The Auto-Ordnance Corporation spent nearly twenty years trying to market the first production run of 15,000 Thompson submachine guns. Unfortunately, no one customer wanted enough of this new type of weapon at any one time to deplete the inventory. In 1939, two very important events transpired: the rumblings of another world war began in Europe and a new management team took over an almost failed Auto-Ordnance Corporation. The new president, J. Russell Maguire, had a fresh vision for Auto-Ordnance and the foresight to place the Thompson back in production – even before the old inventory of Thompson guns manufactured years ago by Colt’s Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company were sold. A deal was struck in December 1939 wherein the Savage Arms Company, Utica, New York, became the second subcontractor to manufacture the Thompson. The first Savage manufactured Thompsons rolled off the assembly line four months later for delivery to many new Auto-Ordnance customers.

When long time Thompson enthusiast Mike Wank first examined Savage Thompson submachine gun S-15043, he knew immediately the serial number was almost too good to be true. Serial number S-15043 was recorded on the ATF registration Form 4 and the numbers on the upper receiver and lower frame matched. Mike recognized something was probably amiss with this serial number; however, he purchased S-15043 because he found exactly what he wanted – a Tommy Gun at a good price.

No documentation has been uncovered that tells exactly what serial number Savage Arms used when Thompson production began. It is believed by many Thompson experts the serial numbering started exactly where the Colt manufactured Thompson’s stopped: No. 15041. To support this belief are documented Savage Model of 1928 Thompsons in the 15,000, 16,000 and 17,000 serial number ranges. The earliest production Savage Thompson known to exist is S-15651. Actually, it is the only Savage Thompson found by this author to exist in the 15,000 serial number range. As were many of the early Savage Thompsons, S-15651 was apparently sold to the British Purchasing Commission as evidenced by the British Broad Arrow markings on the left side of the receiver by the magazine well. The extreme need for guns by the British in early World War II may well explain why there are so few surviving examples of early Savage Thompsons. It is very likely many of these early guns were probably used until they could be used no more and discarded or simply just lost in battle.

If Savage started production at serial number S-15041, then S-15043 would be the third Savage Thompson manufactured. Could Mike have purchased the third Savage Thompson? And as a shooter!

Early production Savage Thompsons have a few characteristics that are quite different from the later production Savage Thompsons. The most common known difference is the New York, N.Y. U.S.A. address on the right side of the receiver. The great majority of Savage Thompsons have a Bridgeport, Connecticut U.S.A. address. Many Thompson enthusiasts have never seen a Savage Thompson with a New York address. The exact point where the address markings changed is unknown. Frank Iannamico’s excellent Thompson reference book, American Thunder II, places the address change somewhere between the 75,000 and 84,000 serial number ranges.

The second characteristic of early Savage production Thompsons is not so well known; it involves the patent markings on the right side of the receiver. Early Savage Thompsons have patent date markings that are identical to the markings on the late serial numbered Colt Thompsons. These are the patent date markings with the 1922 dates (identical to Colt Thompsons from serial No. 14500 to the end of the Colt production at No. 15040). The patent markings commonly found on the great majority of all Thompsons, including Savage Thompsons with a New York address, are patent numbers. As with the different addresses, above, it is also unknown at what point the patent date markings changed to the patent number markings. Research by the author has documented Savage Thompsons in the 25,000 and lower serial number ranges with the patent date markings; and documented Savage Thompsons in the 26,000 and higher serial number ranges with the patent number markings. Somewhere in between this range of serial numbers appears to be the change-over point – approximately 10,000 guns into production. However, this research was somewhat limited in scope because there are not a lot of very early Savage Thompsons to examine. As with all war time manufactured firearms, exceptions undoubtedly exist and will surface as research continues.

It is important to re-emphasize Savage receivers were still being marked with a New York address when the patent date markings changed to patent number markings. There are three known variations of address and patent markings on the Savage Thompson receiver:

• The very early first type Savage receiver marked with a New York address and patent date markings (seldom encountered).
• The second type Savage receiver marked with a New York address and patent number markings is the most commonly found Savage receiver with a New York address. The patent numbers were positioned in the same location as the patent dates.
• The third type (and most commonly encored) Savage receiver is marked with a Bridgeport address and patent number markings.

