gijive

Hello, Your gun was built in late 1942 by the Savage Arms Company. It was not built by Auto-Ordnance Corporation. Auto-Ordnance contracted with Savage in 1940 to put the Thompson back into production for WWII. In 1941 Auto Ordnance started manufacturing the Thompson to help with war production. Auto-Ordnance serial numbers on 1928A1 models start with AO. Just like your Savage made gun serial number starts with an S. Obtain Frank Iannamico’s book American Thunder 3. It covers all the WWII made Thompson guns.

Yes, that is a 1928 A1 stock made in 1942 or 1943 as a replacement on the 1928A1 gun. The bolt through the front end gave it stability from cracking. So, no it would not have been on a 1928 Colt gun. I assume that is what you are talking about when you refer to it as a "Chicago-Typewriter". The 1921 stocks did not have the reinforcement bolt on them.

68Coupe, Your barrel is a WWII Savage made barrel. If it doesn't have a cut for the compensator pin, than you are correct it hasn't been on a gun. WWII barrels are made correctly and are good quality barrels.

Hello, Your gun has the following information posted in Gordon Herigstad' s, Thompson Submachine Gun Book. These two volumes have the most thorough information on all 15,000 Colt Thompson Guns. Your gun has a smaller, First Type Compensator, which is correct for the sale date of the gun. All Colt Thompsons were made without compensators and had them added. You are correct the rear grip has been replaced with an M1/M1A1 series grip. These grips are configured differently than the 1921/1928 style grips. It also appears that you front grip has also been replaced, the color of the grip and configuration are not correct. The butt stock color appears okay and it should have a small "Anchor" cartouche on the front of the buttstock just below the metal piece of the locking mechanism. If it is not a Colt butt stock, but WWII made, this also affects the value. It also appears that you gun has been refinished at some point, it appears to be Parkerized. The original finish of the guns was blue. The internal parts look all correct. It is a nice early gun with the earlier Automatic/Semi-Automatic markings. Your gun, due to the refinish, is a shooter grade Colt Thompson. The value is somewhere around $25,000,00 to $30,000.00. This is due to the missing/incorrect parts and incorrect finish.

Deerslayer, The barrel/compensator and grip mount wouldn’t be GI if they were original Colt parts.

Mike Hammer, You are correct, that is Ricardo Montalban with Edward G. Robinson. It was the first home game when the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1959. Good eye! There were other Hollywood stars at the game as well.

Canuck, You are correct 10/21/1931 is the manufacturing date. The gun was made as a 1921 Model as were all the 15,000 Colt guns. The 1928 Model was marketed in 1928 and made from the original supply of 15,000 guns. The gun was put together as a 1928 Model and shipped in 1933.

Happy Birthday Big Jim!

It is a reproduction. Bid accordingly.

Hi Hans, Do you have the St. Louis guns that were confiscated from Charles Fresina in March of 1928?

It was’t made that way. It is bent that way.

Neither of the two sight bases have the Lyman Trademark, Middleton, CT marked in them, so I know that the bases are not correct. The portion that raises up on one of them also is not a GI Lyman sight. So, the spring and plunger are also suspect, but will probably work.

It is a Rusco (Russell Manufacturing Co.) canvas case made in the 1930’s. The earlier Mills made cases were always marked. Some of the Rusco cases were not. It is worth about $500.00 or so.

Yes, it is. Minus the sight. It appears to have been refinished at some point as well.

It is an early Savage made barrel that has been re-threaded to accept a Colt Type I compensator.