OCM Posted May 27, 2014 Report Share Posted May 27, 2014 Have a buddy that just bought a new unfired WH as a shooter- I've never seen one, so I said I'd ask the group about any advice about it, other then shoot it. It's a 28 FA version, mid 80s production.Thanks for advice etc. OCM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief762 Posted May 28, 2014 Report Share Posted May 28, 2014 I'd say to make sure it has a WWII buffer pilot and put in a neoprene buffer pad, lube it up and have at it. My 2 cents.Chief762 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron_brock Posted May 28, 2014 Report Share Posted May 28, 2014 Sandy, Do you know if he paid a premium for the unfired Hurley or was the price in line with other fired guns? Just wondering as this topic was brought up recently and wondered if we could get an actual data point regarding a purchase made versus online auction speculated sales. - Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCM Posted May 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2014 Thanks- ahhhhh price isn't something I'm wanting to share, not my position to do so. Understand tho- Never even touched a WH, so am just trying to help out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnshooter Posted May 28, 2014 Report Share Posted May 28, 2014 Along with the "must have" Neoprene buffer pad and GI pilot, the magazine catch, actuator, and a few other parts are possibly a cast reproduction. You can still obtain online the excellent November 2011 Small Arms Review article by TD on West Hurley reproductions parts. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzz Posted May 28, 2014 Report Share Posted May 28, 2014 Sandy, Do you know if he paid a premium for the unfired Hurley or was the price in line with other fired guns? Just wondering as this topic was brought up recently and wondered if we could get an actual data point regarding a purchase made versus online auction speculated sales. - RonI personally know of an unfired WH 28 in PA that sold for $19750 from a gun shop. No, I wasn't the buyer. from what I've seen, prices for WHs are presently running from around $16K for a mutt to just shy of $20K for an unfired one. There might be a few fishy auctions from time to time but they cannot be ALL fishy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steeltoe1978 Posted May 28, 2014 Report Share Posted May 28, 2014 I bought an unfired WH 1928 years ago... first time I went to shoot it... after replacing all of the junk parts with NOS GI parts... it didn't fire... the bolt traveled forward (with a new spring... tried 5 of them... even Wolf Springs) slower than I could throw a bullet, and it mashed the bullets into the feed ramp. The roll stamp that they (WH) used had slightly "crushed" the receiver... nevermind all of the other shortcuts they took. I sent it to PK, and now it runs like it should... flawlessly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob241 Posted May 28, 2014 Report Share Posted May 28, 2014 If any member is interested in purchasing a 1928 West Hurley that will fire, thereis one on GB,(item 416670517). The current bid is $16,025.00. I know it will fire, as there is a nice bulge in the barrel just behind the comp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSMGguy Posted May 28, 2014 Report Share Posted May 28, 2014 These guns just were not made to original Colt or GI specs. Some ran out of the box, some didn't. This one will work, or it won't. If it doesn't, problems could be deeper than just the need to replace the cast WH internals with GI. I would not let just any local smith try to tune the gun. Many will start by removing metal from the feed ramp, without knowing what the problems really are. This just results in a damaged gun. The FAQ section here lists some experienced, tried & true Thompson smiths. These guys truly understand the guns and their design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD. Posted May 28, 2014 Report Share Posted May 28, 2014 If your friend is new to the Thompson community, I believe he would learn a lot from my story about West Hurley Thompsons and parts in the Small Arms Review magazine, cited above. Please tell him not to shoot this Thompson if it has a West Hurley buffer pilot. Change out this part with a GI part. One of the new style neoprene disks will certainly offer better protection for his receiver than the older red or gray WWII disks. I like PK's analogy on West Hurley Thompson's that do seem to operate most of the time. Paraphrasing - they are most likely eating themselves alive. I suggest he get on PK list. It is probably over 3 years now but well worth the wait. That said, please welcome him to our community. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCM Posted May 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2014 Thanks all. Now we wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anjong-ni Posted June 2, 2014 Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 The one on G/B sold. It looks kinda like that snake in the cartoons that swallows Elmer Fudd........ Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raining Brass Posted June 3, 2014 Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 Oh dang. I've seen ones with slight bulges, but that is the first one I've seen that looked like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roertmcw Posted June 27, 2014 Report Share Posted June 27, 2014 Your friend really needs to read this post BEFORE he shoots it http://www.machinegunboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=12622&hl=%2Bcracked+%2Breceivers Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavediver Posted June 28, 2014 Report Share Posted June 28, 2014 My WH was bought new from Ira trust in 1979 by me and it has run since day one with no problems. Guess I got a good one.I have put thousands of rounds through it over the years and no problems or wear. Still would like a 28 navy but for a shooter my gun is great. I enjoy letting newbies shoot it and seeing them try to wipe the smile off of their face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCM Posted October 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2014 (edited) We finally opened up the WH today ( my buddy's) at the gun store, it was a bitch to get the frame off- TIGHT. It was new in 1985, first time apart we believe, never been fired. Spring was a bit rusty, bolt was ok but gritty, had a lot of reddish color to it. Bolt had R S stamped on it, what's that ? Actuator looked ok but cheap looking, blish lock fine, no breech oiler. Frame latch pic was sticking, bad spring I think. Gun looked real nice in general.I'm suggesting to the owner to replace spring, bolt, actuator and get a breech oiler like from Omega. Already have a washer for the pilot from PK.Anything else you WH might suggest ? My first time with a WH. Also who sells the cleaning rod extensions for a WWII brass cleaning rod- Thanks- OCM Edited October 2, 2014 by OCM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrylta Posted October 2, 2014 Report Share Posted October 2, 2014 As Chief762 stated, Check to see if the pilot is GI, if not swap it out for one.-Darryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD. Posted October 2, 2014 Report Share Posted October 2, 2014 Follow Darryl's advice about the buffer pilot. Omega will have all the parts you need. The Thompson Model 1928 bolt has never been reproduced in the USA as far as I know so it is probably fine. I have never seen one with both R and S markings. Can you post some pictures. If the actuator does not have some type of manufacturer marking it is probably a West Hurley part and a good candidate for replacement. We could probably tell from some pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron_brock Posted October 2, 2014 Report Share Posted October 2, 2014 Sandy Numerich still has rods and extensions pretty cheap. Ron Ps did giant panda get ahold of you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCM Posted October 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2014 (edited) Thanks- I don't have the parts, probably could get a photo next week. Bolt is suspect in my opinion, I assume a GI oiler will fit the WH fine ? I may have most the parts for my pal anyway, from my 28N, as I have the 21 conversion from PK now- No not the Colt parts, the GI parts I used to fire. Ron, yes Giant Panda got ahold of me, maybe work something out, interesting find. Edited October 3, 2014 by OCM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalbert Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 OCM, Yes, the GiantPanda find is excellent. He showed it to me at TCA a couple of weeks ago. Glad we were able to determine the current owner of the serial number so quickly. David Albertdalbert@sturmgewehr.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCM Posted October 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 I have most, if not all the information on the gun, but in copy form. This is an original piece from the gun's first transfer to the Manchester PD. Giant Panda was very nice to find it, track me down and offer it - Yes, a excellent find on his part, now back home with the original gun . I'll post something about it in a general post when I get it- Do some photos of the gun and this new piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzz Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 (edited) OCM, I owned an early production, mint condition West Hurley 1928. All the information I could gather on it from this and other websites (i.e. people who already owned and shot them), indicated that the best course of action was to get a USGI parts kit and replace everything important, meaning practically everything. And then get any dimensional problems with the receiver corrected by a knowledgeable Thompson gunsmith. That would run about $3K or so. After which you'd have a very nice shooter that would run as well as any other Thompson, give or take. The only difference at that point is that the WH receiver is made from a "meh" quality of steel. Which may or may not be of any importance. After kicking the options around for a while, I decided that since these WH sell for excellent money on gunbroker, the best thing would be to sell the Westie and replace it with a USGI Thompson. And that's what I did. My WH had really weird patina on it. It was like somebody had it sitting in a gun rack for 35 years and they just kept spraying it with WD40, right over the dust. So the gun had this varnish of dust and dried oil on it. Actually it protected the gun very well, it was beautiful looking when I cleaned it up. But that's the first time I ever saw a gun with a semi-circular cake of dust in the barrel. Edited October 5, 2014 by buzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzz Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 By the way, I do not hate WHs, nor am I snobby towards WH owners. I hold WHs is the same exact category as my Vector FA UZI, which was my favorite gun right up until I bought my Thompson. If I saw one for a good price, I'd buy another WH without any hesitation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCM Posted October 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 Got photos of the WH bolt- On the rear, it has a S and a R. On the side a small P. OK, what is it ? Hard as hell to see the P in the one photo but it's there. This was a 1983 production WH. Thanks- OCM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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