Mario Scarpino

I've used my "bill clinton special" X drum in a 1921 Colt Thompson, using all 1921 internals. Drum functioned flawlessly. However, I think I put 10 clinks on the spring, rather than the recommended number. We were at a public range in Missouri. Only two other guys were at the range. When the Tommie left the case, here they came!!! The owner of the 21 let them shoot his gun. We loaded the X drum and they were as happy as can be shooting a real Thompson with a "drum" attached! They didn't know any better. So the X drum can be used as an "ammo saver" when sharing the "THOMPSON EXPERIENCE". Both guys did a drum dump, which lasted them less than 1 second. I would say the price is right for the X drum. Mario Scarpino

Get a shark fin actuator knob on it and you got it! VERY NICE!!!!!

I put a 1928 lower (machined to the Doug Richardson specs) on my 1927A1. The upper and lower fit as good as any Colt Thompson I have ever had the pleasure to takedown. So I have to use the "screwdriver" method to get mine apart. It's also in SBR mode (no comp). Now has a Lyman rear sight, 1921 style cocking knob and 1921 style wood. From 5 feet away, it looks like the REAL DEAL!!! A real 1927 would be nice, but I'll have to start playing the lottery again and win before that ever happens. Mario

alee1412, I don't know the design of the TM1, so no comment on that topic. You can go to various sites on the internet and find out if the 1927A1 and the TM1 have the same set up for the recoil spring pilot plate, springs etc. For the 1927A1 set-up, the springs that Joe H discussed are the two (QT= 2) springs that attach over the rods on the recoil spring pilot plate. These springs have to be shortened to 10 inches. Yes, making the buffer is a little involved. I have air tools and punches that made the fabrication go a little better than using more primitive tools. Once you get all of that fabricated, the next tricky operation is getting the recoil spring pivot plate with the springs on the rods back into the receiver!!!!The extra 2" of the new springs make this a challenge! The action of the "E-Z" pull springs with buffer is an improvement over the factory springs!!! Looks like we will all end up with 3 extra springs and almost a 6"X6" piece of buffer material.

Tray, There is a lot of info within this thread. Lately, the discussion has been on how to make your own E-Z spring set-up. The latest info listed the parts you could order from McMaster-Carr for the DIY solution. Your message is confusing. If you ordered an actual kit for the E-Z set-up, then you should not have to cut the springs for them to work. If you ordered the parts from McMaster-Carr, then the instructions by Joe H. says to trim the McMaster-Carr springs to 10 inches. My McMaster-Carr springs were about 11 inches long when I received them and are longer than the original 1927A1 Kahr springs that came in my Tommy. I think you refer to the original springs as the "gorilla springs"? My original Kahr springs are 8 inches long. I can't tell from your post if you clipped 10 coils off of the E-Z springs or your gorillas springs. Just wondering if you may have caused yourself a problem by improperly modifying the springs? HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!! Mario

Joe H, Thanks for the late Christmas present!!! I was hoping someone would list the technical specs for the E-Z pull set-up for the 1927A1. I've been looking for this kit, but never got any nibbles. At the McMaster-Carr prices, I'm guessing this set-up will only cost about 25% of what these kits were selling for! Can't wait to try this out!!!! THANKS JOE!!!!! Mario

Bender, I should have mentioned that I tried other springs and even modified the tang on a spring, etc. I got no where. The welding process solved my problem. But before you do that, giantpanda4's idea should be considered. Your problem can be solved!!! Good luck! Mario

Bender, Just a bit of info to throw your direct. I experienced a similar problem on my Kahr, 27A1. I put a 1928 lower on it with all of the machining tricks to make it function with the 1927A1 bolt, etc. I modified the mag catch so I would not have to alter any of the old, original, vintage,Thompson mags. After working the post that engages the magazine I started experiencing mags simply falling out of the lower receiver while trying to fire the weapon! The action of the mag catch was exactly as you describe and as I viewed in your video. I took the mag catch out and welded the left side of the post that engages the magazines and then filed it back down so that there was no side to side play (you have to allow some clearance, probably .002" - .003" for it to function) in the mag catch (between the inside face of the mag catch and the left face of the lower receiver). It looked like in your video that there is some (ever so slight) side to side play. I used my mig welder and a file and finished it all by hand and it works like it should! No problems since then!!!!! Let us know if this fixes your problem, should you try this repair. Mario

