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I work for a large Sheriff's office in Florida and am tasked with trying to obtain any information of record for several sub machine guns in our inventory. One is a Colt Thompson Model 1921. The serial number is 365. On the right side of the receiver is marked Auto Ordinance Corporation, New York, USA. Any internal records reflecting purchase have long since vanished. The agency would like to set these up on display with a small information card containing any data I can find. I'm new to the forum and have my own gun smithing business with SOT. Any help would be appreciated! And for all service members on this Holiday weekend, thank you for your sacrifices and service👍
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First, it would be valuable to determine if the gun is correctly registered, to whom and currently on what form. Call ATF/NFA, 304-616-4500. PDs have the privilege of receiving information about the registration status of MGs which is not accorded to private individuals. Ask for the examiner for FL and explain that you are calling on behalf of your PD and request the following for the serial number of the Thompson:

Date and form of original registration if listed in the NFRTR, the federal MGregistry.

ID of current registrant if the number is registered.

Colts are very valuable and knowing its status as registered or not drastically affects the value. In turn, this will affect how your department treats the gun.

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I was going to send BATFE a request on letterhead to determine if it was ever registered. I wasn't aware I could obtain the information by phone! I have two others Thompson's to research and that will certainly speed up the process. Thank you very much for the information, Black River

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Hannadog

 

Welcome to the board.

 

According to Gordon's book on Colt serial numbers, 365 Suwannee County Board of County Commissioners Live Oak. Florida (1 shipped 5/13/21)

 

Attn to: Sheriff W.H.Lyle Swannee County Sheriffs Office Live Oak, Florida Note This gun No. 365, returned for repairs 12/3/34, by Duval County Sheriff,

 

Rex Sweat Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville Florida Police Department ( 1 of 5 )

 

Hope this helps you

 

Frank

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Great information, Frank! Thank you so much as it adds to the story. I can only imagine the incidents this firearm was involved in over the years. I'm still going to contact BATFE to see if it's in the registry. I have two more Thompsons to research and I'll post more about them soon.
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Hannadog,

 

Welcome to the board!

 

Your Colt has the distinction of being among the very earliest Thompsons placed into service. Your department was a very early adopter. Many of the 15,000 Colts produced spent well over a decade in Auto-Ordnance inventory. Thousands remained unsold until 1939, when the largest known sale of 3000 units to France occurred. The last Colts were sold in 1940.

 

David Albert

dalbert@sturmgewehr.com

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I have no doubt that it would have been registered to one of the agencies seeing as it passed back through Auto Ordnance's hands in late 1934. It is also very likely it is not registered to your agency. It was a common practice for agencies to loan or trade machineguns to another agency without regard to registration. Some agencies were still doing this up to the 1980s. I'm a police officer and SOT myself so I've seen things you wouldn't think an agency do.

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