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Ammunition For The Thompson Submachine Gun


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Please bear with me...This page became corrupted in October 2013, and I'm attempting to rebuild it in November 2014...


 


David Albert


 


These materials are protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws.

Copyright 2010-2014 © David Albert



This pinned post is intended to be a collector reference guide for ammunition associated with the Thompson Submachine Gun during its service life. Please feel free to provide your input, and any images used will have the person's name or screen name credited below the image(s). Any photos of items you would like to include may be sent to David Albert at dalbert@sturmgewehr.com.



Whenever possible, I will include a photo of the cartridge headstamp, as seen in some instances below. I have included some estimated dates, and will attempt to confirm the dates as closely as possible through further research.



History of Updates:

8/28/10: 12 different types of Thompson ammunition posted

8/29/10: Added variation of Western Lubaloy ammo

8/30/10: Added Frankford Arsenal Tracer, 1935 Stembridge Movie Blanks and Peters Rustless-Riot Cartridges

8/31/10: Added Peters Cartridge Company .45 Auto Shot Smokeless C.F. Cartridges (2 different varieties)

9/2/10: Added ECS 43 Headstamp, Steel-Cased .45 ammo, and Remington Kleanbore Hi-Way Master ammo

9/3/10: Added Stembridge Gun Rentals at Paramount Pictures Thompson Blanks

9/4/10: Added CBC Brazilian Thompson Ammo, Peters Rustless .45 Colt Auto, Peters Cartridge Company .45 Auto Shot Smokeless C.F. Cartridges with "Shot" Label Added, Olin Corporation Ball M1911, and Early USSCO Ammo

9/12/10: Added Peters Rustless .45 Automatic Government Model Ammo, made separate category for riot and shotshell rounds, added rattle round and 2 variations of Peters shotshell boxes

10/1/10: Added Mid-1960's Peters .45 Ammo

10/2/10: Added U.S. Military .45 ACP Small Game Hunting Ammunition section with 4 different ammo types, another photo of early Peters Shot Cartridges, and table of contents

2/12/11: Added example of 1942 Evansville Ordnance ammo box, and Winchester Ammo Captured and Relabeled by the Japanese during WWII, and Winchester .45 Automatic Colt Late 1930's Staynless Ammunition

2/19/11: Added German Manufactured/Swiss Stamped 1941 TSMG Ammo

2/20/11: Added Winchester Staynless 1920's Ammo

9/4/11: Added Winchester .45 Ammunition "For Use in Sub-Machine Guns," 1941

9/29/11: Added WWII Frankford Arsenal .45 ACP Ball Ammo

10/2/11: Added Tracer version of “Dogbone” .45 ammo, and Ellis Hollywood Blanks

3/20/12: Added Remington Arms Military .45 ACP Box, 1942

1/26/13: Added 1944 Remington Ball Ammo, 1948 and 1974 Brazilian CBC Ammo


5/9/13: Added Australian .450 Thompson SMG Ammo


10/5/13: Added Peters Rustless-Gildkote Ammo, and Early Remington-UMC



Thompson Ammunition Reference Post Table of Contents:



1. Commercial .45 ACP Ball Ammunition

2. Commercial Riot (Rattle) Rounds and Riot Shotshell Ammunition

3. Hollywood Blank Ammunition

4. Foreign Ammunition

5. U.S. Military Ball Ammunition

6. U.S. Military .45 ACP Small Game Hunting Ammunition



Commercial .45 ACP Ball Ammunition




Early Remington-UMC .45 Automatic Colt Smokeless: Circa Late 1910's


 


joseph12297 Collection


Remington-UMC .45 Automatic Colt Smokeless: Circa Late 1910's





David Albert Collection



United States Cartridge Company (Often abbreviated "USCCO"): Circa Late 1910's





James M Collection



Peters Cartridge Company .45 Colt Auto C.F. Cartridges: Mid 1920's







Above Images David Albert Collection



United States Cartridge Company (Often abbreviated "USCCO"): Late 1920's



This is the type of cartridge that was unfortunately used in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. The bullets are lead, and the batch used in the massacre had a unique feature, in that each lead bullet was marked by the manufacturer with an "S." Not all bullets in this package style had the "S" marking.





David Albert Collection



Winchester .45 Automatic Colt Full Patch Staynless: Late 1920's



This type of ammunition was commonly added as a sales incentive/discount for Colt Thompson Submachine Guns when sold by early Auto-Ordnance salesman E.E. Richardson, as documented in many sales invoices of the period.





Tracie Hill Collection



Peters Rustless .45 Colt Auto: 1930's







The back of the ammunition box indicates it can be used in Colt Automatics Pistols, Thompson Submachine Guns, and Model 1917 Pistols with moon clips.