I found the layout inside the case to be interesting. A C-drum, but only room for 2 XX mags and the buttstock in the back row. I scaled off of the carry handle and estimate the case to be about 25.5" in length. I had access to another Swetnam case that held a Tommy with a Cutts comp. That case was about 26.5" in length. If my observations are correct, this case was made for a Tommy without a comp. I build cases that can be configured to the FBI or Police layout by simply moving a cartridge that holds the 4 XX mags and it can hold either a C drum or an L drum. I based my custom case on the measured length of 26.5" as measured on the Swetnam case. If anybody knows the actual length of this case, I would be interested in knowing that length. All this time I thought I had created the first case that would hold a C-drum!!! Guess not!!!

Well, not all that "stuff" is period correct! What's with the twist off bottle of Schlitz? Since Schlitz is my favorite beer, I had to look at the top of the bottle! Looks like a twist-off bottle to me!!! Other than that you score 110 out of 100! GREAT PIX!!!

I have what I believe is an original oiler, that was removed from a Colt PD gun. It has a nice soft brushed or satin finish (probably a 12 to 16 micro-inch finish) on the main body. The "MADE IN U.S.A." is stamped and readily visible (distinct lettering!!) on the knurled ring that separates from the main body. The very top "button" on the removable top is about 0.010" in diameter smaller than the WW2 oiler I have (most of the back crinkle finish is missing). But that might be attributed to fabrication tolerances. The "MADE" for the MADE IN U.S.A. on the WW2 oiler knurled ring is almost missing. Unless you knew the word was supposed to be there you would not think its there. The "IN U.S.A." is not as distinct as the Colt oiler, but readable without a magnifying glass. You may have a Colt oiler that someone introduced to a polishing wheel, "to make it look pretty"!!!! If you determine you have a Colt oiler, someone on this page might be able to tell you how to restore the original finish. The "hard core collectors" like their Colt stuff with all the original "warts". No hot rod part allowed! I hope to be hard core collector some day! Mario

Here is a picture of the Alabama case that I viewed at this year's TATA show. The hardware is difficult to see, but its the best picture I have. The corners are the triangulated type with the ball at the corner. Probably chrome or nickel plated originally. The latches are typical of what I have seen used back then. The height of the lid for the Alabama case is very short. As I remember, the bottom of the corners almost touch the bottom of the lid on the original case. This places the attaching rivets very close to the edge of the lid. The same holds true for the upper portion of the latches. I think the upper edges of the latches were almost flush with the top surface of the lid. Since I am not trying to "copy" or pass my cases off as "originals", I use hardware that I think compliments the size of the case and when installed, maintains the structural integrity of the case. Mario

Darrylta, While attending the TATA show in August, I took measurements from Tracie's Alabama case. I also took pictures. The hardware I used on this case is not representative of what was used on Tracie's case. I've looked on the internet for the original type of hardware for the FBI, Police and Alabama cases made back in the day. I have not been able to track down the same hardware used in the good old days. I don't think its even made anymore due to the influx of foreign made items that undercut the quality products that were once made in America. So far, the hardware that I have been purchasing and installing on my cases functions well and the finish has been very good to excellent. I think most of the original hardware was plated steel (Chrome or nickel???). In todays market, I find that I have a better selection of hardware that is brass plated. I do his for fun, when I have time. Winter does allow me to work in the basement and build some stuff. I would build a case (FBI/Police, Missouri or Alabama) for an individual and they could choose the style of hardware (of the ones I use), the color of the interior, what options they want and the type of exterior covering (leather or vinyl). Each case would be a custom case. The problem is the cost of the labor. These cases require a lot of time to get all the details just right. I have one of my FBI/Police cases that holds a C-drum or an L drum in the build process. It will be the basic case (no options), use the basic hardware, have a blue interior and have a black vinyl exterior. I plan to put it on e-bay to see what it will bring. I can't compete and I am not trying to compete with the cases built overseas. Thanks for your interest in the case. Mario

