Despite Its High Cost, Millions Were Made for the U.S. and the Allies in WWII

The Thompson submachine gun was conceived by U.S. Army General John Thompson as a weapon to assault and clear out enemy trenches during World War I. Thompson formed the Auto-Ordnance Corporation to develop his submachine gun. World War I ended before the weapon went into production. After the post-war design was finalized, Auto-Ordnance, which had no facilities for mass production, subcontracted with Colt to manufacture the Thompson submachine gun. A total of 15,000 Thompson submachine guns were produced by Colt from 1921 to 1922. Sales were very disappointing; for all intents and purposes the concept was a failure though criminals of the day recognized the Thompson’s value. Police departments began to purchase Thompsons just so they would not be outgunned by gangsters. Many gangland shootings made the headlines in all the newspapers; the Thompson submachine gun was getting a very tainted reputation.

By early 1939 when it appeared World War II was imminent, the Thompson submachine gun was nearly 20 years old. An entrepreneur by the name of Russell Maguire sensed that there would be a need for weapons when war came. Through some dubious tactics, Mr. Maguire was able to gain controlling interest in the floundering Auto-Ordnance Corporation.

World War II was a more fluid conflict than World War I had been. It would be a war where the submachine gun would play a significant role. Despite the design being over 20 years old, it was the only proven weapon that could be fielded quickly. However, once again Auto-Ordnance had no manufacturing capabilities. A forward-thinking Russell Maguire contracted with the Savage Arms Company to manufacture the Thompson for Auto-Ordnance. The first Thompsons made by Savage were similar to those made by Colt. Savage delivered the first completed guns to Auto-Ordnance in April 1940. Savage also manufactured many parts to supply Auto-Ordnance’s own factory in Bridgeport, Connecticut, that began manufacturing the M1928A1 model in August 1941.

The British Army, despite their resistance to what they referred to as “gangster guns,” was one of the first customers to order Thompsons. At this point, the United States had not yet entered the war. The United States was forced to enter World War II after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The U.S. Army began quickly growing, and weapons were needed to arm soldiers and Marines.

The U.S. government had on several occasions voiced concern over the .45 caliber submachine gun’s high price, which was costing the government the same as a Browning belt-fed machine gun. Savage and Auto-Ordnance were both aware that the Ordnance Department was seeking a less expensive submachine gun to replace the Thompson.

In November 1941, the engineering staff at Savage began conducting a study of how the M1928A1 model Thompson could be simplified. The engineers were looking for ways to decrease cost and increase production. Consuming much of the manufacturing effort was the receiver, more specifically, the rails inside of the receiver that the bronze Blish lock traveled on. The three-piece bolt/lock/actuator of the 1928 model was also labor intensive to manufacture. The engineers at Savage doubted that the locking device was necessary.

A Less Complex Submachine Gun

In late February 1942, a “simplified” prototype Thompson submachine gun conceived by Savage was ready to be submitted to the Ordnance Department for testing. The bolt assembly was a very simple rectangular block of steel. This allowed the receiver to be redesigned for easier manufacture and its width reduced. The inside of the receiver simply had a rectangular channel milled into it to accommodate the bolt. The bolt had been redesigned with two sear notches. This allowed the weapon’s safety lever to be engaged when the bolt was in the forward position on an empty chamber. Since drum-type magazines had proven unsuitable for military use, the new receivers eliminated the lateral slots on the sides of the magazine well for accommodating them.

Savage shipped the new weapon to Russell Maguire at the Auto-Ordnance Corporation headquarters. The Savage Corporation told Auto-Ordnance that it was submitting the redesigned Thompson, “Without any claims for compensation, reimbursement, royalty or patent interest.” The Auto-Ordnance engineering staff examined the new design and then submitted it to the Ordnance Department in March 1942. The new Thompson was sent to Aberdeen Proving Ground for testing and evaluation. After a few government recommended alterations to the prototype were made, the new Thompson was recommended for adoption as “Submachine Gun, Caliber .45 M1” on March 24, 1942.

The pilot rod for the recoil spring was simplified for easier manufacture and was held in place by a new type buffer. The M1’s pilot rod was made longer than those for the 1928 design to completely contain the spring. The M1’s pilot rod and buffer lessened the possibility of damaging the recoil spring during assembly and disassembly; a problem often encountered with the 1928 models.

