16 replies to this topic

[Murray]

Ever tried to fit the mainspring and buffer assembly into your 1928A1 and had the enjoyment of forcing the main spring as far as you can onto the buffer pilot then fighting to get a small pin in the pilot hole to hold the spring. Ever have it come off and the spring shoot up your nose! very painfull!

So Murray bought one of Doug Richardsons fancy WW2 main spring keys which I didn't see much advantage over a plain 1/16 dia nail....
untill I figured out how it works. It is amazing!

1. Slide the mainspring onto the pilot. do not try to compress the spring.
2. Insert the key into the hole thru the spring, make sure the buffer pilot flat is oposite from the side you insert the key.
3. Hold the buffer and spring in your left hand.
4. Insert the index finger of your right hand (assuming you are right handed) and wind the key clock wise.

The spring will easily wind up on the pilot with no effort what so ever.




Next just gently place the wound spring and key into the 1928A1 then gently remove the key...wow. it is so easy.



Who ever designed the thing certainly had his head screwed on...or am I just slow in my old age.

Regards

Murray.

[TD.]

Murray,
I too purchased a couple of these tools from Doug Richardson a few months ago. They are every bit as great as you describe. Every Thompson owner needs one or two. It makes the removal of the mainspring and buffer assembly a non-event.

[full auto 45]

Or do as I did. Buy a cleaning rod for the .45 pistol, about 2-3 bucks. Cut it down and grind the tip to fit in the hole. Took about 5 minutes to make. Looks the same.

[Hawkeye_Joe]

But does it wind up the spring Mike??..

How much do these puppies cost??

[Murray]

It certainly winds the spring up guys and real easy!
Maybe I mislead you about Doug Richardson. He just had some for sale at the SAR show. They were not his design or make, he had picked them up while overseas recently. They were WW2 surplus.

I had never seen one before and I only discovered the ability to wind up the spring just by accident, but obviously they were designed to work they way they do work.

The loop in the key is just round enough to get your index finger into upto the second joint so it fits on your finger real good.

I think it is a nice little accessory to own, but I would love to know its history. Does anyone know?

Kind regards

[TD.]

I am not positive about the origin of this great little tool but I believe it was first used by the British. It is referenced in the Gale & Polden Limited Thompson handbook, The Thompson Submachine Gun, Mechanism Made Easy, 1942, Pages 11 –14. I am sure others who have completely read and studied the US manuals will know if this tool was ever referenced in any Colt, Auto-Ordnance or US military publication. It would not surprise me if this tool had it origins as a factory type tool used during the manufacturing/assembly process.

[Chopper28]

PK made one for me. Like Mike suggested, used a steel .45 pistol cleaning rod that I got at a gun show for a couple bucks. GI jive supplied a picture of it for me, PK turned it out and it works great.

[Murray]

Thanks TD,
I actually happen to have a copy (original) of that little book and you are correct.
So that places the tool around early WW2.
Many thanks
M

[Ron A]

The first one of these I ever saw was posted in Ebay - he has one there now 6508005534
I purchased one from him, and like the one on Ebay its marked "K.N.M." for the Norwegin Navy.

Great item to have and use.

[Chopper28]

Sarco has them for the bargin basement price of $75.00, LOL and Sportsmans Guide has reproductions for $29.95.

[Kevin]

Yeah, but if you convert to a modern 21 setup you don't need the key- just more ammo
Kevin

[john]

My god, Murray!
It works even easier than you said!
I'm amazed that I couldn't "see" how this was designed to operate when I bought one at SAR.....
Now I'll have no trouble doing this!!

Incidentally, I made one of these from a .45 cleaning rod and that one works fine also....just that the loop on the one I bought from Doug fits mu finger better (just as Murray noted!)

Thanks, Murray!

BTW, where are you and Jan staying for the TCA shoot??

john

[Murray]

Yes John, It certainly works well,
It just sort of came to me to wind up the pilot shaft and if you hold the spring, it just turns on the pilot and automatically compresses the spring.

The British Gale & Polden Handbook has a picture like mine of the spring wound onto the pilot but it does not suggest to wind it the way we have discovered.

Also, when you insert the pilot and spring into the 1928, if you slide the bolt back till it touches the key shaft before you withdraw the key the spring loads much easier into the bolt and the spring wont "kink".

Havent made our minds up yet about the TCA shoot this year but we both will definatly be at the SAR show.
M

[TSMG28]

Murray,

You are a deductive genius. Here we have all been sitting around with these tools and assumed that they were nothing more than a fancy version of the good old nail. Now you have discovered a way to simplify what was always a somewhat frustrating exercise (and potentially dangerous to bystanders).

Funny, this was never a problem with your Irish Swords......

Thanks for sharing your keen insight. I see a run coming on these tools, though not at the $75 Sarco wants for them.

Roger

[dalbert]

TD,

I was just going through some of my British Thompson manual files, and I found an earlier reference to the spring tool. As you stated, Gale and Polden's "The Thompson Mechanism Made Easy" was published in 1942, and pictures the spring tool. I thought this was the earliest reference to the tool until today, when I noticed it in a publication that was first published in September, 1941. A Home Guard manual published by Nicholson and Watson titled "Know Your Weapons, No. 1: Tommy Gun, Rifle and Bayonet" has a reference to the tool. I have included a picture of the manual cover, and the page with the tool pictured.





Just thought I'd pass this information on....

David Albert
dalbert@sturmgewehr.com

[Mike Hammer]

With the end of the Sportsmans Guide drum fiasco, I was wondering what to do with the $25 gift certificate they mailed me as I really decided never to do business with them again. Although I always managed to get my spring and pilot in and out without damaging anything, it can be a pain to try to not kink the spring while installing. So I decided to get one of the repro spring tools with the certificate. Still had to fork over about 12 bucks as their shipping on this tiny item is like $8.50, rippoff artists they are, they probably still made money on this sale. Anyway, I saved quite a bit by doing this rather than getting an overpriced original. Bye Bye Sportmans Guide, that's the last they will ever see of me!

Mike Hammer

[Uncle Dudley]

I purchased a couple from this guy in Sweden. 1 with Norwegian Navy marks and 1 with British marks. My Dad showed me how to use them, he was an armorer in the USAF in Korea 1951-4.

http://cgi.ebay.com/.....AMEWA:IT&rd=1


Uncle Dudley