Tell me why I don't want a 1928 Thompson

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Armymutt

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I've always wanted a Thompson, but couldn't afford one. Bought a Sten Mk2 20 years ago and have fun with it. I got hit by a drunk driver last August and have some of the insurance settlement left. I really want to use $20k of it to buy a Thompson. I tried to use the gangster movie angle with the wife. A Christmas tradition for her and her dad was to watch gangster movies. I even found a gun that was used in Road to Perdition. At this point, I'm considering moonlighting for extra cash to pay for this thing. Before I burn up my political capital with her, is there a reason why I wouldn't want this gun?
 
I've always wanted a Thompson, but couldn't afford one. Bought a Sten Mk2 20 years ago and have fun with it. I got hit by a drunk driver last August and have some of the insurance settlement left. I really want to use $20k of it to buy a Thompson. I tried to use the gangster movie angle with the wife. A Christmas tradition for her and her dad was to watch gangster movies. I even found a gun that was used in Road to Perdition. At this point, I'm considering moonlighting for extra cash to pay for this thing. Before I burn up my political capital with her, is there a reason why I wouldn't want this gun?
No reason that I can see.
Just tell the wife that you could have been killed by that drunk driver, and that by buying the Thompson, every time you shoot it, it will remind you how sweet life is with her at your side. And if she doesn’t fall for that, just tell her that you’ll let her shoot it too.;)
 
Probably better to take a road trip to a range that rents them, shoot a pile and get it out of your system.
I don't think this is something that gets out of your system. I've had the Sten for 20 years and still get a smile every time I shoot it - well, until I have to chase down all the cases so I can reload them.
 
20k does a lot of things. I think I'd rather have something I could use more and that the family could enjoy . but that's me, do what makes you happy. If you buy it right you won't lose money if you choose to sell and may make some depending on the market.
Good luck - my wife gets fidgety if I spend $1000 on a gun , 20k- she'd kill me.
 
Yah, you don't want a 1928 Thompson....

What you really want is a Heckler & Koch MP-5. ;)
You know, if I was making the kind of money I am now back in 2000, I would have an MP-5SD in the safe. I remember seeing one for $6K and couldn't afford it. Probably should have maxed out the credit card and paid the interest.
 
Jez I got hit by a drunk driver hit and run and all I got was a f'ed up neck and a medical bill.
Oh and a wrecked car.
I had part of my bike punch a hole in my foot. Still fighting a bone infection 9 months on. My midfoot is trashed. Never going to jump out of a plane again. Lawyer said it is a $500k injury. Unfortunately, I didn't have that much in under insured coverage. If I did we might be talking a Tommy and an MP5.
 
I personally would do it if I could - and some day I will. There is just something about that gun that grabs me.

I also figure it will be kind of a "borrowing" deal. There's no way the value of the gun will go down, and there's no way the thing is actually worth twenty grand. So after I'm done with it - or after the world is done with me - it will find a new home with no loss to me or mine.
 
An M1928A1 Thompson was the first full automatic I ever had. This was in 1975, and it cost me $750 (plus the tax). Later, when I was downsizing my collection, I sold it (for the usual reasons, such as it was too heavy for what it was). I sold it for a $500 gain and thought I was doing well. Needless to say, I've regretted that sale.

At $20,000 (or, more likely, closer to $30,000), I would not buy one. It's a poor investment. There are two things that can happen, legislation-wise. Either the Hughes Amendment can be repealed (unlikely), in which case the value will drop to a fraction, or else full automatics can be outlawed altogether, in which case the value will drop to zero. Either way you lose. If you had a lot less money in it, yeah, it would be a neat plaything for a while.
 
Heavy and expensive to feed compared to a 9mm.

I don't see them continuing to go up as they have. I know others will disagree, and that is fine. However, for one to double their money now a $25k gun has to go to $50k and the # of people in that market starts to drop a lot. So, I wouldn't look at it that way.

That said though, one only goes through this game one time. IF you have the $$ to do it without messing up things with the fam or eating cat food then do it. Between it being Memorial Day and me on the downhill slide in the game of life I'm looking at things a bit differently anymore.
 