The M1 featured a smooth barrel without the radial cooling fins or a threaded muzzle for a compensator. The rear sight installed on early production M1 Thompsons was the same simple unprotected “L” type. This design proved to be easily damaged and was replaced by a similar sight but with protective side “ears.”

By July 1942, Savage began delivery of the first new Thompson model, now designated as the M1 Submachine Gun. The Auto-Ordnance Bridgeport and Savage Arms factories both began production of the Thompson M1 model in July 1942. However, due to many technical problems experienced by the Bridgeport factory with the change over from the M1928A1 model, the actual manufacture of their M1s was delayed by several months.

While in July 1942, Savage had turned out 48,000 guns, Auto-Ordnance was struggling to meet its scheduled production mark. Contributing to the production delays were problems in deliveries of materials, equipment and tooling authorized by the government for M1 production.

After the M1 production finally commenced at Auto-Ordnance’s Bridgeport plant, more problems were encountered. The Springfield Ordnance District refused to accept any of the Auto-Ordnance Bridgeport-manufactured M1s because of the increase in their full-auto cyclic rate over the M1928A1 model. Officials from Washington, the district ordnance office and Auto-Ordnance engineers conducted studies and tests, all failing to provide a correction for the condition. Finally, on December 9, 1942, official notice from the Ordnance Department in Washington gave the district permission to waive the rate-of-fire requirement and accept the Bridgeport M1 guns. In the interim, the M1 Thompsons being produced at Savage were being accepted in large quantities by the Rochester Ordnance District without any problems.

The M1A1 Model

The Savage Arms Company continued attempts to further simplify the design by experimenting with a fixed firing pin model. The prototype was originally fitted with an M1 type bolt with a firing pin fixed in an extended or “in battery” position. The firing pin, spring, hammer and hammer pin were omitted. Later the “fixed” separate firing pin was eliminated and replaced by a fixed “firing pin” machined onto the bolt face.

The Springfield Ordnance District was notified that manufacture of a fixed firing pin bolt for use in the M1 submachine gun was authorized. In order to distinguish between submachine guns equipped with separate firing pins and fixed firing pins, the submachine guns fitted with the fixed firing pin would be designated as “Gun, Submachine, Caliber .45, Thompson M1A1” (A1= Alteration 1).

By the time the Springfield Ordnance District began accepting the M1s made at the Bridgeport plant, the new Thompson M1A1 model had replaced the M1. Most of Auto-Ordnance M1 Thompsons were then upgraded to the M1A1 configuration and the A1 designation added by hand stamping “A1” on the receiver.

On earlier models, the forward motion of the bolt was stopped by the front of the bolt cavity in the receiver, a major factor in determining the length of the chamber. To increase reliability the cylindrical protrusion at the front of the M1A1 bolt was increased by .028-inch. With the longer front shank, the bolt’s forward motion was stopped by the cartridge seated in the barrel’s chamber unless the chamber was empty. The redesign ensured that the fixed firing pin would strike the primer with greater force, reducing misfires. However, the downside to the fixed firing pin design was that it increased the chance of an out of battery discharge of a cartridge.

The cost for Savage to manufacture an M1 was $23.44. On February 24, 1942, Savage agreed to a contract to manufacture the M1 model for Auto-Ordnance at the cost of $36.37 per unit, providing Savage with a profit of $12.93 per gun. Auto-Ordnance then charged the U.S. government $43.00 for an M1 model and $42.94 for the M1A1 version, although the prices and profits varied slightly from contract to contract.

Serial Numbers

Unlike the 1928 Thompsons, the manufacturer’s initials, “AO” or “S,” were not used as a serial number prefix on the M1 series. To identify who made a particular M1 or M1A1 Thompson, the manufacturer stamped their code letters on the bottom of the receiver where the front grip mount is fitted. The letters used were “S,” which indicated Savage manufacture, or “A.O.C.” for weapons made at the Auto-Ordnance Bridgeport plant. As on the previous M1928A1 model, the Auto-Ordnance Corporation name and Bridgeport address are present on the receiver’s right side, regardless of who manufactured the weapon. Another change noted in the M1/M1A1 Thompson was the spelling of the word “caliber” on the receiver. The word was changed from the early spelling of “CALIBRE” to the U.S.-recognized spelling, “CALIBER.”

