mgvince Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Looking at this gun. Went to NJ. PD from AOC in 1941. From PD to current owner. No other owners. Commercial gun. No military proofs. Mint bore. Very little use. Mostly handling and storage wear. It's expensive. Is it too much of a collector gun to shoot much? Will come with two new in wrap 30rd mags only. I've been looking for a nice gun, but is this to nice to be an occasional shooter? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Henley Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 It looks to me like it would make a great shooter but still have collector appeal (assuming the receiver is uncut, unwelded, etc). I'm going to say $17-18K although others may say higher in the current market. I could have bought a really nice 1928 lend lease gun with British proof marks for $18K three or four years ago. This one is not near as nice, but the market has moved up. $20K is not out of the ball park today IMO. We'll see what others think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim c 351 Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Vince,Looks like a peach of a gun. Great for shooting or collecting.The bad news is, the way things have been going , it might bring closer to 25K.Is that close to the price?????????Jim C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCM Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Might even be tapping at 28K- Needs a good cleaning and a good home. Nice looking gun. Yes, shooter & collector type. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reconbob Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 I agree. The military grade finish enables you to shoot it without worrying about marringor wearing a pristine commercial finish. Since its a M1928A1 you can get all the spare partsyou need. I am no expert but I would think this gun would not sell for less than $20,000 andquite likely more...especially since its been a one owner gun since the PD sold it... Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gio Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Nice looking piece. I think they are probably asking between 28K-30K. It would be a gun you can shoot and enjoy. It makes no difference what we think as to the price, it's what you can afford and what it's worth to you. Make your own decision you have to live with it. Let us know if you buy it. Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motorcar Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 It's a shooter and collector like others have said. Lots of neat things about it that will bump the price, $25K would not be unreasonable in today's market. If you can get it for less, great. The only regret you may have is not buying it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgvince Posted March 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Price is $26,000 firm. I've been looking at Thompsons for over a year now. Have seen a lot of junk for $19 to $22K Westies for 20k or more. Don't see them selling, but thats whats out there. I'd like to see any guns like this for 17 to 20k I'd buy in a heart beat. I know it's top price. And I've looked at matching reconditioned guns selling for 25k. And as we all know anything is worth what you will pay for it. I will probably get this gun. It would be my only one. Thanks, Vince Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCM Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Vince,When you diddle around with a couple thousand bucks, one way or the other, in the long run, it doesn't matter. In 8 months, when the Tax Stamp comes in, it will be more valuable then when you bought it. Your happy, wife is happy, all is happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurencen Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 one thing I always say pay what you think its worth to me and keep in mind they are not and will not be making anymore, we get caught up in asking what something is worth but in the long run if you keep waiting its not getting cheaper and once you shoot it, well it just went up 20% because you likely will never sell it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Dudley Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 I'm with OCM, write out the check! It would be hard to find another as well kept and still a shooter. I think it's a good buy. In 2 or 3 years it will be a GREAT buy! U D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnshooter Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 All original finish, correct parts for that range (but all GI parts, so relatively inexpensive to replace if needed).It's a collector, and it's a shooter. It's two, two, two Thompsons in one! (Anybody remember that mint commercial?) 26 is a "buy it now" price! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgvince Posted March 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 OCM… Shhhhh Who said the wife knows. Yes it was discussed with the wife. She knows I don't jump on the first thing I see. I've done a lot reading on the board. Bought The Ultimate Thompson and AT II and Tom's Great Britain The Tommy Gun Story. And have Doug's Shop Manual on the way. Also conversations with some great board members. A Thompson has been something I've wanted for a long time. I know I will be very with this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 (edited) Hi all, I'd buy it. I've found straight guns hard to find with just some honest wear. BTW, I bought a 22k Thompson. I wish I would have passed. Just curious. I'm not an expert but should there be a "match mark" on the barrel that lines up with the line on the right front of the receiver? Sincerely, Grasshopper Edited March 6, 2015 by Grasshopper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzz Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 (edited) That gun would sell on gunbroker for $26,000. I would buy it at that price. Is there any paperwork showing that it was a police gun? The serial number range is way higher than the savage commercials are