I just finished this case. I took measurements of an Alabama case this year at the TATA show. I tightened the dimension up just a bit to take some of the slack out of the inside dimensions to keep the Tommy from moving around. I also inverted the position of the gun and the magazines from the original design. When carrying the case, the Tommy is already indexed to the bottom of the case, instead of trying to fall to the bottom (original design). I added a bar at the bottom of the case that contacts the Lyman sight and keeps the gun from moving side to side. The original design had tabs extending from the bottom surface of the case that helped to keep the gun level and made contact with the barrel. The weight of the gun makes these tabs deflect under load and become loose over time. The interior color is purple but I don't think it shows up that well in the pictures. Exterior is leather. Rather than hold a Thompson submachine gun, this case looks like it should hold a pool cue! Balance is off with the carry handle centered in the case (and no ammo in the mags). I loaded the XX mags on the left side of the case and the balance was almost perfect! Someone was asking about violin cases for the Thompson. I was the guy at the TATA show with the display of converted violin and viola cases. I do not build these cases, but convert them. The key is to find an original case is very good to excellent condition. A full sized (4/4) case is what you want. Make sure the hinges, latches and carry handle are in very good condition. If the case has a few scuff marks, I do not dismiss these cases. This only adds "personality" to the case! But you don't want a junker either. You want an old style case with the hump on the lid where the bridge is located on the instrument. With this hump on a violin case, you can usually get an L drum and the butt-stock to fit in the top of the case. A 1921, 27, 28 model with a "horizontal forearm" will fit in the bottom of a violin case. If you want a front vertical grip, then you need a viola case (4/4). My converted viola case has the butt-stock, L drum and C drum above the separator plate. In the bottom of the case is the Tommy, 4 XX mags and a storage compartment (where you keep your rosin!). Some of the other cases I have built can be viewed at this sight. See February 14 2014 topic about FBI/Police cases and August 6 2014 for the "Missouri Case" that I designed and fabricated. These cases are built from 7 ply, Baltic birch plywood and are totally hand built. I buy my hardware from outside sources. PM me if you are interested in cost to convert a violin or viola case. Mario

All, I've made several FBI style cases in the past year of so. The "week to make" is correct. I'd say it's at least 40 hours to build an FBI/Police case from scratch. Now multiply 40 hours by whatever labor rate you think a craftsman is willing to work for today and you have the labor costs. Then add in the cost for the machine tools required to make the case. Add in somewhere between $150.00 (vinyl exterior) to $250.00 for the materials (leather exterior), including all the hardware and you have the cost without profit and without shipping and handling. I wouldn't even start to build a case if all the market would bare was $600.00 TO $650.00. It's simply not worth the effort. Overseas provides the cheap labor these days. It's hard to purchase something today that doesn't say "made in china". If you find a well built, made in America, FBI case for $650.00, I strongly suggest you buy it!

