MauserMatt Posted June 29, 2020 Report Share Posted June 29, 2020 Hello! I work for an organization that does a lot of WW2 Armor displays and battle reenactments. We have a Model 1928A1 Thompson in our vault that my boss wants to be his personal weapon when he's commanding one of his tanks. Before I got here, it seems the common way that this organization has blank adapted their Thompsons and Grease Guns is drilling and tapping the barrel for a blank aperture. On this one, I would like to adapt it in a way that would give us that "Dick Tracy movie" flash from our blanks. Any suggestions on how best to do this? Thanks gents! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m3bobby Posted June 29, 2020 Report Share Posted June 29, 2020 Flash from the Cutts Compensstor? If so you obviously need to block after the slots which could then make such a modification visible. If its a not messed with gun, it could be worth having a special blank barrel made rather than damage its value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gijive Posted June 29, 2020 Report Share Posted June 29, 2020 Hello! I work for an organization that does a lot of WW2 Armor displays and battle reenactments. We have a Model 1928A1 Thompson in our vault that my boss wants to be his personal weapon when he's commanding one of his tanks. Before I got here, it seems the common way that this organization has blank adapted their Thompsons and Grease Guns is drilling and tapping the barrel for a blank aperture. On this one, I would like to adapt it in a way that would give us that "Dick Tracy movie" flash from our blanks. Any suggestions on how best to do this? Thanks gents!The flash come from the powder mix used, not the restrictor. Check online for some of the places that make blanks or call them and ask about the mixture of flash powder for that effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ndArmored Posted June 30, 2020 Report Share Posted June 30, 2020 (edited) Is this the effect you're looking for? (Not from the movie "Dick Tracy", but "Public Enemies" (2009)) Edited June 30, 2020 by 2ndArmored Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted June 30, 2020 Report Share Posted June 30, 2020 Hi All, FWIW, much of the flash is put into modern video by the Special FX group in the editing room (all electronic these days). I've seen student movies with cardboard guns with great muzzle flash! Might be an easy way to get a '28 looking good. Enjoy, Grasshopper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitfighter Posted June 30, 2020 Report Share Posted June 30, 2020 Dick Tracy may have been Stembridge or Ellis Mercantile.Both out of business now.But, equivalent Full Flash .45 acp movie blanks are available from ISS props, or Joe Swanson blanks - (both have websites.)I have several ammo cans full, they are great in a 1911, but, too much blank for my subs. The DT Thomspon's will have been adapted like most other weapons with a BFA restrictor threaded into the end of the barrel, the flash just finds the holes in the various muzzle devices. Same as it does with the bird-cage flash eliminator on an M16, or the three hole brake on a PPSh41, I don't know what physics are behind it but it goes in the direction it's guided by the militarybmuzzle device after leaving the regular movie "hex" shaped restrictor they all have in the barrel.The Ak47 with the iconic slant brake are annoying as the flash goes upwards at 45 degrees, and never looks quite right. I just put a Howell Arms "Blank Only" barrel (they have a website) on my M1 and it is awesome, comes with two separate restrictors.I use Atlantic Wall Blanks now, as personally I do not like the damage the bigger loads/mixes inflict on the old guns.And Atlantic Wall are more reasonably priced, IMO. Good luck with your 1928! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MauserMatt Posted June 30, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2020 Thank you for the responses so far gentlemen! We do use Joe Swanson for our blanks. I was hoping to avoid tapping the barrel for this one, but sounds like that may be the way to go. Just to ease minds, this one is as I said, a post sample. It's not a reweld, but it does look like the barrel has been replaced at some point anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter kohler Posted July 2, 2020 Report Share Posted July 2, 2020 ive got both philly ordnance and Howell blank fire barrels in my thompsons. they both are already drilled and tapped for the bfa. I did open my bfa up quite a bit because they were ejecting the rounds way too far. 10-15 feet is plenty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ndArmored Posted July 2, 2020 Report Share Posted July 2, 2020 What's the difference between the barrels? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter kohler Posted July 2, 2020 Report Share Posted July 2, 2020 the difference is in how the barrel is blocked to just let the gas out. Ive got two philly ordnance and 1 Howell they both work the same. they are 10.5 inch barrels completely legal for us to use if you don't want to get an sbr. most people that buy them are reenactors.. and theres several people I know with live fire fa thompsons that don't want to destroy their good barrel by drilling and tapping the end. the compensator has to be opened up also to get the set screw to the barrel all this can be purchased as one unit with the bfa included. you can get smooth or finned barrels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ndArmored Posted July 2, 2020 Report Share Posted July 2, 2020 A lack of specificity on my part. By "the barrels", I meant Phil. Ord's blank barrel vs. Howell's blank barrel. Not live vs. blank. I've seen the Phila. Ord. version. It has 3 small diameter holes bored symmetrically down the barrel. I think Bob uses micro-lightsabers. It's impressive. How does his differ (or does it?) from the Howell version? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitfighter Posted July 3, 2020 Report Share Posted July 3, 2020 A lack of specificity on my part. By "the barrels", I meant Phil. Ord's blank barrel vs. Howell's blank barrel. Not live vs. blank. I've seen the Phila. Ord. version. It has 3 small diameter holes bored symmetrically down the barrel. I think Bob uses micro-lightsabers. It's impressive. How does his differ (or does it?) from the Howell version?My Howell blank only barrel has three little holes running down the middle, too. Here are some studio blanks - just for fun.(I had to pull some .45's for another gig. Ended up going through a lot of crates to find ten boxes at short notice.)The ISS on top, are current style.The Ellis Mercantile below, could well be from when they filmed Dick Tracy, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anticus Posted July 3, 2020 Report Share Posted July 3, 2020 I have one of Philly Ord’s blank guns. Runs like a sewing machine and no need to blank an original weapon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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