Savage-manufactured M1 and M1A1s were stamped with the Army Inspector of Ordnance’s initials of the Rochester, NY, Ordnance District. AIOs of the Rochester District were Lt. Colonel Ray L. Bowlin, using stamp “RLB,” and Colonel Frank J. Atwood, using stamp “FJA.” The Bowlin RLB marking is found only on the early M1 Thompsons. All Savage M1 and M1A1 submachine gun receivers and frames were also marked with the encircled “GEG” acceptance stamp of Auto-Ordnance’s civilian inspector at Savage’s factory, George E. Goll.

M1 and M1A1 Thompsons produced at the Auto-Ordnance plant in Bridgeport, Connecticut, would have the acceptance stamp of the Army Inspector of Ordnance of the Springfield District. Very early M1s would be marked with the stamp “WB”—Colonel Waldemar Broberg. Later production would be marked with the “GHD” stamp—Colonel Guy H. Drewery.

There have been many M1A1 trigger frames documented that do not have serial numbers. During repairs and rebuilds, the frames and receivers were often mismatched. This caused a lot of confusion when the weapons were stored in racks, and the frame number was mistakenly recorded instead of the receiver serial number. U.S. Ordnance specification AXS-725, dated January 7, 1943, called for a serial number to be marked, “Only on the receiver.” Subsequently, M1A1 frames manufactured after that date had no serial numbers applied. Arsenals were instructed to obliterate or remove serial numbers from the frames of the M1/M1A1 Thompsons. Due to the depth of the markings, the practice was soon discontinued.

M1’s and M1A1’s Final Days

In January 1943, the Ordnance Department announced to the Auto-Ordnance Corporation that the Thompson was going to be replaced by the newly developed U.S. M3 submachine gun. After the Ordnance Department’s official adoption of the M3 submachine gun, Thompson production was scheduled to be concluded in July 1943. Plans were made to begin tapering off production of the weapon. In April 1943, 62,948 M1A1 guns were manufactured; this was reduced to 55,000 in May and 51,667 in June. This left only 5,000 guns remaining to be manufactured in July 1943 from existing contracts. Authority was then received from the Ordnance Department in June to procure an additional 60,000 weapons by the end of August. Before the end of August, more orders for the Thompson gun were received from Washington. A total of approximately 119,091 additional Thompson M1A1 models were to be manufactured, providing continuance of production through December 1943. At the end of December, there were enough parts remaining to assemble approximately 4,500 additional guns. In January 1944 authorization was granted to complete the remaining guns by February 15, 1944. Production briefly resumed in February, completing a total of 4,092 additional guns. On February 15, 1944, the very last M1A1 Thompson submachine gun was accepted by the government via contract W-478-ORD-1949.

The Savage Arms Corporation manufactured an estimated total of 464,800 M1 and M1A1 model Thompsons, while the Auto-Ordnance Bridgeport plant turned out an estimated 249,555 M1s and M1A1s. A presentation-grade M1A1 Thompson was made by Savage. The serial number represented the total number of 1928 and M1/M1A1 Thompson submachine guns made by Savage: 1,244,194 from April 1940 until February 15, 1944. The number does not include the Thompsons made by Auto-Ordnance’s Bridgeport factory.

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Article excerpted from the book American Thunder III, available from Chipotle Publishing LLC.

Special thanks to Curator Alex MacKenzie and the entire staff at the Springfield Armory National Historic Site.
Springfield Armory National Historic Site
Springfield, MA
413-271-3976
www.nps.gov/spar

During a recent visit to the Springfield Armory National Historic Site Museum in Springfield, Massachusetts, Small Arms Review was granted access to the area of the museum where weapons not on display are stored. Only 16-percent of the museum’s collection is currently on exhibit.

One might wonder why some of the more unique, one-off firearms are not on display. I have asked this question of several museum curators over the years, and the answer is always the same. The average military museum visitor is interested in seeing a rifle or handgun that was issued to them, their father or grandfather. Most are not interested in one-of-a-kind prototypes.

