Merry Ploughboy

Nick, Update the "pinned" section and your main webpage for ATII. BTW, I did order a copy of ATII since I wore out the pages of the M1 chapter in AT.

I used to work with a guy (long since deceased) who joked about German soldiers at the end of WWII sitting around the fire at night swapping Luger parts between guns to (his words) "Fuck over the American collectors 30 years from now." MP

Hardrede, Damn shame! MP

At this site, $699: http://www.uniquecanes.com/new/Main_Partsets.html

On the median income figures, the major "extenuating circumstance" may well be the taxes that one now pays that were not mandated in 1918, at the respective median income levels. E.g., income taxes (most states as well as federal), Medicare, Medicaid, FICA, and the indirect taxes (e.g., gasoline federal and state taxes). The question is not one of earning or inflation but of real purchasing power.

MG Shoots in Michigan: The late Rick Peterson used to have a Labor Day MG shoot at his farm near Grand Rapids however, his widow has apparently expressed no interest in continuing the event. There are occasional shoots at a gravel pit near Lapeer.

For M1, I just clean like any other gun. Hoppes, Wipe-Out, whatever to get the powder, copper and lead residue out. All seem to work about the same as the others. No ultrasonic cleaner so no opinion pro or con. I lube the fire controls and extractor with any of the typical oils - Triflon, Rem Oil, whatever they had when I last bought. On the bolt to receiver interfaces I use Colt T-6 which is an over-priced thin white grease. No opinion on what to use for a Blish lock. If cleanliness is next to godliness, is clean AND oiled truly godly?

Another factor is the lack of new substitutes. Some TSMG buyers just want a machine gun, not necessarily a Thompson. Before May, '86 new machine guns were still being produced for general consumption. All of the boats have risen with the tide.

I'm guessing it's a consignment and Jerry is the middleman. Price being set by the owner and Jerry getting a percentage.

I'd have to look up the dates to be sure, but I think part of the reason why Michigan has the 30" rule is because of the Postal worker who killed co-workers (and then himself?) with a Ruger 10/22 that had a folding stock that he hid under his coat. The 10/22 so outfitted meets the 26" rule but not the 30" rule. At the time, the 10/22 may have been permissible. As pointed out above, a Remington 870 shotgun with 18" barrell also meets the 26" rule but not the 30" rule. However, a Remington 870 with a 20" barrell and folding stock does exceed 30". Thus, police can have a "riot gun" Remington 870 freely available to anyone on the force without the hassle of having it registered as a pistol. The gods of Lansing probably believe that they have a set of laws that protects whoever from crazies sneaking in concealed guns while letting the police have a feasible car carry riot-type shotgun. Just some thought on the whole 26/30 thing. MP

Remember, these are the same people that gave the opinion that a 14" string with a loop at each end was a machine gun. Until you take it to court, you'll never know and who wants to risk 10 years at Ft. Levenworth to find out. Not me. MP

Norm, Ask the AG for an Opinion. Current AG, Cox, is a Republican so you may get lucky. On the other hand, even if Cox says "okay", I would not want to risk spending prison time on the off chance that there's a way, any way, that the gun could operate with the stock folded. MP

hardrede is correct. The AG opinion comports with the statute. The statute is the typical muddled and befuddled ramblings of a state legislature. MP

Do what Bill says. As the lawyers say, machine gun laws are "strict liability" laws. Good luck with your endeavors and stay out of jail.

pat k, I think your price is typical. As for "reasonable"???? MP

I don't think anybody would be smiling at having paid $15,000 for a C drum and an L drum of any vintage unless they were signed by John T. Thompson and Oscar Payne, and authenticated as such. At $1,500 each (or $3,000 for the pair), we're in a more believable range for a happy customer with original Colt (not WH) C drums commanding in the $3,000 range or more alone. In that case, the L drum, regardless of heritage, was "free." Yet further, a WH C drum is still not worth $1,500, especially considering the seller makes no statement as to whether or not it functions. As was noted, the one for sale may well need $400 of additional work making the effective price $1,900.

Reality check: Cut from a Dan Shea 04 DEC 2004 post on the Subguns NFA forum under the topic SAR show, "Seen walking through the show with big smiles... guy who bought original C drum and NY drum 1500 for the pair " Okay, one happy customer does not set a market price but it sure does indicate that there are some seriously overpriced C and L drums on the market.

Dave J., I do not have one, but IIRC there were some 27A1s made in 10 mm. Assuming my recollection is correct, are we likewise to apply your caveat to the 10 mm 27a1s? Thanks. MP

Congratulations! Send drum to Merle (see FAQs) for going over and greasing. All WWII vintage 28s (and M1s and M1A1s for that matter) were not originally finished with Parkerizing. Who cares. Enjoy many happy times with your Thompson!

Is a WH C drum worth $1,500? No. Is a Kahr L drum worth $284? No. But I wonder, how can a C drum (presumably one that works) be made for $500 when it costs $400 to make one that is already assembled work? MHOs

As I understand it (and please correct me if I'm not understanding correctly), the NAC suffix guns were sent from the U.S. overseas, then sent back (imported, as it were) at which time the "NAC" suffix was stamped on to the serial number. Assuming that is true, since the photo appears to show the "NAC" blued over, there would be a strong presumption that this gun has been refinished. I would not consider a refinished gun "new, new, new" as this one is advertised. I'm also somewhat puzzeled by a cross-bolt stock on a '28 with ladder type Lyman sight. Again, correct me if I'm misunderstanding, but I believe the cross-bolt stock came along after the ladder type Lyman sight was discontinued in favor of the "L" type sight.

Those'll make your bolt blue.

POR lets them adjust the price without having to redo the text on the Website. You get the price de jour when you call or e-mail them.

From the "Sturm" Parts and Accessories Board: WTS: "Colt Thompson Serial Numbers" book $249.00 Posted By: Gordon Herigstad (cache-ntc-ab10.proxy.aol.com) Date: 11/23/04 20:13 “COLT THOMPSON SERIAL NUMBERS†This Fourth edition has been twelve years in the making. This is the most comprehensive work ever produced on the Colt Thompson serial numbers. There is a Serial Number section listing all 15000 Colt Thompson serial numbers, an Index / History section, a Drum section, and a Marine Corps and Navy sections. There are over 1200 pages of historical information. This is a reference book only. It is not a picture book. Due to hand assembly, there are only 50 copies produced in this Fourth edition. This Fourth edition book is serial numbered from number; 201 to 250. The price is: $249.00 plus $11.00 shipping in U.S. Send Check or Money order to: GORDON HERIGSTAD 1632 West 10th Street San Pedro, California 90732 310-8319339 fax 310-8319339 Gordoncolt@aol.com

As Pat Boone once sang, "Twixt twelve and twenty."