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Took there years ago. I don’t think I have posted these pictures here before. Maybe not. If so, well then you get to see these again! Years ago, I bought my Colt 1921A from an amazing member here. A couple years after that my dad finally decided to buy his very first and only machine gun after watching me amass my machine gun collection for years. He decided to buy a Colt 1921AC. Here are pictures of both of our Colt Thompson’s, an original C drum magazine, a Colt era stick mag, as well as both my 1918 dated and my 1913 dated 1911s. Incredible works of art. Enjoy.

Hi All, This is Eric, Mike’s son. I just wanted to post and say thank you for all the wonderful posts, the video from the sub gun meet, and all the other ways you guys have supported our family in person and remotely (it’s hard to put it in words). We will continue to be part of the community, and look forward to seeing you all again soon. Just sadly without my dad. -Eric

I was not planning on another book but when I had the opportunity to inspect and take pictures of a beautiful 1928 Colt NAVY...yes, another book. This former police department Thompson submachine gun is owned by none other than Roger Allen, the Class 3 dealer from Kentucky that rescued all the St. Louis Police Department Colt's for Thompson enthusiasts to enjoy forever. I had thought about a smaller (8.25" x 6" - 51 pages) inexpensive book like this for a while based on comments I had received from purchasers of my third book, An Amateur's Guide for the Colt Thompson Submachine Gun. Roger's Colt NAVY, located just down the street in small town Kentucky, made this book a reality. One recurring comment I hear from readers is the Amateur’s Guide book is a great reference book. However, it is just a little too large to drag around to a gun show, auction house or Thompson show when inspecting a Colt Thompson. I have been told many times something smaller and easier to carry around would be perfect – but keep the pictures and captions. This book is mostly pictures and expansive captions! All Colt Thompson submachine guns are very expensive in today’s marketplace. Some are astonishingly high priced. Reference books about Thompson submachine guns are also expensive but can identify many pitfalls that can save buyers a lot of remorse if utilized properly. This pocket size book is designed to allow a prospective buyer or enthusiast the opportunity to correctly inspect a Colt Thompson in a systematic step by step process from one area to another - at a very reasonable price. It is not a replacement for my Amateur’s Guide book; it is a supplemental guide. It is also an inexpensive introduction to the Colt Thompson submachine gun for those new to the machine gun community seeking to learn about the iconic Tommy Gun. It is available on Amazon.com for $24.99 plus shipping and tax. My price is $25 for a signed copy postage paid. I will have copies available at the upcoming Thompson Collector's Association (TCA) Show & Shoot as well as the May, Ohio Gun Collector's Association (OGCA) display show. If you cannot make these events, contact me via Private Message or at: tkd5501@fuse.net for ordering information. Thank you for all your past support.

I thought I’d post a few pictures from my recent wedding as a teaser (more will follow in the TCA newsletter) but on October 14 I tied the knot with my best friend and partner in crime. I’d told her that if we were to ever get married I wanted to walk out to Thompson’s at high port (similar to swords at a military wedding) she took that idea and ran with it…the result was a 1920’s themed wedding that was an absolute blast!! Nearly everyone showed up in wise guy suits or flapper dresses. Instead of a unity candle, we were finger printed and photographed, and while we were printed….our cellist played the intro to “The Godfather” When we were announced, we came down the stairs and between 9 Thompson’s held by fellow Thompson collectors and enthusiasts. It was a really great time and I will say that GiantPanda aka Mike Wank was there in spirt as Julie brought a big panda to fill in his place in the line. Panda wore a proper fedora hat and had his own Thompson….Julie informed Diana and I that the bear had been at their wedding and they’d had it for 43 years….she said that we have to break that record. Good times were had by all and I figured I’d share a few candid shots from the day….

I have been in a funk since Sunday when I got a call from Roger, and learned of Mike's passing. I met Mike in 2005 at Tracie's, and have spent many days and hours around he and Julie at TATA and TCA shows, NRA Annual Meetings in multiple cities, and a couple of other private events. Several of us here on the board were with Mike and Julie in Florida in October 2021 for an unforgettable day and evening, the memory of which I will cherish forever. I'm headed to Michigan tomorrow evening to attend Mike's service on Friday. It's starting to become a long list of Thompson folks I've known who have passed. Mike's passing hits especially hard. I'm still somewhat in a state of denial about it. It never occurred to me the last time I'd see him would be during lunch at Ralph's at OGCA a couple of meetings ago. Rest In Peace, My Friend, David Albert

I live very close to two very special places . The Washington Crossing National Cemetery and the Garden of Reflection 9 / 11 Memorial . We have our freedom because of sacrifice's men and women stood up to keep this country great. We should never forget it. My Dad would be sad if he knew the direction, we are headed in. If you are ever in the area you should visit both places, they are about 3 miles apart.

