Merry Ploughboy Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 When a (.45 ACP) Thompson barrel gets shot out, can it be bored and relined/sleeved? I'm thinking that the barrel is too thin at the section behind the muzzle. Thanks for your thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StooperZero Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 it's possible, however the cost involved would buy you another barrel . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reconbob Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 The front of the barrel where it is thinnest behind the muzzle is about 0.660". The boreis o.450". So at that point you have a wall thickness of about 0.100". If you took half that your liner would have walls 0.05" and the bored out barrel would have walls 0.05. That ispretty thin and I am not sure how you could work with pieces that thin without deformingthem when you tried to hold them - boring, turning, etc. So yes, there are skilled machinists that can do just about anything but the expenseas mentioned would be much more than a new original barrel. Plus, who knows if itwould work... Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry Ploughboy Posted September 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Gentelmen,Thank you very much for your replies. You have confirmed my suspicions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colt21a Posted September 28, 2015 Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 It can de done #894 has one fully restored to 100% I think the n.r.a. display Thompson is a replica of my old #894. all you need is a perfect outer barrel. and the right guy to do it.was around 200 buck's over 20 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry Ploughboy Posted October 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 Here are a couple of photos of the bore showing the internal ring, and a couple of the exterior. Okay to shoot with regular factory ammo, or should I swap out the barrel? Thanks, again. Bore 1: http://i60.tinypic.com/2w3z0ih.jpg Bore 2: http://i57.tinypic.com/vin1tv.jpg Right side view: http://i62.tinypic.com/14sz613.jpg Top view: http://i57.tinypic.com/282qpgw.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzz Posted October 9, 2015 Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 Shooting a ringed barrel probably won't hurt the gun. It might not even affect the accuracy that much. Sometimes a pitted or ringed barrel will shoot real good for some reason. In my opinion, a re-lined barrel would have no value at all, either as a collector barrel or a shooter barrel. If someone sold me a colt with a re-lined barrel, I would take the barrel off and trash it. Once the barrel is ringed or pitted, it's ruined for keeps. If I had to re-barrel a colt, I would either get someone to make me a duplicate barrel to preserve the colt look or I would just have a NOS USGI barrel installed and call it good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paladin601 Posted October 9, 2015 Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 I always wondered why not Chrome line the barrel, to rebuild it. I know way to much time on my hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m60mgman Posted October 9, 2015 Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 I have a MAC10 with a ringed barrel. Shoots great. It doesn't bother me at all. I have a new barrel for it, but since the gun shoots OK I'll just sent the new barrel along with the gun for the new owner to change out at his convenience. Now, a Colt 1921 with a ringed barrel, that's an issue of value. If I had a Colt with a ringed barrel, I'd figure the value is already sunk so I'd either shoot it that way till it keyholes and then change it out for a Richardson or PK barrel which would look and shoot great. Even replacing with an original Colt barrel doesn't make it all right, if you ask me. Probably a wash in terms of money spent and value gained, if you could even find such a thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddy Posted October 9, 2015 Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 I would say from a collector standpoint, it is not good to replace an original production Colt barrel:I see it is an early production 1921 (by the square actuator slot), a replaced barrel would probably significantly hurt its value, vs. having an original but ringed original barrel... I would not replace the barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzz Posted October 10, 2015 Report Share Posted October 10, 2015 (edited) I'd be curious to see a vote on that - which is more valuable, a colt with a ruined original barrel or the same gun with a non-colt replacement barrel? I could get a feeling for how a colt with non-original barrel would be valued ion the Thompson marketplace but I don't have a read on what a colt with a ringed colt barrel would sell for, I've never seen one for sale Edited October 10, 2015 by buzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUTTERRATT Posted October 10, 2015 Report Share Posted October 10, 2015 I had a ringed barrel on my Thompson for about 3 years and shot it a lot. I never had a problem or did the gun act any different than having a new barrel on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddy Posted October 11, 2015 Report Share Posted October 11, 2015 In my opinion, most people regard a Colt Thompson rather as a historical artifact than a shooter, since they are quite rare. Meaning originality is most important; if it still has all the parts it left the factory with it would be more valuable, even if they are slightly damaged... Especially since the ring would not affect its performance according to some posts above. But as a collector's peace, originality is more important than performance.On the other side, a shooter-grade Thompson's price (e.g. a West Hurley) would be affected by a ringed barrel, and would be more valuable with a replacement...What is your opinion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzz Posted October 11, 2015 Report Share Posted October 11, 2015 I look at the ringed barrel the same as if it had been chopped in half with a hacksaw since the barrel is ruined, I wouldn't give it much importance in terms of the originality of the gun suppose you were buying a classic muscle car and the original engine had an un-repairable bad engine block sure its the original engine but what good is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzz Posted October 11, 2015 Report Share Posted October 11, 2015 (edited) Another way to look at it would be - If I put up a bulged colt Thompson barrel for sale, what could I sell it for? Would anyone take the USGI barrel off their Colt and replace it with bulged Colt barrel? Edited October 11, 2015 by buzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chromebolt Posted October 11, 2015 Report Share Posted October 11, 2015 Another way to look at it, if a mint muscle car had a dented original fender or a replacement fender. Which would you desire? