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Saw My Dream Thompson....


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There is a guy in Indiana I've been trying to buy his M1 Bridgeport for past couple years now. It is still original blued with perfect wood. This gun was made around 1943 or 44 if I remember right from the number. It is truly a beauty. The original blued ones are hard to find. I remember that this guy bought it in December of 1980, almost to the day I was looking at it and only paid $650 for it with several magazines. I'm stilll working on him to get it.
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QUOTE (full auto 45 @ Sep 24 2004, 07:27 AM)
There is a guy in Indiana I've been trying to buy his M1 Bridgeport for past couple years now. ..... I'm stilll working on him to get it.

If you need help talking him into selling, would be glad to help ..... LOL!

 

Drop me a e-mail sometime and will have to see if can get you and Brickyard to run out for lunch, the Indy 1500 and/or shooting some weekend.

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I don't think that a WWII M1 Thompson would have a serial number in the 500 range. I believe they picked up where the Colt's left off i.e. after 15042 or somewhere in that range. Maybe it is a West Hurley. GIJive would be able to give more details, what do you think Chuck?
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I am curious about that as well, since mine is registered as "15043". Is there a listing in Frank's book that shows the start and stop numbers for AO and Savage guns?
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That might hold for the 1928 guns but I believe the poster is refering to M1 or M1A Thompsons. I'm not sure where the numbering went when those changes were made.

 

Bob D

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Savage M1 Thompsons

 

Serial numbering on these guns started from scratch. The M1928's continued on from the Colt serial number range. I acquired M1 serial number 478 from the Apopka Police Department in 1986-87. I've seen several over the years with 3, 4 and 5 digit serial numbers. Currently have M1A1 S/N 647XXX which is in original condition, dulite finished dull blue receiver and bright blue barrel "U.S. PROPERTY" marked - gun is now fading to a brownish plum color. There is a picture of another 3 digit S/N M1 in Cox's book.

 

Greg Fox

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For me, the easiest way to distinguish between Savage and AOC guns for the receiver section is there is an "S" on the underside of the nose near the barrel of a Savage and an "AOC" on an AOC gun. For the trigger frame section, the "FULL AUTO" words are a single line for AOC and "FULL" and "AUTO" are separate lines for Savage. If the receiver is, by chance, "U.S. PROPERTY" marked, the one line, two line rule is the same.

 

Knowing the inspector stamp codes (see American Thunder) also works.

 

FWIW, my own M1A1 has an AOC receiver and a Savage trigger frame (of M1 vintage with paddle selector and safety), and was rebulit and parkerized at the Atlanta Arsenal but I love it just the same.

 

Good luck on your quest.

 

Sounds like a nice gun.

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Greg Fox already answered the question about the serial number ranges on M1 and M1A1 series guns. That is essentially what I would have posted. Thanks for your faith in me, Chopper28. http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/smile.gif
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Pat K,

 

Two line "FULL" and "AUTO" indicates that the frame is Savage. The receiver may be either Savage or AOC.

 

There should be either an "S" or an "AOC" visible on the underside of the nose of the receiver.

 

Which part has the "GEG" stamp? If it is on the frame, that is a second indicator that the frame is Savage. GEG was Savage inspector.

The grey, greenish finish sounds like Parkerizing, not the original Du-Lite flat black. Very likely the gun was rebuilt and probably a mixed parts gun (as mine is).

 

Also, are the safety and the selector paddles or pins? Low serial number plus pin switches would be further indication of a rebuilt gun, as most M1s and M1A1s are.

 

Any idea if the gun is transferrable and for sale?

 

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I have a Savage manufactured M1, with the original dulite finish, paddle selectors, non-cross bolt reinforced stock, yadda yadda. It has a relatively low serial number of 21xx. Both the frame and the receiver serial numbers match. I have Frank's book and he did a great job describing and providing photos of the minutae of these guns. I removed the stock out of curiosity and found the serial number marked in the same place that it is on the 1928s- on the frame, but covered by the stock. I don't know how long that practice was continued. Seems redundant to me- the serial number is also placed near the bottom surface of the trigger guard.

 

I think it stayed the way it was because it was "liberated" after the war (it is an amnesty registered weapon) and missed the arsenal upgrades.

 

Best to you all,

Cheese

 

 

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