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Odd Vertical Grip on USMC '28A1


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Look at the profile near the top, where it attaches to the horizintal Thompsob grip.....

Pretty sure it was cut from a Garand stock....the oustol grip up to the part that seats the rwar if the receiver. Ynmistakeable shape there, and nuce work for out in the field ( but maybe done un a shop on a ship?)

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Is it my eyes or does the second guys M1 Thompson have a grip? It appears to be the more common mod. And no, I've never seen the banana clip grip before. Perhaps these two are in the R&D platoon. God only knows what the Garand looks like.

 

Bob D

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Ha! That's a new one on me too. Verrrrry interesting, as Arte Johnson would say on Laugh-In. No buttstock that I can see either.

Looks like there's a Garand sitting by the radio guy too. As bug sez, what does THAT look like? And how is that banana thingy attached? Angled screw I reckon. Looks like a nice clean cut into the horizontal grip. Oh the mods, the mods.

Thanks for the pic!

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Look at the profile near the top, where it attaches to the horizintal Thompsob grip.....

...the oustol grip up to the part that seats the rwar if the receiver.

John,

Trying to follow you with the Garand stock thing, but your description of the Garand stock leaves a little bit to be desired. I think I got the oustol thing, but the rwar left me baffled.

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Look at the profile near the top, where it attaches to the horizintal Thompsob grip.....

...the oustol grip up to the part that seats the rwar if the receiver.

John,

Trying to follow you with the Garand stock thing, but your description of the Garand stock leaves a little bit to be desired. I think I got the oustol thing, but the rwar left me baffled.

Me too, but this is what I think he means, and I respectively disagree. I think hes trying to say that the grip was cut from a M1 Garand stock. The back part of the grip that is closest to the magazine and mated to the horizontal grip is where the receiver heel would mount and the muzzle side of the grip would be where the trigger housing is inserted. Then some creative shaping and you get this weird grip. As I mentioned, I disagree and do not believe it was shaped from a garand stock. It looks off shape-wise to me. But I dont know much.

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Can anyone ID the radio? Possible to date time frame to picture as to when that radio came on line. I don't think the photo is staged, their clothing is tattered, besides a Thompson carrier wouldn't necessarily have the bolt back if he were somewhat back from and initial contact area.... to much crap can get inside the gun when the mortars and other crap comes flying in. On the forearm mod, if you look closely, you can see where on the horizontal forearm area, the attachment area has been sanded or shaved flat to accommodate the grip. Totally wild design for I'm assuming a particular reason. Its design lends itself to be thrown onto a resting bar or such on some kind of vehicle to enhance one handed operation while driving or riding.

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Photo is on page 135 of The Thompson Submachine Gun book by author Tom Laemlein.

 

Notes at the page bottom.

 

An interesting( and well made) vertical handgrip field modification can be seen on this Marine Thompson Model 1928. The gun in the background appears to have a similar handgrip modification. Okinawa, June 1945

Edited by Bridgeport28A1
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That improvised grip is set farther back than any other I can recall seeing. Usually they stuck them in roughly the position where factory forward pistol grips would be.

 

I wonder how it's attached. Something funny in the shadow in front. Could it be directly attached to the grip mount, instead of to the horizontal handguard?

 

http://www.fototime.com/3E7A779829BDD22/orig.jpg

Edited by richard w.
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Tom Laemlein's book The Thompson Submachine Gun is all photographs of Thompsons. Many of the photographs are not observed elsewhere. It is one of David Albert's recommended Thompson books from his TATA Show and Shoot lecture. Unfortunately it is out of print and is not the the easiest to locate on the secondary market.

 

The vertical portion of the banana shaped grip on the 1928 appears to have been neatly inletted into the horizontal grip. Maybe there is a long wood screw or two that is countersunk down through the horizontal grip securing the banana shape vertical portion.

Edited by Bridgeport28A1
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Sorry about the spelling folks! I have a rogue spellcheck or auto correct that switches stuff around on me. Unless I go over every word before posting it goifs some up. I cant figure iut how to turn it off...Its a cheap Kindle Fire tablet.

The keypad probably needs calibration too but some letters are spot on and some are 1/4" off! No way I can find to xalibrate the thing either.

 

 

Looking again, may be closer to an 03 or an Enfield....but not the "scant stocks". Nice work, though.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I'd guess that this improvised vertical grip is either dovetailed into the rear of the horizontal foregrip, or there is a screw or screws going into the grip from inside the barrel channel. My carpenter's instincts tell me that there is no good way to attach this appendage by going through it into the horizontal grip.

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I am sure there is both a slot, and a screw or two holding that grip onto the horizontal with some glue as well between the joint. I would like to put forward the hypothesis that this may have been done on a ship with the help of a Navy carpenter.

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I think it's just the way the sunlight is reflecting off the flat side of the barrel boss vs. how it is reflecting off the radius cut. If you zoom in on that area, there is no step showing at either the top or bottom of the radius cut which there would be if it were cut deeper

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