Expensive Shooting

[mp40]

Was it when you lost (or broke!) some part or piece of your pride and joy? or ran out of ammo and you where forced (ya right!) http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/laugh.gif to buy more at inflated sporting-goods store prices? or?

[The1930sRust]

Mine was a trip to the back yard with a pals Savage Lend Lease I borrowed. 30 rounds and five seconds later, a series of events was set in place that would ultimately cost me over $8000....

[USMC-2-USN]

Hell...you got off cheap, Chris!

 

It started with a MAC11/380...i now have a $60,000 title 2 collection (not that much invested!!)

 

I wouldn't trade my thompson or AK for the world though!

[colt21a]

QUOTE (The1930sRust @ Dec 22 2003, 10:48 PM)

Mine was a trip to the back yard with a pals Savage Lend Lease I borrowed. 30 rounds and five seconds later, a series of events was set in place that would ultimately cost me over $8000....

i think keith sent me a pic of that.......someplace in my brain file................take care,ron

 

or colt 21a

[The1930sRust]

QUOTE (USMC-2-USN @ Dec 22 2003, 10:57 PM)

Hell...you got off cheap, Chris!

As a percentage of my meager yearly income...oh...what a stupid thing I did. In 25 years I will appreciate it I am sure!

[Jay Baker]

I was looking at my very first machine gun in the machinegun gettin store, an StG44. I saw that it broke down like an AR15 so we began to take it apart. Unbeknownst to me, this weapon was from an era before the recoil spring detent was invented. Upon removing the stock, that sucker shot out so quick, I thought I had bought it for sure-so I did.

[6086]

Most expensive Thompson trip was a visit to MG Ltd in Phoenix in July 1999. Randy knew I was curious about the Thompson SMG and he asked me to visit his shop to view some Thompson accessories he had just received.

 

What he had in hand was a New York L-drum in a Rusco pouch, a Mills four-cell XX mag pouch with four minty double patent mags, and a web belt - all in great condition and in the very early pale yellow straw color. Nice set! I bought the set even though I didn't have a Thompson, yet.

 

Then Randy said that he had pictures of a Thompson 1921AC that the web gear and mags belonged to. He said that a potential buyer declined because the Polaroid pictures weren't good enough to determine the condition of the gun. He showed them to me, and the pictures weren't very good. The Colt was transferring to Randy on a Form 3 and would arrive in about three weeks.

 

Then he said that he wanted to sell the Colt quickly because he had another lot of firearms coming and required operating capital. Would I like to buy it? I replied that I needed the weekend to consider the $8,500 price tag. He said he'd hold it through the July 4 weekend, but that it would sell on July 5. The date was Thursday, July 1, 1999.

 

I climbed into my just paid-off pick-up truck, drove directly to the credit union, refinanced the truck for two more years, and walked out with a cashier's check. Then I drove to Randy's shop and bought Colt Thompson 1921AC #6086, formerly employed by the Montana State Prison.

 

A few weeks later Randy called to tell me that the Thompson had arrived. He said the condition was "just OK". My heart sank, had I bought a boat anchor? "Well, it was a risk worth taking" I said. Randy was joking. "I'm just messin' with you. This is one of the nicest Colts I've ever seen!" You've got to get down here and see this thing, it's really nice."

 

So I did, and when I first saw #6086 I was immediately impressed with the quality of the blueing, the "strawing" appearance of the graining on the top of the receiver, and the smooth cycling action. WOW, this is the real thing! Now, #6086 is not a cherry collector piece, it's a shooter, with a few dings, scratches, and wear marks. Some idiot screwed a sling swivel in to the buttstock and knocked the retaining pin out of the compensator to put in a sling swivel (that's been fixed). It's got a 1935-period factory barrel (verified by Doug R.) with a Type 1 comp, so it was in the shop for rebarreling before WWII. No, it's not a collector, but it's mine for now and I enjoy shooting it (with a replacement actuator and bolt!)

 

That's my expensive Thompson story. Oh, the truck is paid-off once again and I'm still driving it.

 

Tom Mayer

 

 

[hawksnest]

In 2001 I drove to Cincinnati, Ohio to look at a Thompson. Ended up buying two (2). Thought I could sell one and keep the other but fell in love with both and can't part with either of them. http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/laugh.gif

[21 smoker]

These are some great stories... it`s comforting to know I`m not alone in this affliction. My adventure began when I went to my clubs MG shoot...and couldn`t speak for 2 days... `Oh the humanity!`... and the ordnance!!!...I haven`t been the same since.15 NFAs later I can`t get enough,and probably never will!!!KEEPEM`SMOKIN`,out. http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/wink.gif

[full auto 45]

My story is I wanted one for years, even had a in-law of sorts that owned a C3 shop here in the 70-80's. Had all the good toys. We would hang out and shoot them when we had time on the range. But because I'm a poor white child, I couldn't afford it. The came military time, one divorce, moving around, another divorce and well you get the picture. But now I'm happily married and have a paid off house that I can use to buy my toys I wanted 20 years ago. Had to pass on a FBI in case w/drum and sticks, all was original as far as I could tell, gun had F.B.I. stamped on the side and numbers matched. Had to pass on it for $6500 in '97. And yes I still kick myself in the ass for that. I should have sold a kidney or something but little did I know about it at the time. So 2 years later I p/u a WH with a "C" and a "L" drum NIB. Next came my little bouncing M1 Bridgeport, and now my precious must have Colts' are calling. Must have my precious, must have.