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Colt Thompson Spare Part Kits


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This morning I just got around to adding a number of items, that a colleague was good enough to send me, to my GH Spare parts container, # 253,although I have been unable to locate my 'Breech cleaning brush', trouble with spending little time at home these days, I often forget where I have put things.

 

GH Spare Parts Kit '253'.JPG

 

Which reminded me, did anyone find any GH spare parts containers with a higher number than '253'?

 

Stay safe

 

Richard

Edited by rpbcps
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Did Rusco or Mills ever subcontract out to somebody to make a Cleaning Kit that is roughly the same size a the 20 round magazine...to fit in a Canvas Carry Case.???

 

I was talking by Email with someone who stated the Spare Parts Kit was part of the USMC 1928 contract, they wanted kits.

Sounds strange that Rusco or Mills would not have offered a Kit that fits perfectly into their product prior to 1928 since they were making the Canvas Carry Cases long before 1928.

Edited by jojeep
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  • 1 month later...

How about #271. Anyone have one of Gordon's kits with a higher number?

 

attachicon.gifGH - #271.JPG

 

#293 (& 269) reported on this post:

http://www.machinegunboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21553

 

So #293 is the highest number reported so far, I believe?

 

Stay safe

 

Richard

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I still have the box Gordon shipped his spare parts box in. As you can see he numbered each box and insert but unfortunately not like an artist does a limited edition print such as 678/1000. So it is anyone's guess but I think there would have been at least 200 and likely no more than 500. Additionally I wonder if he shipped them sequentially? If he did and those remaining in his estate end at 300 (just picked that number arbitrarily) then we would have our number. Maybe?

 

Presuming the person from whom I bought my GH spare parts metal container, is selling off the remaining examples in GHs estate, I sent them an email asking:

"out of curiosity, do you know how many of the ‘reproduction Colt 1921 Thompson Spare Parts Boxes’. Were produced by Gordon? I note the one I bought from you earlier in the year is numbered ‘253’? If you have any left, I am also curious to know, what the box numbers are ? "

​The reply was not very positive I am afraid:

"I have no idea how many boxes / brushes Gordon had manufactured, I would guess less than 1000 pieces. And, since I pull them from storage here and there, cannot tell you what the number(s) are, I do not know....."

​Oh well, worth a try to pin down a number anyway and we have still to find a number above the 200 range, although 293 is close to 300....

Stay safe

Richard

USMC Spare arts in 1929 Catalogue.jpg

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I wonder if the re-popped cleaning rods are marked in any way? Any RKI's know? I have one original around here somewhere. Gordon looked at it sometime back and confirmed that it was original. Tough find he said.

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Cleaning Rods for the Thompson gun. Another great question. My research on this subject was put on hold to allow time to finish my book. I was also contacted offline by an FBI agent who told me his field office had four long cleaning rods still in use and promised pictures. I knew these would be an excellent resource so it was a good place to stop (for me). Unfortunately, the pictures never came. And I moved on to other research and stories after publication of the book. The below research positively identified the well made long cleaning rod that former Class Three dealer Terry Williams marketed inexpensively as a reproduction years ago. The Williams rod or none of the other known reproduction cleaning rods were marked as such but the Williams rod can now be easily identified as a result of the below thread.

 

http://www.machinegunboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=16281&hl=%2Bcolt+%2Bera+%2Blong+%2Bcleaning+%2Brods

 

​Enjoy. Feel free to join in the discussion!

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  • 7 months later...

Several years ago I talked with Gordon about his venture to reproduce the parts tins. Back in the 1990's I kicked around the same idea until I learned the cost to produce the dies necessary to stamp the 11 or 12 parts present in the original tin. 

I believe he said the original run was 500 pieces. The person who is selling the left over tins and cleaning rods on eBay could probably confirm that.

1921A

Edited by 1921A
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  • 1 year later...

I believe that this ad for Gordon's reproduction bore cleaning brush is placed by Ms. Gavin:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Reproduction-Colt-Bore-Brush/264392029647?hash=item3d8efe35cf:g:5NEAAOSwYV5dI45D

 

Likewise this ad for Gordon's reproduction chamber cleaning brush:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Reproduction-Colt-Chamber-Brush/264392031876?hash=item3d8efe3e84:g:5NEAAOSwYV5dI45D

 

 

Best of luck, and be well.

Edited by Merry Ploughboy
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TD., on 06 Jan 2018 - 05:28, said:

Cleaning Rods for the Thompson gun. Another great question. My research on this subject was put on hold to allow time to finish my book. I was also contacted offline by an FBI agent who told me his field office had four long cleaning rods still in use and promised pictures. I knew these would be an excellent resource so it was a good place to stop (for me). Unfortunately, the pictures never came. And I moved on to other research and stories after publication of the book. The below research positively identified the well made long cleaning rod that former Class Three dealer Terry Williams marketed inexpensively as a reproduction years ago. The Williams rod or none of the other known reproduction cleaning rods were marked as such but the Williams rod can now be easily identified as a result of the below thread.

 

http://www.machinegunboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=16281&hl=%2Bcolt+%2Bera+%2Blong+%2Bcleaning+%2Brods

 

​Enjoy. Feel free to join in the discussion!

I have kits # 292, 305, 288, 297, 261, 249, 279, 252, 260 and one that I can't put my hands on right now. Sooner or later these kits will disappear and the price will go up. I bought these to put with some hard cases that Greg made up for me. I have a pile of cleaning rods but only one original. Edited by firearm
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I believe that this ad for Gordon's reproduction bore cleaning brush is placed by Ms. Gavin:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Reproduction-Colt-Bore-Brush/264392029647?hash=item3d8efe35cf:g:5NEAAOSwYV5dI45D

 

Likewise this ad for Gordon's reproduction chamber cleaning brush:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Reproduction-Colt-Chamber-Brush/264392031876?hash=item3d8efe3e84:g:5NEAAOSwYV5dI45D

 

 

Best of luck, and be well.

 

I bought both my repro bore cleaning & chamber cleaning brushes from Mary Gavin, who was also selling the Gordon's Box No. 253, which I also bought back in 2017.

 

Stay safe

Richard

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David just imagine in 25 years or so they will all be deemed Originals..and a 109 year old member here will shout....Avenge me Avenge me..and Harry Pierpont will wander off on that long and dusty road.

 

this is the thing that dreams are made from. Parts kits galore.

 

RON K.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Brad,

That is good news, if you don't mind me asking, what number is your box?

 

I wonder how many Mary still has in stock, I guess like the originals in the 1930's, there is not a big demand on the market for them.

 

Stay safe

 

Ricard

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