Hello Mr. Quaid, On the copy of machinist drawings I have number D6535504 titled "Rotor Assembly" there is a note that states in all capitol letters quote, "SPRING CASE TO BE PACKED WITH GULF SUPREME CUP GREASE #3 OR EQUAL BEFORE ASSEMBLING TO ROTOR." This was done after the rotor spring was riveted to the rotor spring case and the hub pin was staked. I hope that this will clarify your concerns as to if this was done originally. Sterling Thompson

Just picked up this 2nd edition 1921 handbook! Thanks to David Albert and Mike Sigillito for the book on paper items which I used heavily to learn about it before purchase, and big thanks to Tom Davis for helping me verify it! Some creases but overall condition is fantastic!! Thought everyone would like to see some of the pictures in it.

Finally got my office put together at the house. This is how a machine gunners officer should look like…granted I know I should have a belt fed in the corner but I am out of them at the moment….had to get my Colt out to look pretty on the table.

In my opinion, they're focused on trying to shut down gun shows. People who are setting up selling things to make a profit that are in clear view. I've been an FFL for over 25 years, did lots of gun shows in the past, not so much anymore, by choice. I would see the same people show after show, selling their so-called private collection, when all the while they are conducting business, buying and selling for a profit. In my opinion, these are the ones their focusing on.

Finally got my stamp in to go pick up my Colt to go along with my West Hurley! They look pretty good together!

At least he picked the one with least recoil. Honestly at what age are you starting your kids shooting?

My Friend Aaron had a YouTube Channel Thats a lot of fun, he just did a Thompson video with 2 of my Tommy’s a M1928A1 and an M1, also and some Japanese Reenactors I appear Briefly talking about Auto Ordnance Copywriting “Tommy” gun he also has some of my other guns in different videos MG-34, MG-42, Johnson 1941, PPSH-41, Winchester B.A.R. it’s a fun Channel called Administrative Results Enjoy!

I can't figure out how he got the paper behind the trigger!

I now have 22 bolt/barrel combinations tested successfully, and expect to have the proper size barrel nuts in hand in the next few days. The modified bolts and barrel nuts will still need to have some touch-up bluing work, but I hope to be assembling the first 22 kits in the next 2-4 weeks. I will be sending individual Emails to each of the first 22 people on my original request list for you to confirm that you still want the kit, and to provide you payment information. I will also need to know how many magazines you want with each kit. Work continues to get an additional three kits tested successfully to fill the orders on my first list. In the next 3-4 weeks, I hope to have information on the manufacture of the parts needed to complete the kits on my second list. In addition to the parts needed, one limiting factor on those kits will be the bolt/barrel match-up. I have a limited number of barrels, and I have discovered that the alignment of the installed barrels varies a bit, so I need to match each bolt to each barrel. I still expect to be able to fulfill those waiting on my second list. As these additional kits are completed, I will be contacting each person on the list via Email to verify and complete the sale. For those who have requested additional parts, such as ejectors or extractors, I will not be selling any of those parts until I can confirm that I have enough to complete entire kits for those who have requested them. I still have you on my original list, and I do expect to be able to make those parts available, but my availability may be limited to one of each part in some cases. Thanks to all for your patience. The saga continues... Roger

I finally received my long-awaited e-mail from reconbob that my M1A1 BFONG was completed and ready to pick up. I live a 2 1/2-hour drive from his shop. Decided to make the trip on Monday. Spent a couple of hours with Bob discussing many topics. He was very gracious. On to his "range" for a quick test fire. It functioned flawlessly. I was able to see his setup for making the blanks from new Starline .45 ACP blank cases. These have just recently been made available again from Starline. Our discussions verified to me that the production stoppage by Starline had a major effect on his ability to complete the guns. I was able to purchase 1000 blanks while there. I am very impressed with the engineering that went int the design to allow ATF approval and reliable function. The fit and finish is beautiful and has been well worth the wait on Bob's list. Thank you, Bob!

