Thompson M1927

[Fresnel]

I've been rather infatuated with the infamous Tommy Gun lately. It looks to me like a big chunk of wood, metal, and history, with a magazine that puts just about any other comparable gun to shame (100-round drum? Damn.), an integral foregrip, a large caliber (but since it's a pistol caliber, minimal recoil), and about the damn coolest aesthetics of any gun on the market. Has anybody fired one of these? I know Auto-Ordinance makes one, so they're available in semi-auto. If I get up the money, I might just buy one of these some day. I'm damn sure gonna shoot one at least once. This thing looks fun as hell to shoot.

Also, if anyone knows, I'm curious why they were cut out of the US arsenal. Was it size, or budget, or what?  

[Floyd]

The Thompson is a legend. It was well built and over engineered. The two greatest problems were the price per gun and the weight. The M3 grease gun surpassed it in raw numbers, but was not as well loved.

As loved as it was, a fully loaded Thompson would go as high as 17 pounds depending on the configuration, which was fairly outrageous for a machine gun.

With the standardization of the M14 and Colt .45 service pistol, the need for a machine gun that weighed as much as the M14 began to go away. And with the introduction of the M60 machine gun and M16 rifle, the last vestiges of a need for the .45 machine gun died.

Colt did produce a .45 M16 variant, but without the widespread success of the .223 round.  

[Fresnel]

Floyd

As loved as it was, a fully loaded Thompson would go as high as 17 pounds depending on the configuration, which was fairly outrageous for a machine gun.

Holy hell, that sounds like a wonderful weight for the gun. My AR is weighted to about 15 to keep it steady. Was the Thompson a particularly accurate SMG? Sounds like it would be.  

[Floyd]

Fresnel

Holy hell, that sounds like a wonderful weight for the gun. My AR is weighted to about 15 to keep it steady. Was the Thompson a particularly accurate SMG? Sounds like it would be.

Indeed it was! With that much mass, muzzle flip was very easy to manage. And many of them were equipped with the legendary Cutts compensator that vented the gas upward at the muzzle.

Look at this example.
http://tommygunner.com/pages/services/index.htm  

[Fresnel]

I thought it was a bit odd at the time that a recurring character in one of Tom Clancy's books always ran into battle with a tommy gun. It makes so much more sense now.  

[Old Lord Brocktree]

You mean the 1928?

and i like the Thompson, but it lacks the punch of a rifle cartridge.

that's why I'd pack the BAR. cool  

[Fresnel]

Old Lord Brocktree

You mean the 1928?

and i like the Thompson, but it lacks the punch of a rifle cartridge.

that's why I'd pack the BAR. cool

I think they made, like, a new model every year from 1927 into the mid 1930's. I think in 1928 they removed the fore-grip, which in my mind is part of what makes the gun. There's nothing wrong with the BAR, I suppose, but I don't see myself having to shoot through tank armor, sooo... I'll stick with the other end of the power/volume tradeoff.

EDIT: Haha... I just found a shooter's review of the Thompson 1927. It included this:

Quote:

It's easy to see why the vertical foregrip was essential equipment when firing with the 100-round drum. With a loaded drum, the Thompson weighed as much as a BAR.

So even with 100 rounds, the Thompson weighs as much as a BAR with 20.  

[Old Lord Brocktree]

Fresnel

Old Lord Brocktree

You mean the 1928?

and i like the Thompson, but it lacks the punch of a rifle cartridge.

that's why I'd pack the BAR. cool

I think they made, like, a new model every year from 1927 into the mid 1930's. I think in 1928 they removed the fore-grip, which in my mind is part of what makes the gun. There's nothing wrong with the BAR, I suppose, but I don't see myself having to shoot through tank armor, sooo... I'll stick with the other end of the power/volume tradeoff.

EDIT: Haha... I just found a shooter's review of the Thompson 1927. It included this:

Quote:

It's easy to see why the vertical foregrip was essential equipment when firing with the 100-round drum. With a loaded drum, the Thompson weighed as much as a BAR.

So even with 100 rounds, the Thompson weighs as much as a BAR with 20.

The BAR weighs 30, without bipod and unloaded, so no, the BAR weighs more than the Thompson.

Also, they made two models, the 1921, which was the model used in most of WWII, it didn't involve the foregrip, and the 1928, which had the vertical foregrip.

And the BAR fires the same round as the M1 Garand, so it has the same punch and power, plus the output of an automatic weapon.  

[Lord Plate]

I've had a chance to fire the M1, it was very nice. Except for the killer muzzle rise. Damn thing kept trying to escape.  

[Fresnel]

Old Lord Brocktree

Fresnel

Old Lord Brocktree

You mean the 1928?

and i like the Thompson, but it lacks the punch of a rifle cartridge.

that's why I'd pack the BAR. cool

I think they made, like, a new model every year from 1927 into the mid 1930's. I think in 1928 they removed the fore-grip, which in my mind is part of what makes the gun. There's nothing wrong with the BAR, I suppose, but I don't see myself having to shoot through tank armor, sooo... I'll stick with the other end of the power/volume tradeoff.