Above Images Mike Sig Collection




Peters Rustless -Gildkote.45 Colt Auto: 1930's


 


This ammunition mentions use in the Thompson Submachine Gun.


 


 


Above Images joseph12297 Collection


Winchester .45 Automatic Colt Auto (Staynless/Oilproof): Late 1930's







Above Images David Albert Collection



Dairt Co. Inc. .45 Automatic Central Fire Smokeless Cartridges: WWII



Dairt ammunition was manufactured specifically for the Reising Submachine Gun, but was also likely used in the Thompson. This was commercially available ammunition mannufactured during WWII, controlled and rationed by the War Production Board. Most of it probably went to Police consumption. Many of the cartridges were subsequently reloaded by Dairt, and reloaded ammunition had labels applied over the original print on the long side of the box. Examples can be seen below.









Above Images David Albert Collection



Winchester .45 Ammunition "For Use in Sub-Machine Guns," 1941



This full box of ammmunition resides in Britain, and was probably a part of Lend-Lease from the United States. This full box is dated on the side in a black ink rubber stamp '1 NOV 41' and under that, 'LOT 76'.





tranteruk Collection



Remington-UMC Kleanbore .45 Automatic Colt



This ammunition in its various forms is referred to by collectors as the "Dogbone" style packaging, based on the shape of the Kleanbore logo.





David Albert Collection



Remington-UMC Kleanbore .45 Automatic Colt Tracer





David Albert Collection



Western Cartridges "Lubaloy" .45 Automatic: Circa 1940's







The back of the Western box mentions use in the Thompson:







Above Images David Albert Collection



This Western box is noted with "Full Metal Case," instead of "Metal Case" as can be seen on the previous box.





David Albert Collection



Peters Rustless .45 Automatic Government Model: Circa Early 1950's



This box was made by the Peters Cartridge Division of the Remington Arms Company, Inc., in Bridgeport, CT. It features the DuPont trademark, since Remington was a division of DuPont at that time.





David Albert Collection



Remington Kleanbore .45 Automatic: Circa 1950's







The ammunition box indicates on the back that it is suitable for both the Thompson and Reising Submachine Guns.







Above Images David Albert Collection



Remington Kleanbore .45 Automatic Hi-Way Master: Circa 1950's



Intended for law enforcement use, these were 173-grain "metal-penetrating bullets."







The back of the box is similar to the 230-grain Kleanbore ammunition shown above, which indicated its intended use in Thompson and Reising Submachine Guns. The 173-grain Hi-Way Master ammunition indicates it is intended for all submachine guns.





Above Images Brian Marvin Collection



Remington .45 Automatic 230 Grain: Circa Late 1950's





David Albert Collection



Peters Center Fire Cartridges (45 Automatic 230 Grain Metal Case): Circa Mid-1960's



This cartridge box dates from the mid 1960's, and is definitely post-1962, based on the "Warning - Keep Out of Reach Of Children" label.







David Albert Collection



Commercial Riot (Rattle) Rounds and Riot Shotshell Ammunition



Remington-UMC .45 Automatic Riot Smokeless (Rattle Rounds): Circa Early 1920's



The unique photo below is originally from the H.P. White Laboratories collection, and it documents a box of "Rattle Rounds" that had the over-labels steamed off, and pasted to the file card. This box was originally produced for a 200-grain metal cased bullet loading. The side of the box was over-labeled to indicate "Specially Adapted for .45 Automatic Colt and Thompson Sub-Machine Gun."









Above Images John Moss Collection



Peters Cartridge Company .45 Auto Shot Smokeless C.F. Cartridges with Shot Label Added: Mid 1920's



These shot cartridges were packaged in Peters .45 ACP boxes originally marked for the Colt Automatic Pistol. They had labels applied to cover the "Colt Automatic Pistol" section of the original label.





Tracie Hill Collection







The side of the box also has the Shot label applied:





Above Images Mike Sig Collection



Another example of the above box with "Adapted to the Thompson Sub-Machine Gun Only" label added:





John Moss Collection



Peters Cartridge Company .45 Auto Shot Smokeless C.F. Cartridges: Mid 1920's





Brian Marvin Collection



Another box of the ammunition above with 2 extra labels applied - One indicating the patent date, and another indicating an 18-shot maximum loading of the magazine:





Brian Marvin Collection



Another example with an ink stamp added, indicating, "RIOT (Trademark) Cartridge."





