Welcome to the WWII Forums! Log in or Sign up to interact with the community.

Thompsons

Discussion in 'Weapons & Technology in WWII' started by Colin, Jan 23, 2003.

  1. Colin

    Colin Member

    Joined:
    Jan 3, 2003
    Messages:
    76
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hello. I was wondering, was the thompson submachinegun a reliable weapon (i.e. range,accuracy). And i was also wondering, did we make submachineguns that carried more than 30 rounds? Thanks, i appreciate it.
     
  2. Stefan

    Stefan Cavalry Rupert

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2001
    Messages:
    5,368
    Likes Received:
    336
    Yes and yes. From what I have heared the tommy gun was accurate up to reasonable ranges (maybe 200m) and unlike most SMG's did not bounce around too much when fired. This appears to be because it was rather heavy. For the second question, depends who you mean by we, I can't think of any US SMGs with over 30 round mags, the lanchester could hold 50. There were 50 and 100 round drums for the thompson, the PPSH could take a 71 round drum and most european SMG's could take 32 rounds so that you could leave 2 rounds out (to prevent over-compressing the spring). The Baretta Modelo 38/40 could take 40 rounds and the Suomi M1931 could hold 50 rounds. The MP40/II had 2 mags stuck together so that they could be changed easily.

    Well, thats ever WW2 SMG I can think of that held over 30 rounds. Hope it helps
     
  3. Martin Bull

    Martin Bull Acting Wg. Cdr

    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2002
    Messages:
    13,578
    Likes Received:
    1,487
    Location:
    London, England.
    Stefan is right - the PPsH 41 is the only one that comes to mind that had an enormous drum capacity. That's one of the reasons that it was such a coveted 'war trophy' among German troops.
     
  4. Smoke286

    Smoke286 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2001
    Messages:
    306
    Likes Received:
    0
    Stefan, it was my understanding (anecdotal evidence only) that the Thompson was wildly inaccurate. It was initially issued with a Cutts compensator on the muzzle to keep it from pointing strait up into the sky when firing long bursts. By the time the M1 version was issued the compensator was abandoned as it never did much to begin with.I presume that the solution found was to fire short bursts. The M-1928 did have a very good adjustable rear sight. Interestingly I have seen Berreta SMGs with similar muzzle compensators.
     
  5. Martin Bull

    Martin Bull Acting Wg. Cdr

    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2002
    Messages:
    13,578
    Likes Received:
    1,487
    Location:
    London, England.
    I've never fired one but all my books say that the Thompson was difficult to hold on target, as indeed were just about all WWII SMG's.

    The .45 cartridge packed a kick and, in addition, the bolt ( especially on the M1/M1A1 ) was very heavy & created a lot of mass flying back and forth. I do have a deact M1A1 and the bolt is certainly quite a lump.

    On the other hand, the Thompson was an effective close-in weapon with great stopping power & the troops loved 'em - great image, solid feel, reliable ; OK if you didn't have to lug the thing around all day. It's really heavy !
     
  6. mp38

    mp38 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2002
    Messages:
    178
    Likes Received:
    0
    I'm not sure which Thompson you are shooting, but the one I shot was not accurate at all at any long ranges! It was good for short ranges only, less than 100 yards. The muzzle would climb tremdously after the first two rounds. It was hard to hold down on full auto. In fowl conditions the Thompson did have problems. It also is very ammo sensative.

    As for amount it carries, it depends on what model Thompson you have. The only WWII models that could carry the drums where the ones that the British had. These were mostly WWI models that they still had. As for the US, the only models that could carry the drums where the 1928 navy model. The army model of WWII could only hold 20 or 30 round stick mags.

    Matt :cool:
     
  7. Stefan

    Stefan Cavalry Rupert

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2001
    Messages:
    5,368
    Likes Received:
    336
    *bows out* I see where you are coming from, talking to a few vets who used them (including my grandfather) I got the impression that they were accurate at what they referred to as 'reasonable ranged', 200m was just a guess of what one would consider reasonable. As for the bouncing issue, I guess that would be because most of the vets I have talked to were used to useing Stens which from what I hear were as hard to control. Thinking about it I do remember my grandfather talking about the compensator (some M1928's were sent to Britain) and that may have helped. I also seem to remember reading that the issue with the bolt was that in the later versions it was made in one piece and relied on its weight to slow it down rather than a complex mechanism, more on this when I find the book.

    Martin, you lucky so and so, every time I find a thompson at a reasonable price its a new spec deact, welding them up like that should be a crime :mad:
     
  8. Martin Bull

    Martin Bull Acting Wg. Cdr

    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2002
    Messages:
    13,578
    Likes Received:
    1,487
    Location:
    London, England.
    Yes, the 'reasonable price' is the tricky bit ! ;)

    My M1A1 came from Witham SV up near Stamford a few years back now. ( Come to think of it, it wasn't that cheap then... :( )
     
  9. Stefan

    Stefan Cavalry Rupert

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2001
    Messages:
    5,368
    Likes Received:
    336
    That is why I have kept my collection down to bolt action rifles, my Bren and my MP41. Rifles are generally 'reasonably' priced. The MP41 was only £245 3 years ago, now it is worth a grand or more, I have had offers as high as £1500 but I couldent bring myself to sell it, even if I could get my dream blank firing PPSH 41 and have money left over for ammo. The one thing about it that worries me is that someone appears to have started to carve a tally on the stock, it makes one wonder what stories the weapon could tell or if I even want to know how the marks got there. That is the one thing about my deacts that makes me hesitate, what is their history? I suppose it is just one of those things.
     

Share This Page