Whatacountry 20rd refinished mags

[68coupe]

Clearly not mine, but whatever. Just sharing. I have "no dog in the fight", so to say.

Karl

https://whatacountry.com/thompson20-roundmagazine-refinished.aspx

If not allowed, please accept my apology and delete this post.

Edited June 5 by 68coupe

[Frank I.]

They were at SAR West last December and had a lot of nice original finish 20 and 30 rd Thompson magazines for $25.00. 

[Mjk42]

I recently got an M1 and it only has one 30 round mag. Thanks for sharing this. Seems like a good option to get some more mags that appear in pretty good shape. Aside from the obvious, is there a benefit to using 20 vs 30 round mags? 20 round mags more reliable? Get some of each??

[Merry Ploughboy]

In my experience, the difference in Thompson mags is this:

If you give a new-to-the-Thompson shooter a 20 round mag, they'll do a 20 round mag dump.

If you give a new-to-the-Thompson shooter a 30 round mag, they'll do a 30 round mag dump.

If you give a new-to-the-Thompson shooter a 50 round drum mag, they'll try to do a 50 round drum mag dump, but will turn the Thompson into an anti-aircraft weapon in the process.

MHO, YMMV, etc.

ETA: Also, a new-to-the-Thompson shooter might find the 30 round stick mag awkward to handle and in doing so, scratch the bluing on the Thompson receiver.

Edited June 8 by Merry Ploughboy
update

[StrangeRanger]

Both 20s and 30s work about as well.  The ones in good shape work, those that aren't don't.

I only have 30s. 20s run out of ammo too soon 🤣

[First Sergeant]

Call me a snob but I only use 20 rd mags on a TSMG that has a vertical front grip.  A 30 rd mag with a vertical just looks 'strange' to me.  I'll use either with a horizontal front grip.  I know.....SNOB !!

[rpbcps]

3 hours ago, First Sergeant said:

Call me a snob but I only use 20 rd mags on a TSMG that has a vertical front grip.  A 30 rd mag with a vertical just looks 'strange' to me.  I'll use either with a horizontal front grip.  I know.....SNOB !!

As I am based in the UK, we can only display our collections, no live firing allowed.

But, even for displays, I prefer authenticity, as I like to call it rather, than being a snob.

So, all the Model of 1928's, bar one, and the 1928A1's are displayed with XX magazines. The Model of 1921 and one of the Model of 1928's are displayed with L Drums. Only the M1A1 is displayed with a 30 rnd magazine.

That runs smoothly with the theme of the displays, 'The Tommy Gun Story'. Tom Davis's book, which inspired the theme of the display, is always on show. As are the British XX magazine boxes, and an explanation provided, of the issues with the British purchase of magazines and the development of the Pattern 37 pouches used to carry the Thompson mags.

For added authenticty, I love the display of the L Drums though. So I was pleased when Cincylance offered his display stands for the Thompsons fitted with the L Drum, on this forum. Prior to that I could only display two TSMGs fitted with drums, as explained above. Now I can display all of the Model of 1928's with an L Drum.

[Mjk42]

Got some of the 30s so I can waste my ammo faster 😬

[68coupe]

2 hours ago, Mjk42 said:

Got some of the 30s so I can waste my ammo faster 😬

It's not a waste if you're having fun. A waste would be destroying a perfectly good watermelon on a hot day instead of a peice of paper. We each have our own priorities. LOL

Karl

[Merry Ploughboy]

8 hours ago, rpbcps said:

As I am based in the UK, we can only display our collections, no live firing allowed.

But, even for displays, I prefer authenticity, as I like to call it rather, than being a snob.

So, all the Model of 1928's, bar one, and the 1928A1's are displayed with XX magazines. The Model of 1921 and one of the Model of 1928's are displayed with L Drums. Only the M1A1 is displayed with a 30 rnd magazine.

That runs smoothly with the theme of the displays, 'The Tommy Gun Story'. Tom Davis's book, which inspired the theme of the display, is always on show. As are the British XX magazine boxes, and an explanation provided, of the issues with the British purchase of magazines and the development of the Pattern 37 pouches used to carry the Thompson mags.