supposed to be. Supposedly they were filling police orders for like two months in 1940 and then that was that. Are you sure there are no british proof marks? Doesn't the serial number make this a lend-lease gun? Edited March 6, 2015 by buzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnshooter Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Hi all, I'd buy it. I've found straight guns hard to find with just some honest wear. BTW, I bought a 22k Thompson. I wish I would have passed. Just curious. I'm not an expert but should there be a "match mark" on the barrel that lines up with the line on the right front of the receiver? Sincerely, Grasshopper Looks like the mark could be there, but is masked by the light reflections.Hopefully will find out for sure when Mgvince takes possession Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 (edited) The highest serial number Model of 1928 that I have owned was S-125272 and it still had checkered safety and rocker pivot. The magazine catch also had no hole in it. I am not completely comfortable that these parts are original to S-141207 and after seventy four years how can we be sure that they weren't replaced at some point? That being said they could be totally original to the gun. I have a later 1928 that has had the US and A1 added because lend lease had come into effect by the time it was delivered. Or so I believe. It also has smooth safety lever and rocker pivot paddles. The magazine catch on it has the hole. So likely the change to simpler parts was between 125272 and 141207. All very interesting. I think this Thompson has some nice police history and whoever gets it should have no hesitation in shooting it. Edited March 7, 2015 by canuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CptCurl Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 I am no expert, but ask this question out of curiosity. Receiver and frame are Parkerized. Barrel appears blue. Is this correct? I think it is a great gun, and if I owned it I would not hesitate to shoot it. You will not hurt that gun by shooting it. Good luck with your purchase. Curl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSMGguy Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 This is one of the nicer M1928s out there. Matching serial numbers, original finish. Occasional shooting won't hurt it. Sometimes it's best to just buy quality even if it costs more. You'd never regret buying this gun, unless you can't afford it, meaning that you don't have the cash. The only danger is in giving credence to "what's this worth" opinions from a bunch of guys who have no money on the table. The price is what it is, subject to your own negotiating skills. There are no standard list prices for guns like these. It's not possible to turn around and buy one that's identical for a few bucks less. In 1996 I bought a minty M1928A1 and thought that I paid too much for it. I still own and really enjoy the gun. The price that made me a little uncomfortable was $5,500. That price was a bit above the market. Then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzz Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 (edited) I don't understand why some of you guys are hinting around that this gun is overpriced. In my opinion, the value of an item is the average amount it will sell for in a reasonable period of time. Can somebody please show me a few current gunbroker or subguns sales where a comparable gun sold for less than $25k? What are the chances that the OP will see an equal or better one for less money? This 28 seems perfect to me for a guy looking for both a shooter and a collector item. If I was looking for a Thompson I would jump on it. Edited March 6, 2015 by buzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reconbob Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 This gun is not parkerized, it has a flat blue (black oxide) finish on the receiver and trigger frame.This finish is achieved by sandblasting the parts before bluing. This is what most of the Russian partssets guns looked like before they were cut up. I know that some have claimed that this finish was neverused on, or specified for the Thompson, but the fact that you see so many guns like this - especiallythe Russian kit guns I think shows that this "two-tone" finish was widely used. The noteworthy featureof these guns is the flat finish on the receiver, trigger frame, and rear sight base vs. the high polishfinish on the barrel and compensator. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KR09 Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 I think that if the OP doesn't buy this gun at the asking price that there are at least three guys waiting in line behind him that will jump at the chance. I looked for almost 2 years to find a similar quality gun at a aimilar price that wasn't a welded receiver or a rewatt or that had some other issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CptCurl Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Bob, Thanks for the explanation. Curl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnshooter Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 I think that if the OP doesn't buy this gun at the asking price that there are at least three guys waiting in line behind him that will jump at the chance. I looked for almost 2 years to find a similar quality gun at a aimilar price that wasn't a welded receiver or a rewatt or that had some other issues. Four. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MG08 Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 It looks like a nice gun. AS noted by others. It will look a lot better once it is cleaned and oiled. While we all would like this to be a $20k gun, Given what I have seen TSMGs selling for over the last year, I would write a check in a minute for it at $26k IF I was in the market for a Thompson. I just bought one, so My Thompson budget just got spent. Now, if you need some WWII 30 rd mags PM me..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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