dokkerdam

i have an aluminum 1927ta5 also and my bolt handle is slightly jiggly but it has NOT started to wear the paint/finish on the top of the receiver. Remember the aluminum models aren't blued so any wear shows as scraped paint or whatever the fairly thick coating is on the aluminum. my problem with the TA5 is that the brass cartridges are scraping the paint/finish on the feed ramp inside the magazine well AND then scraping some of the aluminum away. I have put about 600 rounds through it and can tell that the problem will eventually cause big issues if the ramp gets deformed from the scraping.

i have an aluminum Kahr Thompson "pistol". I don't have the feed and firing problems yours has (yet) but do have gouging on the ramp from rounds scraping up towards the chamber. Don't know how long I'll wait unitl I let Kahr know about it but have about 600 rounds through the (new) gun so far. dokker

Kahr won't fix the problem because the gun is a simple blowback operation and it needs the strong springs to operate. The original Thompsons had a "Blish" lock that functioned as a mechanical locking device (using friction) and thus didn't need the strong springs. I have kept my bolt locked back (until the locking mechanism started to fail) as often as possible and found that the spring tension though still stupidly strong did weaken quite noticeably. The only problem I see know is that the bolt wouldn't always strip a round from a 30 round stick until four or five of the 30 were gone. dokker

have you looked at the floor of the feed ramp in front of the magazine where the rounds slide up into the chamber? is there paint missing? is there aluminum missing? my aluminum pistol has about 600 rounds through it and i'm seeing a gouging or hollowing out of the floor that if it continues will be a problem down the road. dokkerdam

i'm curious about the new detachable buttstock kahr. they don't have any photos of the trigger frame area on their website. is it like the original 1928 models or did they modify a 1927 trigger frame? here are some photos of the 1928 style frame: maybe if yours if different you could send photos of it. thanks, jim d.

I completely understand how frustrated you must be with all the answers/comments. you never did get the answers you were looking for. I won't redress the legal issue because you already understand it. There are 3 different adapter plates (or more, who knows) on the internet - with 2, 4 and 6 screws. Doug Richardson has a 6 screw plate with machining instructions on exactly how to do it. With proper finishing and maybe some bluing touch-up it should look professional and without the stock attached might look better than any other choice save for the original milled slots on real Thompsons. Please let me know how it comes out and take photos if possible. the only thing I can't speak to is the aluminum receiver. I have one and have noticed with about only 500 rounds through it there is noticeable gouging on the feed ramp floor. i'm using Blazer brass with 230 gr. jacketed bullets - exactly what it should get. Do you have any gouging going on in your aluminum receiver? good luck with everything. I think changing a barrel to an SBR will be more money than what you're doing. And you can always remove the plate and plug the 2-6 holes with allen plugs and it will look great. or you can find an aluminum trigger frame and replace the modified one to resell as a pistol - also less than a new barrel, etc. Finally there is a new Kahr model out there - a detachable buttstock SBR ready to go but almost 2X the price of other Kahr Thompsons before the ATF stamp so there. J.D.

glad to hear they asked for the bolt but I wonder if having the whole gun would be better. I have a related issue where my bolt hold open pawl has rounded out the cut out in the bottom of the bolt - like it wasn't hardened enough. I kind of hope they only ask for the bolt when I write them as they could reface and harden the bolt without needing the gun - the problem isn't related to the bolt's travel in the frame. I noticed other responses where kahr says "blah blah blah, and fired one round no problems". i'd like them so try a couple of magazine's through something I send them as just one round might not reveal whatever problems there might be. good luck with them and let us know how it turns out. dokkerdam.

