The Thompson. You're doing it wrong!

I came across this arcana on the Thompson. I've never shot a full auto Thompson, but most sources on the subject usually toss in the caveat that the Thompson tends to climb to the right due to recoil. If I'm ever tempted to spend the money and jump through the hoops to purchase a full auto weapon, I'd want a Thompson. That's a gun with style!

Colonel cooper disagrees about the muzzle climb. You're doing it wrong!

"As the Thompson fades into the past I would like to point out briefly that firing that piece on full automatic was difficult only if you did not know how to do it. It is a heavy gun, and when one applies some 11lbs of vertical pressure with his supporting arm the piece suddenly unweights itself partially on firing, and the shooter tends to raise the muzzle and continue to raise it with each successive shot. This results in alarming muzzle climb and suggests to the shooter that the recoil is insupportable. In actuality, all one needed to do was to reduce the upward pressure in the left arm upon firing, allowing the piece to "ride on its recoil." This is easy, once you know the trick, and, in fact, it is so easy that one can learn to fire the piece one-handed without the supporting stock in one easy lesson. I guess this information should be filed away amongst the arcana of the middle nineteen-hundreds." - Jeff Cooper

 

I saw a Thompson fired once, one of the old M1928's with the fore pistol grip and the drum mag. This was at the FBI in DC, and the shooter certainly seemed to have it under control. What I remember best about it was how horribly damned loud the thing was.

 

Would wet my pantaloons to fire a 1911. Firing a Thompson full auto would be my equivalent of 72 virgins.

 

I have fired the Thompson on full auto and it isn't hard at all to do. You do need to remember to fire in bursts, only untrained, inexperienced shooters hold the trigger down until the magazine empties. Here's a picture of a man I met once that demonstrates the proper stance for firing the weapon.

 

Yes, that is about the stance the I saw the FBI agent take.

 

I fired a full auto Thompson at a range in Florida whilst on holiday there a few years ago. Although the weapon was prone to jamming after letting off just a few rounds(it probably needed a damn good clean or maybe didn't like the ammo used) It would still climb.

Also rented a Mk2 Sten gun which was much easier to handle...and also jammed like the Thompson!!!

 

How much did that cost J44?
Guessing a .45 round would cost about .75 cents.
Which was more satisfying? The Sten is 9mm, right?

 

My experience with renting guns at a range is that they (and their magazines) almost always need a damn good cleaning. Predictably, this often results in either FTF or FTE issues.

One of the local ranges here full auto rentals including the Thompson. I haven't tried it yet because it's too flippin' expensive and I'm too cheap.

 

If my memory serves me right it was around $160 to for rental of both weapons and 50 rounds for each one. It was most likely that I paid 'tourist rates' for the privilege of firing both weapons but it was a once in a lifetime opportunity as you certainly can't do that sort of thing here in the UK! :mp44kickback:

The Sten was by far the most enjoyable as it jammed less often and is a legendary British icon that I had always wanted to fire/shoot.

So I guess the cleaning issue was the problem then?

I guess the rental weapons are neglected and simply hung back on the wall after being handed back.

 

The fault in most range guns of that type isn't the cleaning, it's that the springs don't get replaced often enough - particularly the recoil spring and the magazine springs. The other parts that tend to wear on any self-loader are the extractor and ejector. The extractor in particular has to keep a pretty good edge to grab that rim and once they get rounded and worn they need to be replaced.

 

How long did the 160 last? Was it a quicky type of thing or did they give you some history, lounge around talking. Cause at 160 buck, would prolly go camping for a weekend.
So it was 80 bucks per gun/50 rounds. That is not unreasonable...But you should have had a functioning gun. I'd have talked them into giving a partial rebate...

 

The experience didn't last long at all! There were three of us who shared the guns(myself, my son and my dad)and it was all over pretty fast.

There was no history lesson or chatting with the staff, it was more a case of enter the range, choose the weapons, buy the ammo, shoot the guns on the range, then leave.

I did consider asking for some of my money back but never did.

 

"and to fire my M2 .50 cal.?"

Kabloom... mind blown.
Probably shouldn't even think aboot it.

 

Fired one here

http://www.thegunstorelasvegas.com/


Not cheap, but fun

KTK

 

Have a problem with that gunstore...the zombie package contains no shotgun. What kind of gunstore doesn't offer a zombie sg - it is probably the single most important zombie weapon.

 

Shotgun? Hell, this babe has killed more zombies with a sword than all the shotguns in the show combined!!

 

That's just hollywood. Pretty fake.
Rather have a broadsword to deal with the undead...That chick could ride with me on my sabertooth tiger any day of the reckoning.

 

You can't go wrong with a broadsword, but I'd still like a Thompson. One of the early models like a 1927 with the Cutts compensator and the cooling fins on the barrel.