Thompson SMG Tools/Acessories

[Flying10uk]

Is any-one able to please posts some pictures of Thompson tools/accessories the kind of things that went into the Transit chest? I am especially interested in seeing what "official" Thomson screw drivers look like, please.

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[Peter Laidler]

You need to get yourself a little paperback booklet titled 'Great Britain - and the Tommy Gun story' by Tom Davies. Too many pictures but VERY interesting.

I doubt very much that any of these special tools, if any, especially bench tools were ever issued down to Armourers on the shop floor at any level simply because the only special tool that they would need is the breeching up clamps for the body and barrel. Even then the bench vice and lead clamps would grip the body. While UNbreeching is usually a brutal process simply because by definition, it's only being unbreeched to replace the barrel - which again by default, is defective! Yep, done it a few times....... I seem to recall that the only Armourers gauges were the FPP. Even the oil bottle and pullthroughs were standard UK Army issue but the specially shaped chamber brush was issued

The remainder of the tools such as punches and screwdrivers are in the Armourers basic tool kit

[Flying10uk]

Just ordered the book, thanks.

[browningautorifle]

The Thompson was among the very hardest guns I ever unbreeched. Broke one vise doing it, I just went and bought a bigger one...

[Flying10uk]

Am I correct in thinking that the M1 Thompson doesn't have the quick release Butt and it is screwed directly to the body? Some of the screwdrivers currently being sold by U.K. dealers as Thompson screw drivers appear to be dimensionally identical to the screwdrivers in some Mosin Nagent tool kits which have appeared on the collectors market in recent years. The only difference being some additional slots on the side of the Nagent screwdriver. I wondered if the Russians copied the Thompson screwdriver design for the Mosin Nagent rifle???

[Peter Laidler]

This book doesn't even mention screwdrivers! I mean......., screwdrivers is screwdrivers the whole world over.

You're right about the unbreeching of the Thompson BAR. That's why I mentioned the brutal bit. We made a set of slotted (for the grip mount bar) barrel clamps and it still didn't break away. Cut the grip rail off (we had a few new lend lease spare parts) and got REALLY brutal......., as only a REME recovery mechanic and a blacksmith can..... A loud bang and off it came.

[browningautorifle]

A loud bang and off it came.

Exactly, and mine had been breeched up in about 1939. It was a vet bring back from Italy...

[Flying10uk]

The thing is that I'm currently making a replica Thompson Chest as close to the original as possible and I have completed most of the woodwork with the lid the main part left to do. There is a lidded compartment to the rear right, presumably to hold tools/spares and I would like to ascertain the correct accoutrements to go in it. I have obtained some items such as a cleaning rod, oil can and I believe a bore gauge. The one item which was doubtful was the screw driver for the reasons already mentioned although there are a number of dealers selling it as being pacific to Thompson. (It is a punched steel screw driver.) Is any-one able to confirm the items in addition to the gun that should go in the chest, please?

[Flying10uk]

The Thompson book arrived yesterday and very interesting it is too. There doesn't appear to be any mention of the transit chest in it from what I can see but it is well worth the £20 it cost me from Amazon. I notice on the back cover there is reference to a Thompson bayonet but apparently no images of it in the book. I wasn't aware that a bayonet was ever produced for the Thompson; does any-one own an example or knows of one in a museum, please?

[browningautorifle]

From what I've seen, it was a bayonet fixture on the model of (1924?) and it had a longer barrel, longer cartridge and bipod. Also, the bayonet looked to me like a Springfield item...maybe Krag... Test patterns only...