philasteen Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Historic Tommy gun found in wallApril 14, 2005 at 2:07 PM http://www.upi.com/img/clear.gifhttp://www.upi.com/img/clear.gifhttp://www.upi.com/img/clear.gifhttp://www.upi.com/img/clear.gifhttp://www.upi.com/img/clear.gif JOLIET, Ill., April 14 (UPI) -- An Illinois man found a mint-condition 77-year-old Tommy gun in a wall of his house, but authorities took it and now he wants it back. Andrew Mayes, a Lockport Township real estate businessman, was renovating a house he had just bought when he found the immaculate Thompson submachine gun stowed in a canvas bag, with about 400 rounds of ammunition. Mayes called the sheriff's office and Deputy Dan Jungles picked up the famed "Chicago typewriter," as the notorious weapon of the infamous '20s gang wars was known, and took it in, the Joliet Herald News said. Sheriff Paul Kaupas said the particular model "shoots real sweet" and wants to keep it. Mays wants it back and has contacted a lawyer about recovering it, though it's against the law in Ilinois to possess fully automatic weapons. http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2005/04/14/Historic-Tommy-gun-found-in-wall/55051113502020/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Mills Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 I remember this story and I think there was a post about it here As I recall it was an M1, could be wrong about that. If your post above had a pic it didn't load, at least on my device here. Thanks for posting. GI Jive, do you recall the outcome of this one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kocapuff1 Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 (edited) This was a GI 1928A1 was found in the wall of a house in Lockport, IL. I thought it could of been maybe a COLT 1928 overstamp, but from I remember and read more lately it was a mint 1928A1 Savage Thompson. It was found with about 8 boxes of .45 ammo, in the original 1940s boxes of different manufactures and some magazines as I recall. No drum with it. The Will County, IL Sheriff's Police is in possession of it. Edited May 19, 2015 by Kocapuff1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzz Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 how is the homeowner going to keep it without paperwork? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kocapuff1 Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 The homeowner that purchased the home, for a remodel/resale and found the Thompson in the wall will never get the Thompson back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSU Tiger Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Wasn't it behind a false wall in a coat closet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrylta Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 The last complete Colt TSMG parts kit I saw went for 8K, a nice windfall:-)Darryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gijive Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Hey Ron, Yes, I remember that one. Keith is correct, the gun was a Savage 1928A1 in the 300,000 serial number range. The Will County Sheriff kept the gun after confiscating it. The exact serial number was posted ten years ago on the Board, maybe someone can find the old post? I guess we're running out of things to talk about, we're re-hashing ten year old stuff:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCM Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 Here's a new " Thompson wall gun " story. When they were building the new highway/Interstate in St Paul, I think this was in the early 60s.they had to raze some homes in it's path. One of the old houses, was one that the Barker's had stayed in ( Ma Barker). They found a L drum " in the wall" or something and one of the workers took it home- poof, gone.I got this story from a guy that was working road construction at the time. A Ripley's Believe it or Not type story I guess. But ?One of those things that's probably sitting in Grandpa's drawer. Fun little story anyway. OCM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kocapuff1 Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 I can get some actual digital photographs of the Thompson found in the wall. Are people interested in seeing the pictures of that Thompson? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSU Tiger Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 I would be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piep Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 Yes I would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kocapuff1 Posted May 24, 2015 Report Share Posted May 24, 2015 Here are the pictures. It is not a "mint" 1928A1 Savage Thompson, but definitely by the look at the clean-up of the receiver and metal parts it appears to be a GI War Trophy bring home (if it could only talk). It has a beautiful condition M3 Thompson sling on it. GI Jive has confirmed this one is not in the BATF registry, so no form on it. I hope you all enjoy the pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSU Tiger Posted May 24, 2015 Report Share Posted May 24, 2015 It's a nice one. Too bad that it'll languish in a police vault. Thanks for posting the pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgeport28A1 Posted May 24, 2015 Report Share Posted May 24, 2015 Hopefully it stays in one piece and some exercise. I love the Blanchard marks. Not on a Form 10, maybe it will get papered if another amnesty ever happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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