson Submachine Gun Message Board - MachineGunBoards.com Forums
Greasing a new reproduction L drum - Thompson Submachine Gun Message Board - MachineGunBoards.com Forums

[Flying10uk]

Thanks to every-one for all this useful info. I wasn't aware that the bolt had to be retracted in order to fit a drum mag to a Thompson so this is very useful to know. My Thompson is a new UK spec example with non moving bolt although the cocking handel does move.

[Nick S]

Zib Militaria in Germany sell a repro drum quite cheaply that can be made to fit a recent deact Thompson by filing/dremmelling the RH feed lip on the drum.

[RCS]

[RCS]