cammy Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Hey guys/gals,great to find a site on this subject. Just got my first Thompson,don't know a heckuva lot about them in general,but would like to learn more about mine for sure. I've been peeking around the internet for quite awhile before I came across this seemingly excellent site. Firstly,as I'm in Canada it's deactivated (dammit) but I can't find the date for it. Lots of other markings.Seems to have an original stock but replaced handgrips. A wee bit dinged up. Oh how I wish Canada was a little more like the US with it's gun laws! Any help would be appreciated! Attached are a few pics. Cheers and thanks! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk VII Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 If it was, you'd be paying as much as for a small car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief762 Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 (edited) True, but being able to walk to the range in the backyard(garden) to fire a few bursts of full auto just cause you feel like it...priceless. I hope we never lose those rights.Chief762If it was, you'd be paying as much as for a small car. Edited September 2, 2013 by Chief762 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphinvet Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 Didn't Canada used to have laws allowing its citizens to own full autos? I know that went away but can't recall when. What happened to all the machine guns in the hands of civilians there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 (edited) Dolphinvet, on 02 Sept 2013 - 23:08, said:Didn't Canada used to have laws allowing its citizens to own full autos? I know that went away but can't recall when. What happened to all the machine guns in the hands of civilians there?It's complicated ..... if you're coming to the TCA show look me up and I'll explain it over a beverage of your choice. Fully automatics are still available to a select group of us (approximately 280)but if you didn't own one in 1978 you can never own one. Once full auto was banned a lot of guys purchased guns converted to fire semi auto only. Eventually these too were banned because, gosh, they looked just like a full auto! But you could still buy a new semi auto West Hurley until .... you guessed it ... they banned them too. It is very convoluted and it was all down hill for years. For the most part, if a person in Canada wants a Thompson in his collection today all he can own is a deactivated one. Those of us in that group of 280 or so are the most exclusive club in Canada .... no one can join us, ever. We have no 2nd amendment in Canada, our Constitution doesn't include property rights, it is illegal to own any gun in Canada unless the government grants you a licence. All brought to us by Liberal governments that believe only the police and military should have firearms (and only when they are on duty). Edited September 3, 2013 by canuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphinvet Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 Dolphinvet, on 02 Sept 2013 - 23:08, said:Didn't Canada used to have laws allowing its citizens to own full autos? I know that went away but can't recall when. What happened to all the machine guns in the hands of civilians there?It's complicated ..... if you're coming to the TCA show look me up and I'll explain it over a beverage of your choice. Fully automatics are still available to a select group of us (approximately 280)but if you didn't own one in 1978 you can never own one. Once full auto was banned a lot of guys purchased guns converted to fire semi auto only. Eventually these too were banned because, gosh, they looked just like a full auto! But you could still buy a new semi auto West Hurley until .... you guessed it ... they banned them too. It is very convoluted and it was all down hill for years. For the most part, if a person in Canada wants a Thompson in his collection today all he can own is a deactivated one. Those of us in that group of 280 or so are the most exclusive club in Canada .... no one can join us, ever. We have no 2nd amendment in Canada, our Constitution doesn't include property rights, it is illegal to own any gun in Canada unless the government grants you a licence. All brought to us by Liberal governments that believe only the police and military should have firearms (and only when they are on duty).Sounds dreadful. Once you 280 or so are gone, then the guns are taken away too I'm sure. Sounds suspiciously like what they'd like to do to us here in the States, but can't...yet. Given the thousands of us that own machine guns in the States, an outright ban won't occur. I'm glad we have the 2nd amendment, or what's left of it. Sounds like Canada has been corrupted worse than our present government has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cammy Posted September 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 In the meantime,any idea why I cannot find a date on this one I posted pics of? I did find the "S" for Savage,but alas...not date of manufacture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 (edited) Cammy, Unfortunately it seems that if there ever where any records of when the wartime guns were made they have been long gone. Maybe someone will stumble on an old crate someday and we'll all learn exactly when our Savage Tgun went together. My best guess is that it was made in mid to late 1943. There is no "date of manuf." on any of them. I look at information from several sources (I have almost every book ever written on the Thompson that I know of) and try to interpolate this and that. However it is still nothing other than my best guess. Now if you had a Colt it would be easy as Auto Ordnance records are available on them. Try to find a copy of Frank Iannamico's "American Thunder II" or Tracie Hill's "The Ultimate Thompson" and you'll really learn a lot from them. I am putting a picture of three guns I displayed at Fredericton last weekend in another post. My M1 seems to have the same pistol grip as your later M1A1 so maybe they are original but when you have a seventy year old gun who knows for sure. Tracing a Thompson gun history here (in Canada) is difficult. Welcome to the board. Edited September 4, 2013 by canuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnshooter Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 (edited) Dolphinvet, on 02 Sept 2013 - 23:08, said: Didn't Canada used to have laws allowing its citizens to own full autos? I know that went away but can't recall when. What happened to all the machine guns in the hands of civilians there? [/ Sounds dreadful. Once you 280 or so are gone, then the guns are taken away too I'm sure. Sounds suspiciously like what they'd like to do to us here in the States, but can't...yet. Given the thousands of us that own machine guns in the States, an outright ban won't occur. I'm glad we have the 2nd amendment, or what's left of it. Sounds like Canada has been corrupted