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Nice reminder that the US Navy were using Thompsons before the US Army. Which reminded me, here is an old post that mentions the USS Luzon

Jared, The Horizontal grips were around a long time before the M1 was even thought about. See attached the 1929 AOC catalog insert, for the new Model of 1928, and a page from the January 1929 4th edition of the AOC Handbook. Also see attached picture from Swedish Manual for their M40, which were 500 of the last Model of 1921's, modified to 1928 specifications, shipped in 1940, all with horizontal foregrips. Looking at your photos again, is the compensator missing the retention pin? Richard

There were a lot of those German SMGs in Bosnia, in the 1990's, still in full working order, Around Sarajavo, a lot of the Bosnian Muslims were using them in the early days.

Jared, Thanks for posting those pictures. I suspect the furniture, at least the vertical fore grip, was not on this 1928A1 when it left the Savage factory. To my understanding, all lend lease Thompsons were originally fitted with horizontal fore grips. The earlier pre-lend lease, 'cash and carry' period guns are the ones that were usually shipped to the UK with the vertical fore grips, as well as some with the horizontal grips. The US army specifications I believe, correct me if I am wrong, were for the 1928 A1's to be issued with horizontal grips? This may have been influenced by the original USMC specifications for the Model of 1928's, following their experience with the Model of 1921's in the banana wars? But I digress So the lend lease Thompsons, being US Property, followed the US Army Specifications for the 1928A1, with the horizontal fore grips. You'll find more info on British Lend lease guns, and the 'cash and carry' orders, in Tom Davis's book 'Great Britain - The Tommy Gun Story'. It is an excellent read and I named my display at a local museum in July, after it. See the VE Day topic, if you have not already read it.

Jake, It is not unusal to have older used guns with different ejectors added over the years. I have an early, well used and abused Savage Model of 1928 with an 'incorrect' ejector, it has the later type with the rivetted head, instead of an earlier milled ejector.

Could they have been added by an individual soldier to make life easier fitting the sling? Over the years and in service I have seen individuals modifying kit themselves. Including myself, in the 1980's I had US 'ALICE' clips added to my French issued water canteen holder, a few other Legionnaires copied my lead on that one. Another idea I toyed with in Chad in 1988, was making an early 'camelbak', using a US Army Vietnam era 5 quart water bladder/ floatation device and a rubber tube. Missed my opportunity to earn millions by not trademarking the idea ?

Any thoughts on the 'white' sling?

Ordnance, that is a nice idea. Below is the article from the Nov / Dec 1920 edtion. Note the discussion on the Breech-lock Problem on page 134 above. Note 'Method of Employment' on Page 136 above: "The Submachine gun is made without shoulder stock or sights, for ordinary rapid fire from the hip, and can be provided with stock and sights where deliberate aimed fire is desired". On the same page, when discussing "suitable magazine to the weapon", The "Payne drum-shaped or disc magazine" is mentioned, and "Disc Magazine feed" title below that. So, I am guessing the term 'drum' magazine, had not been settled upon at that stage? Enjoy the read and have a good weekend, especially those at the All Thompson Show and Shoot?

FYI, here is a link to an old topic, covering the subject of early Thompson ads, which may be of interest to newer members of the forum.

Colt Choppers' soldered patent date mags are in great condition for their age. Most soldered mags I have seen are well used and abused, due to the fact they were produced for use in the Western Desert Campaign. They saw some terrible conditions through Egypt into Libya and Tunisia; Some would have then seen action in Sicily and Italy, and others would have seen action in Greece and the Balkans. Some of the soldered XX magazines in my collection came from Greece. Grab them while you can ?

Tracie, Good point, I have saved a copy of that page to print and laminate for future displays, brings more than one discussion to mind, not only BSA, I have also saved pictures of Models of 1926 and 1929 for the future, but also brings the shot shell mag in my collection into conversation, with the refernece to the bird-shot cartridge.

It is amazing how much history is connected to an old ad. Reading through the Sept. - Oct. 2022 issue ad, I noticed amongst those listed, who had officially adopted the Thompson gun, included the Adams Express Company. My curiosity then led to an internet search of the company and what an interesting history the company had, starting from a survival idea for a family man to the company it has grown into,with the many twists and turns on the way. ?

