Tman Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 Fellas, One of the guys in the group got a call from a local department and was asked to assist on a warrant for a operational alcohol still and possible machineguns. Well they found the still and the MG's. But what is funny is that the Thompsons are homemade. Yes, you heard right, homemade. The suspect told the agent that he made them. I have attached some pics for your perusal and comment. The guns were assembled with the common Russian '28 parts kits on a homemade receiver. The suspect had the shop drawings and schematics so he could make the right cuts and such. The receivers have no markings whatsoever. One looks like, at first glance, that it was reassembled from a demil but further looking showed that the metal was stained. You be the judge. I wish my camera had better resolution so you guys could see the details. This guy must be a hell of a machinist. He cut the Blish lock channel and even cut the radius on the drum slots. http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/Tman1928a1/HomemadeTSMG005.jpg http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/Tman1928a1/HomemadeTSMG004.jpg http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/Tman1928a1/HomemadeTSMG010.jpg http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/Tman1928a1/HomemadeTSMG007.jpg I have more pics so let me know if you want me to post them. Enjoy, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artie in miami Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 Are you sure that he is not "one hell of a....welder/buffer". Look at the third pic from the top...right behind the blish-lock channel...that looks like a weld !! He may have welded them and then milled off the welds and perhaps the engraving (thompson smg etc) came off in the process ?? Just a thought. artie in miami Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted August 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 Artie, I thought that too. But that would be the best weld job I have ever seen. No bubbles, wavy lines, etc. The other one looks even better. Here's a couple of pics of that one. http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/Tman1928a1/HomemadeTSMG001.jpg http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/Tman1928a1/HomemadeTSMG003.jpg You can see the milling marks on the side of this one. This one doesn't have the discoloration like the first one. The suspect didn't say anything about welding on them. He said he machined them. I wasn't there or I would have asked more detailed questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Mills Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 So, how was the hooch? http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
full auto 45 Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 Hell with the guns, I want to see the still. In detail TMAN. http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/wink.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sig Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 Very impressed I would like to see those still pics as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 That is impressive for home made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted August 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 I'll get with the agent that made the scene and see if his phone pics came out. The still was dry. He said he was making alcohol fuel for his lawn mower. Yeah, right! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sig Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 Must be one hell of a lawn mower Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron A Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 Kahr should hire this guy - he might be able to produce something that works.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deathompson Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 QUOTE (Tman @ Aug 6 2007, 08:26 PM) I'll get with the agent that made the scene and see if his phone pics came out. The still was dry. He said he was making alcohol fuel for his lawn mower. Yeah, right! That "sounds" plausible. Now, for the Thompsons explanation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted August 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 He seems to be one of those guys that has to 'see if I can do/make/build it'. Ya got to give the guy some props. Now lets see if he can make a decent cigar... http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/tongue.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artie in miami Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 Greg Yes...Now that I have given it more thought, I agree w/ you. If he had tried to mill off the welds and engravings, the receiver would be much thinner than the trigger group, and there would be a "step" where the receiver meets the trigger group. I guess the guy is in really deep shit...is that considered using a smg in the comission of a felony ? I guess he made the guns to protect the still...were the guns loaded when the BATF snagged them ? The agents would have been in deep poopoo if he opened up on them w/ the tommies...they probably carry .40 cal pistols...or do they bring out the SWAT guys for raids like this ? artie in miami Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dosquattros Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 I've got two words for ya's... "AutoCAD" and "CNC" Don't you guys ever watch the Discovery Channel? http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/laugh.gif sheesh... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye_Joe Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 QUOTE (dosquattros @ Aug 7 2007, 09:33 AM) I've got two words for ya's... "AutoCAD" and "CNC" Don't you guys ever watch the Discovery Channel? http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/laugh.gif sheesh... You still have to know what you are doing. I used to work for a major machine tool company and tried to get one of our Techs to mill me out a new "cherry" in a bullet mold with one of our multi million dollar CNC machines. He was lost ....