Thompson SMG

[Douglas Jr.]

Hi everybody,

I´d like to hear what you guys have to say me about an opportunity that just happened to me.

Well, this weekend another friend of mine who is also a collector, offered me a Thompson M1A1 in absolute "MINT" condition. It is not a dewat gun - I mean this baby is ALIVE !!

It was made by the Auto Ordnance and has the military inspection letters "FJA", serial number 581XXX. It comes with the 20 round magazine and the stock is alomost perfect.

So, as it isn´t so common to see one of these weapons for sale, even in Internet, I´d like to hear from you - mainly the guys who often go the Gun Shows - what is the avarage price of this kind of piece in the market. I know that it is not a cheap piece, but I need to know what to expect!

Thanks in advance for any help.

Regards,

Douglas.

[Matt Weber]

Not sure what the prices are in Brazil, but here in the US, a Thompson M1A1, in the condition you described would go for around $7,000 (ballpark)

You're right, they aren't cheap!

Also, I'm not sure what the laws are for a machine gun in Brazil, but I would hope that you would research the legal aspects first!

Matt

[Steve in Florida]

Sounds like a garden variety USGI gun.

FJA (Frank J. Atwood, if I recall correctly) was an inspector. Tranferable ones are actually going for closer to $10,000 in the US (Thanks to SPR and BOB). Mag bags and five cell pouches are $100. Actually, any WWII MG's are going nuts. You can get non transferable ones for $450 from Marstar in Canada. Check your laws to make sure it's okay to get first.

[Douglas Jr.]

Its weight in gold!!

Steve and Matt,

As I told you before I knew that this class of gun aren´t cheap, but I didn´t imagine that a Thompson would worth more than its weight in gold!!

However, the price asked for this piece is quite below than US$ 6,000.00!!! So I´ll think very carefully about this chace, since it is not so common to have a chance like this again. It´s once in a blue moon!

Concerning the laws in Brazil, although very restrictive, if you are a collector for more than 9 years (with the due register at the Controlled Products Office, a special department of the Brazilian Army - something similar to the FFL, I think), you can own a fully automatic weapon, made before 1945.

Thank you for the help.

Greetings,

Douglas.

[RayG]

The prices of Thompson's or any other MG's in the US are high mainly because there are only a limited number of legal registered ones in the US currently. Since 1968 no more can be registered. Because of this the prices have escalated greatly in the last few years as more an more collectors became interested in MG's.

MG's in some European countries sell for a lot less because those countries do not have such a law.

I guess what I am getting at is that the price of the Thompson offered to you and the prices of Thompson's in the US may not be relevant for comparison unless you have the same kind of registering restrictions as the US does. I would think it would be better to check with gun or collecting sites in your country to assess the value of a Thompson and whether $6,000 would be reasonable. As Steve said, that Thompson, in that condition would bring about $10,000 in the US, but mainly because of the 1968 factor I referred. But if they are hard to come by in your country and even if the price is on the high end, I would still consider getting it as they are a blast to shoot and have great WWII history. Ray

[Douglas Jr.]

Thanks for the tips...

Folks,

Many thanks for the tips about it. The actual owner is asking around US$ 3,000.00. A little high, but still fair, concerning all the things you wrote. As I told you before, it won´t be everyday that I´ll cross with one of these again.

Well, I will have to sale a lot of my militaria stuff to get the money , but I still think that is much more easier to find a german helmet than a Tommy Gun.

I´ll keep you informed about it.

Regards,

Douglas.

[Gene]

You'd better!

[Douglas Jr.]

Isn´t it a beauty??

Hey Gene,

Be sure about it. The Tommy Gun is a realy beauty, isn´t it :

http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/tommygunbeauty.jpg

Greetings,

Douglas.

[Steve in Florida]

Looks like mine!

I was at the range last month shooting mine. An older mid 70's gent was there with a friend shooting. I noticed his ballcap which had a 101st Airborne patch, Ex POW and Purple Heart pin on it. Turns out he was wounded and captured on D plus 6. Boy, the look on his face when I offered the gun to him to run a mag through and the look on his face after he did it was priceless.

[ccmax]

Douglas, you can buy Thompson SMGs of all models directly from Army and other government auctions in Brazil for a small fraction of what you've been asked for it. A few to several hundred dollars depending on condition, but no more than 3 figure digits.

All you need to do is register, but you've got to wait 10 years until you receive a permit to possess full auto weapons.
Regards,
Cesar.

[JohnB]

Thompsons

Matt, Ray and others,
What prospects do you see for another amnesty to register auto weapons in the country? I'm really referring to guns from WWI and WWII that are often found in VFW attics, etc. And they are a piece of history.

You often hear of Maxims (08s and 08-15s) found in old buildings that have been there since WWI, because the Government distributed them as part of a War bond drive.
What are your thoughts?
many thanks,
John

[Steve in Florida]

I'd love to see an Amnesty

but there are too many gutless, clueless and just plain socialist congress critters who would not support one. Don't know how George II would vote on it. Ronald of Bonzo screwed us in 1986 with the machine gun ban. George I screwed us in 1989 with the semi auto import ban. William the Wandering Penis screwed us in 1994 with the semi auto ban. Two more years before that lawl sunsets. If it sunsets, an Amnesty may stand a chance. But with this "War on Terror" that the totally clueless are fighting with computer software purchased from Saudi terror financiers, I'm sure the stupid sods will use it as an excuse to make the ban permanent. I mean, they give visas to dead foreign terrorists who have no background checks done on them, but drag us through the mud when we go through the legal hoops to purchase a firearm (our natural right, reinforced by the Constitution). moremad

[RayG]

I had heard and am not sure if true, but when the Amnesty law was passed there were provisions in it for ATF to allow several more Amnesty's without it having to go back to Congress for approval.

In any case I have difficult understanding why they don't have another amnesty as it would at least give the government the knowledge of where the MG's in the country are and who has them and also regulates the movement and other restrictions on them. I'm guessing that there are still thousands of MG's (War bringbacks) in the country that are not registered and of course the government is not aware who has them. Another amnesty would alow a lot of these to be registered and there fore controlled.

Also, as I understand it, one of the big things that the liberials push for is gun registeration. To own a class three weapon, you not only register it but have to go through a total criminal back ground check including fingerprints and a head law enforcement endorsement to own one. Isn't that even more then they are calling for? Just my 2¢, Ray

[Sparky]

Hey Cesar, Seriously. How do I find someone to get me one of these at the prices you quoted?

[ccmax]

In my opinion, it is a shame no one in the US is getting in touch with the Brazilian Army for the purchase of WWII period weapons and accessories. A lot of it is melted down for scrap if it doesn't sell on the auctions. Other stuff that is becoming rare, like M 1905 bayonets and M 1910 shovels that are surplus from WWII have also been destroyed recently.

The problem is you can't take full auto weapons to the US anymore, right? Even so it might be worthwhile if some company or collectible weapon dealer did some research about the possibility of buying whatever is still left of it.