I've heard the West Hurley guns are worse than Kahr. The exterior of the receiver (which is aluminum and painted) is very nice and the steel parts look good. its all in the functioning with my Kahr. On the aluminum receiver (TA5) the shaping of the area around the bolt and magazine well is odd to say the least.There is a curved area that I think allows the cases to be thrown clear. There's not a lot I can do to it and I'm already showing unusual gouging of the feed ramp from the brass casings scraping on their way forward. I am going to contact Kahr about the failed bolt hold open system (the area on the bottom of the bolt has rounded away and will not catch the hold open pawl. the bolt is NOT aluminum) and will also let them know about the gouging and the feeding problem with the 30 round stick (I'll send them the magazine, too if they want it. Oddly, my 50 round drum feeds OK). I'll let everyone know how Kahr handles my problems after I send them the 'pistol'. dokkerdam

i have a surplus 30 stick that won't feed unless its up hard against the bottom of the receiver at the bolt. I managed to hold it up and unless its tight against the top the bolt won't catch the cartridge. the Kahr mag also sits right up close to the bolt and receiver but the friction is from the cartridge - the magazine is not hitting the bolt. seems like you have to be an amateur gunsmith to own these things and even then there are problems. dokkerdam

I bought a Kahr brand 30 round stick for my Thompson "pistol" because I didn't want any of the feeding/modification issues that I have read about with Kahr Thompsons. Well, you have to practically stand on the magazine to get it to click in (in fact you have to push way too had and then still push on the magazine catch from inside the trigger guard to get it to engage. I really don't want to have to file a brand new brand specific magazine to get it to fit.) Once in the magazine has feed issues. The bolt does strip a round correctly, and it mostly aligns and chambers, but for the first 10 or so rounds the bolt will often not close fully and needs an assist. apparently the added friction of the cartridges pushing against the bolt stop it from going fully forward (mind you this is with the impossibly stiff original recoil springs that make chambering a round on the Thompson unpleasant at best and sometimes impossible without gloves and rags. you're not going to make the springs stiffer to fix this problem). My 50 round drum does feed OK because there is no excessive upward pressure on the cartridge sitting below the bolt. The only problem I have with the drum is trying to slide it in while pushing up on the third hand to hold the bolt open. my bolt hold open lock has rounded out an area on the bolt (probably because of the stupidly stiff recoil springs. Or maybe the bolt wasn't hardened properly) and won't hold the bolt open unless I jam the third hand up. Then why I try to slide the drum magazine in from the side I have to hold the magazine catch back and WHAM! the bolt slams forward. Sooner or later i'm going to damage the magazine/bolt/gun itself or get an accidental discharge. Did I say i'm not happy with this firearm? I usually keep ammo and guns apart in the house, and try to lock up guns in the safe, but I have no worries with the Thompson and magazines sitting around. I doubt anyone who doesn't own a Thompson or who hasn't struggled with one would be able to load and chamber the thing. Of course it wouldn't be the firearm I'd turn to if I needed one for self-defense.

do you have part numbers for the springs you ordered from McMaster carr? and for the buffer or buffer material? thanks, j.d.

that's good to know. so if one does not posess the stock but the firearm is grooved or modified for a stock it might not be illegal but i'll bet is someone wanted to call it forbidden they could. better to get the batf stamp. what amazes me is that the new manuf. Thompson TA5 "pistol" without stock but only a 10" barrel is called a pistol so is legal WITHOUT the stock. with a 50 round drum (or 100), and as long as everything was working relatively reliably (big IF with these Kahr guns), this has to be one of the most lethal firearms out there. adding a stock would make it lethal at a distance but march harder to handle in tight quarters. I don't know why they would make such a big deal about the short b arrel rifle issue when this thing as a pistol could do much more horrible things. The only thing worse might be the .223 semi-autos. Those aren't available as pistols but as true SBR's they deserve the tax stamp. I like firearms but I also believe in safety, control and responsibility. you can have what you want you just might have to jump through some hoops. Nobody gripes about drivers licenses but guns? And when was the last time a horrible mass shooting took place with an SBR or a fully automatic submachinegun?

to the guy with the detachable stock on a 13" barreled receiver - if you could post a photo of where the stock slides onto the receiver that would help. Does the stock slide on or is it just screwed onto the bottom of the receiver with two large screws? if it slides on, are the sliding grooves in the bottom of the receiver/frame milled and blued, or is there a flat metal plate screwed onto the bottom of the frame to act as slides/grooves? if it's milled, someone might have replaced the lower receiver/frame. it there is a metal plate, then someone modified it. it it screws on with two large screws then again someone changed out the frame/receiver or maybe the barrel. I haven't got a consistent answer as to whether the gun is legal if it has the ability to have a stock slid on but the stock is not on or owned - is that legal if the stock is in the house but not on? photos photos photos!