A quick inspection of Mike’s Thompson revealed a Bridgeport, Connecticut address and patent number markings and is definitely a late production Savage receiver. Careful examination of the serial number area revealed some handy work by an enterprising person or company.

The matching serial number on the lower frame of S-15043 looks to be original. There is a very slight misalignment of the numbers, but this is common on Savage lower frames. Most important, all the numbers on the lower frame are machine stamped and appear unchanged and unaltered.

Mike filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request on S-15043 to learn more about the history of this Savage Thompson with the unusual serial number. From the redacted documents provided by ATF, it can be determined S-15043 began life on the National Firearms Act (NFA) Registry via an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 2 (Return of Firearms Manufactured, Imported, or Received by Manufacturer, Importer, Dealer (Other Than Pawnbroker), and Pawnbroker, under Chapter 25, Subchapter B, Internal Revenue Code), dated December 1, 1951. This registration date explained the reason for the handy work on the receiver and also told the exact origin of this Thompson. December 1, 1951, is believed to be the date George Numrich of The Numrich Arms Company (NAC) registered approximately 95 class three weapons that were included in the Thompson assets purchased from Frederic A. Willis and three of his associates on October 23, 1951. The class three weapons involved in this sale included Thompson submachine guns, prototype Thompson guns, Birmingham Small Arms (BSA) submachine guns, a .30-06 machine gun and a sufficient quantity of parts to assemble complete Thompsons. The small number of Thompsons registered by Numrich Arms Company in 1951 has come to be known by many in the Thompson community as the “NAC” or the “crate” Thompsons – because the complete Thompson business was packed away in crates when purchased by George Numrich. Continuing research has revealed several other NAC Thompsons also began life on the NFA Registry on December 1, 1951, with a documented transfer from former Thompson owner Frederic A. Willis to Numrich Arms Company.

Fortunately, the buttstock of S-15043 retained a property tag of one of the previous owners, The Village of Liberty. Internet research revealed such a city in the State of New York, very close to Mamaroneck, New York, the location of the Numrich Arms Company in 1951. Review of the FOIA redacted IRS/ATF forms indicated S-15043 had not been owned by a governmental agency for many years. A call to the police department located a retired officer who was for many years in charge of the Village of Liberty Police Department Firearm Training Division: Lt. Doug Lindsley.

Doug Lindsley began his career at the Village of Liberty Police Department in early 1971; he retired with the rank of Lieutenant in June 1995. Three times a year he attended the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) firearms training at Camp Smith, New York, and also assisted as a firearms instructor for the FBI special agents. In 1979, he was invited to attend the FBI’s annual qualification, barbecue, and competition shoot at Camp Smith. The shoot lasted three days and when the smoke cleared, Doug had finished first, ahead of the 186 FBI agents and 44 different state agency officers. Unfortunately, he could not accept the first place award because the competition was only for the agents… but he did manage a big smile for a long time afterward. The Thompson was used in many different phases of training at Camp Smith, but this only lasted for a couple of years. Doug recalled the Bureau began phasing out submachine gun training and started emphasizing the use of shotguns for the many small towns and rural areas in the State of New York. There are no known photographs of S-15043 while it was at the police department or any record of it ever being fired in the line of duty.

S-15043 was at the department when Doug became a police officer. A 50-round drum and two 20-round magazines accompanied the gun. Some excellent detective work by Doug produced a copy of the original IRS Form 5 (Firearms) tax exempt transfer document. This form shows August 15, 1952, as the date of transfer for S-15043 between the Village of Liberty Police Department and Numrich Arms Company. It is signed by “George R. Numrich, Jr., Individual Owner, 505 Halstead Avenue, Mamaroneck, New York.”

Doug believed S-15043 was sold back to Numrich Arms in the early 1980s and the money used to purchase shotguns. He was half-right; obtaining shotguns for the Liberty Police Department was the reason S-15043 was sold. But the purchasing dealer was Selective Fire Limited, a well known Class Three dealer now located in Marietta, Georgia.