For added authenticty, I love the display of the L Drums though. So I was pleased when Cincylance offered his display stands for the Thompsons fitted with the L Drum, on this forum. Prior to that I could only display two TSMGs fitted with drums, as explained above. Now I can display all of the Model of 1928's with an L Drum.

Call me a snob also - I had a divot cut in my wood stand so that I can put a Thompson with a C drum on display.  (On the other hand, I don't display the ProMag 40 round drum.)

ETA: The Thompson C drum I have is a Kahr item that I bought via a close-out sale a year or so ago; it's not a vintage C drum.

Edited June 10 by Merry Ploughboy
update

[Canuck]

14 hours ago, First Sergeant said:

Call me a snob but I only use 20 rd mags on a TSMG that has a vertical front grip.  A 30 rd mag with a vertical just looks 'strange' to me.  I'll use either with a horizontal front grip.  I know.....SNOB !!

"It is the way"

[Merry Ploughboy]

5 hours ago, 68coupe said:

It's not a waste if you're having fun. A waste would be destroying a perfectly good watermelon on a hot day instead of a piece of paper. We each have our own priorities. LOL

Karl

Comments like that might get you haunted by the ghost of Charles Bronson.

[68coupe]

6 hours ago, Merry Ploughboy said:

Comments like that might get you haunted by the ghost of Charles Bronson.

I would welcome that. Charles Bronson is a legend!!! I would love to have a conversation with him. I don't honestly think we would have too many differences in opinion on current events. After all, he was an ACTOR. I really don't think he would care, one way or the other. Produce is best served as a target for edged weapons, which demonstrate the sharpness of the weapon, OR LACK THEREOF. Ballistic weapons results are best displayed with gel or animal carcasses. ROFLMAO

Just my humble opinion, Karl

[OldFalGuy]

OK I am going to say something I shouldn’t- I have more 20 & 30 mags than I could ever use,…. L drums too.

But for $25 you should got some but if they refinished them they might have been covering up pitting. I would want to see pictures of any I bought first.

The pitted ones I have been given still work just fine. They most important thing is the mag latch hole- is it correct or messed up and used in a semi

Mark

[Mjk42]

9 hours ago, OldFalGuy said:

OK I am going to say something I shouldn’t- I have more 20 & 30 mags than I could ever use,…. L drums too.

But for $25 you should got some but if they refinished them they might have been covering up pitting. I would want to see pictures of any I bought first.

The pitted ones I have been given still work just fine. They most important thing is the mag latch hole- is it correct or messed up and used in a semi

Mark

I ended up buying the original GI finish ones. Listed as good condition with pictures showing good finish. They specify that they are not modified for semi so should be good. Agree that with refinish you never know what was covered up. I can update when I get them but seemed like a decent option at $45.

[OldFalGuy]

Unless a HUGE new stash has been discovered  somewhere $45 is super price. I vaguely recall recently seeing someone selling 5 20rders with pouch for a good price like maybe $110-120 for the set

 

[rpbcps]

On 6/11/2026 at 2:57 PM, OldFalGuy said:

Unless a HUGE new stash has been discovered  somewhere $45 is super price. I vaguely recall recently seeing someone selling 5 20rders with pouch for a good price like maybe $110-120 for the set

 

And do you want to take a chance,  waiting for another 'HUGE new stash' being discovered. I made that mistake years ago, and regret it.

Sometimes you just have to throw the dice.

[Merry Ploughboy]

On 6/10/2026 at 10:02 PM, 68coupe said:

I would welcome that. Charles Bronson is a legend!!! I would love to have a conversation with him. I don't honestly think we would have too many differences in opinion on current events. After all, he was an ACTOR. I really don't think he would care, one way or the other. Produce is best served as a target for edged weapons, which demonstrate the sharpness of the weapon, OR LACK THEREOF. Ballistic weapons results are best displayed with gel or animal carcasses. ROFLMAO

Just my humble opinion, Karl

My comment was an oblique reference to the actions of the characters in the Bronson movie "Mr. Majestyk"

From Google AI: "In the 1974 film Mr. Majestyk, Charles Bronson plays Vince Majestyk, a humble Vietnam War veteran and watermelon farmer. He didn't actually shoot the melons; instead, they were tragically destroyed by ruthless mobsters working for the hitman Frank Renda. The gangsters machine-gunned Majestyk's entire harvest to spite him, which ultimately pushed him to hunt them down."

