MauserMatt Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 Hello all, I've lurked this forum for a while, made a post here and there, but now I'm sending off the paperwork for my uncle's Savage M1 Thompson! He doesn't shoot it much anymore, and this was the first MG I ever shot when I was younger. So to be given a chance to buy this particular Thompson is very awesome to me! But I do have a question. The last few years, my uncle has noticed that the front horizontal grip is getting a little loose and moves side to side. I've seen the barrel bands that supposedly fix this, but is that just a short term fix? From what limited knowledge I have of the Thompson (but man I'm learning!), I believe the barrel has to come off to really fix it permanently. Here's a picture or two! I've been floating since my uncle and I made the deal... I never would have thought my first machinegun would be an M1 Thompson! http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/MauserMatt/Gun%20stuff/92a85194-c2b9-401e-b7c7-a795d0a5cd85.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/MauserMatt/Gun%20stuff/CIMG6089.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnshooter Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 (edited) Great looking M1! I think you're appreciating how lucky you are. Not a lot of resolution in your photo, but it looks like you have the later two piece grip mount. This is the metal bar that the forend wood screw goes into. The two piece mount is well known for failing, and was the reason for the forend clamp. Once they fail, the clamp is not going to fix it. The fix is to install a one piece GI grip mount. These are getting more difficult to find, but are still out there; figure around $100.00 for the mount. You can usually find some on Gunbroker, but maybe someone here has one for sale. The important thing is to have it installed by someone who knows what they are doing, and has the proper tools. The barrel must be removed to replace the grip mount. There are several people listed in the pinned threads who can do this work. In no particular order, I can suggest Dan (deerslayer) Block, Reconbob (Philadelphia Ordnance), John Andrewski, and Paul Krough (PK). If you can't find the contact information (it's all here), PM me and I'll send it to you. Edited February 5, 2015 by mnshooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim c 351 Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 Matt, Is the grip hanger loose or is the forend loose on the grip hanger???If the grip hanger is loose it is likely broken and a replacement is needed.If the forend is loose, just tighten the screw.Does the gun have a 2 piece grip hanger ????Jim C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MauserMatt Posted February 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 (edited) The gun is still in Michigan and I live in Florida, so it's been a while since I've actually looked it over closely. But from what my uncle has said, he has tried tightening the grip and that's as far as he's gone. The grip moves from side to side just a little bit, but enough to be annoying. I wish I had better pictures. I took these pics back in 2008 during Knob Creek at the hotel. He had brought it for the jungle walk (which is a literal blast with the Thompson). When the gun is in my possession, I definitely want to get this fixed the right way. I don't like things that mar the finish, and I'm sure just throwing a barrel band is like putting a band aid on. I may have a pretty extensive working knowledge of current US army military weapons, but not so much in WWII era Thompsons. The signed by my uncle Form 4 should be here today and my packet of trust papers and check to the ATF goes out the next day! Can't wait! Here's a few other pics I took that don't really show much extra detail haha... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/MauserMatt/Gun%20stuff/CIMG6091.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/MauserMatt/Gun%20stuff/CIMG6093.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/MauserMatt/Gun%20stuff/CIMG6094_edit_1423149139313.jpg Edited February 5, 2015 by MauserMatt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colorado1919 Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 Wow that's great keeping it in the family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motorcar Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 Great looking gun, congrats. I believe ReconBob is making new milled front grip mounts now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timkel Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 A family heirloom. Keep it in the family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzz Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 If you're not already doing it, I suggest having the gun transferred direct to you using the NFA form 4 as a C&R (using your C&R license). Then you cut out the dealer in your state, save a few months and $200. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motorcar Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 I suggest having the gun transferred direct to you using the NFA form 4 as a C&R (using your C&R license). He can't do that using a trust, see post #4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilroy Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 It's tough to find a CLEO in Florida that thinks we need to own these sort of toys. MauserMatt, what part of Florida are you in? I'm in southern palm beach county. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilroy Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 I don't know much about anything, but aren't the safety and selector switch off of a '28 rather Than an M1? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paladin601 Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 (edited) You might just add the Foregrip brace that the M1 and M1A1 had, they can be had for around $20 for USGI is you look around. Could be the the wood is shrinking. Very Nice, being in California, I understand paranoid politicians. Edited February 5, 2015 by Paladin601 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MauserMatt Posted February 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 I suggest having the gun transferred direct to you using the NFA form 4 as a C&R (using your C&R license). He can't do that using a trust, see post #4. I can't do that??? Now I'm confused.