Deputy

While Uncle Sammie didn't build any Carbines after WW2, there are some companies that assembled them from surplus parts, as well as building brand new ones with all new parts. It is possible some of these makes found their way to Nam. Here's a list of manufacturers from Wikipedia: Alpine Auto-Ordnance (now a subsidiary of Kahr Arms) Howa made carbines and parts for the post-WWII Japanese and Thai militaries, and limited numbers of a hunting rifle version Erma Werke made carbines and parts for the post-WWII West German military, and .22 replica carbines for export Israel Arms International (IAI) of Houston Texas assembled carbines from parts from other sources National Ordnance Texas Armament Co. Plainfield Machine Co. (later purchased and operated by Iver Johnson) Universal Firearms - Early Universal guns were, like other manufacturers, assembled from USGI parts. However, beginning in 1968, the company began producing the "New Carbine", which externally resembled the M1 but was in fact a completely new firearm internally, using a different receiver, bolt carrier, bolt, recoil spring assembly, etc. with almost no interchangeability with USGI carbines.[40] Universal was also later purchased by Iver Johnson. The Iver Johnson company produced carbines in the style of Plainfield Machine Co. and followed the lead of Universal in producing a pistol version called the "Enforcer".

The thing about M1-to-M2 conversions are the easily obtainable parts. ALL the parts can be purchased and installed with ease. The parts just drop in, and they are available at almost every carbine parts source on the web. They are NOT very expensive either. Some surplus M1 carbines that the CMP sells actually come with some M2 parts already installed. Things like an M2 potbelly stock, M2 round bolt, and M2 trigger housing can be used in an M1 carbine and be perfectly legal. Also the 30 round M2 magazine release. I'm not endorsing or encouraging it, but if one wanted to have a SHTF conversion kit for the M1 carbine to convert it to M2, it would be pretty easy to obtain. Just make sure it is located somewhere away from your M1 carbine. Like buried in your neighbor's yard Dep

Recently I tried replacing the metal ventilated handguard that came from the factory on my Auto Ordnance carbine with a wood GI verision. No luck. It didn't fit at all. So I ordered a replacement Auto Ordnance wood handguard directly from Kahr/Auto Ordnance, thinking one they made would fit ALL their carbines. Just received it today and went to install it. Again....A BAD FIT. It seems the metal ventilated handguard and the location of the handguard locking bar on the stock are SPECIFIC to this carbine. On the wood handguard I bought, the locking bar engaged at a point where the handguard would be positioned too far forward for the rear metal tab of the handguard to remain inside the receiver. Closer inspection reveals the the overall length of the metal ventilated handguard is actually LONGER than the wood one. So that explains the bad fit of both the GI and replacement Auto Ordnance handguard. Evidently the replacement handguard from AO is made for the "original" version of their carbine that also comes with a wood handguard, flat bolt, push button safety, etc. Just a heads up so that anyone else who plans on this knows in advance. Dep

Hope it's still in the works. Still a decent supply of Thompson parts kits around http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/smile.gif

Just curious...are you guys buying these kits for the spare parts or to make dummy guns or both? Dep

Sure glad I'm bald. Never saw so much hairsplitting in all my life!!! If quality decides whether a product is what it says it is, then things like American automobiles are in BIG trouble!!! guess will have to think up new names for Ford, Chrysler, and GM. http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/laugh.gif http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/laugh.gif Why would a company not be able to duplicate the quality of the product made DECADES ago? I can think of three reasons right away... 1)Not cost effective. 2)Skilled labor no longer available. 3)The public won't pay the price that such a product would cost. Dep

QUOTE (DougStump @ Aug 23 2006, 02:46 PM) Dep, Does yours have the early style "L" rear sight and no bayonet lug, or the later style adjustable sight & lug? Doug Doug: Later style adjustable with bayo lug and round bolt. I tried ordering an early style, but NOBODY had one and they had no idea when they could get any. Dep

I've got a Kahr M1 Carbine. Fired 50 rounds through it, and other than a re-parked GI mag that had the dentents worn out, it performed flawlessly. I'm just praying that when I take my semi-auto Kahr-Thompsons to the range they perform equally well. Dep

QUOTE a decent semi Thompson That should sell like hotcakes!!! http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/hail.gif Dep

Jeep: What Warren said...and...keep an eye on the Shotgun News. Sometimes 1927A1 Thompsons are sold brand new in the box in wholesaer's ads for VERY reasonable. I am pretty much in the same boat as you when it comes to a FA Thompson. New wife would become old ex-wife if I forked over $25,000 for one. She likes the FA ones...but not THAT much http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/laugh.gif Dep

QUOTE (gijive @ Aug 15 2006, 03:39 PM) QUOTE (Deputy @ Aug 15 2006, 03:32 PM)Is it because he is shooting blanks and that makes it cycle faster, or is it because it's an early version and that is the normal sound? Deputy, Neither! The machine gun sounds were added later during what they call "post production." If you watch closely in some sequences he is not even firing the gun on full automatic. He is pulling the trigger for individual shots and the post production sound effects make it sound like he is firing short bursts. The same MGM sound department battle sounds can also be heard in "The Bridge at Remagen." Other movies and television shows of the period sometimes used the exact same sound effects that were used on Combat! Awwwwww FOOEY!!!! I suspected as much but was in De Nile. http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/sad.gif http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/sad.gif I have the complete series on DVD and I have a blast watching it. http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/tongue.gif Dep

"There is very little chance that the new Kahr Thompson you buy would work reliably out of the box. Kahr has a long record of being disinclined to do much about this, other than to assure everybody that things will get better." This would be Kahr's "Don't worry/Be Happy" approach. Everyone sing along... Don't worry/Be Happy Don't worry/Be Happy Don't worry/Be Happy http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/laugh.gif http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/laugh.gif Dep

Was watyching an episode of Combat! today and Saunders was blazing away with his 1928A1. Good grief!!!! The dang thing fired so fast I could barely make out the individual shots being fired. I know the earlier Thompsons had a higher cyclic rate than the newer M1 and M1A1 versions. But this sounded like about 1000 R.P.M.!!! Is it because he is shooting blanks and that makes it cycle faster, or is it because it's an early version and that is the normal sound? Dep

Jeep: Phil hit it on the head. I am one of the new owners of both a 1927A1 and M1 Kahr Thompson semi-auto. The 1927A1 came from the factory with a screw too long in the pistol grip. I couldn't cock or fire or dissassemble the weapon. I had ZERO response from Kahr after leaving about 5 messages on their answering machines. I received help from board members and was able to discover the problem. This item NEVER should have left the factory in this condition and obviously was never test-fired. Kahr Thompsons are VERY different from their pistols...which generally have a good reputation. If you buy a new semi-auto Thompson, be prepared to do a LOT of tinkering and parts replacing before you get it right. And even then...it may not function reliably http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/mad.gif Final Kahr score: Customer Service:0 Quality Control:0 Coolness Factor at the range: 1000 But the coolness factor is offset and drops to ZERO when the dang thing doesn't work worth a squat. Dep

Got this from Damon (Tommygunner) concerning the drop-in mag catch Lancer spotted: Hello Michael. Unfortunately we had to drop that items since it is impossible to make a modified mag catch that drops in due to variances in the gun. We would have to take the entire gun in to modify the mag catch. Please let me know if you have any questions. Best, Damon Bummer...but I kinda figured that was the case http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/sad.gif As to doing it myself...I dunno. If I screw things up, I'm out a new mag catch. That's $37. I'm not exactly Mr. Handyman http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/tongue.gif Dep