The police patch shown in this story was the official department patch when S-15043 was in service with the Village of Liberty Police Department. Doug believed this patch should always be with S-15043 and proudly provided it to Mike.

Is Mike’s Thompson the third production Thompson submachine gun manufactured by Savage Arms Company in 1940? Yes and no. The receiver was definitely not produced in the early months of 1940. It is a late production Savage receiver that was probably surplus or rejected for some unknown reason and then never needed because production changed in 1942 from the Model of 1928 Thompson to the Model M1 Thompson. However, the lower frame appears to be original and at one time part of the original Savage S-15043 Thompson. Interviews of several former owners indicated S-15043 may have been parkerized after it was sold by the Village of Liberty Police Department. It is not hard to imagine how the original third Thompson manufactured by Savage could have been used in early quality control type testing that ultimately may have led to the receiver being destroyed or discarded. There is no doubt the lower frame of S-15043 was retained by Savage Arms (and later by Auto-Ordnance Bridgeport) and ultimately made its way to the Numrich Arms Company when George Numrich purchased the Thompson in 1951.

Review of other known “NAC” Thompsons with Savage receivers show the same serial numbering handy work as S-15043. The reversed numeral three in the serial number is just another example of the rudimentary Numrich Arms Company early markings. Careful examination of the receiver revealed what may have been a “NAC” or “NU” (for Numrich?) marking below the Numrich Arms Company stamped serial number; this marking was probably removed when this Thompson was refinished. Numrich Arms Company had to mark the serial numbers on the Thompson receivers in 1951 before registration with the Internal Revenue Service or the government would assign a serial number. The lower frame of S-15043 was obviously found in among the many Thompson parts and mated with a Savage receiver. A decision to mark this Thompson with the serial number of the lower frame was made and a new “NAC Thompson” was born. What happened to the “first” Savage S-15043 will probably never be known; however, the lower frame of this third Savage Thompson continues to live on as part of this “NAC” or “crate” Thompson.

The Colt Thompson submachine gun has become the icon of organized crime and the gangsters of the 20s and 30s. Indeed, its use by criminals who made the twenties roar was a leading cause of the National Firearms Act of 1934.

Not surprisingly, many of the Thompsons used by gangsters had their serial numbers obliterated. This article examines the practice of serial number removal by criminals and their recovery by forensic firearm examiners. Gangsters of that period did not know it, but there is a hidden number on all early Thompsons. We will describe how to reveal these numbers using an amnesty-registered gangster Thompson and why even today, these techniques can shed new information about the history of these nearly century-old submachine guns.

Crime: Some Things Never Change

Law enforcement organizations are extremely interested in weapons’ serial numbers for obvious reasons. The numbers may link criminals to other crimes and specifically to robberies that may have been the source of the weapons in the first place. Of growing significance is that their identification may lead to patterns involving criminal activities such as straw purchases and dealers who may be supplying guns to organized crime networks. The mere presence of an obliterated serial number on a crime gun is a good indicator of trafficking because it shows that someone in the chain of possession presumed that the gun will be used in a future crime, may have to be discarded and might be recovered by the police.

Tracing of crime gun serial numbers has been around since serial numbers first appeared on guns. With respect to Thompsons, two of the more famous cases involved the tracking of Thompsons supplied to the Irish Republican Army in 1921 and the forensic examination of the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre weapons.

Fast forwarding to this century, a report by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms that analyzed 88,570 trace requests made by law enforcement officials in 44 communities found that crime guns are now predominantly handguns (77 percent) and, among handguns, mostly semiautomatic pistols which alone account for half (50 percent) of all crime guns traced. Almost 10 percent of the traces involved handguns with obliterated or partially obliterated serial numbers. The proportion of handguns with obliterated serial numbers is nearly twice as large for semiautomatic pistols (11.3 percent) as for revolvers (6.3 percent). Obliteration is more common on guns used in crimes committed by individuals under 24.

Although obliterated serial numbers on guns are relatively common, prosecutions are infrequent. One 2003 study found that between 2000 and 2002, Federal prosecutors throughout the nation filed only 259 cases against individuals in possession of a gun with an obliterated serial number. Marc Dupre of FoCoSS Forensics states, “The lack of follow-through is probably due to the difficulty prosecutors have in proving that the individual knowingly obliterated the numbers and/or understood its illegality (a Federal felony punishable by five years). Another factor may be that the prosecutors typically have a robust shopping list of other crimes which would send these individuals to prison.”