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motorcar Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 Transfer it either way but not both. If you want it to go direct on your C&R and save the dealer to in state dealer tranfer you can, get the CLEO signature on the Form 4 and submit. If you want it on a trust you must send it to a class 3 dealer in your state then do another transfer from him to your trust and bypass the CLEO. You can transfer it on a trust no problem, you cannot tranfer it to your trust and your C&R directly because the C&R is issued to you as an "individual" and a trust isn't an "individual". Make sense? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hntrdarren Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 Great looking M1, Congrats and enjoy !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MauserMatt Posted February 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 Transfer it either way but not both. If you want it to go direct on your C&R and save the dealer to in state dealer tranfer you can, get the CLEO signature on the Form 4 and submit. If you want it on a trust you must send it to a class 3 dealer in your state then do another transfer from him to your trust and bypass the CLEO. You can transfer it on a trust no problem, you cannot tranfer it to your trust and your C&R directly because the C&R is issued to you as an "individual" and a trust isn't an "individual". Make sense? That makes my brain hurt..... It makes sense but doesn't make sense... Looks like I'll be having my uncle fill out another Form 4.... At least it was caught before I sent it to the ATF.... Thanks very much for the info! That's just depressing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paladin601 Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 so he could put his C&R in a Trust or issued to his trust. Any advantage to that or can't that be done? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim c 351 Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 Matt, Your gun is a low serial number M1 with the early style safety and selector.I believe your gun has a solid one piece grip hanger.Your problem is likely to be a case of the forend screw touching the barrel and therefore not getting the forend tight.A washer or two on the grip hanger screw will likely solve the problem.Jim C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnshooter Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 If you're not already doing it, I suggest having the gun transferred direct to you using the NFA form 4 as a C&R (using your C&R license). Then you cut out the dealer in your state, save a few months and $200.A big Second to that. Unless you have some reason for wanting a trust, you should spend the extra few weeks and get your C&R license before starting the transfer. You will literally be able to have the gun delivered to your door. A more important reason is: with the C&R, you can travel with the gun to any state where possession is legal (Knob Creek, for instance) without prior Federal "permission". Unfortunately, a trust cannot receive a C&R license, so you will need to do this in your name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MauserMatt Posted February 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 Well crap. Yeah I have my C&R, just didn't know I couldn't go the trust route and then have my uncle ship the gun to me. I'm in the army, so staying on the right side of the law is definitely always a priority for me. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I hope my local CLEO will sign off... I haven't gone that route in years since I got the NFA trust. Thanks for the info jim c 351. I'll keep that in mind when I take possession. I plan on shooting this Thompson, so taking care of it is a priority. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnshooter Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 (edited) If you can get a better look at the grip mount, just behind the forend you'll either see solid metal -meaning a one piece mount, or signs of a rivet or embedded flush stud, meaning a two piece mount. Your gun left the factory with a one piece mount, but there is always the chance it was overhauled and replaced with a two piece mount. Edited February 5, 2015 by mnshooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MauserMatt Posted February 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 Going off memory and my uncle asking me if I saw anything wrong with it years ago, I don't remember seeing a rivet. It just looked like solid metal. It's funny cause I remember him putting some super glue in there to try to stiffen it up. He was an engineer/draftsman for Teledyne and Continental motors for 40 years... But he thought super glue might fix it.... Hehe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzz Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 I doubt you would have got in any trouble for submitting the paperwork wrong, the examiner would have just kicked the form back to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnshooter Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 Going off memory and my uncle asking me if I saw anything wrong with it years ago, I don't remember seeing a rivet. It just looked like solid metal. It's funny cause I remember him putting some super glue in there to try to stiffen it up. He was an engineer/draftsman for Teledyne and Continental motors for 40 years... But he thought super glue might fix it.... Hehe.Enlarging the photo, it looks like there might be a rivet, and possibly even a crack through the grip mount about 1/4" behind the receiver nose. Can't be sure without more resolution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Henley Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 How lucky can you get? An uncle with a transferable M1 who wants to keep it in the family. I wish I had an uncle like that. Nice looking gun!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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