306235

We have the following transferable M1 Thompson Submachine Gun, manufactured by Auto-Ordnance in Bridgeport, CT, serial number 306235 available for sale. This weapon was manufactured sometime during the Fall of 1942, just prior to the M1A1 model changeover, and it retains many features characteristic of early M1 Thompsons.
This Thompson has been highly buffed and polished, and hard chromed. The wood on it is beautiful! It retains the original “M1” marking on the receiver, without the “A1” update to M1A1. It features the unprotected, early style Lyman “L” sight, and has an M1 bolt, which was the originally designed, floating firing pin bolt that later became simplified to a fixed firing pin on the M1A1 version. It has the later buttstock featuring a reinforcing crossbolt. It has a “GHD” inspector stamp, indicating it was inspected under the supervision of Army Inspector of Ordnance Colonel Guy H. Drewery of the Springfield Ordnance District during WWII. Such an inspector stamp is the easiest way to quickly identify an Auto-Ordnance Bridgeport manufactured M1, since Savage M1’s were not marked with “S” prefixes like the earlier M1928A1 models, and are extremely similar to the M1’s manufactured by Auto-Ordnance in Bridgeport, CT. The trigger frame serial number on this Thompson does not match the receiver, indicating it was switched out at some point in its life, although the weapon does not show markings of an arsenal rebuild, where lowers were often switched out as a matter of convenience. The lower frame serial number is 631695, and of Savage manufacture. The receiver has been prick punched to indicate the barrel was replaced at some point in its service life.

This M1 Thompson is an eye-catcher, and would be an excellent shooter gun. It may also be a candidate for de-chroming, if any potential buyer may want to pursue that process, and possibly return it to a parkerized finish. The weapon is especially interesting to anyone who wants a higher cyclic rate, simpler design, made for our military during the dark days of WWII. It comes with one 30-round magazine, which is also chromed.