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#Thompson machine gun serial numbers serialThese guns, unmodified, are the ones that we see today with early features, original blued finishes, and matching serial numbers.Įdited by TSMGguy, 24 September 2012 - 05:57 PM. The ones that were not arsenal refinished were not in US government possession, that is, domestic police guns, or those that were provided as foreign military assistance. The guns had no other markings other than the miltary markings, unless they were applied by the department or foreign power that had the gun over the years.Īll M1 and M1A1 TSMGs in US possession were arsenal refinished, during or shortly after WWII. There was no seperate police production, and there was no "special" production within or between production contracts carried out under the US Army ordnance districts. M1 TSMGs were were taken right off of the production lines, acceptance and inspection marks and all. The US government had obligations to provide weapons to police departments throughout WWII. They should be present, but they've been buffed off. See how these tiny ridges are gone on the subject gun. Notice how metal was displaced during this process, resulting in minute ridges of metal around most characters. Look at the excellent photos of the roll markings kindly provided by Stgw.57. The original inspection and acceptance marks suffered in the same processes and today are faint or gone altogether. Each time, it got buffed, and each time the roll markings lost definition and became more indistinct. Of course the receiver has been refinished, perhaps several times. Buffing is to me the hardest part of any refinishing. If they buffed that hard they could have buffed inspection marks off as well. It just may be me, looks as if someone buffed the heck out of the reciever at the end of Thompson and Submachine gun. 45 caliber shell casings found at the garage that Thompson number 2347 had fired fifty rounds and Thompson number 7580, had fired twenty rounds. Goddard was able to determine through the microscopic examination of the seventy. ![]() #Thompson machine gun serial numbers serial numberThe transfer has not been completed yet, but the gun may be for sale sometime in the near future. The Thompson with the serial number ground off was identified by Goddard to be Thompson serial number 7580. Therefore, any combination of letters and numbers you see stamped into the gunmetal is likely the serial number. #Thompson machine gun serial numbers serial numbersThat means that gun serial numbers can include any number of characters. It does have the reinforced butt stock, but that would be common with a military rebuild. The law does not require that the number be any particular length, just that it be composed of letters and numbers. The gun has all early features, paddle selectors, unprotected rear sight, etc. The gun was purchased in 1964 from a Virginia based importer and sold directly to the Illinois police agency that has owned it since then. I have a friend that just purchased a military parkerized M1 Thompson in the 200,000 serial number range that was rebuilt at the end of the war or post war as the grip frame number does not match the receiver number. I would guess the M1 didn't start seeing police sales until they began to reimport them in the 1950's. There were plenty of 1928 Models left over at the end of the war for civillian sales, i.e., the AO guns that have the X after the serial number and the US and 1 ground off. I believe they all went to the military or overseas as aid to our allies. I also don't believe that the M1 Thomspon was pulled from the line for police sales during WWII. ![]() I would suspect any light markings were buffed out by whoever parkerized the gun post WWII. As production of the West Hurley guns continued, many parts became unavailable, thus forcing the company to manufacture whatever parts they needed to continue production.In my opinion, that is not a millitary parkerizing. ![]() The parts were Savage manufacture, the original Auto-Ordnance, or one of their subcontractors. ![]() The receivers, trigger frames bolts and barrels were of new manufacture, while the remainder of the parts used to assemble the early guns were GI surplus. In 1975 the Numrich Arms Corporation of West Hurley, New York after receiving approval from the BATF, decided to begin manufacture of both semi-automatic-only and full-automatic versions of the Thompson 1928 model, using the Auto-Ordnance name. Approximately ten to twelve guns were sold per year until early 1961 when Numrich ran out of critical receivers and frames and no more Thompsons could be assembled. These guns were sold to police departments and a few affluent individuals that could afford the $200.00 transfer tax back in the 1950’s. Many of these guns have NAC added to the serial numbers. ![]()
1 Comment
Les Druyan
5/14/2023 08:40:00 pm
Enjoyed your article, thanks. I had a beautiful, original TSMG for about four days. I fell in love. She had a drum mag and a 20 rd. mag. I went through lots of expensive ammo (It was like being inside a Harley) and sold her for a quick profit. If I can find pictures of her with the serial number will you be able to tell her year of manufacture? Thanks, Les
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