John Moss Collection



Peters Rustless-Riot Cartridges: Mid 1920's (Without Address On Front)







Above Images Mike Sig Collection



Peters Rustless-Riot Cartridges: Mid 1920's







Above Images Brian Marvin Collection



Peters .45 Auto Shot Cartridges: Mid 1930's







The back of the box indicates the shot cartridges are adapted specifically for the Thompson Submachine Gun, and intended for law enforcement use.





Above Images Lyn Pedersen Collection





Hollywood Blank Ammunition



Stembridge Movie Gun Rental Thompson Blanks: 1935







These are blanks made By Stembridge (Movie Gun Rental Company) from a Remington-UMC batch of .45 ammunition.





Above Images Brian Marvin Collection



Ellis Mercantile Co. .45 Caliber Machine Gun Blanks: Circa 1960’s



These blanks are made from cut down and crimped .30-06 shell casings, and are the type used during filming of the 1960’s television show “Combat!” The unfired shell was recovered from one of sites where the series was filmed.



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Above Image Marty Black Collection



Stembridge Gun Rentals at Paramount Pictures Thompson Blanks: 1980





James M Collection



Foreign Ammunition



German Sinoxid (RWS) .45 Thompson Ammunition (Swiss Stamped): 1941



This is the most intriguing box of .45 ammunition I have ever encountered. Manufactured by RWS in Nurenburg, Germany, apparently in April, 1941, and sold to a Swiss sporting goods store that still exists today. It has a Swiss tax stamp on it, and is unopened.



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Above Images Tracie Hill Collection


 


Australian .450 Thompson SMG Ammunition: 1943/44


These boxes are dated October 1943 and January 1944. The January 1944 box contains both 1943 and 1944 headstamps.


 


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Above Images David Albert Collection


 


Belgian Military Thompson SMG Ammunition: 1952



The Belgian military adopted the Thompson Submachine Gun after WWII, and .45 ammunition was produced for the use of their armed forces.







Above Images David Albert Collection



French Military Thompson SMG Ammunition: 1956-57



The French military adopted the Thompson under emergency conditions in 1939, purchasing 3000 of the final remaining Colt Thompsons in Auto-Ordnance inventory. The Colts saw service in Vichy France, mostly as police guns, under Nazi occupation, and some were also taken to Britain from Dunkirk. Many also ended up in German hands. After the war, the French continued to use WWII era Thompsons they acquired from the U.S., and the weapon served at least until 1959. The cartridges shown below were made for the Thompson, and all observed examples are dated 1956-57.



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Above Images David Albert Collection



CBC Brazilian Thompson SMG Ammunition: 1948



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Quality control markings:



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Above Images Gunner1 Collection



CBC Brazilian Thompson SMG Ammunition: 1966



This unique box of .45 ammunition indicates it is intended for the Thompson Submachine Gun, and was loaded on 6/6/66 with a powder lot dating from 9/24/61.



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Above Images Ron & Kelly Brock Collection



CBC Brazilian Thompson SMG Ammunition: 1974



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Above Images Gunner1 Collection



U.S. Military Ball Ammunition



While I am not planning to include different lot codes, etc., I would like to document U.S. Military .45 ACP ammunition of different box types, and by different manufacturers in this section.



Evansville Ordnance PlantRemington Arms Company, Inc., 1942



This appears to be a transitional box, as it utilizes the old, 20-round box stencil.







Above Images David Albert Collection



Evansville Ordnance Plant: 1942





Jim Kindred Collection



ECS 43 Headstamp, Steel-Cased: 1943







Above Images Anonymous Collection



Remington 45 ACP Ball Ammo: 1944









Above Images Gunner1 Collection



Frankford Arsenal .45 ACP Ball Ammo: WWII





Timelapse Collection



Frankford Arsenal Tracer, M26: Unknown Date





Brian Marvin Collection



Olin Mathieson Chemical Corporation, WCC 62 Headstamp: 1962







Above Images David Albert Collection



Olin Corporation Ball M1911: Unknown Date





James M Collection



U.S. Military .45 ACP Small Game Hunting Ammunition



While this ammunition is not specifically intended for the Thompson, it was issued for small game hunting, and used in the M1911 pistol, and the Thompson. It was not intended for use against the enemy, and had very limited range.



Cartridge Shot Caliber .45, T23, Remington Arms Company: 1942







John Moss Collection



Cartridge Shot Caliber .45 M12, Evansville Ordnance Plant (WWII)





John Moss Collection



Cartridges, Shot Cal. .45 M15, Remington Arms (WWII)





John Moss Collection



Cartridges Shot Cal. .45 M15, Remington Arms (Unknown Date)





John Moss Collection



These materials are protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws.

Copyright 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 © David Albert

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