full auto Tommy gun
- Thread starter azgun
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rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Oh yea!
111 thousand 5 hundred is a very good price!
For the seller!
Is it a pre-1986 registered conversion?
And how much is the price really?
rc
111 thousand 5 hundred is a very good price!
For the seller!
Is it a pre-1986 registered conversion?
And how much is the price really?
rc
dprice3844444
member
who made it? is it an orig ww2 or newer make?
TexasRifleman
Moderator Emeritus
$11,500?
I would think that is an ok price if it's mechanically sound and all the paperwork is in order.
I don't know much about the converted AO guns though.
I would think that is an ok price if it's mechanically sound and all the paperwork is in order.
I don't know much about the converted AO guns though.
351 WINCHESTER
Member
I had a chance to buy a Thompson for a grand back in the 80's. I had the money, but the local pd wouldn't approve the sale. Maybe if I hired an knowledgeable attorney I might have got it, but who has the $$$ for an attorney especially one that's worth his salt?
AlexanderA
Member
The semiauto Thompsons made in the 1970's-80's by Auto Ordnance/Numrich were quite different from the full auto Thompsons (receiver dimensions, etc.). This was so that the full-auto parts could not be substituted without heavy modification. Yes, they could have been legally converted to full auto (with a lot of work), but this still wouldn't make them "real" full auto Thompsons. Note that at about the same time, Numrich was also making the so-called "West Hurley" full auto Thompsons, that were closer to the original specs, but still markedly inferior in quality. (At one time, I owned both a original WWII Thompson and a West Hurley gun, and placing them side by side, there was no comparison -- the West Hurley gun clearly was an inferior copy, mainly because of the loose tolerances and the shoddy aftermarket parts used when the GI parts dried up.)
West Hurley guns have been brought up to snuff, but it takes a Thompson expert with access to the right parts to do it. In any case, I would stay away from the converted semiauto Thompson. For about the same money, you can get a West Hurley gun -- that started out as a full auto -- and then have it worked on if necessary. (The West Hurley is now also classified as a "Curio or Relic" by the ATF.)
West Hurley guns have been brought up to snuff, but it takes a Thompson expert with access to the right parts to do it. In any case, I would stay away from the converted semiauto Thompson. For about the same money, you can get a West Hurley gun -- that started out as a full auto -- and then have it worked on if necessary. (The West Hurley is now also classified as a "Curio or Relic" by the ATF.)
Living trusts were not accepted by the ATF until a court case was settled in 2000. Back in the 80s it was common for chief LEOs to deny all requests for automatic weapons.
AlexanderA
Member
I personally think you should pass on this one. At $11,500, you're within striking distance of getting at least a West Hurley that was originally made with the full-auto receiver dimensions. This will be very important down the road, regarding parts interchangeability, etc. The days of rapid price escalations in machine guns are over (mainly due to the lousy economy), so you shouldn't feel pressure to jump on the bandwagon right now.
Bear in mind also that a Thompson is something that has sentimental and historical importance that outweighs its practical usefulness as a weapon (it's too heavy and awkward in use). If you're looking for a practical weapon, a registered-receiver M16 would be a better bet at about the same price. On the other hand, if you want a wall hanger, you can put together a very nice display (non-firing) Thompson, using an IMA parts kit and Philadelphia Ordnance receiver, for about $2,000 -- and this would have no legal red tape and be more "authentic," in its way, than a West Hurley Thompson.
But what can I say? If you really want it, go for it.
Bear in mind also that a Thompson is something that has sentimental and historical importance that outweighs its practical usefulness as a weapon (it's too heavy and awkward in use). If you're looking for a practical weapon, a registered-receiver M16 would be a better bet at about the same price. On the other hand, if you want a wall hanger, you can put together a very nice display (non-firing) Thompson, using an IMA parts kit and Philadelphia Ordnance receiver, for about $2,000 -- and this would have no legal red tape and be more "authentic," in its way, than a West Hurley Thompson.
But what can I say? If you really want it, go for it.
No way would I buy a converted Thompson for $11500. Partly because I'm really not a fan of the Thompson, and partly because there are so many other, better machine guns you could get for that price or less. I bought a gorgeous C&R Vickers gun a couple months ago for $12000 - not a chance I'd swap that for a non-original Thompson. A quick glance at Sturmgewehr tells me that $11500 will get you an 08/15 Maxim, almost two AC556 Rugers, three or four MACs, two or three Reisings, etc.
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