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22 Conversion Kits


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Well I think I'd like to buy a 22 kit for my M1 Thompson....

 

I assume Merle is the go-to guy? Is he still making kits? Any others? If Merle is the one, can someone PM me his contact info? (Or post it here?)

 

And while we're at it, does anyone have a video of the M1/M1A1 Thompson with one of the 22 kits?

 

Thanks!!!

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Merle actually does enjoy talking about his products. His phone number is 503-623-8294 Pacific Time

Be sure and ask for the kit with the modification that allows you to keep the .45 ejector in place.

Without this modification, you have to remove the ejector in order to install the .22 barrel.

You can get a kit for only the M1, but might as well get the complete kit, which will fit all Thompsons.

 

And, his 50 round .22 drums work equally well on the M1, as they lock in the same as a stick magazine.

 

One note on the suppressor adapters:

Be certain to check for alignment with the suppressor installed.

You cannot judge from just looking through threaded adapter.

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Awesome, thank you for his phone number. I had heard he likes to talk on the phone rather than use email, so I will give him a call this week. I appreciate the tip about the ejector. I'd hate to have to remove that thing every time I swap it out...

 

Thanks for the info!

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Grasshopper, I say thumbs up, too. That is very appealing. What ammo do you use? Does Merle supply the mags? Is a drum available? I put 10K rounds of Fed Auto Match through my M16 last year. The operation of the CMMG kit was as flawless as your M1 setup. I had no idea how much fun the 22LR was in FA. I can now see where 2017 is going to lead me...

 

Bob D

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Merle has a couple brands that he recommends. My kit came with a couple different springs. You'll have to try out each spring and find which ammo brand works best. For me I prefer the CCI mini mag, but each has their own preferred type.

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Hi bug,

 

The video was done with Federal Bulk Pack. The old Walley World 550 or Federal 525 bulk pack (was) cheap stuff. My M1 will run on about anything from Federal Bulk to CCI MM. I've had bad experiences with out of battery explosions with Remington but as usual, YMMV. For the 28A1, mine has a thirst for the Aguila Super Extra 22 Long Rifle 40 Grain HV Plated Lead Round Nose. I run many cases of the stuff and it works for me. For some reason the 28A1 has a bit more friction and will not run on SV. The M1 will run about anything. Go figure. Merle has supplied 2 recoil springs in the past. Just try them out and see which one runs best in your set-up.

 

While Merle doesn't make the 30 round mags, the plastic BDM (Black Dog Machine) mags were used in the video. In the past it is what he supplied. I've had good luck with them. Not great luck. I've worn some out and have a nagging 2:00 o'clock nose on the chamber edge jam. I'd like to use the plastic as new-bee's seem to rake the gun with the mag somehow when cocking the guns. Also the plastic mags are very easy to load. I forget, but someone on the Board here was doing the 50 round drums.

 

The best mags of the 20 and 30 round flavor in my guns come from a source I dare not mention for fear of retribution. These mags are machined from a solid billet of aluminum and the tolerances are held very closely. At first I thought they didn't fit the t-slot in the lower until I determined I had hardened oil/grease in the t-slot that was binding things up. Since switching to the latter magazines, I normally go 1-2 bricks between miss-feeds. While it should be done sooner, I normally take the kit out and clean things about every 2k rounds. I add a little oil at about 1k rounds.

 

I've modded my kits by adding a .007" shim between the steel sear surface on the bolt and the aluminum top portion. It makes the 22RF bolt fit better in the guns I normally use for the conversion. My experience anyway. On the M1, I also changed the cocking knob to be drilled through the bolt and is held in place by the recoil spring. There is a "dwell" where the mill cutter stopped when the bolt pocket was cut in my M1. That slight divot was allowing the cocking knob on the old kits I had to move out and stop the bolt. Hence the hole drilled through the bolt for the cocking knob.

 

Sorry for the ramble,

 

Enjoy!,

 

Grasshopper

Edited by Grasshopper
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Great video Grasshopper! And definitely appreciate the technical info as well!! Where at in Florida might you be?

 

I'll definitely be calling this week.. Hope I can snag one with a threaded barrel... I really wonder how "quiet" these open bolt Thompsons might be... :P

Edited by MauserMatt
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Hi MauserMatt,

 

Sent you some info via pm; funny envelope looking icon at the top right side of the page.

 

All the kits can have a threaded muzzle by changing one part. The nut that holds the barrel liner into the 45 barrel is exchanged with a nut with a male thread on the front side for a supressor.

 

Grasshopper

Edited by Grasshopper
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Ramble on, Grasshopper that was great info. Thank you. I can feel the "bug"setting in. I use Black Dog mags and there drums in my M16. Remington Golden bullets will not even chamber in my CMMG conversions so I can see how you had a problem. I don't use Rem ammo in anything I shoot. I'm sure I'll be back to you when I get started.

 

Bob D

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Previously posted, but perhaps relevant to this thread. Video of 50 round mag dump. Merle tuned up the kit and mags and modified the barrel so no need to remove the ejector. PK tuned up the gun and fitted the kit it to this Pearl M1A1.

 

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Hi wwiifirearms,

 

Looks great! It does make you smile. I'm amazed at how hot the barrel gets shooting 22RF. The rate that you can go through ammo is also amazing :)

 

Enjoy,

 

Grasshopper

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Merle does recommend the Federal Bulk Pak (plated), and specifically recommends against the Remington Golden Bullet.

Merle makes his own 50 rd drums out of another Black Dog drum, using his own production steel rear spine, a part so beautifully machined that I would like to buy one just to mount on a board as a piece of art. But, Merle will not sell them except attached to the drum.

Unless Merle has changed his specs, he was making two versions of the spine/drum, due to differences in grip frame slots -one for Hurleys, and one for "real" Thompsons (couldn't help myself).

The difference is only a few thousandths, but it was enough to prevent inserting the WH drum in a Colt.

Remember, his .22 drums mount the same as a stick mag; they don't use the horizontal drum slots at all, so can be used on M1s.

Edited by mnshooter
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  • 5 weeks later...

Awesome videos!


I'm supposedly on Merle's list for one... But I haven't heard from him in over a month.. I want to call just to make sure I was put on his wait list.. But I don't want to annoy him either haha....

 

Hopefully it won't be too much longer! I want a 22 kit real bad!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi All,

 

Ok. Everyone knows 22 kits don't like friction. My M1's run on about any 22RF, even wimpy standard velocity. The same kit needs HV 40gr in the '28.

 

Do you know why? (Hypothetical question here.)

 

The 22 kits have the bolt modeled after the M1 bolt. When you put the kit in a '28, the recoil spring hole in the bolt doesn't line-up with the recoil spring guide. It is only off by .095" but we are talking 22RF here.

 

I thought there was something wrong with my '28 until I looked at the prints. I guess everyone else knows the recoil springs are in different locations but I didn't know that.

 

Hence my handle, "Grasshopper." Always learning something.

 

Now off to the shop to make an offset recoil spring guide. Maybe it will make no difference. I'll report back in a few weeks.

 

Enjoy,

 

Grasshopper

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