7 replies to this topic

[maverick4440]

Is the horizontal forearm on a 1928 military thompson the same length as the forearm on the M1A1 ?
Thanks
maverick

[Murray]

Maverick,
I just went down to the gun room and measured four guns, two 1928A1 which have horizontal forgrips and my two M1A1's and they are all exactly the same length 203mm. Sorry, I could not find an inch rule.
Hope this is of some help.
Murray.

[giantpanda4]

In Doug Richardson's technical book (Vol 2, page 23) he shows the side profiles of each. There is just a slight difference in the radius at the front lower end of the stock. They look the same length.

[deerslayer]

A 1928 NAVY front horizontal grip was recently loaned to me for duplication. It is different. Shorter and different profile in the front tip. Also has an enfield sling swivel attached rather than a milled or later stamped one.
Dan

[gijive]

Dan is correct. The horizontal foregrip used on the original Colt made guns sold during the 1920s and 1930s is slightly shorter, is more rounded at the front end and has the Enfiled type sling swivel.

The 1928 A1 guns made during WWII, however, use the same foregrip used on the M1 and M1A1 series guns. The only difference is that when they went to the stamped sling swivel, instead of the milled type, they didn't cut the area for the sling swivel quite as deeply.

[Bob B]

The one I have is fitted with a deeply recessed milled sling swivel. The grip measures 211 mm or 8 5/16" long (for purposes of comparison, 203 mm is almost exactly 8"). It has an eight-point "*" imprinted on the front end surface and an "M" imprinted at the rear end. The milled sling swivel is stamped on its hidden underside with the letter "Y". What do all these markings indicate, and would this have been the correct horizontal grip for the Navy '28, the '28A1, or ?

[gijive]

Hi Bob,

I'm not sure what the mark on the front end is, haven't seen that one before. The M on the end is the WWII contractor code for Strombeck-Becker Corp., who made stocks, pistol grips and forgrips for the Thompson. The Y on the bottom of the sling swivel is also a WWII contractor code and stands for Yale .....? something. It's in Frank Iannamico's book American Thunder, I just don't have it in front of me right now.

The grip you're describing would be a WWII variety grip for a 1928A1 Thompson.

[ThompsonCrazy]

Bob,
If the * on the front of the grip was 6 point then it may be 2 arrows pointing towards each other. This would indicate that it was in the possesion of the British at one point. If it has 8 points that I am not sure.