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- Oct 9, 2003
- Messages
- 5,594
At one point in my life, I thought of myself as an expert. I could quote the Ezell book and even give pages numbers. I just don't know much about the Thompsons, however, I guess the different models confused me.
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Teach me about the Thompson
- Thread starter DannyinJapan
- Start date
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- Apr 6, 2001
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- 2,632
All I know is that there are LOTS of variations. It was invented just as WWI was winding down and never made it big untill WWII. Then came the realization that a Grease gun is even cheaper to manufacture (a glorified zip gun), and that was that.
Sub machine guns peaked just after WWII. Body armor has made them all but obsolete. But still a really neat weapon series.
Personally if I had to choose just one I would get a MP5 with some kinda Surefire suppressor. If I have to go small, I want it small and quiet. Although the epoxied paint on steel with plastic furniture will never be as cool as their grandaddies with soft blued steel and hardwood furniture.
Sub machine guns peaked just after WWII. Body armor has made them all but obsolete. But still a really neat weapon series.
Personally if I had to choose just one I would get a MP5 with some kinda Surefire suppressor. If I have to go small, I want it small and quiet. Although the epoxied paint on steel with plastic furniture will never be as cool as their grandaddies with soft blued steel and hardwood furniture.
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2007
- Messages
- 9,092
The one detail that I have always remembered since I was young was that amazing "H" shaped device that was invented by Thompsom himself and was the heart of the gun, an invention without which the mechanism would never have been possible... Then a few years later someone discovered that you could take it out and throw it away and the gun would fire just the same.
Regardless, it has always been one of my favourites and an American classic.
Regardless, it has always been one of my favourites and an American classic.
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2003
- Messages
- 5,594
this is the one I like...
Nearby gunshop has one of the semiauto versions. Cool factor is off the scale but the stock must have been dimentioned for a 500 lb gorilla, way too long & too much drop for me. Vets I've yarned with with had a love/hate relationship with it. Loved the power & controlability. Hated to carry the weight of weapon & ammo. Boiled down to where & how the fighting was being done.
Uplander
Uplander
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- Nov 3, 1998
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- 4,331
Looks like the war-simplified M1 version.
Well the M1 carbine was supposed to be lighter,got mixed reviews though.
The 1928 civilian models(sigh) were really, really expensive. Or, must have been with all the doodads on them. Finned barrel, compensator, nice walnut stock, fancy lyman(i think) sight. Really nicely made SMG that was too expensive when adopted for wartime use. A series of adaptations were needed to make it easier and cheaper to manufacture. Even stripped down they decided the M3 grease gun was a better weapon.
My brother is a cop and once was able to shoot one at the department range. He said it was really fun and very controllable.
My brother is a cop and once was able to shoot one at the department range. He said it was really fun and very controllable.
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2002
- Messages
- 2,959
I've handled a couple at gun shows, and the first time I did my interest in 'em took a nose dive. Unless it was just the models I handled or something, the stock was way too heavy for the gun and the balance just felt totally wrong. It just didn't feel like a weapon- didn't point or handle well. YMMV.