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzz Posted October 12, 2015 Report Share Posted October 12, 2015 (edited) to me a bulged barrel is a ruined barrel If I bought a colt with a bulged barrel I would price it the same as gun with no barrel the bulged barrel has no value to me but I'm just one guy, I don't set the prices Edited October 12, 2015 by buzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06AngusSG Posted October 12, 2015 Report Share Posted October 12, 2015 Another way to look at it, if a mint muscle car had a dented original fender or a replacement fender. Which would you desire? suppose you were buying a classic muscle car and the original engine had an un-repairable bad engine block sure its the original engine but what good is it? As I love the Classic car analogies the gun value industry seems to look at things a little different. Most "collectors" love to see an all original gun. I, to a certain degree, find it weird that a gun with almost no finish and beat up wood is worth more than the same gun restored. Maybe it's just my attraction to shiny things or my uncontrollable urge to fix stuff. Now I would ask the question this way: At what point does an original / damaged part of any kind become too damaged to the point it is taking away more value than a replacement or restored part? Unfortunately, that question can never be answered to satisfy everyone. I think most cases are in the eye of the beholder... FWIW Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadycon Posted October 12, 2015 Report Share Posted October 12, 2015 Another question to add to the fire: Do you want something that is all original, but unusable because of damage or wear and all you can do is look at it or an original item that has been repaired to as close to original as possible that can be enjoyed? In my opinion the average person will have a hard time paying for some collectable items and if he can I would think he would want to enjoy it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddy Posted October 12, 2015 Report Share Posted October 12, 2015 From what I understand reading some posts on this thread, a ringed barrel would not mean it is unusable.In my opinion, with such a rare early Colt-Thompson, the collector's appeal is much bigger with an all-original barrel. Even if it is ringed (and that wouldn't even affect its performance according to previous posters, I am no expert on the matter, though). I believe most people would not own such a Colt Thompson to shoot it, but rather as a historical artifact with attached history - and for historic artifacts I believe it is more important to have it all original. The ringed barrel might affect the performance to some degree, yes. But if someone wants a shooter with top performance, it would make more sense to me to use a less valuable gun where it doesn't matter if you replace parts (e.g. West Hurley)... I believe with antique collectibles with rising scarcity and age originality becomes more important than functionality... Especially since I read that if you replace the barrel and at one point decide to screw the original back in, it will turn a little further, meaning the draw-line and sight will be a bit off-center (according to ReconBob in a post..) meaning the original configuration couldn't be restored 100% if the barrel is replaced.But that is just my opinion... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightguy Posted October 16, 2015 Report Share Posted October 16, 2015 If given the choice between bad original barrel, a replaced barrel, or an original re-sleeved.I'd go re-sleeved. That is if its not some historical piece like a Dillinger gun etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colt21a Posted October 18, 2015 Report Share Posted October 18, 2015 I guess some might have missed the point a resleeve that was #894, is still the original barrel and also ring site.>only the internal rifling is out of it.I would rather have that then a replacement military or a redone Colt Barrel,pitted and such. before I sold #894 I showed it to some so called Expert's and had at that time over ten other 98% Colt's, and asked what one would you buy. they all picked #894.then I mentioned it was a 100% restoration. and remember a restorartion means back to its original. not a rebuff reblue or touch up. a big difference in work and price... I know of a few Colts out there like that right now. of course everybody wants that 99% all original. I am sure there are less then 100 in country left like that anymore.Some in the past have doubted info I have found and guns I located over the past 40 plus year's. thats okay by me. most times it was by someone who owned a few and saw less then 100 Thompson's in their time collecting and buying.back 40 years ago there had been very few r.k.i. or so called expert's.today we have a vast field of them.back then it was hard research, travel phone calls and letter's.today a mouse click.ha ha Colt 21a Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldjarheadfart Posted November 17, 2015 Report Share Posted November 17, 2015 I would like to throw in a different scenario, not involving a collectoble TSMG. I have a russian lend lease thompson, being converted to S/A. I have the ori. 1928a1 finned barrel, which is unfired, and a M1 barrel that is shotout. I would like to know if the shotout barrel can be relined to 9mm without having to drill out the barrel first. Or will it be cheaper to have PK make a 9mm barrel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARK2112 Posted November 17, 2015 Report Share Posted November 17, 2015 or have dave at thompsonbarrels make an exact '21 replacement barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reconbob Posted November 17, 2015 Report Share Posted November 17, 2015 I think "restoration" has become a word used by people who have heavily modified -refinished, made new replacement parts, etc. and no longer means "returned to original".By definition if something is restored it is not original.There was an M1 on GB a while back that had been "restored" but in this case someonemachined the sides of the receiver to remove pitting and re-engraved it. So it looks nice,its restored, but its not original. I remember years back an antique gun club in my area gave the 1st prize/blue ribbonto a rifle that they later found out was 98% "restored". In other words, the gun had beenbuilt from scratch with 2% worth of original parts. Where money is involved people willgo to great lengths to make something old look new or something new look original. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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