WH Thompson transformation to 1921AC

[Guest title ii]

Gentlemen and 1921AC owners,

 

The list below is what I plan to have done to a WH Thompson once I get it from the dealer. Give me your feedback if I have left anything out or your recommended updates. Parts for the upgrade will mostly come from a WWII lend/lease kit.

 

1. Replace the barrel and Cutts compensator with parts from the Russian lend/lease kit.

2. Smooth the record groove ridges on the end of the bbl, and round the radii of the fins, per the early 1921 standard.

3. Finish the rough nose of the receiver.

4. Add and reblue (to match) enclosed Gordon flat ejector.

5. Clean up the (very) rough edges around the ejection port.

6. Add a matching serial number to the frame rail, and also route the stick magazine channel.

7. Replace magazine release catch, and insure replacement does not have a hole in it also fill in and re-checker if needed.

8. Round the rear of the receiver.

9. Straighten a bow in the receiver that causes the trigger frame to hang upon removal. This may have been imparted to the receiver when the lettering was stamped into it.

10. Straighten actuator slot.

11. Manufacture and reblue a ’21 actuator.

12. Polish and deluxe bluing of all affected pieces. Polish the receiver nose, top edges, and rear.

13. Place divots at the entrance of the drum guides.

14. Also, checker the fire control levers (for the fire-safety control lever make it look like the 1921 with the hole in it), and install a grip mount.

15. Install a true Lyman site.

16. Inside the receiver bolt pocket are some issues. The locking ramps for the Blish I believe are out of spec, and perhaps some shims need to be added to correct this.

17. Do what ever you need to do to make the receiver function flawlessly and be in spec. Gunsmith will do this...

18. Install a set of Dan Block Thompson wood set with foregrip handle 1921 style. Treat and finish the wood and install it. Make the wood have that dark purple hue characteristic of the 1921 if possible.

19. Replace with Russian lend/lease kit as you see fit to attain the 1921 look for the following pieces: trigger, rocker, sear, disconnector, lever sear, trip, and all parts associated in this area.

 

Thanks!

[joseph12297]

Wow, that is going to be nice, hope you can share pictures when you are done!!

 

Richardson made, hopefully he still has one left, a compensator that resembles a type 1 with no markings, but has the larger thread diameter to fit the later pre war and WW2 threaded barrel. I would suggest not having WW2 compensator markings, if you are doing all the rest of that work.

If you are going to the point of having the lower internals resemble 21, don't forget the latch on the butt stock hardware was nickel plated also

 

Have fun!!

[bug]

If I were going to do what you have planned, I would not install a compensator. As I get older, the classic look of the 21A excites me more and more. As a general rule, replace all the WH parts you can with Colt or WWll stuff rather than modifying them. Good luck.

 

Bob D

[mnshooter]

Reads like a checklist I've seen from a PK gun. If you want his work, get on the wait list.

You will also need a 21 buffer and spring. Instead of the original style, get one that uses a full size neoprene buffer pad. Lots of information on these in earlier posts.

And start setting aside several thousand dollars.

[Chief762]

Sounds like a fun project. It's going to be time consuming and expensive, but that's what we do...consume time and cash. I've done some of the things you listed to my Westie and I'm on PK's list to do some others. In the meantime, I'm shooting hell out of it and having a large time. It runs like a top with whatever I choose to feed it. Good luck!

[Guest title ii]

You guys are awesome! Thanks for all the pointers and information. Keep it coming! I will for sure post before and after pictures. I'm on PKs list since at least early 2011 I think. I dont know whats going to take longer getting the approved form 4 with the govt shutdown in place or being called that my number is up to send in the Thompson to PK for upgrading.

[Paladin601]

Curious, why do you think the blish lock is out of spec, what is it doing?

 

Sounds like a hell of a fun project

[Guest title ii]

Pictures tell the story... Not quite sure whats going on.

[Guest title ii]

The lock is almost wearing down it appears. The photos may not show the wear pattern well. I'm thinking it must be the receiver which is most likely out of spec. or it could be that it's a wh part? Everything will get an overhaul in the process and parts replaced with wwii parts. I have not shot the weapon yet. Ill probably wait and not shoot it until pk or john andrewski gets a hold of it for diagnosis and repair. Edited October 8, 2013 by title ii

[The1930sRust]

Definitely lose the Cutts!

