Auto Ordnance Thompsons
- Thread starter Kirk
- Start date
Don't own one either however, I've looked into buying one myself. Here's what I've found. Very heavy! I see this as well constructed. I'm told they are quite reliable as long as you stick with hardball ammo which is what they were designed to use anyway. I do not like the manditory 16" barrel as it looks too long and detracts from the original apperance. The M1 will not accept the drum mag only stick mags. I understand that the new thompsons won't take older USGI surplus stick mags without modification. May want to check on that one though.
I've got an M1; I'm not entirely pleased with it.
I special-ordered the gun; when it arrived, the buttstock was loose. The quality of the finish is very good. Accuracy is pretty good; I had no trouble ringing the 200-yard gong (after I figured how high to hold).BUT the d*mn front sight band worked loose after about 25 rounds and started rotating clockwise! Reliability was only fair, but I'm hoping after a couple hundred more rounds that will improve.
I hate sending guns back to the factory; I'm going to fix these problems myself. But D*MN, a $950 gun shouldn't HAVE these problems!
I special-ordered the gun; when it arrived, the buttstock was loose. The quality of the finish is very good. Accuracy is pretty good; I had no trouble ringing the 200-yard gong (after I figured how high to hold).BUT the d*mn front sight band worked loose after about 25 rounds and started rotating clockwise! Reliability was only fair, but I'm hoping after a couple hundred more rounds that will improve.
I hate sending guns back to the factory; I'm going to fix these problems myself. But D*MN, a $950 gun shouldn't HAVE these problems!
Later Semi-auto Thompsons will not accept early and GI stick magazines without modification. They will not accept early 50 or 100 round drums either. Anyone attempting to modify one of these drums to try to make it work is very foolish, as 50 round drums bring around $400 and 100 round drums will go for $1500 or so, maybe more.
Jim
Jim
glockjeeper
New member
My brother just got a M-1 Thompson recently. We haven't had time to shoot it yet though.
Glockten....Even though we haven't shot it yet, the front sight is already going slightly clockwise as you described yours doing.
Still seems like its pretty well made. He mostly got it because we are WWII weapons nuts. 1911s and Thompsons baby!!
Glockten....Even though we haven't shot it yet, the front sight is already going slightly clockwise as you described yours doing.
Still seems like its pretty well made. He mostly got it because we are WWII weapons nuts. 1911s and Thompsons baby!!
GSM in Atlanta
Inactive
I special ordered a 1927A1 from AO sometime around the last ban. I also ordered a horizontal grip, 20, 30 and one 50 round mags. Comments:
-Had no idea the still NIB $100 50-rnd drum mag would be worth almost as much as what I paid for the gun. Should have paid a little more for the 100-rnd but thought it was too big.
-The stick mags look like refinished surplus, with a modification hole drilled along the back spine for the mag release pin.
-The horizontal grip handles well and from what I can tell from early WWII photos, was used with the 1927 finned barrels.
-The stock shape and the way it positions when shouldered takes some getting used too.
-I did have to send it back to the factory to get the trigger assembly adjusted--trigger pull was somehow being inhibited by the bolt assembly.
-The gun is heavy, but so were the originals.
-Barrel length is a bit awkward, but
-Still lots of fun to shoot and a fraction of the cost of the real mccoy.
In GA, there is an indoor range that has a fully auto M1 you can rent. I must say though, that the more modern full auto H&K is easier to shoot.
-Had no idea the still NIB $100 50-rnd drum mag would be worth almost as much as what I paid for the gun. Should have paid a little more for the 100-rnd but thought it was too big.
-The stick mags look like refinished surplus, with a modification hole drilled along the back spine for the mag release pin.
-The horizontal grip handles well and from what I can tell from early WWII photos, was used with the 1927 finned barrels.
-The stock shape and the way it positions when shouldered takes some getting used too.
-I did have to send it back to the factory to get the trigger assembly adjusted--trigger pull was somehow being inhibited by the bolt assembly.
-The gun is heavy, but so were the originals.
-Barrel length is a bit awkward, but
-Still lots of fun to shoot and a fraction of the cost of the real mccoy.
In GA, there is an indoor range that has a fully auto M1 you can rent. I must say though, that the more modern full auto H&K is easier to shoot.
Kenneth L. Walters
New member
http://www.HorizonShooters.com has one for sale. Don't know what they are asking. Personally I prefer the new HK.
aficionado
New member
i have a 1927A-1C. that's the "lightweight" one 
that thompson was a *really* hefty gun
my tommy gun works fine.
of course, it's not a particularly practical contraption. it's as heavy as a couple of AR's. the front pistol grip looks cool, but the M1 style foreend would probably be much more practical if you want to aim it at anything.
of course, that gun isn't about aiming
one thing i think is kind of remarkable is how clean the innards stay. i suspect that one could last for an entire gangster career without cleaning & still shoot ok. well, with modern ammo at least -- those old corrosive primers mighta been a problem.
it's great as a novelty or shootable example of a historic gun. however, for general plinking i like ar15's a lot better
that thompson was a *really* hefty gun my tommy gun works fine.
of course, it's not a particularly practical contraption. it's as heavy as a couple of AR's. the front pistol grip looks cool, but the M1 style foreend would probably be much more practical if you want to aim it at anything.
of course, that gun isn't about aiming
one thing i think is kind of remarkable is how clean the innards stay. i suspect that one could last for an entire gangster career without cleaning & still shoot ok. well, with modern ammo at least -- those old corrosive primers mighta been a problem.
it's great as a novelty or shootable example of a historic gun. however, for general plinking i like ar15's a lot better