I found a surplus M1 barrel at a gun show (about 12 years ago, cost me $60.00, those were the days!!). It was wrapped in burlap and coated with cosmoline. I had a machine shop cut fins on it to look like a 1921. I don't like compensators, so I ended up using a 1921 Colt front blade sight and had that pinned to the end of the barrel. Everything fit perfect! I later had my 1927A1 completely refinished when I had it converted over to an SBR. The guy doing the refinishing told me I could save a lot of money by me working the outside surfaces (upper and lower receiver, trigger, etc.) and not pay him tons of money to do it. So I did all of the surface work. All he had to do was remove the original barrel, install the short barrel and the bluing. It came out looking really good! I also installed a 1921 Colt safety switch and had PK add the knurling to a 1928 selector switch. I also installed a 1921 Colt lower grip. I had a local gun stock manufacturer rough out a front vertical grip and a butt stock (I used a 1921 Colt as the patterns for both) and I finished them. I had a pencil rub off of a 1921 Colt of the stampings on both sides of the receiver. I had a local laser shop (they could duplicate the font exactly!!) add the following to the left side of the receiver: COLT'S PATENT FIRE ARMS MFG. CO. and HARTFORD, CONN., U.S.A. I also added a surplus Lyman sight that I refinished and had blued as well. My ejector is the flat type, like the Colt guns. I used a 1928 lower and had the machine shop do the Richardson cuts to it. So now it has the removable butt stock and the Colt style wood fits perfectly! PK also made me 1921 style cocking knob. NOTE: On a 1921 Colt, the middle line on the left side of the receiver (I think) states the following: MANUFACTURED BY However, Kahr drops the first line of their information down from the top of the receiver and you cannot get the "MANUFACTURED BY" to fit on the receiver, or you would have to eliminate one of the two lower lines I mentioned above. I chose to leave the "MANUFACTURED BY" off. When I took the gun in to have the barrel installed and refinished, the guy at the counter asked his co-worker; "Do I put down Colt's as the manufacture or Auto - Ordnance"? I explained to him what I had done to the receiver. For the most part, my Tommy looks just like a 1921-27A Model. At the TATA show one of the participants saw my 1927A1 and said "I didn't now Kahr put that information on their guns". I told him I added it. I guess the purist will not like what I did, but then its my gun! So you might think about some of these things when you go to the shop for the SBR. Mario

ineverlistentoFM, I sent you a PM about the case awhile back. Thanks Mario

Thanks for the compliments, I'm glad you like the case. I could build these in my basement, one at a time as I am not in the case fabrication business. Missouri winters can be tough, so being stuck in the basement is about 50-50! I could be building cases instead of shoveling snow!! I would offer the customer the choice of interior colors (I had samples of 15 different colors of material on display at TATA), vinyl exterior as the base or leather upgrade (extra cost) and if they wanted the adapters for the drums (extra cost) and the ammo with 2 drums (extra cost). The way my adapters are built, you can get the adapters for the 3 drums as a separate option (DO option), but if you want the drum/ammo option (DA Option) you must buy the DO option as well. If you have a compensator on your Tommy, I can build the case to suit your gun at no additional cost. While at the TATA show I measured Tracie's Alabama case just for comparison to what I built. His Alabama case is for a compensated gun. But I now know the actual dimensions for an original Alabama case!! If you go back to Feb 14 of this year on this site, you can see the FBI/Police case I designed that holds a C drum or L drum and can be configured into either layout. The change over only takes about 5 seconds to complete.

I finished this case about 2 months ago but wanted to debut the case at the TATA show in Ohio. The show was great, with lots of the usual characters in attendance. Tracie gave me a prime location to show my cases at the Convention Center! THANK YOU TRACIE! This case is based on the Alabama case, but with my personal touches here and there. It's actually 3 cases in one. The basic layout is a Thompson with a box of ammo. There are 4 XX mags as in the Alabama case. I made adapters that allow the installation of either 3 L drums and 2 additional XX mags or 2 L drums, 2 boxes of ammo and 4 additional XX mags. I call it the Scarpino Missouri Slim Line (SMSL). Also seen in one of the pictures is my Persuader parts kit, that I also displayed at the TATA show.

I'll pitch in for gas money if you can get Arthur to show up.