I see no reason not to, if you want it and can afford it. I agree that it is not likely a good financial investment but hard to beat for traditional full auto fun.

Are you looking at one of the Auto Ordnance/Numrich guns as was being made at the 1986 cutoff? A friend got one of those ca 1987 with the price merely doubled to $2500. It was not outstandingly reliable until he got an aftermarket upgrade kit, of which only the stouter recoil spring was needed to make it shoot like it should. He also has a Sten which cannot be counted on to fire one shot at a time with the selector in Semi. Does fine in Full.

Another friend had a real USGI M1A1 that he got very cheaply through a convoluted deal with the county where he was a (reserve) deputy. He had a reload for it that would cycle the bolt but was so soft that the recoil would just hold the barrel level and you could shoot it one handed.

There are some other full autos around town, but those are the only Thompsons I know of.
Like the Franchi that was smuggled out of some newly independent African one man-one vote-one time "republic." It was papered during the GCA 1968 amnesty.
 
It'll be expensive to feed, plus---
the metallurgy isn't the best and parts are hard to get.
My Dept. had one and every time we got to shoot it, the armorer reminded us of that in no uncertain terms..

We also got to play with a .45 Uzi---no cool factor compared to the Thompson but it was a lot easier to connect with.
 
Do what you want.
But.
I think they are too heavy.
I lust for a Swedish k, MP 5, 45 grease gun or M2 Carbine.
But I'm just a nobody on the internet with an opinion.
Do what makes you happy ☺
 
I think they are too heavy.
I lust for a Swedish k, MP 5, 45 grease gun or M2 Carbine.
When I was downsizing my collection, I sold the Thompson but kept the M3 Greasegun (which I still have to this day). That tells you about my assessment of the relative usefulness of these guns. Nevertheless, the Thompson is iconic as a historical milestone, which is why I bought it in the first place. (My second FA purchase was another iconic gun, a Winchester BAR. I eventually got rid of that too.)
For sure I would get one now. The longer you put off doing it, the longer and more expensive it will be.
It is not clear that the runup in prices will continue, especially if we get into a depression and no one has any money. Discretionary purchases like machine guns will be some of the first to suffer, pricewise.
 
Reasons not to:
1st gen sub-gun
Really heavy
Drums are a giant pain, and ludicrously expensive, and cranky to operate (pun intended)
Charging handle blocks the sights.

Reasons for:
1928 is one of the finer versions, and a marvel of machining
It has both panache and cachet by the wheelbarrow-full
Fires uncomplicated 230 FMJ at a nice even rate

Probably still worth dropping a c-note renting both 1928 and M1 tommies and really shooting them, not just a quick 10 or 20 rounds. M1 and M1A have some compelling arguments for them, like simpler inside parts, simpler magazines, and a slightly lower market price.

Now, if your shopping finds you a Sterling, all bets are off. Cheap 9mm ammo, excellent mag, beautiful balance, Generation 3 subgun.
 
I'm not planning on humping it on the battlefield. To me, the weight is a feature when pumping out 230gr bullets. I looked at the M1s, but yeah, missing the whole panache thing. Pipe dream anyway. Congress pretty much is a hard no on it. Maybe I can get her to green light a 74 Norton Commando.
 
Feel your pain. First wife was " you don't need more guns or a motorcycle, " second wife buys me guns and I bought her a brand new bagger when we renewed our vows.

With a 67 Triumph Bonneville, 72 BMW R75/5, 04 Triumph Bonneville, 05 Triumph Thruxton, and 18 BMW K1600 GTL, my wife would probably believe I don't need more guns or motorcycles. I disagree. I need the Commando and I probably should get a BMW R90S.
 
With a 67 Triumph Bonneville, 72 BMW R75/5, 04 Triumph Bonneville, 05 Triumph Thruxton, and 18 BMW K1600 GTL, my wife would probably believe I don't need more guns or motorcycles. I disagree. I need the Commando and I probably should get a BMW R90S.
Hey! Keep it gun related!


- just kidding, I'm jealous so I've gotta vent.

I had an old Harley for a while, now I have kids. My wife never liked me riding a motorcycle because she works at a hospital and has seen some accident victims.so needless to say, she can be a bit over dramatic about the whole thing.
 
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