Obliteration Methods and Recovery Techniques

The techniques outlined here are commonly known and documented in publicly available books and articles. This information was reviewed by practicing firearms examiners and certain facts not commonly known are not revealed.

The most common form of serial number removal is surface grinding or filing. Over the past 13 years, Marc Dupre has rarely seen other techniques such as peening, chiseling, center punching, drilling or welding. Sometimes specific numbers will be altered by over stamping such as changing a 6 to an 8 or a 1 to a 4. A lot of 8s and 4s are a red flag.

Even though the numbers have been totally removed, at least visually, the crystalline structure of the metal underneath remains unaltered. The serial numbers can sometimes be recovered by techniques that differentiate between the unaltered and altered crystalline structure directly beneath the original numbers. The most common method is to first polish the area and then etch the prepared surface. The altered crystalline areas etch at a different rate than the surrounding metal, revealing the original numbers.

There are a dozen different etching reagents, depending on the type of metal (e.g., steel, aluminum, brass). There are also electrochemical, ultrasonic, magnetic and heat techniques to name a few, and because this is a visual examination, the right type of lighting and photographic enhancements help tremendously. Needless to say, there is as much art as science involved in successful serial number recovery.

Marc Dupre states, “Success rates as high as 80 percent have been reported in the literature. Much depends on the method used to obliterate the number in the first place; some are more effective that others and this is an area we keep within the profession, for obvious reasons.”

Overlooking the Obvious

Modern weapons typically have the serial number in more than one place. A state police firearms examiner who wished to remain anonymous for this article states, “Criminals can be incredibly stupid. I have seen guns such as Glocks with the stamped metal serial number strip removed from the frame, but the matching numbers on the barrel and slide unaltered.”

His oddest case of “What were they thinking?” involved Smith & Wesson Model 66 stainless steel revolvers. “When this model first came out about 20 years ago, they were extremely popular and many were stolen. Someone was professionally welding up the serial numbers visible on the frame and re-stamping new numbers. It was difficult even for forensic examiners to tell that these were not the original numbers, except for one glaring mistake – the secondary had not been altered near the cylinder yoke.”

But even century-old guns can have multiple serial number locations. German manufacturers in particular seemed to be obsessed with adding the last few digits of the complete number to every little part. The classic example is the Luger P08. In fact, all matching numbers is a major factor for collectable guns.

Some of this numbering is to maintain hand-fitted components or parts matched for cosmetic reasons, but in the case of rifle bolts, for example, it is absolutely critical to match the correct bolt to the gun to ensure proper headspace. Sometimes assembly numbers that have no relationship to the serial number are also used because a number had yet to be assigned.

In the case of Thompsons, all of these factors came into play. Early Colt guns were marked on the left side of the receiver and on the underside of the of the trigger frame. Model 1928 and 1928A1 Thompsons were also so marked. Some M1 and M1A1 Thompsons had trigger frame serial numbers, but that practice was terminated later in World War II. Specifications after 1943 specified “receiver-only markings.” The reason is obvious for military guns: guns sent back for repair soon were mismatched.

The first thousand Thompsons had the number on the ramp face of the chamber on the barrel. It is sometimes possible to see this from the extractor cutout in the receiver. Some specially-ordered guns had serial numbers placed in visible locations such as on the Cutts Compensator so that the numbers could be observed when stored in a gun rack.

There are also matching assembly numbers placed under both the butt plate and butt stock. Gordon Herigstad, author of Colt Thompson Serial Numbers, is aware of at least one occasion where these numbers were also removed even though they were just assembly numbers. Its accompanying C drum’s serial number was obliterated as well.

But the only guaranteed way to uncover the original serial number was through barrel removal and examination of the flat area on the receiver under the forearm. Not only were gangsters oblivious to this hidden number, they did not have the tools or knowledge to reveal it. Indeed, special tools are required to complete this operation without marring, or in any way damaging, these valuable guns.

