jojeep

I have often wondered why the current Thompson Pistol is sold with the Horizontal Foregrip when the early West Hurleys had the Vertical. Is it a Legal issue and were early A5 Grandfathered in of sorts and the Horizontal Foregrip meets some newer Regulation ?? When I saw this Topic and Thread, I went to GunBroker.com to see what was for sale and saw the Horizontal on the Pistol. Is it illegal if I were to put the Vertical Foregrip on a newer version ?? I do like the newer version with the 10.5 original length Barrel, no Cutts, not even as an extra $$ option. It could use the Cutts.

@Burgernut, dug it out to take some quick pictures to give you a rough idea. I practiced on the nose piece from a Full Auto parts kit I purchased 20 yrs ago. The Key thing is gets the correct Tap and Die to Tap the Receiver and clean the Threads on the Cut Down Horizontal Foregrip Screw. When I first came across this method of doing a Quick Disconnect Barrel System, it was stress to use that Tap/Die so all threads match on the Firearm. I can't remember the Size, it is a uncommon size used today......but someone online probably sells them, I got the Tap/Die Set early 2000's from the now late Doug Richardson....someone on this Forum will know the Size Tap/Die to purchased and keep with you Thompson Tools. Sorry that I can't find mine to give you the size, probably in a Box packed in my Garage somewhere. Hope the Photos give you and Idea, how its done. PS: The Article I read late 1990's explains this Quick Disconnect Barrel System was supposedly going to be incorporated in the Original 1921 TSMG, but the Engineering Dept decided it was not necessary. If it had been incorporated when disassembled, the Barrel, Receiver and Buttstock were all about the same Length

I did the Quick Disconnect Barrel System using a Tap I purchased from Doug Richardson. I can't remember the Thread Size. It allowed me to use a Horizontal Foregrip Screw to hold the whole thing together. You have to remove the Barrel, and Grip Mount. File the Grip Mount so it slides into the Receiver, but is not loose. Then you Drill through both. Only the Receiver gets Taped for Threads. I took the Grip Mount to a Machine Shop and had them Counter Sink so the Horizontal Foregrip Screw sits flush. Also a small notch must be put into the Barrel Threads so it all locks together. This is just a High Lite of what the Quick Disconnect Barrel System is like....you need to take your Time or if you are friends with a Machinist or Gunsmith a End Mill can be used to bore into the Barrel Threads and the Horizontal Foregrip Screw turned Down to like a Round Peg ina Round Hole. I should one day post photos of the whole thing here.

Several years ago I did what you are doing, with a Green Mountain Barrel. But I first had the Barrel Blank Adapted before Welding the Cutt Compensator on After making sure I had the Proper Length of 16.5 Inches from the end the Cutt Comp to the Breech* with the Bolt Closed, I took a thin Wooden Dow placed it in the Barrel, marked the dow (red magic marker) it at the end of the Cutts. Then measure the Wooden Dow to make sure proper Legal Length. Took Cutts Comp off. I put some mild Loc Tight on the thread, put the Cutts back on, tried to line the Front Sight as best as possible with the end of the Cutt to the Red Line on the Wooden Dow. Then after Loc Tight set, I had it Welded all the way around the Cutts and the Barrel. Blued the whole thing with Brownells paste bluing, looks good and can easily put Blank Adapt Plug in with Allen Key down the Cutts. I have a Quick Disconnect Barrel System so I can easily change with the Original 16in Barrel or Plugged 10.5 Barrel for static display at WW2 Reenactments. My long term plan is to have a custom Horizontal Foregrip made that is slightly longer, maybe 1.5 to 2 inches,so the 14.5 Barrel doesn't look strange. *ATF measures Barrel from the Breech to the end of the Barrel's Muzzle. I keep the red marked Wooden Dow and a small Tape Measure in the Gun Case....in the event ATF are spying on WW2 Reenactments for any illegal weapons.

Mr Richardson will be greatly missed in the Thompson Collector Community. Spoke to him by phone in the late 1990's early 2000's several times. Ordered numerous Parts,Books,Tools and his Quality Built Display Receivers from him.