[68coupe]

5 minutes ago, Merry Ploughboy said:

My comment was an oblique reference to the actions of the characters in the Bronson movie "Mr. Majestyk"

From Google AI: "In the 1974 film Mr. Majestyk, Charles Bronson plays Vince Majestyk, a humble Vietnam War veteran and watermelon farmer. He didn't actually shoot the melons; instead, they were tragically destroyed by ruthless mobsters working for the hitman Frank Renda. The gangsters machine-gunned Majestyk's entire harvest to spite him, which ultimately pushed him to hunt them down."

It's been decades since I've seen it. I was in Junior High School when it came out. Your joke went over my head at 20,000ft...

[Merry Ploughboy]

1 hour ago, 68coupe said:

It's been decades since I've seen it. I was in Junior High School when it came out. Your joke went over my head at 20,000ft...

Yeah, I've been asked what I was doing when I first heard that JFK had been shot.  And I can give an answer.

[68coupe]

4 hours ago, Merry Ploughboy said:

Yeah, I've been asked what I was doing when I first heard that JFK had been shot.  And I can give an answer.

I was 20 months old when that happened, which still makes me older than most folks.

[jpw43]

12 hours ago, Merry Ploughboy said:

My comment was an oblique reference to the actions of the characters in the Bronson movie "Mr. Majestyk"

From Google AI: "In the 1974 film Mr. Majestyk, Charles Bronson plays Vince Majestyk, a humble Vietnam War veteran and watermelon farmer. He didn't actually shoot the melons; instead, they were tragically destroyed by ruthless mobsters working for the hitman Frank Renda. The gangsters machine-gunned Majestyk's entire harvest to spite him, which ultimately pushed him to hunt them down."

Killed the melons with a S&W 76!

[Doug Quaid]

On 6/8/2026 at 8:18 AM, Mjk42 said:

I recently got an M1 and it only has one 30 round mag. Thanks for sharing this. Seems like a good option to get some more mags that appear in pretty good shape. Aside from the obvious, is there a benefit to using 20 vs 30 round mags? 20 round mags more reliable? Get some of each??

There is absolutely no reason under the sun to buy 20 round mags for an M1 style Thompson.  

A 21 or 28 owner might want a 20 round mag if he is fussy about "authenticity", but the 30 round mag was developed for use with the M1 model.  The 30 is THE mag for an M1.

If you want a 20 round count, just load 20 rounds into a 30 round mag and call it good.  

The 30 round mags are 100% reliable in any Thompson.  If your Thompson is jamming when using a stick mag, probably the feed lips on the mag are bent.  Which can be corrected by a feed lip tool.


 

Edited June 20 by Doug Quaid

[Bridgeport28A1]

7 hours ago, Doug Quaid said:

There is absolutely no reason under the sun to buy 20 round mags for an M1 style Thompson.  

A 21 or 28 owner might want a 20 round mag if he is fussy about "authenticity", but the 30 round mag was developed for use with the M1 model.  The 30 is THE mag for an M1.

If you want a 20 round count, just load 20 rounds into a 30 round mag and call it good.  

The 30 round mags are 100% reliable in any Thompson.  If your Thompson is jamming when using a stick mag, probably the feed lips on the mag are bent.  Which can be corrected by a feed lip tool.


 

Maybe a person wants a XX magazine in tribute to the Marine on Wana Ridge on Okinawa with the M1 Thompson.

[Doug Quaid]

Were there any problems reported about the 30in WWII?  Did the troops in the field ever prefer 20 round mags over the 30?

Supposedly, they did not like the drum mags because they rattled and were bulky.  And the Brits liked to solder up the witness holes in the 20 to keep dirt out.  

But I have never run across any complaints about the 30 in field use.