worse than our present government has. 1986 was (is) an outright ban, as far as I'm concerned. Ignoring the rules of order, with no debate allowed, passed only on one individuals interpretation of a voice vote. Their fortunate neglect is that the sentence banning manufacture was not completed with the words "or transfer"; otherwise, we'd be sitting in the lifeboat with our Canadian friends. Edited September 3, 2013 by mnshooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cammy Posted September 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 Thanks a lot Canuck. That helps as I was hoping it was of WW2 manufacture. Here's to hoping you best guess is right on. Thanks for the info and welcome..appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elvis3006 Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 Great looking M1A1 ! Where did you get it, private sale or business ? I got mine from a business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speeddemon02 Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 Can you import deactivated thompsons into Canada? If so I know of a few places that you can get them, but I have a feeling about the answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cammy Posted September 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 (edited) Can you import deactivated thompsons into Canada? If so I know of a few places that you can get them, but I have a feeling about the answer.You know the answer to that one! They are tough to get,even deactivated...or so I found. I didn't even want to chance a really good deal on a late 60's movie prop/dummy MP-40 to get it from the US to Canada. I figured it may end up either scrapped or quite possibly...a "souvenir" to someone with a wee bit too much authority. Great looking M1A1 ! Where did you get it, private sale or business ? I got mine from a business.Thank you sir! I got it through a private deal...couldn't pass it up as they never seem to come up. Love to see more pics of the T's you all own. Cheers! Edited September 4, 2013 by cammy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cammy Posted September 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2013 As far as my Thompson goes,how would you fellows here rate it from what you see here? Don't worry,you won't hurt my feelings. Well, maybe ... Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief762 Posted September 12, 2013 Report Share Posted September 12, 2013 Cammy,I had one just like it in Vietnam. Hell, it could even be the same one! LOL! Based on where you live, it's all you can do, and it is a real Thompson. If you're happy, thats all that counts. Enjoy!Chief762 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmagee1917 Posted September 12, 2013 Report Share Posted September 12, 2013 It has a little of that " been there , done that " look . It is in very good condition otherwise. I would be happy if it were in my collection ( live , of course ) . Is the missing pin on the selector switch part of the deactivation process ? Can still rack the bolt , take it apart , etc. ?Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cammy Posted September 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2013 (edited) Thanks guys. Chief,thank you for your service my friend! I have much respect for you fellows who were in "the Nam".Maybe it was the same one as you had eh! Lol Wouldn't that be something. I am happy,just wish it was legal here in Canada to be a shooter is all. I need to get to the states sometimes when there is a gun range get together to fire a few different MG's! I see youtube vids all the time where this occurs.That would make me happy. Lol Chris,I'm sure it was part of the deactivation process.The bolt is moveable but does not "cock" into place...it's a slider. It does come apart though. I'm very happy that I have this in my hands,never thought the opportunity would come around for a war dated variant. Cheers guys! Edited September 12, 2013 by cammy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elvis3006 Posted September 12, 2013 Report Share Posted September 12, 2013 Cammy how far can you field strip it ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cammy Posted September 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2013 Not far enough unfortunately Elvis! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cammy Posted October 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2013 Just curious everyone,but what would this Thompson be worth if it were active? Or am I going to be sorry to hear the answer? Lol Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph12297 Posted October 17, 2013 Report Share Posted October 17, 2013 My OPINION on what it would be worth if registered and functional is in the $17-18,000 USD range +/-. Best Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmagee1917 Posted October 17, 2013 Report Share Posted October 17, 2013 If it was live and registered in the US , prob'ly $12,000 - ish , give or take , for a quick sale .What do others here think ?Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bug Posted October 17, 2013 Report Share Posted October 17, 2013 We sold a Westie M1 at the creek quickly for 14K. I'd be in the 16K range if it were mine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Just curious everyone,but what would this Thompson be worth if it were active? Or am I going to be sorry to hear the answer? Lol Cheers! Cammy, In Canada, approximately 1/10 of the American values. At a 2011 auction, full auto class 12.2, Thompson M1 sold for $1200.00 . A deactivated gun can actually sell for more because more people can buy it. Don't confuse our (Canadian) situation with the US. We are not the land of the free. If the US could import our Thompsons there wouldn't be one left in the country because the value is just so much higher there. If you paid between $1500-1800 for your deactivated gun good on you. I recently obtained a 12.2, fully functional, M1 for $1600.00 including original Kerr sling and I was happy with that. I could go on but you get the idea. I will add this (and my American friends please sit down because it's going to hurt) . Recent Canadian auction with a fully functional German MG42 and a deactivated MG42. The fully live gun sold for $1700.00 and the deactivated gun for $3300.00. Why? Anyone in Canada can buy a deactivated "non gun" but only about 280 of us can still buy the real McCoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphinvet Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Sickening. I'd love to own an MG-42 but they are a wee bit out of my price range at the moment. I paid 12k for an AOC M1 Thompson back in February of this year. It is non-matching serial numbers, and someone went on to nickel plate it, but it is a GI Thompson from WWII and it's registered. I see West Hurley's sell every day for a lot more than that now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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