Douglas W. Richardson of Malibu, California, manufactures the required barrel wrench and receiver vice. The process is straightforward as shown by gunsmith Nelson Ford of Phoenix, Arizona, on an amnesty-registered gun with an IRS-issued number 6377-D. The original receiver markings on this gun are peened off and the trigger frame numbers both peened and ground off. Gordon Herigstad correctly predicted beforehand that the serial number would be under 3,000 because of its “early markings” (i.e., “Full Automatic” and “Semi Automatic” spelled out on the trigger frame).

Like many Thompsons of that period, Auto-Ordnance had no specific information on what is now known to be serial number 2976. Colt manufactured the gun but they were a subcontractor to Auto-Ordnance and did not maintain detailed records on the guns that they did not own and, of course, the original Auto-Ordnance is out of business.

The current owner, Charles Olsen jokes, “I was hoping it was sold to a hardware store outside Chicago.” Indeed, a few of these stores were the source of many of the crime guns of that era. With the number revealed, maybe someday the truth will be known.

History to be Uncovered

Pulling the barrel on a Thompson and discovering the original serial number is more than just an exercise in curiosity. Obviously, the criminals are long since dead, as are the cases that may have involved these guns. Discovering the original serial number is not about putting people in jail: it is about uncovering lost history. These guns represent the very symbol of a bygone terror that still stirs the imagination today.

Gordon Herigstad states, “There were approximately 200 of the 495 Thompsons – known as the Rorke guns – that were destined for the Irish Republican Army. You can usually identify them since a chisel was used to obliterate the serial numbers. In addition, Peter Von Frantzius was an armorer who supplied Thompsons with ground-off serial numbers to gangsters in the Chicago area. Overall, however, there are relatively few – possibly a dozen or less – Thompsons in museums or in private collections with obliterated numbers.”

Some of these still hold secrets yet to be uncovered. For example, Herigstad describes two that he is aware of, “There is one in the New York City Police Museum reported to have been used on July 1, 1928 by Fred “Killer” Burke to murder Frankie (Uale) Yale who ran afoul of Al Capone. It was the first time a Thompson was used in New York gangland warfare and it is assumed to be directly linked to Al Capone. The visible serial numbers are ground off and the only real proof is that key bit of information which the museum does not have. I have the numbers of all the guns bought by Capone and can make the definite link.”

Marc Dupre examined several close-up photographs of this submachine gun and believes that the number could be restored, “You never know until you give it a try.” Ironically, its value as a piece of gangster history would actually decrease if such a restoration were to be attempted. The only way to both preserve its significance and trace its origin is to remove the barrel, document the number and re-attach the barrel.

Herigstad continues, “Another interesting gun is in the Rock Island Arsenal Museum in Illinois. One of the 17 Thompsons in their collection has obliterated numbers, and if I pulled the barrel, I could immediately tell if it is also one of the famous Chicago gangster guns. It was acquired locally in 1955 and without any descriptive history, but since Chicago is only 160 miles away, one can easily speculate there may be a connection. Hopefully someday history will be uncovered on these two Thompsons.”

(Thank you to Chuck Olsen, Gordon Herigstad, Marc Dupre and Nelson Ford for their assistance in the preparation of this article.)

The 137th National Rifle Association Annual Meetings & Exhibits were held in Louisville, Kentucky on May 16-18, 2008. Louisville provided a wonderful venue for the largest convention ever hosted by the city. Firearm and accessory vendors assembled for the weekend exhibits at the Louisville Expo Center to display their wares in a setting similar to the S.H.O.T. Show. Since 1960, the NRA has provided space at the exhibits for collector displays, where affiliated clubs may apply to feature their firearms and related material for public viewing.

Members of The American Thompson Association (TATA) participated in the event, and assembled a historic display that will surely be remembered for many years to come. With the support of the Berrien County, Michigan Sheriff’s Department, TATA displayed the two notorious Colt Thompsons used in the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre on February 14, 1929.