Well, after being patient for a number of years, I took the plunge and ordered an Indiana case from Greg. Upon completion earlier this year, it was delivered to my friend in Texas for safe keeping, until I could arrange onward shipping to Europe. Last weekend I was passing through Paris, France on business and met up with my friend who was also over in Paris on business; he had been good enough to hand carry the Indiana case with him across the Atlantic. So, the case then had only one last short journey to make, across the channel to England where it has now been united with the rest of my collection. The quality and craftsmanship of the case is something else, definitely worth the wait, thank you Greg, it was a pleasure to do business with you, once again.

Been avoiding a post as words escaped me since hearing of Mike's passing. Echoing many of the sentiments shared by those here and sending sympathies to Julie and family. Unsure how many know that Mike and Julie had as one of their many hobbies treasure hunting with metal detectors. Met both of them just this last February down here in Florida along what is known as the "Treasure Coast" for shipwrecks. They were pursuing one of their passions of looking for treasures in the sand, my wife Marie and I met them for beer and pizza, Mike was as fun and entertaining as many of us remember him. Then we joined them attending an enlightening lecture, that we all enjoyed, from a famous treasure hunter at a town next to us. Later, Mike and Julie took time to show Marie and I their treasure hunting equipment, it was a fun afternoon and evening. Rest in Peace Mike Michael

All this when all you had to say was that you're one of those "I'm pro-gun, BUT.." types that aren't ACTUALLY pro-gun. At least we agree on some things: You have a bad attitude on the subject, you're afraid to rock the boat and you actually blame gun owners for trying to get around unconstitutional gun laws. I've seen your replies on other subjects, and you're very knowledgable and helpful. I was blown away by your initial poor response to a simple question about Thompsons. But now that you've made clear your actual feelings on the law-abiding, gun owning community, I see why you had that response. It's unfortunate. Apologies for getting political. I get rankled when I see gun owners like that. It's not good for the future of the hobby to be so afraid of reclaiming our freedoms or being content with the status quo. I own two transferable machine guns and they've gotten so cost prohibitive, I'm not sure I'll get to own many more. At least you "got yours" with your Fleming sear though, right? Oh well. I'm just a guy on the internet, so who cares. I wish you well sir!

It is legal for an 07/02 to make machine guns. There is no requirement or section on the Form 2 that it be a “sales sample”. If a guy meets the requirements and gets an 07 FFL and then pays the tax and gets the Class 2 manufacturers license he has done nothing wrong or illegal and is licensed to make machine guns. In my experience by far the entities that do this are rental ranges. They put a $3000 post sample Thompson out for rental instead of a $30,000 “real” Thompson and charge $1.00-$2.00 a shot. I have never known a Form 2 to be denied. BUT - if a Class 3 tries to to get a post sample transferred to them as a “dealer sample” that ship has sailed. The ATF has not approved such transfers for years. So it’s not the manufacture that has been shut down, it’s the transfers. Bob

I am sorry, but there is no defense or excuse for GotUzi's angry, arrogant, condescending, know-it-all reply to a simple - and reasonable question. Notice he did not answer the question - he just blathered on. On the ATF Form 2 there is no statement or requirement that a newly manufactured machine gun be designated as a "sales sample". It is legal for a Class 2 to manufacture machine guns. They just cannot be sold or transferred. Rental ranges are one of the main sectors that do this because you can put a $1500 M16 out on the range and not worry that it gets chewed up. Making a new Thompson vs. a "dealer sample" can save A LOT of money. What does a pre-86 dealer sample Thompson go for? I would think not less than $10,000 for an M1? An unfinished Richardson or Phila Ord receiver would be between $650-$1000, and might take 1-2 hours to finish depending on the model. A parts set would be between $1500-$3,000 depending on the model and the condition of the parts. So you are getting a G.I. (as opposed to West Hurley) quality shooter for at least $5000 less. And yes, it is a REAL Thompson. OK, it's not collectable, but it's real. (Is an HK with a Fleming sear a "real" HK?) For the serial number you can use 1/8 hand stamps. Hold the receiver with the top against the fixed jaw of a milling vise vise and use spacers between the fixed jaw and the stamps to position them. You can use any number you want. Or, you could use the number on a M1928A1 frame but not all M1 or M1A1 trigger frames have serial numbers. It's quite possible you have one that does not, in which case you can to pick your own number, Welcome to the board. I have complete M1928A1 stocks with buttplate, slide, and swivel. I will send you a PM. Bob

