Where have all the Tommys gone?

americanthinker.com ^ | 6/17/2016 | Thomas J. Hall

[rktman]

No one uses Tommy guns anymore. Today's thugs sling lead at one another with their plastic wonder-guns across playgrounds and parks, with poor accuracy and less style. Desperados, the demented, and the depraved appear to have settled on the ubiquitous black rifle as their favorite fashion firearm. Even Chicago, America's Free Fire Zone, hasn't seen anyone mowed down with the fabled Chicago Typewriter in decades.

It is a puzzlement.

After all, the Tommy is an all-American weapon, an iconic symbol of American independence and ingenuity. General Thompson intended it to sweep trenches clear of enemy soldiers, but the Germans, rather inconsiderately, threw in the towel before development work was complete. Yet the general persevered, in due course bringing forth the Thompson Model 1919: genuine American walnut and intricately tooled, highly polished steel. Able to carry up to 100 rounds of .45 ammunition and spit them out at the rate of 600 per minute (1,200 in early models).

[freedomlover]

Roland was a warrior from the Land of the Midnight Sun

With a Thompson gun for hire, fighting to be done

The deal was made in Denmark on a dark and stormy day

So he set out for Biafra to join the bloody fray

Through sixty-six and seven they fought the Congo war

With their fingers on their triggers, knee-deep in gore

For days and nights they battled the Bantu to their knees

They killed to earn their living and to help out the Congolese

Roland the Thompson gunner...

His comrades fought beside him - Van Owen and the rest

But of all the Thompson gunners, Roland was the best

So the CIA decided they wanted Roland dead

That son-of-a-bitch Van Owen blew off Roland's head

Roland the headless Thompson gunner

Norway's bravest son

Time, time, time

For another peaceful war

But time stands still for Roland

'Til he evens up the score

They can still see his headless body stalking through the night

In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson gun

In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson gun

Roland searched the continent for the man who'd done him in

He found him in Mombassa in a barroom drinking gin

Roland aimed his Thompson gun - he didn't say a word

But he blew Van Owen's body from there to Johannesburg

Roland the headless Thompson gunner...

The eternal Thompson gunner

still wandering through the night

Now it's ten years later but he still keeps up the fight

In Ireland, in Lebanon, in Palestine and Berkeley

Patty Hearst heard the burst of Roland's Thompson gun and bought it

[Big Red Badger]

450,,,,

Dang.

[IronJack]

And a number of Winchester Model 12 shotguns.

[Romulus]

My daddy carried one in Europe. He had a dangerous job, but never had to shoot at an enemy.

I’ve fired one, and can attest to the weight.

[wrench]

Didn’t Bonnie carry in Whippet configuration?

[RainMan]

My dad was the BAR man in his unit. Told me that he got the job because he was the only one that could lug the damned thing around.

[Romulus]

LOL, to keep out all the dangerous criminals from Waveland and BSL? Cops and government creatures in general are never more themselves than just after a hurricane, when the power-grabbing instinct overwhelms all else. It is what vexed me more than anything else after Katrina, and what the rest of the country never understood.

[MileHi]

Years ago I met a guy at a range who was shooting a full auto Thompson. He let me fire a 30 round mag. WHAT A HOOT! Emptied it in three bursts due to muzzle climb.

[rellimpank]

—and for those short on history, pistols and revolvers almost got included in the National Firearms Act—the NRA stopped that-—

[LouAvul]

Actually here in free America we can own full auto. But thanks to Reagan I can’t own a machine gun manufactured after 1985. That means if I wanted full auto Thompson I’m gonna pay about 25K. That for something that takes maybe $200 to make. I really want a full auto TG

[wbill]

I've fired one too. I thought that it was heavy and underpowered. Pretty, though, with that nice walnut furniture. And it balanced well....Just felt "right".

There's a scene in "Saving Private Ryan" where a soldier fires his Thompson through a wall to kill the bad guys. Dad and I both simultaneously looked at each other and said "Bull****!!!". :-)

[wrench]

Also, Nixon wanted a total ban on handguns. His handlers talked him out of it.

[rellimpank]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvTv-I2Y390

[rellimpank]

—yes—

[jumpingcholla34]

My Dad carried a stick magazine Thompson in New Guinea in World War II. He said the barrel started climbing with the first round, so he just used short bursts. He never complained about the weight.

[Rebelbase]

[Rebelbase]

“Give me that chopper”

Starts around 2:40: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgGngBampYg

[archy]

Didn’t Bonnie carry in Whippet configuration?

Bonnie's whippet was a 20-gauge Remington Model 11, being as she was but 4’ 11” and 90 pounds. It was displayed along with other hardware recovered from their death car after the shooting.

[Retain Mike]

Amen! My life would be impoverished otherwise.

[1Old Pro]

Bonnie's whippet was a 20-gauge Remington Model 11

I need to check which model 20ga Remington I have. I'm pretty sure the barrel on mine is longer.