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Connecticut State Police Thompsons


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Usually I'm on the BM59 list, but I think that I have something of interest to the Thompson people. A week ago I completed a 'civilian police academy' which was one evening a week for 10 weeks and one Saturday. That Saturday, we went to the Connecticut State Police range in Simsbury. The instructor was the chief SP firearms person, Sgt. Lew Rowe. He broke out a couple of Thompson's, from what he described they were all 2 & 3 digit serial numbers, model 1923. Explained that the CT SP all had Thompson's in the police cars while on duty until 1972. Took a 1923 with a 50 round drum, and deliberately dropped it on the floor, explaining that they were made like steel sh*t houses, nothing could break them - they were made in the good old USA.

One lucky individual got to shoot one of the Thompson's at the range, just it was a different one with a stick mag. If anyone has been to the CT SP headquarters in Middletown, they have a Thompson w/drum mounted in a case on the wall. Also, as part of this course, went to the SP forensic lab in Meriden, again more Thompson's and one of the largest gun collections outside of the FBI and ATF - just thought you people might be interested in my experience. Strange thing - CT allows FA weapons only, but banned select fire back in '93.

 

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QUOTE
Took a 1923 with a 50 round drum, and deliberately dropped it on the floor, explaining that they were made like steel sh*t houses, nothing could break them - they were made in the good old USA.

 

 

http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/sad.gif http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/sad.gif http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/sad.gif

 

It hurts to read that!

 

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QUOTE
Strange thing - CT allows FA weapons only, but banned select fire back in '93.

 

I don't know how true this is, but this is what I heard about the CT semi-auto ban:

 

First, I was told that it was not a ban on select fire weapons specifically, but rather a ban on any firearm that shoots semi-auto. This is where the "loop-hole" occurs.

 

I heard that this law was passed to out law semi-auto assualt rifles and machine guns in the state. The legislators assumed that this since a machine would fire full-auto, it would also semi-auto. Later, a C3(?) realized that the law only outlawed weapons capable of semi-auto fire, so if the MG only fired in full-auto it "loop-holed" through the law because it does not fire semi-auto at all and is not subject to the law. http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/laugh.gif

 

When I bought the Broadhead Armory conversion pin for my 27A1, one of the selling points in the ad was that it was "CT legal."

 

Again, this is just the story I heard. I don't know how much of it is truth..... http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/dry.gif

 

Norm

 

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The list of banned weapons are 19 defined by name, I happen to own 2 of the banned weapons - a SIG AMT & a Beretta BM59, both of which I had to register as assault rifles - for which I received a piece of paper stating that they were CT legal under the 'grandfather' clause. Because the state in their wisdom thought all assault rifles had a selector switch - they were banned, but full auto MG42, Maxims, MP40's are completely legal. West Hurly Thompson's semi auto are banned by name, as are all the Colt AR15's & Colt variants (made in CT), but semi Bushmasters, etc. are legal providing you only have 2 evil features (pistol grip & detachable mag). If you notice, Century is now placing a map of CT in their ads with a line through it - meaning they won't ship to CT. We are almost in the same position as Calif. except high capacity mags are legal. I'm a dealer doing mostly transfers into CT, I've had cases where individuals have purchased Colt AR15's at auction and I told them to re-list them, I can't do a thing for you. So, you can own a Sten, providing the selector is welded into the FA position - go figure. We don't have the Brady - I have to work through the Dept. of Public Safety which does the background checks
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That must have been fun. I sure would like to wander through their armory. Those drums do OK in falls if they land in soft dirt or dead flat. Drop a full L drum on concrete and it lands on the edge (seems like they always do) you will probably have trouble emptying it. The body (back) side of the drum is very sensitive to dents. I'm thinkin that the model 23 was actually a 28. I believe the model of 1923 was a prototype weapon made from the model of 1921. I've only heard of one two digit SN (assuming Colt) in rescent history (#99) that was out and about. it sold back in the mid 90's for 9K. Did he say who the manufacturer of the guns was? ie Colt, Savage, etc? Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

Bob D

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All the Thompson's that the CT SP own are of Connecticut manufacture - could be Colt or Auto Ordnance. Everyonce in a while I'll run into someone who worked at the AO plant or at Singer (45's), all were located on the east side of Bridgeport - now vacant lots. Funny thing - they wanted to buy 33 acres in East Haddam for a shooting range and training area ($250,000) - state didn't want to give them the money and they were thinking about selling some of the Thompson's to rasie the money - state wouldn't let them do it because of the assault weapon ban we have in effect So - they still have a shooting range that is under water 4 times a year - it's on the flood plain of the Farmington River.
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Re CT assault ban:

 

I sold a silenced sten to a dealer in CT. The suppressor went through fine, but the Sten gun got turned down. I contacted the CT dealer and he said the State Law outlawed "select-fire." He told me had to have the Sten welded into EITHER full auto or SEMIAUTO only. I had to have it welded so it was full-auto only. Then ATF approved it.

 

He claimed CT would let you transfer assault wpns and mgs OUT of CT but not INTO CT.

 

I sure hope if someone plans to hold up a 7-11 with a BAR in CT that he uses the WWII version that is only fullauto in SLOW or FAST rather than the dreaded WWI BAR which is SEMI as well as FULL auto.

 

 

 

 

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Connecticut State Police purchased six 1921A Colt Thompsons in 1921 - all in the 300 serial number range. It appears none of these Thompsons will ever grace a collection outside the State of Connecticut.
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QUOTE (bm59collector @ Jun 8 2005, 04:50 PM)
All the Thompson's that the CT SP own are of Connecticut manufacture - could be Colt or Auto Ordnance. Everyonce in a while I'll run into someone who worked at the AO plant or at Singer (45's), all were located on the east side of Bridgeport - now vacant lots. Funny thing - they wanted to buy 33 acres in East Haddam for a shooting range and training area ($250,000) - state didn't want to give them the money and they were thinking about selling some of the Thompson's to rasie the money - state wouldn't let them do it because of the assault weapon ban we have in effect So - they still have a shooting range that is under water 4 times a year - it's on the flood plain of the Farmington River.

Time to get some PADI certs?

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