The Iconic Tommy Gun

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 1/4/2019 | R Reed

[V_TWIN]

I suspected an original one of these is worth a pretty penny. Looks like they go for around $25,000.

[traderrob6]

I have an SS Black Widow Luger (42). I get a Thompson submachine gun and I’ll be happy. The wife......Not so much.

[Yo-Yo]

I suspected an original one of these is worth a pretty penny. Looks like they go for around $25,000.

Which is about the going price for any transferable submachine gun these days.

Transferable fully automatic M16s go for around the same price, due mostly to their transferability, not their collectability.

[AppyPappy]

They issued one to my dad and he was too small to use it so he swapped it for a carbine. If you are not going to use a weapon, get the lightest one to carry.

[CopperTop]

The ones I've picked up at gun shows were real boat anchors.
While they're still loaded with "cool factor", for firing a pistol cartridge I'm thinkin there's lots better options. d;^)

[eartick]

From the article;

The Thompson remains one of the most collectable full-auto firearms, with prices ranging from $15,000 for a 1970s production gun up to $45,000 or more for a Model 1921 or Model 1928.

[wally_bert]

A chopper or Chicago typewriter.

[BBB333]

While reading this article a Warren Zevon tune waifted into my head...

[redfreedom]

That’s a scary picture of an old white racist with an assault rifle. /s/

[gdc61]

I own a semi-auto version called a Fox.45 carbine. fun to shoot even in semi-auto form. AOC makes or made a semi-auto version that as recently as a few years ago were readily available for 750 to 1500 dollars

[Big Red Badger]

Fox 45,,
I’ll check it out.

[Verbosus]

Real interesting.
Thanks!

[Rinnwald]

The Blish lock and oiling system were complicated and ultimately unnecessary. When Savage Arms simplified the design during WWII into the Thompson M1 and M1A1 models (yes, the U.S. Army used “M1” a lot), they went to a straight blowback action, and it worked just fine.

[Big Red Badger]

Interesting piece,
Fox started out with a knockoff
of the “Grease Gun.”

[Fresh Wind]

I fell in love with the Thompson as a kid watching The Untouchables.

[minnesota_bound]

I have fired a Thompson submachine BB gun at the state fair :)

[YogicCowboy]

Yes, with side ejection.

Massive and well made, all milled if I recall correctly.

Nice scene in Patton of a soldier killing two vultures feasting on corpses after El Alamein, in single-shot mode: longer barrel and sighting radius obviously enhanced performance and accuracy of the .45 ACP.

[YogicCowboy]

There was also the M1941 Johnson, used mostly (entirely?) by the Marines.

[Big Red Badger]

Well,
Hope it’s not a Spitfire!