US Sub Machine Gun Thompson 1928A1 lot 226

• No Reserve
• Margin
• Buyer's premium 16.5 % of the hammer price and VAT according General Conditions
• Location: Nederweert The Netherlands
• Estimated Price: Euro 1700,- Euro 2200,-

US Sub Machine Gun Thompson 1928A1

The favorite weapon with British Commandos and U.S. Rangers throughout the War and for many years afterward

Description:                      Sub Machine Gun Thompson Model 1928A1
Weapon number:             285705
Year of Manufacturing:    1943
Calber:                              .45
Length:                              31.8in (807mm)
Manufacturer:                  Colt's Patent Firearms Co., Hartford, Conn., US.; Auto-Ordnance Corp. Bridgeport, Connecticut, US; Savage Arms Co., Utica, M.Y., U.S.
Weight:                             10lb (4.20kg) without magazine; 12lb 8oz (5.42kg) with 50-round drum magazine
Barrel:                                10.5in (263mm) long, six grooves, right-hand twist
System of operation:        Delayed blowback, selective fire
Rate of fire:                        Cyclic, 800rpm
Feed system:                    20 or 30-round detachable box magazine; or 50 or 100-round detachable drum magazine

Description:
The Auto-Ordnance Corporation was founded in America in 1916 with the intention of developing a variety of weapons. The most well-known of which is, surely, the Thompson submachine gun. Named for General John T. Thompson, the company's design director, the first models were built in prototype form in 1919. The first production models appeared in 1921 and from then on manufacture was small but continuous throughout the 1920s and 1930s. The first official military recognition came when the U.S. Marine Corps was issued with a number of the 1927 model, which were officially named the M1928

In 1939 the Thompson was the only submachine gun in production outside Europe, and as a result the governments of Britain, France, and Sweden hurriedly placed orders. Shortly afterwards the US Army also ordered a large quantity. But the Thompson was a difficult gun to manufacture; the engineering processes were numerous and complicated, and the materials used were of the best quality, a fact which was reflected in the price of almost £50/$86, as compared to the later Sten's £2.50/$4.30. By the end of 1940 orders for more than 318,000 guns had been placed; previous production had been by the Colt Co. under license from the Auto-Ordnance Corp., but now Auto- Ordnance built its own factory and by late summer of 1941 was producing guns. The Savage Arms Co. was also given a license to manufacture, and between these two plants over 125 million. Thompson guns were produced during the war.

The M1 and M1A1
In order to make production easier the gun was redesigned in 1941 as a simple blowback gun. The facility of using a drum magazine was also discarded and a 30-round box became the standard. Various other simplifications were made, notably the abandonment of the carefully made front grip and its replacement by a simple wooden fore-end. The resulting weapon was standardized by the US Army as the MI submachine gun on April 1, 1942. This was later modified into the MIAI by making the firing pin integral with the bolt, and dispensing with the hammer.

The Thompson had a lot of drawbacks, it was difficult to make, it was expensive, and -even in its simplified form- it was heavy. But for all that, it had one great virtue in the eyes of soldiers: it was reliable. Trouble with a Thompson was a rare event, provided it was properly cared for. It was a favorite weapon with British Commandos and US. Rangers throughout the war and for many years afterward.

Biding and Buying this Lot:

European citizen:

A deactivated weapon is a real firearm which has been altered in such a way that it is no longer capable of discharging any bullet, missile, or other projectile.

All weapons offered in this auction are deactivated / neutralized / disabled to the new EU regulation 2015/2403, as incorporated into Dutch law on 13 May 2016.

Before we are allowed to deliver a disabled firearm, you need to be over 18 years old. We need a copy of your ID card, passport, or driver's license. As soon if this document is received we are able to send you the disabled weapon with the certificate at Buyers expense.
No delivery or shipment of lots can be made without presentation of the above mentioned
documents.
The buyer remains responsible for his purchase as soon as it is awarded and will pay at least the related costs.

Non-European citizen:

If you want to make a purchase of an EU deactivated weapon, make sure that you are also allowed to own this weapon according to the laws of your own country. It is up to your own responsibility to purchase an EU deactivated weapon. It can be possible that you need to provide us a valid weapon license before we can send your purchased EU deactivated weapon, as we need to follow Dutch government regulation regarding export of (deactivated) weapons outside of Europe.

In case if additional activities are required in such a transaction all relevant cost will be charged to the Buyer.