Merry Ploughboy

On Antiques Road Show the dealers are very careful to give three "values": (in increasing dollar amount) - the wholesale/dealer value, the retail/buyer value, and the insurance value. I guess there's also the "it's not for sale so I can make it whatever I want" value that is beyond even what an insurance company would be willing to have to pay up if the situation arose regardless of how much the insurance premiums were.

azdskin, If you can not wait, American Thunder may still be available from www.longmountain.com; FAC at 763-780-8780; or from Tracie Hill (buy both his book and American Thunder at the same time?) at 740-587-0755. Helmer's book should be on Amazon. Read and learn but beware that the printer put some inadvertent errors in Hill's book.

Bob B, Other patent numbers you may find of interest include: 1,817,321 (the "added" patent number); 1,350,619; 1,350,646; and 1,365,234 (three box mag patents); and 1,347,755 (drum mag patent). Enjoy the history.

TSMGguy, Regarding your photo work - not too shabby. If you would like some tips from experts, the Subguns NFA discussion forum presently has some advice from experts on taking gun photos with some examples. The PK work is, as always, top notch. You have a functional piece of art.

For numbers listed, complete number is: 1,338,866; 1,406,546; and 1,408,276. FYI, pre 1976 full electronic search capability is available using the USPTO EAST system (the system used by the USPTO Examiners) at the USPTO in D.C. or at a Depository Library at the cost of $80 per hour. Best of luck.

Amen to what Tman said - Probate Courts are the slowest place known to mankind. They have the attitude "Hey, the guy's dead. What's the rush?"

JT, Another out of print but usually available book that has M1 TSMG war photos and info is the Chris Ellis, Thompson Submachine Gun book. Should be fairly low cost since it is a thin book. Nowhere near as detailed as American Thunder but it is a hardcover book.