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Savage-made Thompsons have a letter “S” prefix serial number, and Auto-Ordnance Bridgeport guns an “AO” prefix serial number. Model of 1928A1 Thompsons had finned barrels and Lyman adjustable rear sights later to expedite production and reduce cost, cooling fins were no longer machined onto barrels, and a simple L-type rear sight was fitted. military guns and were given to the Allies after the Lend Lease Act was passed. military had “U.S.” and “A1” added to their receiver markings. Thompsons made under contract for the U.S. Ordnance Department, and as a result, the vertical style foregrip was replaced by the horizontal grip on most U.S. The vertical foregrip of the Thompson submachine gun did not appeal to the U.S. Early 1928 Thompsons were fitted with a vertical foregrip. The LE Thompsons are often referred to by collectors as “Savage Commercials.” The early Thompsons were fitted with finned barrels and Lyman adjustable rear sights and “knurled” cocking (actuator) handles and control levers.
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A few were sold to Law Enforcement (LE) agencies in the U.S. Many of these guns were sold to the British.
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The 1928 Model Thompsons were the very first Thompsons to come off Savage’s production line, and there were several variations. On December 15, 1939, Savage Arms Company signed the first contract to manufacture the Thompson. Parts are fairly common, but the supply grows smaller each year, as owners “stock up.” World War II Thompsons were made by Savage Arms, and starting in 1941 Auto-Ordnance opened their own factory. So, there are a fair number of transferable examples available for collectors. Model of 1928A1, Model of 1928AC* and M1-M1A1ĭuring World War II there were approximately 1.5 million Thompson submachine guns manufactured. Bulging a Colt barrel would be catastrophic replacement barrels are very hard to find. However, it isn’t practical to replace the barrel. Those who do, replace as many parts as they can with World War II Thompson parts. Thus, owners of Colt Thompsons, as a general rule, don’t shoot them. The Colt gun spare parts are also unique, rare and expensive. The Colt-era model started life as a Model of 1921 The AC suffix designates that the muzzle has a Cutts compensator.Īll Thompson submachine guns are expensive, but Colt Thompsons are VERY expensive and pretty much fit into the “advanced collector” category.
#Auto ordnance thompson review series
The dilemma facing many potential purchasers is which model to choose: the 1920s Colt-era Thompson, a military 1928 series or a military M1-M1A1 (Colt-era Thompson Models 1921A, 1921AC, 1928A, 1928AC, 1928 Navy or 1927). Through some financial dealings and last-minute ultimatums, Maguire was able to obtain controlling stock in the Corporation. Maguire decided to purchase the failing Auto-Ordnance Corporation.
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Russell Maguire was a shrewd businessman who believed that there soon would be a great worldwide demand for weapons. By all accounts, the Thompson submachine gun was a financial disaster.ĭuring the late 1930s, war clouds were gathering in Europe. In the years following the Thompson’s production, the Auto-Ordnance Corporation was deep in debt. The Thompson would have to wait for nearly 20 more years for its widespread acceptance by the U.S. By all appearances, the concept of the Thompson submachine gun was a failure. In the end, Thompson sales were very slow, and with the bad publicity, the future of Auto-Ordnance Corporation appeared quite bleak. Although the Thompson was tested by the U.S. These were nothing other than 1921 Models that were reconfigured to promote sales. Later, due to slow sales, Auto-Ordnance reinvented the Thompson with the introduction of “new” models. Colt was subcontracted by the Auto-Ordnance Corporation that did not have any facilities to manufacture the weapon. The first Thompsons made infamous by the likes of John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and others were manufactured by Colts’ Patent Fire Arms in 1921-1922. Although somewhat true, its criminal use has overshadowed the Thompson’s service in World War II by the United States and many of her allies. It was made popular by television shows from the 1960s and was often envisioned around the world as a “gangster’s” gun primarily used by criminals. The Thompson submachine gun needs no introduction to most firearm enthusiasts. Choosing a Thompson: What Collectors Should Know