Ordnance, Excellent scans of those ads, escepcially the Sept. - Oct. 2022 issue describing "The Thompson gun is a Humane weapon", sounds very WOKE! ? Coincidentally, I have a copy of the May-June 1923 edition of the Army Ordnance magazine in my collection. In my collection, I also have a copy of the Nov -Dec1920 issue of the Army Ordnance magazine with a Thompson advert on the back cover in my collection, with that classic photo of George E Goll posing in period Amercian army uniform. Tracie Hill commented, that he thought, as the ad has the early 501 Fifth Avenue, New York, address and the date of the publication, it is possibly one of the first adverts published by Auto-Ordnance Corporation for the Thompson.

Were any M1A1's produced without the stock reinforcement screws?

Tom, Thankyou for your support throughout the preparation for the display with ideas, and donations of the two books for the display/ Battery Museum. ?? Throughout my life I have been a firm believer of, if it is worth doing, it is worth doing right. Yes, reference to gangster gun, when you have your back against the wall, your opinions change. ?

A member on this forum asked if I had recorded the talk I gave to the visitors at the battery display. That was something I had not thought of. So I mentioned it to my wife, who took the photos over the two days of the display. She replied there was not enough memory on her phone to record / video me, once I started to talk about Thompsons and the Thompson history...I never stop, she said ?

Always pleased to help out ??

"If you're ever passing between Seattle and Portland on I5, it's worth a stop. Its a small museum but they do have some nice stuff there". Yes, like I am doing with my local museum, we need to support them and keep the history of our respective nations alive for the future generations. In the UK we have some museums closing now due to lack of people going through their doors....and the exhibits are lost for future generations.

Mark, JD, Planejack and Devin, Thank you all for your kind words Mark/ JD, the display certainly sparked an interest in this lad, and he certainly did more than just get his hands on a Thompson. After being shown once how to strip and assemble a 1928A1, and talked though doing it a 2nd time, he became quite proficient at stripping and assembling the Thompson on the Saturday. So much so, he came back on Sunday with his friends, to teach them how to do it.? He also proved the usefulness of the recoil spring tool. He struggled with replacing the spring, until I showed him how to use the recoil spring tool and he had no trouble replacing the spring after that.

Great Job Kerry, I'm envious of your skills. Love the Jeep in the back ground too! Brings back memories... Richard

My daughter and her boyfriend visited the display on Sunday, and the WW2 homeguard photo was one I laminated for the display. When she saw my wife and I in the garden shed, Elaine doing her dress making, and me oiling the TSMG, my daughter said the scenario reminded her of that photo. I hope I don't look as old as that HG Sgt.!! Few more pictures below of the display, first day just after setting everything up, prior to the museum opening and the visitors arriving. This time around I was better prepared, with the weapon / magazine display stands I run off from left over wood, I had lying around the garage, and the two drums with perspex covers to demonstrate the filling, ( and weight) of the drums. I also had a go highlighting the weapon and magazine markings. To complete the display and to tell the story, I added some laminated photos and copies of patents etc. As well as the 'TATA' logo, with Tracies permission, we also had on display a copy of Tom Davis's book 'Great Britain - The Tommy Gun Story', which Tom was kind enough to donate for the display, together with a copy of his reproduction of the Fort Knox manual; and the 'V' marked 30 rnd Seymour mag I was able to add to my collection earlier this year, thanks to a couple of members on the forum. ? Toms book, 'Great Britian - The Tommy gun story', was donated to the museum library on the Sunday, at the end of the display. My efforts were well worth it as a lot of museum visitors were very interested in the display, indeed some having seen the museum adverts for the display had travelled just to see it. My thanks go to all the forum members who have helped me put this display together, you know who you are, and without your help the display would not have been as complete.

Last weekends 'Great Britain The Tommy Gun Story' display went well, displaying the evolution of the Thompson from the 1921 through to the M1A1. On the way highlighting both British armourers modifications and the wartime time and cost cutting measures on the 1928A1s. Weekend went well with a lot of interest and was enjoyable. Today I've been catching up on things, including cleaning and oiling of the Thompson guns after their weekend on display. My daughter took a photo of my wife and me. England 2025....that reminds me of a war time photo.... England 1940...? Five down, three to go. To think when I was serving, weapons cleaning was a chore, now it is therapeutic.?

Will, Welcome to the Forum. That is a nice Model of 1921, do you own it? 1840 is listed in Gordon Herigstads book, see below, for it's history.

Another interesting edition of 'The Thompson Legend' was delivered by the mail man this morning. The article about the Auto-Ordnance engineers and the Models of 1919 was very interesting to read. The centre piece of the newsletter is one to keep too. Thankyou Tracie.

Well just found myself a WW2 steel helmet shell, in good condition. So another piece for my project, although this one will be for the winter months.