Thanks for the comment. i'm starting to see a gouging on the feed ramp of the aluminum receiver where the cartridges actually scrape on their way into the chamber. I've put about 400 rounds through the Kahr Thompson and I think given what i'm seeing that there must be some approximate number of rounds that the receiver can tolerate before feeding becomes an issue. i'm going to contact Kahr this week and send them photos of the problem. Anyone with actual experience with aluminum receivers would be appreciated but please don't just write 'I wouldn't have bought one' as that doesn't help me. dokkerdam

thanks, I've noticed a very slight improvement already (either from leaving the bolt locked back for a week or being mentally prepared/stronger when cocking). A new bigger problem just arose. the bolt won't stay locked back. a quick break-down showed damage and rounding out of the clean edge on the bottom of the bolt, and similar rounding on the bolt hold-open sear. I'm surprised that the bolt material would be that soft to get rounded out (and I don't know how the pawl would contact it during use other that trying to cock the gun and push up on the third hand and failing to get a good purchase a few times). i'm going to call Kahr tomorrow. at best I expect to have to ship the gun to them (big hassle as it's a 'pistol' and now face shipping costs.) I thought the aluminum receiver might cause me problems but the bolt hold-open issue has nothing to do with the aluminum. thanks for the ideas. dokkerdam

I've got a new Kahr Thompson TA5 Pistol. The jury is still out on this one. I've barely got 250 rounds through it and the bolt hold open won't work - let's go right away or with the 'third hand' in it the bolt flies forward once the third hand moves. hmmm. Also, it's aluminum and Dan/Deerslayer told me to look out for the feed ramp area and sure enough with less than five boxes through it there is some gouging. I'm thinking aluminum must have some lifetime limit - I wonder what it is. I'll be calling Kahr about the bolt lock tomorrow and I'll let you know what they say. dokkersam.

I know you're talking about open bolt full autos but have had any experience with the bolt lock slipping on the Kahr semi-auto Thompsons, specifically an aluminum TA5 pistol (though the problem is that the notch in the bolt and the hold open lock edge are both starting to round over - with only 250 rounds since new - at least it's not related to the aluminum receiver). I'm thinking I might need a new bolt at only 250 rounds - or at least some machining which I can't do. NOT HAPPY! dokkerdam

I vaguely remember a movie older than Road to Perdition where some mobster or soldier assembled a Thompson and slid on a foregrip also. I always thought that's the way they are until I started studying up on the Kahr semi-autos (and finally bought a TA5 pistol last week!) I'll look through my movie collection to see if I can figure out what that other movie might have been. dokkerdam

if it were possible to convert a kahr Thompson 1927, is it a matter of getting the batf approval and tax stamp and making the conversion or is there a lot more involved? (I have a semi-auto kahr and i'm having so much fun even one trigger pull at a time that I started to wonder about getting an actual class III fully automatic something. real thompsons are $20K or more so if it were possible to convert something - mechanical questions aside - is that a $200 method of getting a fully automatic submachine gun or are there other questions involved). (and lets say for example the Kahr's new T1BSB could be converted - again mechanical possibility questions aside - I just want to learn about legal issues. that firearm has a detachable buttstock and would need the waiting period/tax stamp etc. as a SBR. Once you get that stamp can that gun become fully automatic on the same stamp/application?) Please don't start in on the possibility of converting a Kahr 1927. I just am curious about class iii stuff as I could easily withstand all the federal requirements/inspections/background checks, blah, blah, blah. I know lots of stuff got changed and I wouldn't go that route on a $2000+ gun. But if anyone knows how to buy a full auto Thompson other than paying 15 to 20 grand please let me know (+ the stamp, i'm not trying to do anything under the table). I see 'parts kits' minu receivers for $2k. Is that how some folks can do it or are all these Thompson owners on YouTube missing a car or a bank account? Thanks, 1/10th way through a case, dokkerdam