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted August 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 This guys real job is as a machinist although he didn't have any CNC machinery. The guns were in a hidden safe and unloaded. He had a couple of converted AR's, too. Us agents carry Sig 229's in .40. I think the entry was made by a local SWAT unit. Our guy was there for technical support with the firearms. I saw some rough photos of the still. This thing was made with some common lab glassware. He wasn't making it on a large scale. Phil, A person can make beer and wine for personal consumption. The law states that an adult can make up to 100 gallons per year per household. If there are 2 adults in the household, they can make up to 200 gallons. Distilled spirits are different. Any still or alcohol producing plant must be registered and an occupational tax paid with our bretheren in Treasury, the TTB. I have been with ATF for 15 years and its the first alcohol still case I have been involved in. The guys in the southeast get more exposure to them as moonshine is a cultural thing over there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deathompson Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 QUOTE (Tman @ Aug 7 2007, 04:42 PM) The guys in the southeast get more exposure to them as moonshine is a cultural thing over there. And it taste good too! Uh, I mean someone told me that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reconbob Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 I don't understand this. From looking at the photos, while the receiver doesn't look completely original, it doesn't look completely new-machined either. Look at the fillets on the drum slots - if that was new-machined, even with a dull cutter it wouldn't have that matte/shot peened look. The fact that this has a well worn finish inclines me to vote for a reweld with the engraving (for some reason) ground off. You can grind off the welding and still be as wide, or wider than the trigger frame. We'll never know of course.... As far as welding goes, if you can't make a weld without pits or gaps, you should not be welding. And anyone who thinks that AutoCad + CNC = receiver knows nothing. OK, piece of cake to work in two dimensions like a sideplate, but funny how it gets a lot tougher when you have to work in three dimensions. If you don't have the necessary skill and intuition, all the Autocad, CNC and CAM (computer assisted machining) won't help at all. Look at Kahr. If you go to their website, you'd think they make the space shuttle - computers, CNC, original drawings, blah, blah, blah. But with all their computers, software, machines, machinists, and engineers they are completely incapable of machining an ejection port (for example) and having it come out right. Also they are completely defeated in their attempts to make a 50-rd drum that works while somewhere in Taiwan those "Crosby" drums were made right and work by people with the right skill and intuition. Gun making is an ART, not a science. We are constantly offered crappy looking guns that don't look right and don't work, designed by engineers who know nothing about guns, but are (I guess) hot stuff when it comes to being a human calculator. For some reason futuristic 9mm carbines seem to attract these guys with their spacegun designs and hex head screws... Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
full auto 45 Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 QUOTE (Deathompson @ Aug 7 2007, 06:36 PM) QUOTE (Tman @ Aug 7 2007, 04:42 PM) The guys in the southeast get more exposure to them as moonshine is a cultural thing over there. And it taste good too! Uh, I mean someone told me that. I heard that also. At least that is what my Grand Pa used to say when he ran it. Uh, he ran it in his car that is! http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hardrede Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 I agree with you Bob. The edges of that receiver are "broken" in a way that usually only comes with age, wear and use. I do not see the marks of a radius mill on the edge either. If these were a two-only knock-off I would be completely shocked. I am of the opinion that these might be untraceable, but they were machined by someone/plural with significant Thompson experience. IMHO I would dig a little deeper for tool marks and machining to try and trace the original manufacturer. I would also analyze the steel for type, carbon content, and hardness. This may be deeper than just a guy with two. I would also extensively question the suspect for his methods of manufacture, where he did the work, and track down the machines and shop. I suspect that this was not a "one-man-job!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob T Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 Could the receivers have been bought as someone's "80%" ones and then he just finished them off? They do look very professional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deerslayer Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 From the photos, it looks to me from faint markings I see like there was one cut, right behind the blish lock and a very skillfull weld job and regrind or mill of the exterior, perhaps after welding in the lettering also. The metal has the look of age and appearance like the russion recievers sections I have examined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deerslayer Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 Oh, Tman, I would be happy to give the guns a going over if you would kindly send them to me for evaluation. (Mike, why didn't you think of offering.... http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif ). But, pull the barrel and the hanger and you will find the serial numbers, or perhaps a more sloppy attempt to hide them in that out of the way location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Crow Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 Well seeing that teh guns are somewhat spoken for, I'll take the still, just to make certain that its up to OSHA safety standards. I'd love to have a pint or two of moon, for my rumitiz. um my little 20's/30's museum. If the receivers are home spun, it makes me wonder what if any impact it may have on parts kits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 This makes me wonder about his level of interest in the Thompson. He is obviously a fan of the gangster era and could possibly be as fanatic as some of us. It's too bad he gave in to the forces of the darkside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now