22 years ago today.

[MakeMineaP99]

May 19, 1986.

[Pitmaster]

Happy Birthday! Have a Maker's on me, but put it on your expense account.:patriot:

[MakeMineaP99]

No, not me, my birthday is in April. The FOPA of 1986 banned new registration of MGs was signed into law.

[ISUSteve]

before i was born...

[Steve Koski]

I was a mere lad of 17.

[MakeMineaP99]

Too bad you weren't 18, you could have bought some MGs, and trade them for a bike.

[yammerschooner]

Happy Birthday! Have a Maker's on me, but put it on your expense account.:patriot:

Now that would be a crappy thing to have associated with your birthday.

The whisky would be needed just to cope.

[freakshow10mm]

'Twas a day after my 5th birthday.

[blueline541]

Had it never occurred my Thompson would have cost only $18.00 and the uzi would have set me back $4.50.

Stupid gun law.

[blueline541]

I was a mere lad of 17.


Seriously? I always imagined you as an older feller in your fifties.

[Anvil]

Some of the best years of my life, and most horrible (jr high) back in the mid 80's. Years when the race to puberty meant your pecking order to be the "cool" alpha male and when the shapeless silly girls with bows in their hair and too much of mommas makeup somehow got some curves and nothing else made sense to me until I got out of college.

[blueline541]

Some of the best years of my life, and most horrible (jr high) back in the mid 80's. Years when the race to puberty meant your pecking order to be the "cool" alpha male and when the shapeless silly girls with bows in their hair and too much of mommas makeup somehow got some curves and nothing else made sense to me until I got out of college.


I hear ya. That and listening to a lot of PetShop Boys.

[MakeMineaP99]

Had it never occurred my Thompson would have cost only $18.00 and the uzi would have set me back $4.50.

Stupid gun law.

I don't follow you?

[freakshow10mm]

The prices would remain cheap instead of the gross example of S&D that it is today.

[MakeMineaP99]

No, no, no, I'm quite well versed in economics.

A Thompson at no time in history cost $18, the US government paid $209/each during the second World War. Even if the ban were lifted, a Thompson would still be $1000+ because of machining cost.

[cohutt]

i had just turned 26 and had no idea legal full autos could be purchased.

[freakshow10mm]

I understand that, I'm not schooling you.

I think it wasn't a literal cost, just figurative. I do see some gun articles state that "you could buy one for $12.50" numerous times. Even in 1930 dollars, that's hard to believe.

I think the current FA price of Tommy guns is $1300 or so, which is right aligned with other FA guns right now like newly made M16, MP5, etc.

[yammerschooner]

I think you forgot a 0

[MakeMineaP99]

Cheapest transferable Thompson I've seen is $12.8k for a West Hurley. Most of the original guns, especially WWII, are selling for $20,000-$25,000.

[freakshow10mm]

This is new manufacture, not pre 86 transferable.

Their SBR guns are $1500 and they quote they gave me for their full auto guns is $1300.

[Steve Koski]

Seriously? I always imagined you as an older feller in your fifties.
I'm just cranky, like JJB.

[MakeMineaP99]

Adam,

Is that from Kahr? If you want a post 86 Thompson, build it. Want the details?

[freakshow10mm]

Yes, that's what Kahr quoted me. I'm thinking of getting an M1 semi auto and converting it. Drum mags look cool, but I like the 30rd stick better.

Send details to my email.

I think with a lot of people wanting transferable Tommy's having one on hand to let LE handle it and get a feel for it should they come across one and know how to safely handle it. Also if a civilian customer comes to me looking for a transferable Tommy gun, they can come with me to the range and demo this one to see if they want to drop $20K on one without even firing it. This way they could try before they buy to make sure it is something they can handle and not make a $20K mistake.

[MakeMineaP99]

You can't convert the semis!

[freakshow10mm]

Why not?

[MakeMineaP99]

A host of mechanical reasons, you'd have to add material.

If you want to build a TSMG, you'll need parts kit (readily available) and a receiver. You'll be looking at buying an 80% receiver and finishing it, or milling one from a solid billet.

[ronterry]

The receiver is so different it's not funny, not to forget the open bolt vs the closed bolt on the semi. Certainly you could mess with a the disconnector, and work out some sort of delayed sear release but no drop in parts I know of, and would be stretching it a bit to call that a conversion as much as it would be a rebuild.

[creophus]

A host of mechanical reasons, you'd have to add material.

If you want to build a TSMG, you'll need parts kit (readily available) and a receiver. You'll be looking at buying an 80% receiver and finishing it, or milling one from a solid billet.
Bah, just file down the firing pin. :rofl:

[blueline541]

Yes, that's what Kahr quoted me. I'm thinking of getting an M1 semi auto and converting it. Drum mags look cool, but I like the 30rd stick better.

Send details to my email.

I think with a lot of people wanting transferable Tommy's having one on hand to let LE handle it and get a feel for it should they come across one and know how to safely handle it. Also if a civilian customer comes to me looking for a transferable Tommy gun, they can come with me to the range and demo this one to see if they want to drop $20K on one without even firing it. This way they could try before they buy to make sure it is something they can handle and not make a $20K mistake.


I know a guy who had an unregistered 1921 Thompson. I could blackmail him so you can get it cheap if you'll let me shoot it.

Disclaimer: Yes, I saw the 1921 Thompson, which was the real deal, but this was more than twenty five years ago and the owner moved a long time ago.

Second Disclaimer: If the above disclaimer isn't enough of a disclaimer then I'm making up the story.

[freakshow10mm]

My grandfather's Thompson SMG is in the museum on display in Oshkosh, WI for the 42nd Rainbow Division of the US Army. Two world wars, four purple hearts, died at 99 years old. Told me all the world's problems can be solved with a .45 Automatic.

[MakeMineaP99]

I know a guy who had an unregistered 1921 Thompson. I could blackmail him so you can get it cheap if you'll let me shoot it.

Disclaimer: Yes, I saw the 1921 Thompson, which was the real deal, but this was more than twenty five years ago and the owner moved a long time ago.

Second Disclaimer: If the above disclaimer isn't enough of a disclaimer then I'm making up the story.

Somehow I know the second disclaimer ain't true. ;)

Someone told me cops were antigun, bahaha!

[freakshow10mm]

Only the ones in California, except CZ. He's cool.

[MakeMineaP99]

Det. CZ needs to move to IN!

[freakshow10mm]

Wait for it.