Had a guy in the shop looking for a recoil spring and said he was stumped because he was told that all coil springs never show wear, or something like that. So how was he to know if the spring he got was new or not? Detecting wear of coil springs is fairly obvious if you know what to look for. Coils start to get flattened and shiny. It's subtle, but it's there. The best way to check a Thompson recoil spring is to measure it. It should be 11 5/16" +/- 5/16". If it's too short or loo long it should be replaced. Here is a photo of a new and worn Thompson recoil spring. The new spring is on the bottom. You can see some of the coils on the used spring on top are starting to get flat spots and shiny. Garand - the worn coils are in the middle Browning Automatic Rifle - the worn/flattened coils are obvious A coil spring is just about always going to be harder than the parts surrounding it. such as when paired with a M1928A1 actuator which is not hardened. BUT, when paired with an M1/M1A1 bolt, the bolt is going to be very nearly as hard as the spring and you will get wear. (Well, you always get wear, it's just a matter of how long it takes.) Bob

Here is the French 1921 handbook I just acquired. What’s really fascinating is that it has the 31 Nassau Street address. I have not seen this handbook in any books including the paper items book by David Albert and Mike Sigillito. That books shows one with the 302 Broadway address and one with a 80 Broadway address This book appears to coincide with the 2nd edition 1921 handbook. It has 7 chapters, includes all image plates as the 2nd edition including the high powered ballistic data plate, and is 61 pages long. There is no date printed in it. Having the Nassau address I assume it’s somewhere around 1936 to fit in around the time as the catalogs of the same address. Has anyone else seen this handbook before?? Really interesting find!!

Good evening. I just wanted to give a shout out to the group that was running the Thompson display at the Novi show this weekend. I had a few parts I was not sure of and bought them in to ask about them. I talked to Tracy, and he informed me of what they were. He was very friendly and helpful. Great guy. I also talked to Ron, Phil and Chuck, again great people and easy to talk to. I could not ask for better people. A former co-worker Dave from TACOM was behind the table also. I had a good time and learned a lot. Thanks for being nice to a new guy. Now I know why my old friend Glen W liked you guys so much. Marty

My Colt M1918 Browning Machine Rifle. Along with the Thompson the BAR is the classic American individual automatic weapon.

Hi everyone I am new to this forum and this is my first posting. I thought I'd share some pics of my M1A1 that I picked up in the UK a few years ago. The seller had no information about the guns history but I decided to take a chance on it as the engraving appeared to be very old and the font looked the same or very similar to the original Thompson markings. Any information would be much appreciated.

Frank, here's the letter from the ATF determining that ALL Thompson's are C&R's. This was discussed years ago here. I believe ATF determined that the C2 produced Thompsons were of so few that they would be included in this ruling because of there rarity and connection with the Thompson gun. If this ruling was rescinded I cannot remember but I don't believe that to be the case. Chappy, I can understand why you may be upset about the title of the gun's listing saying Auto-Ordnance, however the gun is marked as such and that is not the fault of the auctioneer and they were only printing what the engraving was on the gun. Due diligence on a highly priced collectable at an auction should always be done by the buyer before even bidding on an item. Now, that being said, in my view you got a reasonably good buy on this gun. You said you paid 15K, so even with an auction premium of 15% or thereabouts, you are in it for $17000 which is right around it's true value in my opinion. Do you not want to go through with the purchase now that you know it's not a WW2 receiver? I think many people here would be interested in that gun at that price. Are you a shooter or just a collector?

Just shoot it and stop overthinking things. It’s the same Winchester ammo in a different box. My Colt NAVY and M1A1 run just fine on it.

I purchased a parts kit several years ago and noticed the grip panels did not fit well. I took the grip panels off and noticed the deformed metal in the grip frame and this confirmed that the metal pistol grip frame was bent. I took it apart and bent the pistol grip back into shape and the grip panels fit perfectly. You can see the before and after pics.