wow, photobucket is not working out for me. i'd love to see that gun but all I get are ads and loading signs. it said I should update my account and I did and I got nothing for it.

I think 2 or maybe all 3 adapter plates are available but I wouldn't start milling without a plate and screws. One of my questions above is whether all old and new buttstocks fit on these adapter plates so that once I know that I wouldln't have to worry about finding a buttstock or doing a form 1 before i did any milling. Other folks have told me that having the plate on but no stock in sight is OK. If that's true then returning a firearm to a III dealer is a bit of an over-reaction though I know there are fines and prison sentences threatened. I thought the 1928 frames wouldn't fit into modern receivers or at least without a great deal of modification. I'd love to find the new Kahr lower that is now being made for their T1B or T1BSB but it would be a lot of money. I think it would have the adapter grooves actually milled into the lower rather than a plate added on. Also, are lower 'frames' on these Kahr semi-autos considered 'receivers' or does that just apply to the uppers? I really like the short barrel on the pistol but it is almost impossible to aim without a buttstock. had I know more about these I might have bought the new T1BSB right off but fitting a stock and getting a BATF stamp for the pistol will still be a huge amount less. I'm already worried about wearing out the aluminum receiver once I get my case of CCI .45s. I wonder what Kahr will do if I have to return an aluminum pistol after 500 or 1000 rounds. dokkerdam

I sent kahr my serial number (KJ 06xx) and they said July of 2008 which means the J in KJ does not correspond to a year as some have suggested. It's a TA5 pistol and does not have a "P" after the number. dokkerdam

I sent kahr my serial number (KJ 06xx) and they said July of 2008 which means the J in KJ does not correspond to a year as some have suggested.

I sent kahr my serial number (KJ 06xx) and they said July of 2008 which means the J in KJ does not correspond to a year as some have suggested.

I wanted to start a new thread on questions I have about EZ Pull spring kits for the Kahr Thompson firearms because other discussions on this website are getting dated and many of the links and actors are no longer around. I very recently bought a Kahr Thompson TA5 'Pistol' (after wanting one for almost thirty years). When I went to clear the weapon at the gun store I could only get the bolt back about halfway and figured I'd lock it at home. At home I was finally able to lock the bolt back with two hands and with the receiver against my chest. Ouch! I remembered a passage about how you always see the hoodlums with Thompsons in the movies wearing gloves. Looking on-line I have read that the close-bolt blow-back operation requires very heavy recoil springs. Then I read that there are kits out there that replace 3 springs and a hammer and make the firearm much more manageable. So here are my questions: Is the guy named Deerslayer still supplying these kits for $30 or do I have to pay $80 to Tommygunner and possibly add my name to a bunch of complaints (and they don't take credit cards or paypal). Please help me Deerslayer. Are the spring kits a composite of some springs from other applications? can I just buy the two or three springs and make my own kit? if so, what springs do I need? Or can the Springs in the gun be cut down slightly? Will I get into trouble nipping off a bit here and there? And what about the buffer plate? Finally, my Kahr Thompson has an aluminum receiver. I think at least one thread somewhere said don't do it with aluminum. For those who say build up some muscles I say this - how do you lock the bolt back on a Thompson Pistol with no buttstock to prop on your shoulder while your left hand has to hold up the weapon and lift the "third hand" to activate the bolt lock? Let's see you do it. And imagine the day when that bolt lets go and the cocking knob snags something on it's way forward or even worse the bolt face might catch a finger where it shouldn't be. still ten-fingered dokkerdam