High Standard T48 7.62mm FN FAL Rifle Serial Number HS-1

One of the rarest FN FAL rifles was manufactured by the High Standard Corporation, Hamden, Connecticut in 1954. The Belgian FN FAL rifle, as originally manufactured in Europe, was produced using the metric system of measurement. Canada, Great Britain and the United States all used the Imperial system of inches. Any rifle produced in these countries would need to adhere to their standard of measurement. One of the obstacles encountered with the Belgian rifle was that all the factory drawings were done using the metric system.

The Springfield Armory was busy with the T44E4 rifles and numerous other projects and decided to turn the task over to a commercial entity. Bids were taken for the project, and the contract was eventually awarded to the High Standard Corporation. As part of the agreement, High Standard was to manufacture at least 12 functional FN FAL T48 rifles from their final drawings. Harrington and Richardson received a contract and manufactured 510 inch-pattern T48 rifles for testing and evaluation.

Inland M1 Carbine Serial Number 1

The M1 carbine was manufactured during World War II, issued to primarily arm personnel who were not engaged in front-line infantry fighting. The carbine used a new 7.62x33mm cartridge with a 110-grain bullet at a muzzle velocity at approximately 1,970 feet per second. The carbine was designed to supply a more effective weapon to those who would normally be issued a handgun. The M1 carbine was manufactured by a large number of contractors. One of those contractors was the Inland Division of General Motors. In the museum’s holdings is the first production M1 carbine made by Inland, serial number 1, with two unusual characteristics: a “web” forward of the trigger guard and a corrugated curved butt plate. The first five tool room models of the Inland carbine were made by R.F. Sedley, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.

T29 .30 Caliber Grease Gun Serial Number X38

The experimental T29 submachine gun was developed by the Guide Lamp Division of General Motors during the fall of 1944. The T29 is a straight blowback M3A1 “Grease Gun” chambered for the .30 carbine cartridge. The barrel is 14 inches in length; the overall length is 28.8 inches. Development was terminated with the introduction of the select-fire M2 carbine.

Savage Submachine Gun .45ACP Serial Number X-1

The experimental Savage submachine gun, caliber .45, was manufactured by Savage Arms, Utica, New York. Equipped with a folding spike bayonet, magazine and sling, this submachine gun shares many features with the production Reising M50 submachine gun and feeds from a 20-round Reising magazine. The weapon was designed in the 1940s by Eugene Reising for Savage Arms.

High Standard Submachine Gun .45 ACP Serial Number 7

The High-Standard Submachine Gun Caliber .45 was designed by Carl G. Swebilius of High Standard with the patents assigned to the corporation. The .45 caliber prototypes were made by High Standard; production UD42 9mm models were manufactured by Marlin for the United Defense Supply Corporation. Reportedly only seven weapons in caliber .45 ACP were made for submission to various testing boards.

Submachine Gun Thompson M1A1 .45 ACP Serial Number 1244194

Manufactured by Savage for the Auto-Ordnance Corporation, Bridgeport, Connecticut, this is a presentation M1A1 Thompson submachine gun with a polished blue finish. The serial number represents the total number of Thompson submachine guns; 1928, M1 and M1A1 models made by Savage. The weapon was donated to the Springfield Armory NHS by Savage Arms, Westfield, Massachusetts on October 17, 1978.

Swedish-K, 9mm Caseless Ammunition Serial Number 356615

A submachine gun that was introduced to the Navy SEALs at Fort Bragg and remained in their inventory through the Vietnam War, was the Swedish Model 45, also known as the m/45 or Swedish-K.

A Swedish-K submachine gun, serial number 356615, was converted by the U.S. Smith & Wesson Corporation to electrically fire caseless 9mm ammunition. The m/45 was followed by several S&W Model 76 submachine guns that were designed for caseless ammunition before the program was terminated.

Smith & Wesson Model 76, Caseless Ammunition Serial Number X219

Model 76 serial number X219 was one of several Model 76 submachine guns converted to fire caseless ammunition. The ammunition was fired electrically. Power was supplied by a 30-volt dry cell battery located in a compartment forward of the trigger guard. The magazine release lever was redesigned to clear the battery box. Note the on-off safety switch on the pistol grip (barrel is missing from the weapon).

