West Hurley Question

[pca16]

I have a question for WH folks. I have a WH 1928 that is stamped: US MODEL 1928, NO. 2601A. I recently purchased another but the markings are not the same. The other one is marked: US MODEL 1928A1, No. A.O.C. 154A. This might be due to early production but I am not sure. Thanks.

[TD.]

pca16 - A couple of questions:

 

1. Can you post pictures? If not and you some, if you will send them to me, I will be glad to post for you.

 

2. Could the serial number line state No. A.O. 154A instead of No. A.O.C. 154A?

 

3. Could you describe all the other markings on the receiver. Again, pictures will

enable everyone to see and your answer will be much better.

 

It sounds like you have an interesting Thompson. I could offer a guess but I would like more information.

Thanks,

[Jay Baker]

What address is on the rh side of the receiver? Sounds like a leftover from WW2 production that came to them after AO was sold.

[pca16]

Both guns have the same West Hurley New York address on them. The 154 gun is marked: No. A.O.C. 154A. in addition to the US MODEL OF 1928A1. Other markings are the same. The 154 gun does have a lyman rear sight.

[TD.]

pca16,

Jay has an excellent point about it possibly being a left over unmarked WWII receiver that was marked and assembled into a complete gun. While this is something you must always be aware of with anything from Numrich Arms Corporation, a side-by-side comparison of a WWII Auto-Ordnance receiver to your receiver may answer this question.

 

Given the serial number of 154A, I believe it is more than likely a customer requested marking that was placed on the gun. Numrich Arms would do custom serial numbers at the customer’s request. In this case, I would guess someone wanted a gun that was marked more like the military model Thompsons.

 

Question: What is the serial number on the Form 3 or Form 4? Is it A.O.C. 154A or just 154A?

 

The 154A serial number is listed as being used in the first year of production for the 1928 West Hurley Thompsons. Serial Number 2601A is listed as being produced in 1985. You may have West Hurley Thompsons at both ends of the West Hurley production run.

 

 

A Freedom of Information request may also shed some information. In addition, if you start tracing back your Thompson beginning with whom you purchased it from, you may very well locate the original purchaser.

 

[bug]

I believe WH guns could be ordered with custom SN. It's my guess that there are some odd ones out there as a result. The West Hurley Address would rule out WWII produced redeivers.

 

Bob D

[TSMGguy]

One photograph is worth a thousand guesses! The West Hurley address would rule out the possibility that this is a WWII receiver.

[28 SCARAB]

West hurley used some org. rollstamps on the frist run of 1928s back in 1975.

[TD.]

28 SCARAB,

Excellent information to know. I remember you have posted before on West Hurley Thompson questions. If I am not mistaken, I believe you were around in some capacity when many of the West Hurley 1928's were manufactured. I thought about the original dies but the serial number with the A.O.C. prefix instead of the A.O. prefix was what was confusing to me.

 

Question: Were you around Numrich Arms Corporation when any of the early NAC prefix guns were manufactured?

 

pca16 - you have someone on the thread that may have been around when your West Hurley was manufactured. 28 SCARAB has probably forgot more about West Hurley's than most of us will ever know. A picture or two now may answer a lot of questions. I would like to know what part of the "No. A.O.C. 154A" is handstamped or rollstamed.

[pca16]

"No. A.O.C." is rollstamped. 154A is hand stamped. Also the rollstampings are lighter on the 154 gun.