The effort focused upon Dr. Calvin Goddard’s crime scene investigative techniques, and respectfully presented the two Thompsons. Dr. Goddard had previously worked on the Sacco & Vanzetti case of the late 1920s, where he established some of his forensic principles. Immediately following the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, Dr. Goddard’s expertise was sought to assemble a crime lab at Northwestern University in Chicago to enable investigation of the case. It was the massacre of the century, purported to have been initiated by gangster heavyweight Al Capone, and law enforcement wanted to solve it quickly. As a result of the murders, and the subsequent investigation, Dr. Goddard pioneered many standard forensic methods used by law enforcement, including acid etching to reveal a ground off serial number on Thompson #7580, as well as rifling, cartridge case, and primer marking forensics.

Colt Thompsons serial number 2347 (Model of 1921A), and serial number 7580 (Model of 1921AC), which were recovered from a Berrien County hideout of “Killer” Fred Burke in December 1929 were featured on display. Also included on display were many artifacts, including one of three bullet proof vests recovered from Burke’s weapons cache, two bricks from the wall of the building where the murders occurred, an original full box of ammo from the same lot as used in the killings, various drums and magazines from the hideout, as well as several Goddard ballistic test artifacts.

The American Thompson Association was also fortunate to obtain the support of the Newark, Ohio Police Department, who lent their ballistic comparison microscope, which appeared on interactive display to the public. The microscope demonstrated some freshly spent cartridge casings from Colt Thompson #7580, and attendees could examine the markings left by the weapon on the casings as its own, distinctive fingerprint. The casings could also be compared to sample photos from the report produced by Goddard, showing the same markings.

The two Thompsons on display were undoubtedly the best documented firearms in the entire exhibit hall. Their provenance was apparent, as they could be spotted in several period photographs on display, and their descriptions and involvement in the murders were forensically proven in Goddard’s investigative report. It should also be noted that the deeds performed by gangsters with the two Thompsons drove much of the anti-machine gun sentiment of the time, and more than likely inspired passing of the National Firearms Act of 1934, therefore affecting many of our actions today. The Thompsons are truly historic artifacts for many reasons, and this was the first time they appeared to such a large audience, with over 71,000 attendees. Some fortunate audience members received unique souvenirs from the display; actual bullets and shell casings with documentation indicating they were fired through one of the SVDM Thompsons. These were highly sought mementos, and did not last long.

Goddard’s work was presented to a Coroner’s Jury to account for the seventy .45 ACP shell casings, and two “Climax” Brand 12-gauge shotgun shells found at the scene. All ammunition used was manufactured by the U.S. Cartridge Company. At the time he presented the evidence, the weapons had not been recovered. Goddard was able to determine the killings were performed by two different Thompson Model of 1921 submachine guns; one emptying an “L” drum of 50 rounds (later determined to be #2347), and one presumably emptying 20 rounds out of an “XX” magazine (later determined to be #7580). There were also two shotgun rounds fired from the same pump or automatic shotgun, probably as a “coup de grace” to Reinhardt Schwimmer, an optician by profession, and a gangster “groupie” who found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time on that fateful day.

It is important to note that no one was ever prosecuted for involvement in the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. Captured in 1931, Fred Burke was jailed for life for the murder of police officer Charles Skelly of the St. Joseph, Michigan Police Department. Burke died in prison of a heart attack in 1940.

As a result of the amazing display, and the provenance of the Colt Thompsons, each Thompson was awarded a silver “Best Arms” medal by the NRA. To top it off, the overall effort won the 2008 “Best Display” award, which is a perpetual silver cup that is engraved with the winner each year. Very significantly, this was the first time that all 11 NRA judges unanimously chose one display to receive the top honor. Also awarded was a certificate of recognition for the accoutrements on display from Dr. Goddard, including pictures from his report, and boxes of labeled test bullets from his laboratory.

