Thompson M1928
Auto-Ordnance Corporation · Submachine Gun · Discontinued · 1928
Also known as: Tommy Gun, Chicago Typewriter, Trench Broom, M1928A1
Overview
The Thompson M1928 is an American .45 ACP submachine gun developed by John T. Thompson's Auto-Ordnance Corporation. It uses a delayed-blowback action with the Blish lock and fires from an open bolt at roughly 700 rounds per minute. Feeding from 20- or 30-round box magazines or 50- and 100-round drums, the M1928 introduced a Cutts compensator and refined actuator over earlier commercial models, and the militarized M1928A1 went on to see widespread Allied service through World War II.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4690 g (165.4 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 5450 g (192.2 oz) |
| Overall Length | 857 mm (33.74") |
| Barrel Length | 267 mm (10.51") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Open Bolt |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 20 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 285 m/s (935 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 605 J (446 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 150 m (164 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 700 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .45 ACP · primary — also known as .45 Auto, 45 ACP, 11.43x23mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine, Drum Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Fire Selector
- Features: Cutts Compensator, Blish Lock Delay, Drum Magazine Compatible, Detachable Buttstock, Vertical Foregrip, Finned Barrel
Variants
- Thompson M1928A1 — Military Pattern
- Thompson M1921 — Early Pattern
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 1938 · as M1928A1
- British Armed Forces · adopted 1940
- United States Marine Corps · adopted 1928
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
- Korean War (1950-1953)
Production
Estimated total produced: 1,500,000 · Production years: 1928-1944
Over 1.5 million Thompsons of all WWII-era patterns were produced by Auto-Ordnance, Savage Arms, and Colt; the M1928/M1928A1 was the dominant early-war variant.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: John T. Thompson
Discontinued: 1944
Notes
The M1928A1 (standardized 1938) was the principal U.S. military variant before the simplified M1 and M1A1 replaced the Blish lock with straight blowback. Famously associated with Prohibition-era gangsters, hence the nicknames 'Tommy Gun' and 'Chicago Typewriter'.
Background
Conceived as a 'trench broom' to clear enemy positions in World War I, the Thompson arrived too late for that conflict and instead found infamy in the hands of Prohibition-era gangsters and lawmen alike before becoming an iconic Allied weapon of World War II.