What prices to expect for 1928 and parts.

[mgvince]

I am looking to buy a 1928 or 1928A1. What prices should I expect to find? I've been watching GB prices and it's hard to tell what might be a realistic price.

I see guns listed with up to $25,000 prices that don't ever get bids. Have been watching Subguns and Strum, and have seen similar.

 

What is a real world price that I should be watching for? Not looking for a West Hurly gun. I want a war time AO, or Savage. I've been looking at the late war 1928A1 on David Spiewak's site. He has it listed for $22,995. Its listed as a matching gun with smooth barrel and L'site. Is that what the experts here think it's worth?

 

I want a gun with finned barrel and adjustable sites. Not really concerned about matching numbers, should I be?

 

What is the opinion on parts kits? I see most parts listed on the auction sites and the gun parts retailers. Is it better to get a kit to keep around ?

 

I will be at Show of Shows in Louiville the end of Feb. Could I expect to find anything there?

 

I know this is a lot of questions, but with the kind of money I know I'll have to spend. I need all the advice I can get.

 

It's a scary thought sending that kind of money to an unknown individual on an auction site. I think paying more to a known dealer might be worth it.

 

Thank you for any replies. If any of the advanced collectors want to talk about what I should be looking for, send me an e-mail and we can talk about it

 

Vince Wehner

viwehner@sbcglobal.net

[mnshooter]

Welcome to the board.

As a new buyer you don't yet fully realize how lucky you are to have landed here. Ask me how I know.

Your first purchases should be The Ultimate Thompson Book, by Traci Hill, and American Thunder II by Frank Iannamico.

Lots of great reading. What you should buy is subject to many issues; you need the knowledge first.

You will end up in a far better position to know what you want, what to look for, and how much you are willing to spend.

The last one will determine how close you will get to the first.

When you find a prospective Thompson, ask any questions here.

No where else, period, will you get such lnformed, helpful advice.

Edited January 19, 2014 by mnshooter

[Chief762]

Vince,

Welcome to the board! Best thing I can say is 'take your time'. There are plenty of good guns out there for sale. The $20,000+ guns that don't get bids are usually Westies that are being offered by uninformed (or unscupulous) sellers trying to pass them along to uninformed buyers, IMO. That being said, I bought a WH 28 for the right price and it's a fine looking and running shooter. 99% of the folks that see it couldn't tell it's not a gangster gun if it shot them in the butt. mnshooter is right, tho. Read, research, ask questions here and be an informed buyer. When you finally strike a deal, and wait the obligatory year for the gubmint to approve you, you'll be thrilled beyond belief. Good luck!

Chief762

[jim c 351]

Vince,

You have my sympathy. I went thru the same dilemma .

My first sub was a Reising. I had joined a club that has monthly steel plate shoots and a yearly subgun match. I thought the Reising would be perfect and I would be happy for the rest of my life. I soon realized the folly of such thinking. I started having reoccurring nightmares in which I would be at my club and every member would have a Thompson and I'd be standing there with my Reising and no one would talk to me. It was terrible. I had to get a Thompson and quick.

Since I had an M1A1 Thompson in VN this seemed like the place to start. I found one listed on subguns and it was in my state so I could inspect it in person. This only made things worse. The gun was a basket case but I had to have it anyway. At least the price was reasonable.

Luckily for me I bought one of the last M1 parts kit that IMA had for sale at a reasonable price. I ended up replacing every part on the gun except the receiver and bolt. I had it sandblasted and hot blued. Its now a really nice looking gun and a super shooter.

For me things got better from that point on the nightmares went away. The pressure was off.

Next came a AO 28A1. I wasn't looking for one but such a gun popped up on subguns that caught my eye and I bought it.

Next the Idaho Auto Weapons club was raffling a Group Uzi , and selling tickets for $25.00. I figured , what the hell, I bought one. I never really wanted an Uzi, always considered it a ladies gun. But I'm glad I won it and its a big hit with the ladies every Women On target day , when dozens of ladies get to shoot it.

And last there's the Colt Navy. I always said I had no interest in ever buying a Colt. I was only interested in WW2 firearms . But one day at the club a dealer friend offered me a deal I couldn't refuse.

So, what does all this mean to you?? It means, if you are like me, you'll probably screw up on your first purchase. But it won't matter. Your nightmares will go away. The sunrises and sunsets will be more beautiful. You'll notice the birds singing. You will start having pity for the poor souls who don't own Thompsons. You will then be a Thompson sob like the rest of us and you'll never look back.

Best of luck.

Jim C

[mgvince]

I'm doing my best not to mess up on a Thompson purchase. I have The Ultimate Thompson book now, and scored a new copy of American Thunder II, off e-bay today.

 

My first MG was an MK 760. It ran good in FA but the semi didn't work very well. I wound up selling it for a killer price at the time. But seeing the prices they go for now I really wish I hadn't.

 

I bought my AC556KF from Kieslers Police supply in Indiana, in '98, for $1800. At the time they had two 1921AC Colts at $6000. each. I couldn't come up with that cash at the time. That's when I got the Thompson bug. I still have my AC. Don't have any plans to sell it.

 

I'm pretty well set on a war time '28 or '28A1. I would like a finned barrel and adjustable Lyman sight. I know the sight is not really what you need on an open bolt MG. But I like the look. It's hard to tell what I should really expect to pay for one. It seems most of what's offered are WH guns. I don't know if auction sites are that good to try to buy from, so I'm trying to network out from SOTs that I know and reputable dealers. I have a C&R so I hope that can help in transfer.

 

The only gun I see that is close to what I want right now is the late war '28A1 I had mentioned on David Spiwak's web site. I hope to see more at Show of Shows.

 

I've been going back to the first posts here and looking at 10 to 20 pages a day. I know the prices posted are not current but there is a lot of good info to see.

 

I thank you all for the replies. I know you get a lot of repetitive questions here. And it's probably hard to say what prices are good or bad. But I want to do the best I can on this purchase.

 

Thanks, Vince

[jim c 351]

Vince,

Concerning the Spiwak gun. You can always make an offer. If he would take 20 K that would probably be as good a deal as we have seen lately. If the gun has a smooth barrel and an "L" sight that could mean its original.

Sarco recently had adjustable Lymans for $175.00, two for $300.00. They can be changed. So can barrels.

Post a pic of the gun here, so we can critique it.

Jim C

 

PS I just took a look at the Spiwak Thompson and the pictures are of too poor of quality to evaluate.

Edited January 20, 2014 by jim c 351

[Speeddemon02]

Lyman sights couple hundred, fitting a new finned barrel on receiver several hundred, knowing that you never have to hope the matching lower exists and lucky enough to come across it, priceless.