Kocapuff1

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The "Whitening of the letters/engraving" I do in a very low cost way and it's not difficult and works well. I use enamel white spray paint. I spray the paint in a container and I either use a "Q" tip to apply the white paint into the lettering or if the if your working on a rough sandblasted painted surface, 'like a replica receiver that is not smooth', use a tooth pick and dab the paint in the engraved areas. Let the paint dry and then I use a portion of the rag and Isopropyl Alcohol to clean off the white excess paint. Use frequently a portion of the rag that is clean with new alcohol. Best of luck with your project and I'm sure it will turn out well! It just takes attention to detail.

Steel wool rubbing in between some applications can helped give you the polished look, if your wanting that.

I "second": Birchwood casey gun blue..... I have become very good at home bluing! Some keys: Clean, Clean, Clean the preparation of the metal.. Use alcohol to clean the metal. The metal must be clean or your work will be in vain... Patience and time. Also a key: Use a Paper towel or Newspaper for application of the blue... Keep rubbing, get more blue, keep rubbing in the blue, more blue, rubbing it in the metal... Amazon.com has good price on the Birchwood Casey Gun Blue. After you spend a couple of hours rubbing the blue into the metal you should have a "decent" product, but not all equal looking, but the finish will appear smooth and that is good. Then to get an "equal" looking blue job this is the secret I have found: Put some Birchwood casey gun blue in a sealable larger plastic zip lock bag that the lower will fit into. Put enough blue in the bag so you wash/shake the blue all over the receiver. "About a 1/4" inch worth of the blue liquid in the bottom of the bag will work". Now put the receiver in the bag and seal the bag. Then keep bathing the receiver in the blue until you can see the receiver has an equal dark blue look. Immediately take out and use newspaper or paper towel that has a light apply of gun blue in it; rub and rub the receiver dry of all the blue, with the lightly coated newspaper or paper towel.. Once your done: Wash your receiver completely in water and a little soap, then completely wash off. Completely dry to prevent rust. Put Oil on immediately after or "whiten" all the lettering. I hope the above details of bluing will help you and others! Have a good time with your project! Below are pictures of the handi-work described above (This lower was in the "white" when I started):

Thank you all for the information. I'm sure it will help others also in the future. I have a M1A1 Dummy Aluminium receiver also now, (Thank you Gutteratt), for my M1A1 Savage Dummy/replica, that I also plan to build in the near future. I am in need a of finned original 1928A1 barrel that is shot out/worn out that I could get a low cost from someone to put on the 1928A1 early model build replica/dummy. So if someone has one let me know. I think I'll try the screwing the receiver onto the barrel slowly in the vice trick first, if that doesen't I'll have to try to find a press to try. I'm also in need of M1 front sight pin, and Cutts Comp front sight pin. Have a great day gentleman!

Looks like this would be a good barrel then to use on a replica/dummy 1921 Colt Thompson build? The plugs inside are definitely not a .22 adapter for barrel rifling; I can see the big open area inside the barrel plugs. I'm sure it's blank fire and by my best guess, from a Stembridge movie gun. The bluing is close and the fins are correct size to a colt. Sound like everyone likes the Front sight (maybe it could be original) and that looks correct, but obvious it's a replica barrel and flash hider for a Colt 1921 that was made for blank fire. I'm sure a re-enactor would love to have this barrel for the blank fire. I probably will keep for a future Colt Thompson replica/dummy build, if I can find some actual colt parts to make one more authentic and if I can afford the items to build it :-).

This would be an interesting test. Hopefully someone has an original Oiler and can tell us. I just completed the magnet test on my "Colt Nickel Plated Oiler", the Oiler in the original pictures of this post/and the oiler that is still in question. Results: Body of Oiler has a magnetic attraction/pull to the magnet, the magnetic attraction is not a strong pull, like my refrigerator, but attraction is present. The Cap of the Oiler does not have any Magnetic attraction.

Oops I was a "little off on the information! I purchased mine from "Shooting Gallery Books!" Mike petrozello! His email is: ShootBks@nycap.rr.com Mike's Website for Books: www.shootinggallerybooks.com Sorry for the correction! He has all kinds of books and can also search for you. If you contact him, give him my (Keith from Illinois) my regards!

I purchased my "The Ultimate Thompson Book" from "Shooting Gallery Books". Owner is Mike Petrozello. He has been in business for over 25 years selling all kids of gun books. He is a very good Christian man and was great to deal with. I would imagine he would sell the book for $140 shipped price, new; that is what I paid. If you guys need any books I suggest using him. It's sometimes more rare in this day and age to find good people to deal with. Have a great day guys!

I noticed a "Ultimate Thompson Book" by Tracie Hill for $120 and $6 shipping if anyone is looking for one. I purchased mine already.

All, Great to hear that on Mr. Doug Richardson. I found the negative write-up in an internet search for his website. I wasn't implying that is was correct; I was just asking a question, since someone went through the trouble of making a complaint about it. Again that is wonderful news and glad that all is good. Absolutely second that on both individuals. The only negative mention I've seen on DR was some years ago, when at that time he was behind on receiver deliveries. Last month, I ordered his new book on a Monday; it was in my mailbox on Friday.

