Leaderboard

This is a question for the Thompson parts hoarders. I've had this grip mount bar for many years and, with a 1963 production date, assume it was made as a spare part to support Thompsons given to friendly governments as military aid. It's machined in one piece but the machining is very rough and the finish appears to be a quick dip in thin black paint. Just curious if this is a common variation or an oddball.

It is interesting to note that the Westminster gun has the vertical foregrip and British-modified sling swivels, but the Southseas gun is an unmodified 28A1. Perhaps Cash-and-carry vs. Lend-Lease, or simply the examples the sculptors had to work from.

This is a clever fix, but I think could accurately be described as a blacksmith approach. If correct tools are not available I guess any port in a storm. I do not think it is a good idea to randomly heat a trigger frame red hot, because the line between heating and burning is a fine one. If the steel is over-heated or "burnt" it will become brittle. I have seen many frames like this that are so battered that I assumed it was not an attempt to remove the frame from the receiver, but an attempt to destroy or demilitarize the frame. A better safer fix is to clamp the trigger frame in a Bridgeport type mill as shown and use a standard 3/16" wide x 5/8" keyseat cutter. The T- slot in the trigger frame is 0.190" x 0.660" so frequently one pass thru the T-slot is all that is needed. Bob