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Thompson Submachine Gun

From Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video Games
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Note: The M1921 Thompson and the M1928 Thompson are nearly identical from a distance. The M1921 has a very fine high blued polish finish and has a very fast rate of fire (faster than an Uzi but slower than a MAC-10). The M1928 has a more matte blued finish (or a black paint finish) and it has a much slower rate of fire (like M3 Grease Gun). Since sound effects are so often 'foleyed' after the fact and since sound engineers can place the wrong sound effect for a gun, one can never be 100% sure of the fire rate of a weapon. However if the rate of fire seems fast or the gun is obviously a high polished blued finish, then the weapon should go into the M1921 Category, not the M1928.


The Thompson submachine gun, or "Tommy Gun", has appeared in the following films, television series, and video games used by the following actors:

M1921 Thompson

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Colt 1921A Thompson with 20-round magazine - .45 ACP
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M1921 Thompson with 50-round drum magazine .45 ACP

The M1921 is the original production version of the Thompson Submachine Gun, as manufactured by Colt Firearms in 1921. The M1921 is of the highest quality, fit, and along with a high polish blued finish, more like high grade sporting arm, than a military weapon. Standard features of the M1921 are the finned barrels, some sent with Cutts compensators, knurled lightweight bolt handles, Lyman Model 55B adjustable rear sights, push button detachable butt stocks, vertical fore grips and checkered fire control levers.

Movie

Television

Video Games

M1928/M1928A1 Thompson

The Model 1928 was more of an modified version rather than an upgrade. They are visually the same as the M1921 except they were outfitted with heavy actuators and smaller less powerful recoil springs to reduce the rate of fire. The earliest of these were converted M1921 Thompson receivers that were merely re-stamped "1928" over the original markings (hence the terminology "overstamp"). The M1928A1 was the military contract version of this weapon in 1928. It had a more crude military grade blued finish, a heavier actuator and the vertical foregrip was replaced with a horizontal handguard.

Film

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M1928 "Tommy Gun" .45 ACP with 50-round drum magazine, made famous through countless classic gangster movies
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M1928A1 Thompson with 30-round magazine and early 'simplified' rear sight that would be adopted for the M1 Thompson - .45 ACP
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M1928A1 Thompson with 50-round drum magazine - .45 ACP
  • Unknown Actor as "Johnny" who shoots Unknown Actor as "Snakes" in a fictitious black and white movie in Home Alone
  • Soldiers and police in Them!
  • U.S. military personnel in Pearl Harbor (M1928A1 with 50-round drum and 30-round box magazines)
  • U.S. Air Force personnel in Jet Pilot (1957) (M1928A1)
  • U.S. Army soldiers in Patton (M1928A1)

Television

  • U.S. Army soldiers in Combat! (M1928A1)

Video Games

M1 Thompson

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M1 Thompson with 20-round magainze - .45 ACP.

The M1/M1A1 were versions of the M1928A1 Thompson that were streamlined and simplified for manufacture during World War 2. Features include a non-finned barrel, simple fixed "L" style sights, no Cutts Compensators, and no knurling on actuators, or fire select levers. Also there are examples that were parkerized rather than blued that ended up in the hands of U.S. Soldiers.


The older style M1 Thompson had simple rear peep sights and a slightly more complex bolt design, which was simplified with the M1A1 Thompson and the sights were improved as the "L type" was prone to bend if the weapon was dropped or dig into the Soldier when in cramped conditions. It must be noted the M1/M1A1 Thompson's are not compatable with the 50/70 round drum magazines used on the M1921/M1928A1 models.

Film

M1A1 Thompson

Basically the same as the M1 but with a few more improvements such as the noted rear sight guard.

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M1A1 Thompson with 30-round magazine .45 ACP

Film

  • Used as part of the M41A Pulse Rifles seen in Aliens

Video Games

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