The display was produced through the efforts of several individuals. First of all, Lt. Mike Kline, who is the caretaker of the SVDM Thompsons in Berrien County, Michigan, and also Sheriff L. Paul Bailey supported the project. Tracie Hill, President of TATA, put together the incredible display, and coordinated the club’s involvement. Many tireless hours were spent by Tracie to make it possible, and his experience with previously designed firearms displays proved invaluable. Also critical was Chuck Schauer, whose display at the 2006 TATA Show & Shoot inspired this one. Mr. Schauer initiated the involvement of Berrien County, without whom the SVDM Thompsons would never have been possible to display. Also, Bill Helmer, author of the 1969 classic Thompson narrative, The Gun That Made The Twenties Roar, contributed artifacts and much of the historical account that was featured in the program handout that accompanied the display. Many other TATA members helped with construction, and staffed the display while providing historical tutelage to those who viewed it on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Much fun was had by all who participated from the club, and countless people were amazed and grateful for the opportunity to view such historic firearms presented in an interactive manner. The NRA provides an unbeatable collector display forum, and attending their annual events held in cities around the country is highly recommended. Nowhere else can one see so many firearm displays, vendor exhibits, along with Ted Nugent’s enthusiastic support of the second amendment, followed by his amazing guitar rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner,” all in the same day. The next NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits will be held in Phoenix, AZ, May 15-19, 2009.

Arizona Class Three dealer Tom Stewart had always wanted a Colt Thompson submachine gun. Unfortunately, this “trench broom” envisioned by General John T. Thompson in 1917 and later invented by Auto-Ordnance Corporation engineers Theodore H. Eickhoff and Oscar V. Payne has become one expensive piece of weaponry. Tom decided to take the plunge in late 2006 when he answered an advertisement on Subguns.com concerning a Colt Thompson. Tom was just like many other Thompson enthusiasts; he was familiar with the history of this famous American invention and he wanted one. The story of Tom’s purchase has uncovered for Thompson collector’s around the world a piece of Thompson history that has been heretofore unknown – a Colt Thompson with a 15,000 serial number. Only 41 Colt production Thompsons bear a serial number in the 15,000 serial number range.

The Model of 1921 Thompson submachine gun was manufactured by the Colt Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company and was the first commercial production of this now classic firearm. The initial production run by Colt, under contract to the Auto-Ordnance Corporation, New York City, was for 15,000 Thompson Submachine Guns.

The first serial number used when manufacturing began was No. 41 and this first Colt Thompson was delivered to the Auto-Ordnance Corporation in March 1921. The last serial number used on this initial production run was No. 15040 manufactured in July 1922. Tom’s Thompson, No. 15025, was not the last Colt Thompson as fifteen other Colt Thompson submachine guns have a higher serial number – but none are currently known to be on National Firearms Act (NFA) Registry. However, it is the highest serial numbered Colt Thompson known to exist in the United States at this time.

The original 15,000 Thompsons manufactured by Colt were all Model of 1921. The commercial marketing of these firearms was less than successful. In the ensuring years, Auto-Ordnance modified the Model of 1921 Thompson in hopes of finding something that would be more marketable. The Model of 1923 Thompson was the first modification – an attempt to make the Thompson into something similar to the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR). Several variations of this Model of 1923 Thompson were built, but in the end this effort was a complete failure. Only a handful of authentic Model of 1923 Thompsons exist today and all retain the original Model of 1921 markings.

The adoption of the Cutts Compensator for the Thompson in 1926 could also be termed a modification. Even with the added cost, the compensator was a very popular accessory when offered on the Model of 1921 Thompson.

The next modification was the Model of 1927, converting the Thompson submachine gun into a semiautomatic carbine. This met with some limited success in that a small number of these Thompson carbines were built from existing stocks of Model of 1921 Thompsons and sold mostly to prisons as guard guns. These are easy to distinguish because the “Model of 1921” and “Thompson Submachine Gun” markings were removed and re-stamped “Model of 1927” and “Thompson Semi-Automatic Carbine.”

In 1928, the most popular Thompson modification was adopted by Auto-Ordnance and resulted in the best selling Thompson to date. This modification is known as the Model of 1928 Thompson, commonly referred to by collectors as the Navy model or the 28 overstamp. At the request of a good customer, the United States Marine Corps, Auto-Ordnance designed a heavier actuator that resulted in a slower rate of fire. During this same time period, the U.S. Navy took note of the Marines effective use of the Thompson in the jungles of Nicaragua in 1926 and began procurement of the Thompson. This heavier actuator along with a new recoil spring and guide, horizontal forearm, sling and Cutts Compensator later became the U.S. Navy, Model of 1928. Thompsons were taken from inventory and the 1921 markings were changed with the stamping of the number 8 over the number 1. This overstamping appears to many as the letter B, but it signifies a Model of 1928 Thompson. The words “U.S. Navy” were not added to every Model of 1928 Thompson. No. 15025 is a Model of 1928 Thompson; the number 8 stamp over the number 1 is very distinct but there are no US Navy markings present on No. 15025.