Does anyone know if the Colt Thompson Oilers are made of a different material than the 1928 oilers? I was looking on the Doug Richardson Website: http://www.thompsonsmg.com/colt_thompson_guns__colt_parts.htm He has Original Colt Thompson for sale with Re-nickeled oilers.... So it sounds like people in the past have re-nickeled original colt oilers or buffed them out to make them shiney? How is Doug Richardson display receivers and how is his business practice? I read a not good review on the internet and was wondering about his items if I was going to buy a display receiver someday from him.

Here are the pictures of the barrel. Thank you all!

More Pictures of barrel are attached in this post to review. I'm sure you can see why I thought it was a 1928A1 late production barrel. It appears that the cutts is mounted on threads. I haven't and wasn't going to try to turn take it off. So there are never any military barrels without the "P" mark? Thank you everyone for the help and it's something to talk about and learn from..

Good evening. I purchased a barrel that I thought maybe could be an original 1921 Colt barrel with Type 1 Compensator. I'll post pictures tomorrow. Well the barrel has something in the chamber end, set after the "chamber" where the bullet would go and it has a whole in the center and then inside the Comp I can see the barrel and see the end plugged with some type of "flat head" end and their is a whole in this plug also. The compensator has a set screw on the bottom, where the threads are and the Comp has a Pin..... It is all blued and a bluish blue. Are there a large amount of "fake reproduction" type 1 Compensators out there? From the picture in the "ultimate Thompson book" it is very close to it, but has a set screw in the bottom where the threads are. I am very puzzled. Does anyone know what this might be? Too tired tonight and out of time to post pictures. How can you tell if a barrel was an original Colt 1921 barrel? This barrel does have the correct "Fins" and not the large fins like a 1928 barrel.. Obviously I purchased it from pictures and not from sight, hoping it to be a find. Any help greatly appreciated. I'm so puzzled by the plugs in each end with the circular whole in the center. I thought maybe blank firing? It's definitely not a new barrel in age... Any help or info greatly appreciated. Again my attempts of finding actual Colt parts will probably end in vain.... The Colt Oiler is still a question????

That is the same (yours in the picture) as my two aluminum receivers I have for making mine!

All, I bid you all a good late night evening. My question is this: Did any late model production 1928A1 models, that had the "smooth" barrel and Cutts Compensator ever come with a non-pinned Cutts Comp installed? I purchased a 10 1/2 inch smooth barrel, with original Cutts Compensator installed and the barrel has been shot out and had lots of rust taken off the outside, (which led me to believe WWI1/Korean War use), but when I received it has non-pinned Cutts Comp? There is no "P" on barrel and no line mark? I thought is was a late 1928A1 barrel and Cutts Comp? But has no pin in the Comp, no "P" mark on barrel, no lineage mark?? Pictures attached:

My thompson Nickel Oiler in the Pictures has a very distinct "Made" logo, but in USA is much less as you stated below. The cap of this oiler looks exactly as everyone else's real 1921 Oiler cap looks with the protruding point on it. I honestly feel that is was an original Colt Thompson 1921, but it was either buffed out or re-nickel'd. Stinks either way... I would like to have the original appearance. We can't have the real thompsons in IL, where I live, but replicas still can have most of the history. I find the history, especially the military history of the Thompson fascinating and hope to be a collector of the items also.

I talked to the gentleman I purchased it from. He had a Class 3 license back in the late 70s and early 80s and owned a 99% original Colt Thompson 1921, but sold it. He said that back then Original "Colt" items sold cheap: He said that a 1921 Real Colt back then was $2000, he paid a very record high price of $5000 back in the 70s early 80s for it. He said the Colt Thompson Oiler I have in the photos was his. He purchased it back in the late 70s or early 80s. He said that the Oiler may of been polished, but he doesn't see people making fake items back in those days because everything was plentiful. He has been a very honest man with me in other dealings. The cap on this oiler is exactly what I have seen on the Original Colt 1921 oilers. Do you guys think the original nickel coating just was buffed? The oiler looks correct to an original Colt 1921 oiler I think everybody can agree upon, but the Nickel coating being original and/or buffed is the question. Just thought i would share. Have a good day everyone!

Thank you for all the input. I'll stick with the press fit of course, since there is no other option. I'll probably sand some and then find a hydraulic press to push the barrel into the dummy receivers. Great information from everyone. Have a good day.

Here are the additional Pictures. Thank you for your help.

All, I have two nice 1928A1 replica/dummy aluminum receivers I want to build my two replicas as a early style production 1928A1 style with fined barrel/Lyman sight and on the other the late production 1928A1 with smooth barrel/cuts with the "L" Lyman sight. The aluminum replica receivers have nice markings and everything, but have "press fit" area for the barrel...... Does someone have the ability to tap the receivers for the barrel thread? Where do I buy a proper Tap so the barrel would tap in? The press fit seems awfully tight to tap the barrel in.... Has anyone on the forum used these press fit type receivers and tapped the barrel into the press fit? Any help greatly appreciated. Have a nice night.