@ Mike Hammer. I plan to do that. I purchased a Repro Vertical Grip from Sarco and sanded the finger contour better. Purchased the correct British Off Set Loop Sling Swivel. Plan to inlet the wood so the Swivel Base sits flush when mounted on the Right Side. The British Enfield Sling Swivel is a 5pc affair, Base, Swivel Screw, Swivel and 2 wood screws

Thanks, I looked up that Swivel by Uncle Mike's, after reading thread, I'm not the only one thinking it would slip off or move around and scratch the Barrel. It good to know that Sling Swivel option is out there. I have to wonder if the Movie Thompson had the Front Swivel Brazed/ Silver Solder onto the Barrel, the Band goes completely around the Barrel, where Uncle Mike's Brand is open on Top. Thanks again

Some good shots of the Front Sling Swivel

I own a copy and every time I watch it I freeze the Thompson scenes to try and figure out the Front Sling Swivel mounted on the Barrel. It looks to have a British Enfield Canvas Sling if I remember. With Bogart's Thompson, with the Vertical Grip the Sling was not mounted to the Grip. I know the British used a 2pc Enfield Sling Swivel with an Off Set Swivel Loop when mounted on the Thompson Vertical Grip...I found a few and plan to put on a Repro Vertical Grip.

Few years back Sarco was offering 28 Buttstock Hardware. Best to look at their advertisements in Firearms News..Sarco does 3 various Ads a Month in the Newspaper/Magazine that are several pages....on of the Advertisements is a page on Thompson SMG. Their online Advertisements show really not much....it's the Firearms News Advertisements

@ ThirtyRound. Heard years ago from a Navy Veteran(Enlisted) that he and other Enlisted Men loaded Weapons (Small Arms) into the Trunk of a High Ranking Naval Officer's Car Trunk because the Ship was being Decommissioned.

Heard somewhere years ago, the FBI kept one Thompson SMG at every Field Office for "Show & Tell" when VIPs or Boy Scouts Troops came to visit. The rest of the Inventory was thrown in a Furnace, FBI Carry Cases and all to melted down. Many of those Thompson in the Photo in this post probably were melted down......your Tax Dollars wasted rather than sold at Public Auctions.

I like the Golf Bag method as seen in "Some Like It Hot " Besides more people play Golf..than the Violin.

Disregard....no delete option

Disregard....no delete option

Civil Disarmament is part of the Democrat's 16 Year Plan Obama was supposed to sign into Law the UN Small Arms Treaty received by Secretary of State John Kerry.....it never made it past the Senate even though many False Flag Events Shooting took place during Obama 8 years. This was to get the Public behind the Firearm Bans. The 4yr Trump Presidency slowed down the Civil Disarmament that Democrats had hoped would happen under a President Hillary Clinton 8 years. Now that Democrats have the White House, Civil Disarmament is being pushed again. There could be more False Flag Shooting in the near future to put pressure on Senators to Vote for the House AWB that just narrowly passed.

I also noticed the U.S Cavalry Holster with the Swivel. They said the Marines got a lot of Leftovers from the Navy and Army during that time

One Thompson Firing scene that always stood out to me was the Bank Robbery were the Hostages are on the Running Board, Dillinger is firing the Thompson right next to the Hostage and the Hostage doesnt flinch or make any reaction that a gun just went off right near his head.....my only thought is that the Gun shooting on Full Auto was CGI added in. I have been around Blanks and depending on how the Barrel has been restricted for Gas Blow Back they are still Loud, and close up dangerous. I sometimes for effect use very loud Grenade Launcher Blanks in 1903A4 Springfield during WW2 Reanactments

Looks Flat...like the Canvas in thin. Could be from Sarco or IMA?

A friend of mine would make Color Photo Copies of the paperwork with Tax Stamp and put in a Plastic Cigar Tube in the Butt Stock. You don't want to travel with the Original Tax Stamp unless you have to.

British Enfield Sling Swivels, 3 pc Swivel with the Loop elongated. The Swivel is mounted on either side of the Vertical Grip Mount Screw for strength. The Elongated part of the Loop goes up to help keep the Sling out of the way of the Shooter's Finger. Sometimes the Swivel Base was just mounted on top of the Grip, other times it was inletted. Ironically I was getting ready to do this Project when saw this Post about Sling Swivels, hope these Photos help.

Well that M1A1 would "Stand Out" or be "Outstanding" when put a long side the standard M1 and M1A1 Models. I have seen one or two over the years at various Pennsylvania Gun Shows. Like StrangeRanger mentions an Arsenal Rebuild or ....in an Armorer's Truck in ETO/PTO. If only those WW2 Thompsons, Garands etc could talk about where they've been and what they saw.

Reising Model 60 maybe??? Read somewhere that during the War, that Reising Semi Autos were issued to Industrial Plant Guards. One in the Gun,and Two Backups ??

I have always seen Magazines Pouches carried on Belts.....then I saw this photo from a Paratrooper Display.