I’ve used Doug’s tool for years. I slip a business card under the pivot plate so I don’t have to worry Frank

I let the next owner clean them.

The focus of the "Crack Down" should be on the gun show vendors that are selling $900 Smith & Wesson SD's, $2500 FN 5/7's, that have signs reading: "Private Sale, no background check, no sales tax", knowingly customers that will pay those prices are likely prohibited from purchasing and/or owning firearms. Not right in today's world no matter how you look at. JMHO

Not sure who is breaking the law, but you might be a bit confused? ATF "regulations" in the CFR are not necessarily laws if they stray too far from the constitution or public beliefs. Laws are outlined in USC code one of which allows atf to write regulations, most of which comply with constitutional law, but many do not, are not legal, and those regulations are frequently challenged, overturned, and can be ignored altogether. I don't like it when firearms are supplied to certain criminals, but as we know, atf has chosen to do just that on numerous occasions, with often disastrous results. As for JimBob moving or flipping some shotguns at a gun show vs. the straw buyers going to the big FFL table and doing all the paperwork on the table full of cheap handguns and flipping them in the parking lot, nope, not a fan, but that's how those FFL's make the money. It's a statistical fact your FFL and all the rules have zero effect on crime reduction, but if it makes you feel good, I think it's great! Heck, we got one guy that claims he was too drugged up to answer the 4473 questions responsibly, and thus it's not his fault? He's also one of the top 1% earning lawyers in the country (aside from his spectacular art career). When he gets off, you'll find the entire form is now void, other than it's main purpose as a registration database for the mostly law abiding. The sooner the FFL program goes away, the better. Still searching for a copy of John Thompson's FFL as well as John Browning's? Those two scofflaws should have been shackled early on!!!!

I’ve had my FFL/SOT for only 4 years now and I can honestly say I am NOT losing sleep over this. It’s been a long time coming. The same guys setting up at shows every weekend buying and selling their “private collections” are the reason this entire mess has come back full circle. While I feel for the guy who is looking to sell off a life long collection of guns, the guy who needs to sell a couple to pay some bills, or wants to trade up into something different are going to be rolled up in this, I can see why it’s happening. Its going to be too hard to tell who is who at this point so everyone hangs together per-say. On a weekend when I went to a show, would I take something with me as trade fodder? Sure would, but I wasn’t setting up table(s) to buy and sell. The other ones I love seeing are the guys who will get to the show at 9:00 and be there all day until close and have bought/sold 5 guns from the floor and walk back out the door with more money than they came with. In the end you can call me “anti gun” but I’m not crying the blues over this as I’ve been of the opinion things needed to be put back in balance after I started working shows with my FFL/SOT

I was alerted to these being listed on GB a week or so ago and made some points to a few potental buyers who contacted me about them and their possible "providence" so here is my assessment: These are NOT so called "experimental" or "early factory test guns" due to what parts they have on them...lets take a tour of the pair shall we? First off-note the rear sight has side reenforcing webs? The early M3 guns had an "L" shape bent piece of sheet metal and the second variation rear sight is the one commonly seen on later style M3's and all the M3A1's. If these were in fact "early test guns" they would NOT have these rear sights. To stop the argument that "well they could have been switched out" I highly doubt it as those are original welds and no one would have wanted to have redone a rear sight due to the issues with welding the guns together in the first place. Second point-note that one gun has the correct M3 barrel ratchet/lock while the other has the later M3A1 type barrel ratchet/lock. Those units did not come out until the production of the M3A1, so again, if these were "early test guns" that piece shouldn't be on the gun. Note that both receivers are missing the word "Lamp" on the magwell where it should say "Guide Lamp" Also note how the X25 and X26 were struck without a good bucking bar to avoid caving in the magwell? Not something that would have been normal with "early" or "experimental" guns. I would love to see the markings on the internal parts as I will bet they are later pattern Buffalo Bolts and SA sears. My personal opinion, and yes I have seen/studied the M3's for a long time, is that these guns were lunch bucket specials that were in the scrap hopper and walked out the door then someone amnesty registered them in 1968. Too many red flags in my mind to support the claim that these were "early examples" or "factory test guns"

Waistgunner. The first shop I worked at was being courted by Kahr to become a authorized dealer and asked for my input. I told him of all my grief and he declined their offer. I’ve dealt with the big names, Browning, Sig Sauer, Glock, Smith and Wesson and Springfield both through work and my personal firearms and have been satisfied with their responses. For example, I have a Sig Sauer branded GSG 1911-22 that has excessive slide lock notch wear, a product of several thousand rounds of .22’s being fed through it. As the limited lifetime warranty (even on discontinued products) they don’t cover normal wear no tear I called to inquire about buying a replacement slide. Their answer was “send it it, we’ll cover it”, that tells me a lot about good customer service.

