AO thompson

[Domino]

I was considering buying one of the Auto Ordinance (Kahr) thompson model 1927's if that AWB sunsets and they make the 50rd. drums available. I guess it's just silly to pay $1000 for an obsolete, heavy, and semi-automatic thompson but come on, that would be such a fun gun to have. plus nobody currently makes a "solid" carbine in .45 ACP anymore and it would go great with my Mil Spec 1911. I was wondering if anyone had any experiences with these things good or bad and any advice on approaching a purchase of this kind. I've tried to search a little on this forum but haven't quite found the info i'm looking for so if anyone knows anything please let me know, thanks.

 

[Bullet]

I don't have any info for you but I think a Thompson would be real fun. I'm not sure if I would consider these obsolete. A friend of mine has 2 under his bed 1 for his wife 1 for him. I wouldn't want to be a person breaking into his house. I just wish they made one in stainless.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Here's my toy.
I wanted the military style.
Fun gun.
I even grew used to the 16 inch barrel to the point the short barrel looks strange.
New 30 round mags can be found at the gun shows for $20 or less.
Good 20 round mags are hard to find.

The M1 won't take the drum mag.

 

[Domino]

yeah baby

the M1 looks like hella fun, I was thinking of the 1927 model, so I have 2 questions. How reliable is your M1 and do you know if the 1927 type can take stick mags or just the drums?

 

[M2 Carbine]

It's very reliable. About the only trouble I have is with my reloads. Some of my practice brass is getting pretty beat up.

When you first get it the action is tight, the bolt is hard to pull back but it smooths out nicely.

The Thompson only likes round nose bullets or near round nose hollow point bullets like Remington Golden Sabers.

I'm pretty sure the 1927 will take stick mags.


Strange thing is the hole in the mags for the magazine catch on the semi auto Thompsons needs to be about an eigth inch higher than the full auto.
In other words, when I buy a new mag I have to use a Dramel tool to grind the hole up a little.

One good thing about the 1927 is it comes with a good Lyman rear sight.
The M1 just has a crude peep sight.

The rear sight is held on with 4 screws.
I mounted a Weaver base and Red Dot sight.
It doesn't look good on a Thompson but my old eyes need the help and the factory sight can be replaced in a few minutes.

 

[Third_Rail]

M2, how much did you pay for yours?

Is there any way to convert it for drum mag use?

 

[MrMurphy]

The M1927/28 model takes both sticks and drums. The M1 and M1A1 only take sticks.


I've shot one, it was fun and nice to shoot, but be aware it's a 12lb plus gun, offhand does get heavy after a while!

 

[Third_Rail]

Nahhh, I love how the front handguard of the M1 looks, I can't stand another handle. It makes it prone (in my mind) to getting caught on things.

 

[Zach S]

My 1927 is robo-reliable, although a friend of mine has had it fail to feed twice in one range session Always works for me. I dont care much for the vertical foregrip, but I leave it for the "awe" factor. The drum doesnt lock the action open when its empty, you cant fire 20 rounds from it and decide to quit, you have to fire it all before you refill it, and takes three hands to un-load it from the gun. AO sells the "third hand." The only problem I've had out of mine is the front sight drifts out of the cutts compensator, it drifts straight back, so accuracy doesnt suffer. I think the new sights are pinned in the dovetail. I can get 30 rounds in a 1.5" - 2" group at 25yards with two or three flyers, if it had a red dot I could probably shrink the groups to .5" or so...

Obsolete, heavy, low-pressure ammo, the stock feels about 2 or 3" too long, I've never dated a girl that could shoulder it for a whole mag, some couldnt shoulder it at all becuase of the stock length, its got a high bore axis and wanted to climb before I got used to it, long range sessions can wear me out, it has puny sights, and the 16" barrel still looks weird to me. Very fun gun. I'm thinking about picking up SA USGI to go with it.

Looked unfired when I got it. Came with the pre-ban L drum (50 round)and two 30 round sticks. Got a hell of a deal, I paid a grand for it. Fought the urge to buy it for several weeks before I caved. Been fighting the urge to sell the drum and get at least half my money back since. I only have to fight that urge for 12 weeks or so though

I havent found any 20 round mags for it.

 

[Zach S]

Is there any way to convert it for drum mag use?

Probalby. The only difference that I'm aware of is the slots arent cut in the M1 lower for the drum. Sticks load through the bottom, however the drum slides in sideways in slots through the "magwell."

It probably would help if my digicam wasnt missing and I could get closeups, but of you compare the lowers of the commando and the M1 where the mag feeds into them, you should be able to see what I'm talking about. Its do-able, but I wouldnt trust myself doing it.

 

[Third_Rail]

I see what you mean about the cuts, but from what you told me about the drum, I'm pretty sure I don't want it!!

The M1 is now on my list of things to buy. Hopefully I can get it for less than $1k

 

[M2 Carbine]

Third_Rail, I paid $893 with tax (new) at a gun show.
As has been said, realistically you can't convert the M1 for drum mags.

