Bob Bower/philadelphia Ord - M1a1 Thompson

[savingmypesos]

I am now the proud owner of a full auto transferable M1A1 from Philadelphia Ordinance.

 

Thank you Bob, it shoots like a dream!!!! Do you have any information to share about it's history?

 

Jim http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/woot.gif

 

http://www.jasniam.com/images/thompson1.jpg

 

http://www.jasniam.com/images/thompson2.jpg

[reconbob]

Sigh....I have mixed feelings when I see one of those guns. Back in the 1980's I tooled

up to make a true G.I. quality Thompson, because at the time the only Thompsons being

made were the West Hurley guns which left a lot to be desired. We made the receivers

from 4130 aircraft quality steel to

1942 specifications using drawings we got from the government via the Freedom of Information

Act. All parts were original MINT G.I. (which you could still get back then, most of the parts

we used were brand new in the wrapper from a NATO sell-off) except possibly

the trigger frame which may also have been made by us using the original drawings. If

we made the trigger frame it will have a keystone marked on the front of the trigger guard.

I did my best to make those guns perfect. I even had an endorsement from Thompson

guru Roger Cox.

As soon as we started making them the 1986 law was passed and an ATF inspector

came in and said if we couldn't shoot it it had to be stricken from the books, and boy did

that hurt! I known plenty of guys who were never inspected and were able to register

hundreds of pieces of raw steel which later became sideplates or tubes for SMG's - an

instant fortune for those able to do it.

Anyway, we probably only shipped 10-15 of those. The bright side is that sitting there

with all of the tools, fixtures, and programs I came up with the idea of the "80% receiver"

and we've sold 1000's of those...

 

Bob Bower/Philly O

[full auto 45]

pesos..where did you find that? If it wasn't from amafrank, that's the second I've seen this year.

[colt21a]

i always thought that philly ord had nice stuff and when i called them they gave straight answer's...and i always like the pic's they used from small arm's of the world early ed.one of my first gun book's back in 1962.........when a chicago dude tried recruiting me for the A.N.P...guess he figured i will show him all these neat german gun's from this book,in a small dark dank chicago basement,with the smell of incense and a flag on the wall.later i think he hung out at rockwell hall! wink! >a true story!!

 

another tale for the book of faith.......

 

take care,ron

[amafrank]

I'm sure its not AMAFranks, that one is still in the safe.....I think.

Good to see another one out in the light. Glad to see Bob posting the info and I appreciate him sharing it with me when I found my gun. I can't remember if mine has the keystone on the trigger frame but it does look like its a new part. It has the serial # of the gun and the initials RB. wonder who that could be.....any ideas Bob??? (Bowers).

 

Just wondering if the serial number has anything to do with the year it was made...numbers on mine are 85XXX.

 

Thanks Bob.

Frank

(remain calm mike)

 

 

[savingmypesos]

Mike,

 

I bought it in December 2004. The BATF lost the paperwork on the transfer twice. I purchased it from a guy in PA. He sent me a copy of the original form 4. He was the original purchaser.

 

Bob,

 

I certainly understand the mixed emotions. If it helps, it is in the hands of an owner who plans to keep it in the great condition it arrived in and to take it to the range whenever I can. I have already taken my 16 year old daughter out to shoot it and she is as enamored with it as I am.

 

I thank you for your attention to detail. It is truly a thing of beauty.

 

Jim

 

BTW: Bob, you have a standing invitation to come and shoot it the next time you are in Nebraska.

[Timmygun1]

Jim, please make sure that wherever your A1 goes in the future understands who was behind it. I've had the pleasure of knowing Bob Bower for over ten years and I can tell you and anyone else who might be interested that his products are his life. They are more than money, they are more than prestige, they are his life. You have something very, very special. Timmygun1.