Thanks to TD for tipping me off about this article, which arrived this morning in the mail. It was originally published in the Hertfordfordshire Pictorial in Feb 1942. When my wife looked at it, she said sarcastically, "Boys with Tommy guns, no change there!, even for grown up boys!" Stay safe Richard

Not to steal this topic, In the video also note that the weapon was NOT CLEARED!! When it misfired, They should have immediately dropped the mag. After cocking (and leaving the mag in place) I could not tell if they put the weapon on safe. Bottom line, when things like this happen please remember to drop the Mag, pull bolt to rear and put weapon on safe.

Bought a 3d printer and now teaching myself Fusion 360. When I was in high school all drafting was done with a pencil and paper. So this has been a little frustrating to say the least, but I have been working on "fun" projects which gives me the drive to see it through. Well this is my first project where I had to assemble different parts to make something, and I chose it to be a mag loader that fits Thompson and Reising mags. Still needs some tweeks, but wanted to show off my first victory. If this is posted in the wrong forum please move it to where it should be. Steve

Well Thank you to everyone who attended. We had 96 collectors through the door and over 59 tables of displays and items for collectors. Thank GOD for the good weather and keeping everyone safe. The Hills

Responding to another thread regarding FBI case dimensions, rpbcps posted a link to Ian McCollum's excellent video on Police, FBI and Secret Services cases. https://www.forgottenweapons.com/thompson-smg-cases-police-fbi-and-secret-service/ I am not trying to quote Ian directly below just bringing out his points. At 3:20 Ian comments, that the Police case, this layout works pretty well, with the XX mags loaded on the left and the loaded drum on the right. Ian saying that the Police case will balance pretty well. At 4:20 Ian comments, that the FBI loaded up will balance way towards this side, (left side) I kept looking at the video and wondering with the mass of the Thompson receiver mostly on the right, was Ian's statements, which was also my own understanding, correct? So, what's a retired person to do, maybe a little bit of home experimentation. I have a wood hard case that can be configured to either Police or FBI. I was suspicious that perhaps loaded cases may not truly balance that much differently. For pilots like myself, there are many Old Wives Tales, that just are not true, I was wondering if we have one here. Thus, I decided to load up some mags and a drum and take a look. First off this is not a scientific experiment, Your Mileage May Vary YMMV and most likely will. I will state some ROUGH results without any reference to the actual weights but %'s loaded. Mind you that my case is wood and the dimensions are not exactly Police or FBI, it is a bit wider and because of that some differences could be there just because where the receiver is placed, I placed it on the far right side. Police Case loaded Left side 47% Right side 53% FBI Case Loaded Left Side 53%; Right side 47% As you can see, there is not much difference in balance with a loaded case, just to one side or the other. So, do we have an Old Wives Tale of the Thompson world, in that Police Cases balance better? The only true way to compare would be to weigh actual Police and FBI cases loaded and with some better methodology than I did, which I will not get into here. So, enjoy and perhaps we can have a true scientific repeatable measurement one day.

This member is making pivot plates. I started a new topic because the original topic refers to them as "rocker pivot plates" which I think is confusing since 99.99% of people refer to this part simply as a "pivot plate" Anyway, I am always on the lookout for parts. I ordered and received one of Choppero's (who I do not know) pivot plates, tried it out in a couple of trigger frames and it is a good, high quality part. In fact, it is so good that no one who is used to looking at Thompson parts will think it is an original part because the edges of the flat spring are laser cut resulting in a perfect shape with square corners, vs. original pivot plates which were a combination of stamping and machining and have rough edges with somewhat rounded corners. So, if you need a pivot plate, I can recommend. Bob