U.S. Rifle, M1 Caliber .30 Serial Number 1

Manufactured by Springfield Armory, Springfield, Massachusetts in May 1934, this is the first model shop semi-automatic, gas-operated (gas-trap) M1 Garand rifle with 8-round clip feed mechanism. Manufactured by semi-production, tool room methods in the Model Shop at Springfield Armory under direct supervision of John Garand. The cost to the government for the 80-model shop M1 rifles was $1,831.00 in 1934, or $32,268.51 in 2018 dollars.

U.S. Rifle, M1 Caliber .30 Serial Number 81

This M1 was manufactured by Springfield Armory, Springfield, Massachusetts in 1937. It is the first series production model M1 gas-operated, semi-automatic rifle with 8-round clip feed mechanism. Parkerized finish with many small parts blued. This is the first production line M1 manufactured in 1937 at a cost of $214.54. Serial numbers 1 to 80 were tool room models.

U.S. Rifle, T20 Caliber .30 Serial Number 1

The T20 was manufactured at Springfield Armory, Springfield, Massachusetts in October 1944. Experimental gas-operated, select-fire rifle, essentially a modified M1 adapted to a 20-round detachable BAR box magazine. The receiver was made .3125-inch longer than a production M1 to solve a problem feeding from the BAR magazine. The weapon was designed to fire from open bolt in the full-auto mode; closed bolt in semi-auto mode. The open bolt feature did not adequately solve cook-off problems.

Muzzle velocity was 2750 feet per second and cyclic rate of fire 500rpm. Weapon has an overall length of 44.5 inches, a barrel length of 24 inches and weighs approximately 10 pounds without accessories. Development of the T20 model was terminated in January 1945 with recommendations that minor changes and strengthening of various components be made. A rifle incorporating these minor design changes was designated as the T20E1.

Remington T22E2 .30 Serial Number 1

Concurrent with Garand’s work on the T20 rifle, a competitive contract was awarded to Remington Arms Company to develop an improved M1 rifle. Remington’s prototypes were designed around a standard length M1 receiver. Like the T20, the T22 used a BAR-style 20-round magazine. Manufactured and developed by Remington Arms, Ilion, New York. The T22E2 was essentially an M1 converted to select fire and modified for a detachable box magazine.

Belt-Fed German Fallschirmjagergewehr, FG42

After World War II ended, the idea to develop a new U.S. general purpose, light machine gun was renewed. A captured World War II German weapon, a late model FG42, was examined and adopted as a base design. The FG42 (Fallschirmjagergewehr, or Paratroopers Rifle) was a limited production, shoulder-fired, rifle caliber weapon intended solely for the German paratroop forces, produced from stampings and welding.

The mechanical solution for the conversion was engineered by the Bridge Tool & Die Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1946. The resulting weapon is a conversion of the Type 2 FG42 German paratrooper rifle with the belt feeding mechanism of the Maschinengewehr 42, a German, belt-fed general purpose machine gun, fabricated from sheet metal stampings. The Bridge Tool & Die conversion weapon is a gas-operated, blowback type combination—air-cooled; bipod supported; with forward handgrip and rear shoulder stock. The receiver cover is marked WaA 147.

T33 Clarke Arms Rifle Serial Number 8

The Clarke Arms Company of Boston entered their T33 series rifles in the U.S. Ordnance Department’s lightweight rifle competition. The T33 rifle development program was begun in March 1949. The weapon was a lightweight, selective full- and semi-automatic rifle. The purpose of the lightweight rifle program was to replace the M1 rifle. This project was suspended in late 1950, because the weapon lacked sufficient ruggedness and demonstrated poor performance under adverse conditions. The Clarke Arms Company dissolved on December 22, 1954.

T44 Rifle Serial Number 1

The first 7.62mm T44 rifles were built on .30 caliber T20 receivers. Spacers were used in the receiver to adapt the T20 receiver for the shorter 7.62mm cartridges. A new short receiver, specifically designed for the 7.62mm round, was introduced on the T44E4 model.

First Production M14 Rifle Serial Number 2000

The first U.S. M14 rifle off the series production line at the Springfield Armory in 1957 was serial number 2000. The presentation grade rifle was finished in a high polish blue with a fine black walnut wood stock.

