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Red Dot On A Thompson?


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My eyes not being what they were when I was younger, I've been thinking about how to non-invasively mount a spare Burris fastfire to the Lyman sight on my 1928. I know a few guys have some such arrangements at some of the subgun matches but I've never seen a set up up close.

 

Any suggestions? I've got a few ideas I'm tossing around, but don't want to reinvent the wheel if someone else has already come up with a clever idea. Thanks in advance!

 

Bob

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In my case, my West Hurley 1928 came with the rear sight holes already threaded, so I had a gunsmith buddy fabricate a mount with the same hole pattern and just bolt it on when I want to use a dot. I also had a stock made with a very high comb and shorter length of pull for use with the dot in bowling pin competitions. There were no mods to the gun involved.
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Being active in the subgun competition world, perhaps I can help. I have a C-more dot sight that I can easily put on and take off on my 1928 WH. It is probably more modification that you may want, but it is one way. I have the Cmore mounted on a rail that mounts over the fin section of the barrel. It is held in place with two AR gas key screws that are screwed into the grip rail that I drilled and tapped. I made a horizontal foregrip that is notched around the rail. I posted this a while back and if you search my name, hopefully you will find it., It takes about 2 minutes to change the sights from iron to optics. I also made another rear stock that is raised to fit the new sight plane. Being a 28, it slides on and off with a puch of a button.

 

Another method I have seen, may be more up your alley. A friend of mine has mounted his optic on the rear sight assembly by changing the ladder sight with one that had optics mounted to it. He simple removes the ladder pivot pin and puts either a stock iron sight or a base with optics on it.

 

Those are the only two I have persnally seen and I am sure there may be others.

 

Good luck,

 

Paul :-)#

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Paul good to see you over here, how are you taking have a spring free for once (or twice) in your life :-)

 

A photo of a DIY setup from the 2003 ISSMC shoot.

http://www.issmc.com/images/2003/oldandnew_mh.jpg

 

Not a red dot but an interesting Thompson photo from a later ISSMC with a Thompson only class.

http://www.issmc.com/images/2006/ISSMC-06-Match/images/img_3908.jpg

Edited by JTinIN
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M60Joe did the machine work on mine to allow a Docter Optic mount to be secured to a spare Lyman ladder. Go to M60Joe.com and click on the Thompson link to see a picture. Don't make it like the picture though, the mount is on backwards in the picture. This is a very unobtrusive, easy on, easy off method to mount a red dot to a Thompson with a Lyman ladder sight. The Docter Optic sights are similar to the FastFire but without the switch on the side. This method would not work with a FastFire. The switch would get in the way. CDNN has been having the Docter sights on sale for ~$250 recently. This is a historically super price.
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Hey JT,

 

Seems strange not having a match this weekend. Still busy, but I had March and April free. We are gathering at the farm this weekend just to do some mag dumps and get together. Hope to see you in the Fall.

 

Paul : -)#

 

 

I know what you mean, when the ISSMC stopped, I actually got back to planting the garden and having a life in the spring / early summer. Liked the match, but really did take one's free time.

Probably a few "farm" shoots this weekend. Living in interesting times at the moment, hope to see you in the Fall.

 

Regards

John

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  • 7 years later...

M60Joe did the machine work on mine to allow a Docter Optic mount to be secured to a spare Lyman ladder. Go to M60Joe.com and click on the Thompson link to see a picture. Don't make it like the picture though, the mount is on backwards in the picture. This is a very unobtrusive, easy on, easy off method to mount a red dot to a Thompson with a Lyman ladder sight. The Docter Optic sights are similar to the FastFire but without the switch on the side. This method would not work with a FastFire. The switch would get in the way. CDNN has been having the Docter sights on sale for ~$250 recently. This is a historically super price.

Per a post on UZITalk.com, M60 joe sold his business sometime on 2018. I was unable to uncover anything regarding the new owner.

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This is what I’ve seen from a sub gun match near me.

That appears to be a very good way to mount a red dot with no modifications, that are obvious, to the gun itself. It appears that the scope mount clamps to the barrel somehow. I would be interested to know what brand/type of scope base was used.

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I shoot with those boys in Vegas next month so I'll report back on the scope mounts they have.

Great. We will be looking forward to your report. If you can get some detailed pictures all the better.

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  • 4 weeks later...

As promised here are some pics of the scope mount used on this tsmg. He had no idea of brand name just a couple of raised 1" scope mounts turned upside down and backwards with a piccatinney rail on top to mount the red dot site. This also allows you to look through under the red dot to still use the stock Thompson sights. Because of the taper of the barrel the forward most attachment has a set screw to prevent movement of the whole rig. Works good for this guy once the thing is zeroed in.

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