Thompson Buttstock

[Nightcrawler]

In many World War II (and earlier) era photos, you see people holding the Thompson submachine gun with the buttstock placed under the firing arm, leaning foward.

This was taught by the gun gurus of the day as the proper submachine gun firing stance, I think.

As a matter of fact, I've held a Thompson clone twice. On both models, the buttstock seemed overlong for proper firing from the shoulder, and sloped down so steeply as to provide a poor cheek weld for using the sights.

But you can't use the sights when aiming that way. Fine, perhaps, for point-blank engagements, but a poor idea for engaging targets at 30, 40, 50+ yards.

So what's the scoop? Who here has shot a Tommy? How comfortable is the stock for you? How accurate is the under-arm firing position?

 

[dfariswheel]

Properly held with the eye as close to the rear sight as possible, it's pretty good.

There's a famous picture of General Eisenhower in Britain firing a Thompson.
He's got his eye VERY close to the raised rear sight.

This is also the method taught by the FBI. Eye close to the sight, fire very short, fast bursts, no long "Hollywood" bursts.

The underarm method is only good at close ranges since it's un-aimed fire, and depends on "walking" the bullets into the target.
This doesn't really work except at close ranges, and wastes ammo.

The Thompson was never intended to be a long range rifle, but it's not a bullet hose either. The magazine runs empty VERY fast, so it doesn't pay to "spray 'n pray"

 

[Chipperman]

I don't own one, but have fired them. The stock is pretty comfy for me to shoot. I have never fired from the hip or armpit with it. Would not be safe enough for the ranges I usually frequent.

 

[Sleuth]

My only complaint about my 1928 Thompson is the smooth buttplate. The stock fits me fine (6' tall), and the high underarm position has been taught for shotguns and rifles, as well as the Tgun. Looks cool, works so-so.

 

[Johnny Guest]

It's just the design - -

Never mind all the gangster and war movies you've ever seen - - For anything beyond about 20 feet, shooting a Thompson from the hip or underarm position is just wasteful of ammo. Far more efficient to shoot from the shoulder, even if the sights are not used. In fact, one British War Ministry manual from early in WWII mentions aligning the foresight with the notch in the actuator handle as a hasty sight.

And, really, it is not too great a trick to make hits on a silhouette target well beyond 100 yards, using the ladder sight and semi auto fire.

The TSMG was a first generation submachine gun, and John T. Thompson designed it to suit his own ideas of how it should be used. Many think the 1921 was "the first Thompson," but there was a model 1919. dunno how many built - - Certainly only a few. Anyhow, the 1919 had NO buttstock, and no sights, either. thompson himself described it as a "trench broom," for laterally sweeping out the enemy's earthworks once you breached them.

In any case, the extreme drop of the TSMG shoulder stock is part of the classic design. Certainly, later-designed SMGs had more efficient stocks. I enjoy shooting my '28 with the horizontal forestock and the 30 round magazine. But it is MUCH easier to carry with the type XX mag in place, especially when slung. I love the vertical forward stock and the type L drum for display purposes, but this is really heavy.

See:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&postid=879959#post879959
for an SMG match in N. Texas tomorrow . . . .

Best,
Johnny