Thompson M1

Description

The Thompson is an American submachine gun, invented by John T. Thompson in 1918. The earlier M1928A1 was famously used by law enforcement officers and by criminals during the inter-war Prohibition era for it’s .45 ACP cartridge, accuracy and the high drum magazine capacity (50 rounds). It is nigh on impossible to think of Al Capone, John Dillinger or even the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, without picturing this iconic firearm.

As well as by US forces, the M1928 model was also adopted by British and Commonwealth Forces, particularly Commandos, Home Guard and units fighting in Africa, Italy and the Far East. Many thousands were also shipped to distant Allies, from the soviets by way of the Atlantic convoys and to Chinese troops fighting the Japanese.

This M1 model was first issued to troops in 1943, as a cheaper and much faster to produce alternative to the M1928A1. It had a reduced rate of fire (now down to 600–700 rpm), the cocking/charging handle was moved from the top to the right side for ease of use and to stop dirt falling into the mechanism. The (now obsolete) drum magazine housing lugs were removed and the barrel cooling fins/Cutts compensator were replaced with a smooth barrel and muzzle.

Having been produced in such high numbers and having seen service in so many theaters of operations during WW2, post war, amongst the chaos of the repatriations and clean-ups, weapons such as this readily found themselves in the hands of the criminal underworld and paramilitaries. Their presence in these organizations would last for decades and even today the odd example still appears in an obscure civil war or police seizure.