Zach S,
mounting a Red Dot is easy, cheap and requires no modification.
You need a Weaver scope mount (number 63 I think) for the Marlin lever action. The mount is flat based.
Unscrew the rear sight and mount the Weaver mount in the right two holes. You may have to drill a hole in the Weaver mount to align with the Thompson holes.
Make sure the new screws are short enough so they don't interfere with the bolt.
The Red Dot will be off center to the right (or left if you want).
If you want to get real fancy you might make a scope base to center the scope/Red Dot
Since there's no recoil just the two rear sight holes are plenty strong to hold the mount and scope.
I had to Lock Tight the screws.

And Zach, Cheaper Than Dirt has had 20 round mags that function good but look super bad. Some have deep rust pits.
The CTD mag in this picture is one of the better ones, with small rust pits.

 

[Domino]

cool

Wow, thanks for all of the info. Now that I think of it the 1927 commando might be a better choice. How easy are Thompsons to field strip, if I remember correctly in Road to Purdition Tom Hanks puts his entirely togather in about 10 seconds, barrel and everything.

 

[boofus]

This is probably sacrilege but I thought about buying one of the Auto-ordnance guns and having it SBR'd to built one of these...

A firing pulse rifle would be too cool... If the plastic parts don't melt from the barrel heat.

I'd have to wait for the stupid AWB to go away too, even space guns are subject to that draconian feinswine POS legislation.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Domino,
The receiver (upper) and the trigger housing/stock are dove tailed together.

There is a spring/plunger under the back of the receiver that has to be pushed in (with a small screwdriver) to allow the triggerhousing to slide backwards off the receiver.

I just lay the rifle on a table up side down or on it's side to slide the trigger housing back.

Then the springs, bolt, etc justs lifts out.
There's a notch, that you can see above the pistol grip so the bolt handle can be removed.

If you want to remove the stock and play shoot from the hip the gun is still 29 inches long so it's still legal without the stock. The stock is just bolted on.

And the M1 Garand web sling fits it nicely.

 

[Bullet]

Are the Thompsons open or closed bolts?

 

[M2 Carbine]

Full auto are open, semi are closed.

The Feds have frowned on open bolt semi autos for some time now.

 

[Domino]

thanks M2

Thanks for the dissasembly instructions M2. What about the barrel, how is it just threaded in or is it harder to take off? Also, Boofus do you have a link to that atrocity you showed us? I would never do something so horrendous but it is a creative idea that I would be interested in learning more about.

 

[Domino]

open bolt semi's

Aren't the open bolt semi's easier to convert to full auto? Thus why the feds are so strict on them.

 

[Third_Rail]

Exactly. If you're trying to convert an open bolt to FA, there really is not the big issue of slam fire to deal with.

Closed bolt is another story, slam fires and runaways aren't fun!

This is all IIRC though, and if the articles I read were correct. Please correct me if I'm wrong, I hate posting misinformation.

 

[Mk VII]

the military 1928 model has a very strong spring and it's easy to kink it during assembly/disassembly if you're not careful. Draw the bolt partially back and preferably use the tool, or a nail, to hold the spring partly compressed on the guide rod before removing it. Leave it on the rod unless there's a good reason not to.

 

[Zach S]

I see what you mean about the cuts, but from what you told me about the drum, I'm pretty sure I don't want it!!

A lot f people cant recognize a thompson with a stick mag, yet everyone knows what theyre looking at if its got a drum. So, in a way, a tommy gun isnt a tommy gun wiout the drum.

I could recognize a thompson when I was four, according to Mom. Of course, they all had the drums.

This is probably sacrilege but I thought about buying one of the Auto-ordnance guns and having it SBR'd to built one of these...

I love that movie...

Anyway, I've actually thought about doing the same thing. But instead of being SBR'd, I thought about a mock supresor to keep the bbl over 16"...

M2 carbine: Thanks!!! I've got some crap mags from CTD so its not somewhere I think to look. Ill go there now

 

[M2 Carbine]

Quote
"Domino
Aren't the open bolt semi's easier to convert to full auto? Thus why the feds are so strict on them."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Many close bolt semi autos could be converted to a decent full auto but it takes some knowledge and skill.

But many open bolt guns are VERY easy to convert.
Usually an open bolt gun has extra parts to make it semi auto.
In some cases breaking or removing a part is all it takes to turn it into a full auto.

The open bolt is designed to feed the round and fire it as it is chambered. Many OB's use a fixed firing pin that's machined in the face of the bolt, like a UZI.
The face of the bolt has to be designed to feet the round without the round hanging up on the fixed firing pin.
The firing pin actually fires the round as the bolt is still moving forward the last little bit. I understand this allows the designers to make the bolt a little lighter in weight.

An M1 Carbine since it fires from a closed bolt requires a half dozen M2 parts to make it select fire.

FYI, in some cases you have an illegal machine gun if you own certain parts, even if you don't own the gun they fit.

For instance a UZI "slotted" FA bolt can get you jail time.
The full auto bolt is "slotted" so it will work in a B model semi auto UZI. (the semi auto UZI bolt is slotted)
It takes more parts than just the slotted bolt to make the UZI full auto but the last I heard (years ago) just having the slotted bolt was a No No.

Same thing with having all the M2 Carbine parts.
You will never see a gun show parts dealer selling ALL the M2 parts.


BTW, the Thompson barrel can't be normally removed.