75 replies to this topic

[Ron Mills]

Big news: 1928 Thompson + boxes of ammo found during a remodeling project at a home in Lockport, IL. Found behind a closet. The gun is now @ the Will County lockup. Had horizontal foregrip, finned bbl. + Cutts. I'll report more tomorrow when I look at the thing in slo-mo on Tivo. The report said there was a receipt dated 1940. Log onto nbc5.com for a really short story on it. I'll dig into it tomorrow.

Hey other Ron, can you pull some strings on info on this one...wink!

You guys knew I was good for something,

Ron

[Sig]

I think the receipt is for the ammo. The picture showed several boxes of ammo but I was not able to blow it up clearly to recognize any mfr names.

[Ron Mills]

Here's a link to a newspaper story on it

http://www.suburbanc...op/j14tommy.htm

[Mike Hammer]

A wonderful hidden treasure found...but an inherently EVIL thing, so we must confiscate it and destroy it so it can be of no use to anyone. Today's "Liberal Logic".

Mike Hammer

[Warden]

I saw the ch.7 (ABC) news last night. They showed the '28, told the story, and didn't say a specific town, but did say Lockport township. I live in Lockport township. These treasures can be anywhere, unfortunately this one is in the liberal state of Illinois. Bet that we can just say goodbye to it.

[full auto 45]

Find the owner, tell him he can keep it if he keeps it in Indiana. He can store it at my safe!

[Warden]

I'm going to contact the Will county sheriffs dept. and see if they will give any info on the owner. I'd hate to see something like that go to waste. Thanks

[Warden]

DEAD ISSUE! I spoke to a sargeant from the Will co. sheriffs dept. and he said that they have to keep it because it is fully automatic ( banned in Il. ) I hope the owner can find some way to keep it. This state SUCKS!!!!!!

[Bruce V 21/28]

Here is a copy of the letter I wrote to the author of the article, Mr. Hosey. I would suggest that some of you guys that are more eloquent than I write to him also and point out the stupidity of the law that we are forced to live with.

Dear Mr. Hosey,

Thanks for the interesting article.

What a shame that the laws of your state AND of this country do not allow Mr. Mays to keep his find. I would estimate the gun in question to be worth well over $20,000.00.

There are those of us (I know some will think us nuts) that enjoy collecting this type of firearm. The story of the legislation that infringes on our Second Amendment rights to do so is very long and complicated. Simplifying the whole story, with the passage of the “Firearms Owners Protection” act of 1986; federal law under section 922 makes it illegal for any one to “register” a machinegun. At the last minute, before the final vote, section 922 was attached to the Firearms Owners Protection Act by the rabid anti gun Senator Huges (D. NJ). in an attempt to kill the legislation. Amendment 922 was passed on a very questionable voice vote and since those in control were primary anti gun leaning, the amendment was added to the legislation.

Even though the chances of Mr. Mays using this gun in a crime is next to nothing and even though this guns value is in excess of $20,000.00 the only thing he can do with it under federal statue is to turn it in to a Government agency or have it made inoperable (value destroyed) by approved ATFE procedure.

How does all of this affect you or your readers? Even though it’s unlikely you or your readers will ever find a machinegun in a wall or under the floor or in the attic, the same laws that apply to Mr. Mays apply to you.

Sincerely,

Bruce Volensky
Pike Road, AL. 36064
334-286-4044
brucev21@charter.net

[LIONHART]

Damn fool should have kept his mouth shut!

[Z3BigDaddy]

Yeppers.... My other passion is metal detecting, yeah the guy with the black socks and penny loafers on the beach, and it is amaZing to me when someone hits "the big one" and then promptly reports it to the police who then take it into custody while they make sure someone doesn't have claim to it..... Funny how many people have a interest in something that laid in the ground for fifty years.... And of course there is one other party interested in anything of value.... Your friend and mine, the IRS....

[45cal]

And the worst part about all this is that poor Thompson if kept by the police ( which`ll most likely happen) at best won`t be taken care of or at worst will be destroyed.