My West Hurley Model 1928 TSMG was finally released from ATF jail after almost 8 months (electronic form submission)!!! My purchase included many extra parts to include a couple older Savage non-crossbolted 1928 buttstocks, foregrips, etc ... I spent a good deal of my time while in ATF purgatory cleaning & refinishing all the extra wood - thanks to the instruction offered in TD's book, "An Amateur's Guide for the Colt's Thompson Submachine Gun". The previous owner maintained this gun well and had previously retro-fitted all the original WH parts with USGI internals. Best of all - she functions and fires perfectly! Side note in case you're wondering about the case ... I was lucky enough to find a Kahr Thompson case with broken hinges on eBay (for $0.99) and I was hoping I could retro-fit the cut foam into something more substantial and lockable such as a Pelican case for travleing. As it turned out, I only needed to trim off about an 1 inch of foam on the right side and it fit perfectly! I use the excess end of the 16" barrel cut to hold my plastic magazine loader.

rpbcps, That is a picture of John Stege, I believe he was the Chief of Detectives at the time the photo was taken. Yes, it was just a publicity photo, taken along with others of Stege holding the Thompson. The picture has been posted on this site before, many year ago. Stege was accused of taking money from the gangsters and was suspended for a time, he was eventually reinstated. He is quoted in many articles in the Chicago newspapers of the day.

Lester looking mighty dapper with a Thompson.

I just finished this case. I took measurements of an Alabama case this year at the TATA show. I tightened the dimension up just a bit to take some of the slack out of the inside dimensions to keep the Tommy from moving around. I also inverted the position of the gun and the magazines from the original design. When carrying the case, the Tommy is already indexed to the bottom of the case, instead of trying to fall to the bottom (original design). I added a bar at the bottom of the case that contacts the Lyman sight and keeps the gun from moving side to side. The original design had tabs extending from the bottom surface of the case that helped to keep the gun level and made contact with the barrel. The weight of the gun makes these tabs deflect under load and become loose over time. The interior color is purple but I don't think it shows up that well in the pictures. Exterior is leather. Rather than hold a Thompson submachine gun, this case looks like it should hold a pool cue! Balance is off with the carry handle centered in the case (and no ammo in the mags). I loaded the XX mags on the left side of the case and the balance was almost perfect! Someone was asking about violin cases for the Thompson. I was the guy at the TATA show with the display of converted violin and viola cases. I do not build these cases, but convert them. The key is to find an original case is very good to excellent condition. A full sized (4/4) case is what you want. Make sure the hinges, latches and carry handle are in very good condition. If the case has a few scuff marks, I do not dismiss these cases. This only adds "personality" to the case! But you don't want a junker either. You want an old style case with the hump on the lid where the bridge is located on the instrument. With this hump on a violin case, you can usually get an L drum and the butt-stock to fit in the top of the case. A 1921, 27, 28 model with a "horizontal forearm" will fit in the bottom of a violin case. If you want a front vertical grip, then you need a viola case (4/4). My converted viola case has the butt-stock, L drum and C drum above the separator plate. In the bottom of the case is the Tommy, 4 XX mags and a storage compartment (where you keep your rosin!). Some of the other cases I have built can be viewed at this sight. See February 14 2014 topic about FBI/Police cases and August 6 2014 for the "Missouri Case" that I designed and fabricated. These cases are built from 7 ply, Baltic birch plywood and are totally hand built. I buy my hardware from outside sources. PM me if you are interested in cost to convert a violin or viola case. Mario

Happy Independence Day to all Here are a couple pictures of the fruits of my activities this morning, celebrating our Freedoms. I can only wish that 100 years from now, we (I won't be around) as a country are still celebrating these same freedoms. One a picture post flight of taking my plane up for an EARLY morning flight and then, then well I am guessing everyone can figure out what fell in front of a C drum dump from the mighty Thompson at the range today. The range staff loved it.

The version in my collection, is the one with the 'magazine fitted'. It came with the frame for fixing it to a vehicle.

Like many others, I have been struggling to find the right words to express my shock and deep sorrow at Mike's passing. Anything I say will pale in comparison to the wonderful man he has been. He was a great friend, and dedicated to his family. He always had a smile, and engaged in his many interests and projects with great passion and his brilliant engineer's mind. I will miss our many discussions on Thompsons, firearms in general, cars, and any other topic that popped in as we talked. Mike had so much to offer all of us, and he shared himself easily, with joy and a positive energy that was infectious. He will be greatly missed!! Rest In Peace, my friend. Roger