No. 15025 has a unique marking on the receiver. The letter “A” is stamped beside the overstamped 8 thereby making the model nomenclature read Model of 1928 A. The purpose or reason for this “A” marking and who applied it to No. 15025 is unknown. Gordon Hergistad, renowned Thompson researcher and author of the excellent reference book, Colt Thompson Serial Numbers, reported that he has never seen a Colt Thompson with only the “A” marking after the model nomenclature. Mr. Hergistad has observed five Colt Thompsons with “U.S.” markings before and “A1” markings following the model nomenclature. These markings were applied by the United States military when the Army adopted and procured this gun in very limited quantity.

An examination of No. 15025 reveals the upper receiver and lower frame have matching serial numbers. The first noticeable exception to No. 15025 is the misalignment of barrel alignment markings. This is because No. 15025 was dewated (deactivated) in the past and later activated with another Colt barrel. A close inspection of this replacement barrel reveals the letter “H” to the right of the barrel alignment marking. This “H” marking makes for the second unusual letter stamping on No. 15025. The replacement barrel appears to have a modern Auto-Ordnance Corporation, West Hurley, New York, compensator that has been pinned. Fortunately, Tom has acquired the original dewat barrel, and more importantly, the original Cutts Compensator. The buttstock has the upside down anchor marking indicative of the correct buttstock, but the pistol grip and vertical foregrip may not be original to this Thompson. Tom has reported all the internal components appear to be original Colt parts. The rear sight is of special interest as it has the very rare “METER” markings, an indication No. 15025 may have been originally prepared for sale to a foreign government or customer. The right side receiver markings show the 1922 patent dates, something only found on Colt Thompsons with serial numbers over 14500. Aside from the past dewat/rewat and re-barrel procedures, this Thompson only shows the normal signs of scratches and wear. Tom believes No. 15025 still retains the original finish.

Tom filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request on No. 15025 to learn more about the history of this historic Thompson. From the redacted documents provided by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, we learn No. 15025 began life on the National Firearms Act (NFA) Registry via a Form 2 (Notice of Firearms Manufactured or Imported) dated June 30, 1939. It appears No. 15025 was one of the last Colt Thompsons sold by General Thompson’s Auto-Ordnance Corporation. On July 21, 1939, the Auto-Ordnance Corporation became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Thompson Automatic Arms Corporation with J. Russell Maguire firmly in control of the Thompson.

Deciphering redacted government forms is at best a guessing game. However, it appears No. 15025 may have belonged to a governmental agency until 1969 or 1971 when it was acquired by a Class III dealer in Michigan. It was deactivated sometime in 1971 or 1972 and then transferred to a private individual on September 1, 1972. It remained with this individual until February 2006 when it was sold to another Class III dealer. It was re-activated in August 2006. The transfer of No. 15025 to Tom Stewart was approved on January 12, 2007.

Recently, Gordon Hergistad discovered another Colt Thompson with a slightly higher serial number than No. 15025, outside the United States. Gordon will report on this discovery in the next edition of his book.

Many years ago the author was talking to then noted Thompson expert Roger A. Cox about Colt Thompsons with serial numbers in the 15,000 range. Roger told the author that his examination of some very poor condition Auto-Ordnance sales records revealed only one in the United States. Roger would not reveal the location because he was going to attempt to acquire this Thompson. In Roger’s now classic book, The Thompson Submachine Gun, he references No. 15036 as being sold in the United States by Federal Laboratories. Is it possible No. 15036 never made it on to the NFA Registry? Could No. 15025 be the only 15,000 serial numbered Colt Thompson in the United States on the Registry? Or could another one or two be hidden away in a police department gun vault or private collection? Only time will tell.