
Thompson History
#1
Posted 05 May 2004 - 04:53 PM
#2
Posted 05 May 2004 - 05:23 PM
About a month ago I requested from the Arsenals Archives at Redstone Alabama (under the freedom of information act) any records pertaining to this gun in hopes of finding out when it was ordered, who it was shipped to and what unit it was issued to in hopes of gleaning a bit of history from it....I wanted an idea of where this gun has been and what it's seen.
I struck out, Total zilch. Zip. Nada. I Got the letter back yesterday saying that if the gun was not in the possession of the U.S. Government as of XX date 1975, then records no longer exist.
So I guess our government tossed out all the historical records as of 1975 and there is no other way I know of (except some books, like Frank's, for example) to find out any info on this gun.
I do know who I purchased it from, have spoken to the dealer he bought from and, to his recollection, my gun went from the Government to a police Department somewhere in Ohio. Then to the former owner, then me.
I really wish I could find out more, but don't know where to look next.
Anyone help me out??

john

#3
Posted 05 May 2004 - 06:03 PM
Sorry you were disappointed, but I would think that very few records exist as to the distribution of weapons from the Second World War. No government agency, that I am aware of, would have kept the records of firearm distribution down to the unit level in the miltary during WWII. The best you could hope for would be the Auto-Ordnance shipping records indicating what military order the gun was from and when it was shipped, but Frank Iannamico, in his many searches of the National Archives, couldn't locate such records.
Auto-Ordnance started producing Thompsons at their Bridgeport, CT plant in 1941 and production of the 1928 Model ceased in 1942, so you have a time frame of a year and several months during which it could have been produced. Auto-Ordnance production guns were never made anywhere else but at the Bridgeport, CT plant so referring to them as Bridgeports is (as I frequently point out) redundant.
I'm sure that somewhere, when the guns were sold as surplus in the post-war period, someone recorded the numbers, but as the Arsenals Archives pointed out, records going back that far weren't kept. Maybe the police agency that owned it could provide some history if you can determine which agency it was.
Good luck.
#4
Posted 05 May 2004 - 07:11 PM
QUOTE (sten guy @ May 5 2004, 04:53 PM) |
I am just curious if any of the board members have documentation about the history surrounding their guns... Would anyone share it if you do? |
The Colt Thompson I owned (then sold) was documented as being used in a riot or two at a New Jersey prison.
Now the Drum that I purchased with the item was "supposed" to be used too and the one or two small rough spots on the drum were from where the blood was left and caused some pitting. Not too sure about the drum story but the riot was documented and the serial number listed did indeed match the item I owned.
#5
Posted 05 May 2004 - 08:13 PM
Wow! That tale should be told on the history channel. Not much room for embellishment.
#6
Posted 05 May 2004 - 08:26 PM
#7
Posted 05 May 2004 - 09:47 PM
#8
Posted 06 May 2004 - 02:17 PM
#9
Posted 06 May 2004 - 03:49 PM
99% of the lawyers give the rest of them a bad name.
Oh yeah, '28 came from dealer who bought it from the widow of the original owner.
Edited by SecondAmend, 06 May 2004 - 03:53 PM.
#10
Posted 07 May 2004 - 03:37 AM
I'm trying to find more details of its wartime service but no luck so far.
Balder
#11
Posted 07 May 2004 - 06:12 AM
#12
Posted 07 May 2004 - 09:12 AM
#13
Posted 07 May 2004 - 10:39 AM
#14
Posted 07 May 2004 - 11:03 AM

#15
Posted 07 May 2004 - 11:21 AM
My 1921AC came from San Francisco PD according to the books per the serial number and the S.F.P.D. stamped in the side of the receiver. The dealer I purchased it from said he had copies of the original invoices, but he could never produce them. I'll do a FOI one of these days.
#16
Posted 07 May 2004 - 01:15 PM
#17
Posted 07 May 2004 - 01:33 PM
QUOTE |
Oh, wait, I am mistaken!!. It isn't really a Thompson, it is a replica/frankenstein gun, according to Gordon Her..., um, Art F. Forget I brought it up, I am undeserving and unclean. |



#18
Posted 07 May 2004 - 04:31 PM
Street talk is that you can not do a FOI to "back trail" ownership - the NFA transfer is a tax issue, private stuff, not under FOIA umbrella as far as the gov is concerned.
Those with actual knowledge, please confirm/deny.
#19
Posted 07 May 2004 - 09:58 PM
#20
Posted 09 May 2004 - 07:02 AM