[First Sergeant]

Agree, loose the Cutts, 21A is much cooler. I had PK do all of that on a first year 1928 WH and it is a work of art. Well worth the wait and cost.
Time and some big bucks will transform a WH into a masterpiece. I'm guessing you are around a year out from getting the call/email. Keep us posted. Chuck

[Guest title ii]

I think ill go without the cutts as my other WH has it already and yall are right the look of the 21A is cool. I know very little about the 21A set up. What do I ask for and where is the best place to get a set up? I'm getting a wwii parts kit that will not have the original 21A hardware. Thanks again everyone!

[mnshooter]

I think ill go without the cutts as my other WH has it already and yall are right the look of the 21A is cool. I know very little about the 21A set up. What do I ask for and where is the best place to get a set up? I'm getting a wwii parts kit that will not have the original 21A hardware. Thanks again everyone!

A couple of months ago, Doug Richardson still had some of his new production 21 actuators for sale.

They have some subtle differences from the originals; my guess is to prevent them from ever being passed off such.

If you have a knurled GI actuator modified to 21 type, you will have two thirds of the cost of a Richardson.

I had a Richardson actuator installed in my 21 on display at this years TATA event, just to see if anyone would notice, and none of the most Thompson knowledgeable people in the world mentioned anything, so when I say the differences are subtle, that's how subtle they are. You would need them side by side to tell them apart.

You will also want a milled ejector, available as new productions or early GI Savage, and the improved 21 buffer assembly mentioned earlier.

Edited October 21, 2013 by mnshooter

[First Sergeant]

In addition , have the mag catch filled in and checkered, the fire control levers modified to 21 standards and checkered. I had PK make me a 21A barrel as well. If you don't have an original Lyman adjustable sight, get one and have him install it. Go with the delux blue and you should be all set. Chuck

[Z3BigDaddy]

I can send you another blish if needed...

Pictures tell the story... Not quite sure whats going on.

[bug]

Is that a GI bolt you're using? If not, I'd get one before using a new blish lock.

[mike in pa]

If I were going to do what you have planned, I would not install a compensator. As I get older, the classic look of the 21A excites me more and more. As a general rule, replace all the WH parts you can with Colt or WWll stuff rather than modifying them. Good luck.

 

Bob D

I thought about making my 1928 Westie look like a 21A, I love the classic look too.

[Guest title ii]

Is that a GI bolt you're using? If not, I'd get one before using a new blish lock.

Yes, its a GI bolt with a 'S' marking however there is something strange about it. Near the center of the bolt where the blish lock enters there is some machining that has worn away on the bolt and it is in the white. I am guessing that this occurred when the bolt came in contact with the receiver perhaps? Its hard to tell for sure as I do not have the receiver to compare it to as its still awaiting transfer at my SOT. Either way I am going to replace it with a bolt that is in the white to match the 1921 look. I actually have not shot the Thompson yet so all of this would have been prior to my ownership. The previous owner said he never shot the Thompson and it sat in his safe the entire time he owned it. He got it from the estate of the original owner (a WWII vet) who would have been the one who first fired it outside of any factory test firing in West Hurley, NY. I haven't done a FOIA yet to be sure about the linage of ownership as I don't want to bother my dealer who is always super busy selling inventory at gun shows here in Texas. You guys are all really great! Thanks for everyone's advice!

[Guest title ii]

 

I can send you another blish if needed...

Pictures tell the story... Not quite sure whats going on.

PM sent. Thank you!

[mnshooter]

The previous owner said he never shot the Thompson and it sat in his safe the entire time he owned it. He got it from the estate of the original owner (a WWII vet) who would have been the one who first fired it outside of any factory test firing in West Hurley, NY.

 

 

Anybody know: Did the factory even test fire the Hurleys?

[OCM]

Interesting to me why people don't like the Cutts comp ? In my Thompson world, the wood grip, L drum and Cutts give the Thompson the classic look, you know where I'm coming from tho- Little hard to clean but that's part of the fun.

IMHO, of course.

 

OCM

[joseph12297]

IMHO also....

[Z3BigDaddy]

Nope, the comp looks clunky to me... But only my humble opinion.....

[Canuck]

Nope, the comp looks clunky to me... But only my humble opinion.....

 

I agree with BigDaddy and prefer the look of a gun without the compensator. I've always found that redheads caught my eye too but that's for a different forum.

[Guest title ii]

Here are the before photos of the WH receiver and stock parts for comparison. Enjoy! It will be a completely different looking weapon once restoration/repairs are complete. I will post the after photos when I get it back from restoration/repair.