ACV2 Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 I have just bought 4 magazines from Gun Broker for the M1 Tommy Gun my wife got me for Christmas. The magazines were a mixed lot, from different manufacturers, etc. The holes for the magazine catch did not quite match the catch. I noticed that the mag that came with the gun had been drilled out to match the catch so I worked on the magazines by making the holes match. The magazines now stay in the gun and seem to feek OK. My question is, Is this something common? Did I do right to makes these mags fit my gun or should I have replace the catch? The magazines were still in grease although they seemed really old. Carlos NRA Life Member Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill in VA Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 The reason for the modifications to the magazines (and thus the difference between semi- and full-auto magazines) is due the differences in receiver heights. In an effort to appease the BATF, WH (and now Kahr) not only redesigned the gun to fire from a closed bolt, but also made the semi-auto receiver approximately 1/10 of an inch shorter (top to bottom) than the TSMG receiver to prevent the drop-in installation of a full-auto bolt. As a result, the magazines were modified to sit a corresponding 1/10 inch lower than in the TSMG. IMHO, I'd suggest buying a GI magazine catch and modifying it instead making modifications to each magazine. For one thing, you're making one modification, instead of many. Secondly, full-auto magazines are cheaper than mod'd semi-auto magazines. Swap out your cast magazine catch for a GI catch that's been shortened by approximately 1/10 of an inch (remove material from the top of the "button" that actually engages the hole on the spine of the magazines.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACV2 Posted January 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 Tjanks, Bill. I wasn't aware that there were semi and full auto magazines. If I replace the magzine catch, will the semi magazines still work? Or will they hang too low? I paid $13 for these magazines but I see the going price at auction about $35-40. Carlos NRA Life Member Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIONHART Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 You paid about the going price for your Magazines. Those that you see above that rarely sell, if at all. If you change out the Magazine Catch even for a WW2 one, you will need to modify the Catch to accept Full-Auto Magazines. I think Bill suggested switching to a USGI Catch because they are of better quality, but you could still modify the Catch that you already have. Once the Modification is done, you can only use unmodified TSMG Magazines. Worth the effort to do. Instructions can be found in our FAQ..There was a link somewhere to a drawing, but can't seem to remember where I saw it. Hope this helps. FWIW, Damon over at http://www.tommygunner.com sells current production Mag Catches (Not USGI) that have already been modified to accept TSMG Mags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill in VA Posted January 12, 2005 Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 Yup, that's exactly what I meant. Dump the cast WH/Kahr magazine cathc and get good quality GI catch to replace it with. Sometimes I don't always type what I'm thinking, especially when I'm squeezing in a peek at the boards between my students, my classes, etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACV2 Posted January 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 Thanks for the help. If I replace the magazine catch with one from Damon or with a USGI one will the magazines that I have drilled already still work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye_Joe Posted January 12, 2005 Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 That depends on how long you stretched the holes.... http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/unsure.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACV2 Posted January 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 Funny, ha ha... I stretched the holes .10 in. same contour as original hole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron A Posted January 12, 2005 Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 Forget the mags you "worked over" Change the latch and buy new mags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Crow Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 Ah, good old Thompsonitis! It is an awesome disease of the mental state, it does tend to take over and soon one may find oneself searching for anything related to the gun. Welcome to the club! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zamm Posted January 14, 2005 Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 Carlos, Welcome, I fear it is too late. Just by subscribing to this board, you have already been exposed to Thompsonitis! It is a slow incubating disease, gradually taking over your thought process to make rational decisions based on money. It requires a 12 step therapy group to try and curb, but the group usually re-infects itself by exposure to others in such a closed group enviorment. In it's final stages, "Thompsonitis gotahaveit" will reduce the infected to involuntary check writing for the most obscure items even remotly Thompson related, constant caressing and cleaning and viewing of your Thompson, speaking to anyone about Thompsons until they are driven screaming from the room, etc... The poor soul will find staring at a Tommy gun preferable to viewing naked women. ( more then once my wife has caught me late at night surfing Thompson material on the web and thought perhaps I had reverted back to "normal" and was looking at porn! http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/smile.gif Recent studies indicate that a person may be geneticly pre-disposed to contracting the disease. One positive note: Subjects seem to be blissfully content with the illness http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif This stuff is great, again, welcome. I think you will find this to be one of the nicest groups of folks on the net. Cheers, Zamm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACV2 Posted January 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Thank you all for the warm welcome ! I thought I was vaccinated to all things gun related when my wife bought me for the 2003 Christmas a S&W 500 Magnun revolver. After that who needs anything, right? WRONG ! ! ! Then came the Thompson. Whoopie ! I have seen the light, I am saved ! I have fallen heads over heels for this gun. New magazines, new springs, new catch, maybe detachable stocks, WOW the list is endless... There is no cure for Thompsonitis, I know. Only thing to do to alleviate the simptoms is to buy more Thompson stuff ! But hey, someone has to do it. When I grow up I want a FA. Thanks again for letting me in. It is good to know a bunch of guys who understand why my M1 is kept under my pillow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill in VA Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Wow! you must have a huge piilow! (And a thick one!) My wife says no thompson guns in the bed, but I think it's because I make the dogs sleep on the floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now