EDIT: Haha... I just found a shooter's review of the Thompson 1927. It included this:

Quote:

It's easy to see why the vertical foregrip was essential equipment when firing with the 100-round drum. With a loaded drum, the Thompson weighed as much as a BAR.

So even with 100 rounds, the Thompson weighs as much as a BAR with 20.

The BAR weighs 30, without bipod and unloaded, so no, the BAR weighs more than the Thompson.

Also, they made two models, the 1921, which was the model used in most of WWII, it didn't involve the foregrip, and the 1928, which had the vertical foregrip.

And the BAR fires the same round as the M1 Garand, so it has the same punch and power, plus the output of an automatic weapon.

Well yes, but how much does 100 rounds of .45 weigh?

I was going by Wikipedia. They have, like, 15 different models listed.

Agreed. The BAR has a small amount of kickass ammo. The Thompson has a s**t-ton of pretty good ammo. It's hard to have both without having to have someone else carrying it for you.  

[Old Lord Brocktree]

Fresnel

Old Lord Brocktree

Fresnel

Old Lord Brocktree

You mean the 1928?

and i like the Thompson, but it lacks the punch of a rifle cartridge.

that's why I'd pack the BAR. cool

I think they made, like, a new model every year from 1927 into the mid 1930's. I think in 1928 they removed the fore-grip, which in my mind is part of what makes the gun. There's nothing wrong with the BAR, I suppose, but I don't see myself having to shoot through tank armor, sooo... I'll stick with the other end of the power/volume tradeoff.

EDIT: Haha... I just found a shooter's review of the Thompson 1927. It included this:

Quote:

It's easy to see why the vertical foregrip was essential equipment when firing with the 100-round drum. With a loaded drum, the Thompson weighed as much as a BAR.

So even with 100 rounds, the Thompson weighs as much as a BAR with 20.

The BAR weighs 30, without bipod and unloaded, so no, the BAR weighs more than the Thompson.

Also, they made two models, the 1921, which was the model used in most of WWII, it didn't involve the foregrip, and the 1928, which had the vertical foregrip.

And the BAR fires the same round as the M1 Garand, so it has the same punch and power, plus the output of an automatic weapon.

Well yes, but how much does 100 rounds of .45 weigh?

I was going by Wikipedia. They have, like, 15 different models listed.

Agreed. The BAR has a small amount of kickass ammo. The Thompson has a s**t-ton of pretty good ammo. It's hard to have both without having to have someone else carrying it for you.

There's your problem. Try this site. http://world.guns.ru/main-e.htm

One hundred rounds of .45 would weigh a bit, but still heftable by one hand, otherwise it would be impractical.

And I always though a drummag for the BAR would be a lovely addition..  

[Rommel_Desert_Fox]

Be an example to your men,
in your duty and in private life. Never spare yourself,
and let the troops see that you don't in your endurance
of fatigue and privation.

I think an authentic thompson costs an arm and a leg these days.

Always be tactful and well-mannered and teach your
subordinates to do the same. Avoid excessive
sharpness or harshness of voice, which usually
indicates the man who has shortcomings of his own to hide.

 

[Lord Plate]

Rommel_Desert_Fox

Be an example to your men,
in your duty and in private life. Never spare yourself,
and let the troops see that you don't in your endurance
of fatigue and privation.

I think an authentic thompson costs an arm and a leg these days.

Always be tactful and well-mannered and teach your
subordinates to do the same. Avoid excessive
sharpness or harshness of voice, which usually
indicates the man who has shortcomings of his own to hide.

Costs an arm and a leg to rent, too.

And will make your arm hurt even if you get to keep it.  

[Rommel_Desert_Fox]

Be an example to your men,
in your duty and in private life. Never spare yourself,
and let the troops see that you don't in your endurance
of fatigue and privation.

Easy solution: acquire a replica.

Always be tactful and well-mannered and teach your
subordinates to do the same. Avoid excessive
sharpness or harshness of voice, which usually
indicates the man who has shortcomings of his own to hide.

 

[Fresnel]

Rommel_Desert_Fox

Be an example to your men,
in your duty and in private life. Never spare yourself,
and let the troops see that you don't in your endurance
of fatigue and privation.

Easy solution: acquire a replica.

Always be tactful and well-mannered and teach your
subordinates to do the same. Avoid excessive
sharpness or harshness of voice, which usually
indicates the man who has shortcomings of his own to hide.

The original manufacturer still makes them. They're about a grand apiece. You can buy one here. They make several different models, and a couple of them are full auto, but it says they're discontinued. They also sell a padded violin case to keep it in.

Needless to say, WANT.