In the name of safety

[Zamm]

A quick one along the same lines:

At an old printing company here in New York over on Canal street, west side, we had gone over to check on a big old offset press someone was giving away, just take it apart and get it out kind of thing, a few years ago.

It was in great shape, clean, aged back from the twenties... a big old proofing press. We skipped on it, too damm big, but the owner told us a story that in the early 60's, they had some trouble with the inking system on it and tore down one end of it. This involved scraping away 30+ years of caked on dryed ink to get at where the rollers meet the frame. During the process one guy could not figure out what the hell he was uncovering from ink that was 2-3 inches thick, until it came lose from the inside press cross rail. It was a frigging Thompson! The only thing the guy could tell me is that one of the workers took it home to clean up. He never saw it again and lost track of the guy over the years too. I pressed him on how he knew it was a Thomson, and he said "it had that Tommy gun front handle" and that "someone must have stuck it there and forgot about it" ( on purpose?). Sounds like someone has a nice Colt stashed in an attic somewhere today!

Hmmm, 30 years, encased in "Cosmoline" like ink...could have been nice!
Zamm

[Sgt]

Great story, Zamm. I've worked with some really old presses; they could have anything hidden in their rollers. Well, it's exciting to dream about such things anyway. Along with the excitment, I'm sure it would bring some worry, as well.

As for the guy in ILL., he may not get the Thompson, but at least he can try to track down the history and maybe get a lot of good pictures. This would be a great episode for the TV show., "If Walls Could Talk" or "Things that go Rat-a-Tat in the Night"

[Warden]

I am glad to hear that Mr. mayes wants to keep that weapon and I'm very happy that he has gotten an attorney. (hopefully one that is well educated on Illinois firearm laws). I would like to see his attorney beat down these ridiculus state firearm laws and most of all, I would like to see Mr. mayes legally get the 1928 Thompson to own. If this was to happen, it would set a precident in Illinois, and maybe this state would then be among the lawful full auto states as are Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arizona and all the rest. I would like to see that happen.

[gijive]

QUOTE (Warden @ Apr 14 2005, 08:59 PM)

If this was to happen, it would set a precident in Illinois, and maybe this state would then be among the lawful full auto states as are Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arizona and all the rest. I would like to see that happen.

Don't hold your breath.

More than likely the gun was never properly registered in accordance with the NFA. If it was never registered it can't be returned even in a deactivated state.

[p51]

I find it funny to read of the level of ignorance on the part of the person who found it. This is a non-registered Class III weapon (neither from the NFA nor the amnesty period in 1968), in a state that has banned all MG ownership, and the guy thinks he has a legal right to have it back? Man, he needs to look up the laws. If it'd been me, I'd have handed them the upper receiver (after stripping it completely of the sights, internals and the barrel) and kept everything else. The cops wouldn't have had a right to anything but the upper receiver. But I do find it wrong that they're keeping the ammo, the sling, the case, and all that other stuff that ISN'T illegal at all. The guy who found certainly does have a right to that stuff. Those things alone are worth hundreds (maybe even thousands) as a grouping, even without the upper receiver. He'll never get the whole gun back, but he should demand everything but the upper. I doubt he'll get anything back at all, though.

[colt21a]

i thought that guy moved out that 28 year's ago. i lived in lockport.il. homer ,township..that gun was sold i am sure about 15 year's ago. a 1928 military if it is the same one.


well at least will county has it now..............it was in good shape. take care,ron

[rattatatt]

Unbelievable!

Sheriff Kaupas said.....""shoots real sweet" and he wants to keep it with the department for "posterity's sake.""

What a self serving a h*le !

Funny the sheriff can purchase a Thompson all day long for about $500 for "posterity's sake". And he wants to deny this good citizens deed and keep it from him.

[Hawkeye_Joe]

QUOTE

"I've been calling around about it, and it's worth a lot of money," Mayes said. "(A Florida gun dealer) said $10,000 would be the lowest."

Obviously he contacted John Thedford--NFA SALES / Florida, Ol' Mr. 50%

QUOTE

that gun was sold i am sure about 15 year's ago. a 1928 military if it is the same one.

If it's this gun then it could be registered.......