Casper, If you search this forum for "FBI/Police case add a C-drum" (I started that post on 14 Feb 2014, St. Valentines day) you can see pictures of a case I designed that can be converted from a FBI to a police case and hold a C drum or an L drum. And a M1A1 with special machining of the divider plate in the lower section of the case. I am getting ready to assembly my first case made from 3/8" thick, 7 ply, Baltic birch as soon as I end this message. My prototype is what you see on the post from 14 Feb. I could make a standard FBI or police case or a case that holds an L drum but is convertible from FBI to police style. I hope to have some of the convertible C drum type cases at Tracy Hill's show and shoot this year. Mario

Buzz, You're correct. Rich guys don't care how much they spend. They know they have more money in the room than anybody else. Back about 10 years ago here in the Midwest, there was a big auction of vintage jukeboxes. The rarest of the rare. People showed up from all over the U.S. Europeans were bidding by phone! One machine sold for about $30,000 (about $10,000 more than what was the current market value). A guy said to the winner bidder something like "that's a lot of money for that machine"! The winner says, "I have $343 million, I don't care how much it costs". It's nice to be rich! If I was, I'd be buying those 1927's for $160,000. (but I bet there is room at that price to negotiate). So one deal is just that. It was just a few years ago we were all talking how prices had come down. Happy St. Pat's Day everyone!!! Mario

Hawkeye, Did you take this picture? I have a question about the ejection port on this firearm. If you were there and took the picture you may have the answer. Tracy's book says the shells were ejected out the top of the receiver. It looks like there may be a port just behind the end of the barrel, contained within the curved surface on the front and top of the receiver. Looks like that may be the only likely place the port could be. Thanks for posting this picture!! I am currently making a copy of this firearm as a display piece. Your picture clarified a few things! I've been using the pictures from Tracy's book and a self determined scaling factor to attempt in getting the dimensions as accurate as possible. Do you have any more pictures you could post or send me? Take care, Mario

Have you ever been to the Tracie Hill Convention Center and seen all those Tommy Guns, cases and other goodies on display? Those highly desirable and rare C drums are always sitting off to the side of the FBI/Police case, looking so neglected! But not anymore!! Here is a design I came up with for an FBI/Police case that will hold a C drum or an L drum and can be configured as desired. An M1A1 could be used with this case by reversing (rear of receiver to far left side) the gun in the case and cutting a slot in the lower partition plate for the bolt handle. I had access to an original FBI case and I used the original width and depth lengths for this case. Only the height was increased to accommodate the C drum. The key to the design is the "floating cartridge" that holds the XX mags. The cartridge can be slid into whatever configuration you want (FBI or Police) and then you place the drum and buttstock where you want. It takes only seconds to change the layout. Just like the Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys we played with as kids!!! I made portable spacer blocks that are basically the same dimension as those used in the original cases to take up the space when configuring the case with an L drum. The spare parts kit sits on a pedestal. The top edge of the pedestal also holds the cleaning rod in place. The spare parts kit must be in the center of the lid in order to get the lid closed when using a C drum. This case was made from solid ash, glued and assembled with screws. Next case will be fabricated from 7 ply, laminated, Baltic birch and covered in leather. I also plan to use the early design latches next time. I like the latches I used on this prototype and they perform well. They do not have the wide flanges around the perimeter like most reproduction cases. I used an upholstery grade vinyl (looks like leather) for this prototype case. One of the trick features of the case is the secret compartment in the lid. The I.D. plate is removed (snaps in place), the back cover in slightly separated from the wall of the lid and a tab can be pulled that is wrapped around a business size envelope and the envelope raised to the surface. This is where I keep my registration papers. I have various I.D. plates that snap into place. Since this case will hold C and L drums and XX mags, I used those letters to name my design. It's called the Scarpino Special Classic (Model SS-CLXX, pronounced "classic", PATENT PEND. 19212728M1A1). My next design will be for the Scarpino version of the Alabama case. I've also included pictures of other cases I have made for my Tommy. HAPPY SAINT VALENTINE'S DAY - BIG AL AND BUGS!!!! Mario

Tray, Thanks for the compliment. Your version is very nice as well! Looks like there is a lot of interest in "cases"! I need to make one correction to the information I posted earlier. The foam pieces are glued to the liner material and then the foam is trimmed to match the outline of the liner. The foam is not wrapped around the edge of the liner, only the velour.