Phila Ordnance M1928, M1928A1 Full Auto Blank Gun

[sc269]

Thanks Reconbob for the answer to the blank question.

[Roland the Thompsongunner]

Bob

Can the M1A1 be bought without the lower and wood like the 28 version? Some guys may have these parts from kits already. Thanks, thompsongunner

[TSMGguy]

Time has passed and now there is a manufacturer making a blank gun which uses a standard

.45 blank and I have petitioned the ATF to allow the use of a standard size blank.

In the meantime we have the blanks designed for the gun available.

 

Bob

Frankly, that's what I was afraid of. Owners of early "guns" can only use PO's proprietary blank cartridges, while PO starts making guns that will use a standard .45 blank, available from more than one source.

[anticus]

Sounds like it just needs a bolt change to accommodate the larger rim on standard blanks.

[MauserMatt]

Bob

Can the M1A1 be bought without the lower and wood like the 28 version? Some guys may have these parts from kits already. Thanks, thompsongunner

 

I was curious about this as well. I really wanted to get in on the pre-order when they first came out. But wasn't able to.Now I may be able to swing it.....

 

Thanks!

[reconbob]

I am working on either an extra bolt or a modification of an existing bolt to be able

to use "standard" blanks. I will say again that the reason for the special blank was that

ATF strongly suggested it was necessary for safety to get the gun approved.

The new or a modified bolt would enable the use of both standard and Phila Ord

blanks.

If you have a trigger frame and stock and only need the upper the price of a

complete upper is $1995.

 

Bob

[anticus]

Awesome ,Bob !

[anticus]

Received my gun yesterday and wow ! All tricked out with my 28 lower and vintage wood it more than looks the part. Will post pics and a shooting report soon. Amazing job Mr. Bob!

[Vettom]

👍

[anticus]

Here are a few pics of my new Philly Ord blank gun. All original wood and lower frame.

 

 

 

 

[bug]

Here are a few pics of my new Philly Ord blank gun. All original wood and lower frame.

 

DSCN0126.JPG

 

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WOW, that is fantastic. Enjoy...

[dantheman]

As much as I hate resurrecting an old thread, are there any hopes of more of these 1928 style upper assemblies being made? I’d sure love to acquire one to accompany my M1A1 blank gun, and I have 1928 parts kits sitting on go. I’d love to have a 1928 by Bob in the same blank chambering as my M1A1 rather than going the route of Indianapolis ordnance and dealing with two different blanks.

[Blanksguy]

A complete 1928A1 Blank-Firing-Upper would be great....even as a "Kit".     ....and I too am awaiting reply(s) to items requested from the Phila-Ord Order-Messages on M1A1 80% receivers.....and Swedish-K 80% receiver, etc. (?).....but know that Bob is really busy.

Regards,

RichardS, US Army, RET

 

[reconbob]

      I made and sold/shipped about 10 M1928A1 blank guns, by now it has to be going on three

years ago, maybe longer. It is the same design as the M1A1, but with a finned barrel, compensator,

actuator type ball knob cocking handle, M1928A1 trigger frame and stock (NOT an M1/M1A1 frame

and stock) and the choice of the Lyman "L" sight, the Kahr/Auto-Ord semi auto sight, or an original

Lyman 55B sight. They were and are great blank guns. I have never advertised them but word 

snuck out that I made them and I have many orders for them.

     In all honesty, the best chance for these blank guns is for someone to buy and take over Phila

Ordnance and put them into genuine production vs. my one man shop "boutique" production. I have

tried to get other shops to make parts to help the cause but the parts are not easy to make and other

shops quote triple (or more) what it costs to make them in house with my dedicated machines, fixtures,

tools and programs. For example, the feed ramp on a Thompson is a double compound angle cut. The

ramp itself is 15 degrees, but it also requires additional side cuts to generate the entire ramp. I have a

special fixture on one of my horizontal machining centers which holds two receivers at 15 degrees and

the whole fixture gets rotated (4th axis) to the necessary angles to complete the cuts. One feed ramp

takes 4 min. Most shops can't do it and "no quote" it. 

    The other problem is that the technology used to make Thompsons is now the technology of 100

years ago. The theory and science of machining is completely different now. Today somebody will run

a 3D model of a part through a CAM (Computer Assisted Machining) program which will automatically

write the program to make the part. One feature of this new technology is the use of tungsten carbide

endmills which take a series of light cuts at high speeds. The result is a part which is dimensionally

correct, but has visible lines and striations where the endmill has stepped over. OK, great, but a Thompson

receiver or trigger frame does not have these visible lines and people reject parts that look like this. (See below)

     I posted on this forum a little over a year ago that I wanted to pass the torch, but nothing came of it.

Most people had no money, wanted me to give them the business, and pay me over time.

Of course, when I ask them what happens if they get sick or in a car accident they have no answer.

     I am still making guns as best I can, but I will be posting on my website that I want to sell Phila Ord.

and hopefully will find someone to take over. The irony is that whoever takes over will make far more

money than I ever did, but thats OK.

Bob/Phila Ord

Trigger frame machined using modern technology

[dantheman]

Bob, your response signifies why you are held in such high regard. It’s your attention to detail, and all the efforts you take, and have taken, to make parts that are truly replicas instead of generic copies. I understand the frustration when it comes to modern CNC technology that can make the part, but the purists will crap the bed because the machining marks don’t match the ones made by purpose built cutters almost a century ago. I’m one of them lol.

 

And I also get you want out and to sell the business. I truly hope someone will step up and take over the reigns. You certainly deserve to take a step back. This is a niche market, for sure, but with Phila Ord out of the game it leaves a huge void in the Thompson world. Especially with the excellent blank guns you produce. In my opinion your offerings are far and above any others in the market, hence my desire, and others, to acquire a 1928 upper to complete the “set” so to speak. 
 

If we were able to spread the word, and get commitments for one final run of 1928 blank uppers, would this be something you would consider? Even if it’s just the barreled action and bolt/actuator knob, with the buyer having to provide the remaining screws, sights, comps, ejectors, etc. I feel confident we could get enough commitments if you were to offer something along the same lines of what your only competitor, Indianapolis ordnance, sells which is a basic kit. 
 

If this is something you’d consider I’ll be more than happy to help spread the word in the reenacting community. I know we can get at least 10, maybe more, commits. I’m number 1. People are buying the IO offering as fast as they can make them, and I have seen first hand they have had issues with them. All I’m asking is just consider it, if you would. And if so, I’m here to help. The details can be sorted out regarding payment, terms, etc, but I’m more than confident they’d sell, and quickly.

Respectfully,

Dan

[TSMGguy]

Bob, can the uppers and complete blank guns still be purchased?

[dantheman]

Bob isn’t currently offering these 1928 uppers, or complete 1928 blank guns. I brought this back up in hopes that he would offer them if enough interest could be raised to generate a minimum order. I’m proposing a basic, stripped, bare bones 1928 upper assembly with bolt and faux actuator to be assembled by the end user. 
 

If he’d be willing to do so I’d be happy to help facilitate spreading the word for a so called group buy or pre-order list.