M14E2/A1 Rifle Prototype, Springfield Armory M14 Serial Number 6488

The M14 rifle as issued, was very difficult to fire accurately in full-automatic. As a result, many were issued with selector locks, limiting their operation to semi-automatic-only. In attempt to design an M14 that could effectively use its full-auto feature, the USAIB/M14 was conceived at Fort Benning, Georgia, by Captain Durward D. Gosney. The Springfield Armory M14 Serial Number 6488 was fitted with an in-line pistol grip stock, wooden foregrip, muzzle stabilizer and commercial rubber recoil pad. In this configuration, the M14 demonstrated that the automatic fire accuracy requirements could be consistently achieved.

Due to size limitations, only a small portion of the unique firearms stored at the Springfield Armory Museum are featured in this article, as are the brief descriptions. Watch future issues of Small Arms Review for more in-depth articles and photos on many of these weapons.

Special thanks to Curator Alex MacKenzie and the entire museum staff.

For more information about the museum:

Springfield Armory National Historic Site
One Armory Square, Suite 2
Springfield, MA 01105-1299
Phone: 413-271-3976 Website: nps.gov/spar

From the jungles of Nicaragua to the beaches of Normandy to the rice paddies of Viet Nam, the Thompson submachine gun provided outstanding service in conflicts and wars throughout much of the 20th century.

Some of these Thompsons were the guns made by Colt’s Patent Firearms Company in 1921-22. Most were guns made by Savage or Auto-Ordnance during World War II, but a few were cobbled together by nations in need of reliable, effective small arms. Such was the case in China and on the small island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean. Cyprus was the birthplace of the Turkish Thompsons.

The October 1976 issue of Gun World magazine contains a reference to these Turkish Thompsons in their Tech Tips section. Under the heading of Combat Find, there is an extensive description of Turkish M1A1 Thompsons that were encountered by Canadian UN peacekeeping forces on Cyprus. The author of that article, Captain J.M.G. Gagné, believed those Thompsons were made on the island probably in the 1960s-70s for use by the Turkish Cypriot resistance.

During the conflict, and especially after the Turkish invasion in 1974, the Canadian Airborne forces on Cyprus did observe Turkish Army units armed with U.S.-made Garand rifles, Browning machine guns and Thompson submachine guns. The presence of these arms was likely due to the fact that Turkey was the recipient of a lot of U.S. surplus arms post World War II. According to Captain Gagné, “Turkey could have easily supplied the Turkish Cypriots with American weapons, but it is assumed that they could not politically take this risk. Doing so would have created a furor in the U.S. government. By providing only a few essential parts, they could help them manufacture the weapons and thus save face.”

A sentence in the February 1966 issue of Shooting Times references the Turkish Army’s use of Thompsons: “A goodly number are in the hands of the Chinese Communist and Turkish Armies today.” This quote likely refers to the surplus weapons mentioned above, but this story is about the Turkish-made Thompsons.

Action on Cyprus

UN Peacekeeping forces were originally sent to Cyprus in 1964. Among them was the Canadian Airborne Royal 22e Regiment (see information about this unit and their museum, La Citadelle, in the January 2007 issue of SAR). Captain Gagné, now a retired Major, was a member of that Regiment, and the following is his description of his first encounter with the Turkish Thompsons.

“Trouble started in Cyprus in December 1963 and gradually degenerated towards civil war. The UN deployed a peacekeeping force in March 1964. Canadian units were there from the start and rotated every six months for over 30 years. I served there the first time in 1968-69 as a platoon commander in the Turkish sector in the Northern part of the island, and it is then that I first saw these guns. I clearly recall the brass receiver version because it definitely attracted attention, but I cannot recall for sure if there was the steel version at that time.”

All of the Turkish Thompsons are the M1A1 model firing standard .45 ACP ammunition. The barrels, magazines, and some small parts were U.S.-made. All other components were made on the island with varying levels of quality. It is not known how many Turkish Thompsons were made, but Major Gagné guesses somewhere between a few thousand and 10,000.

Some of the Canadian troops liked the Thompsons so much that they used confiscated weapons when they were on patrol. Even though the Canadian government only issued ten rounds to UN soldiers, one enterprising soldier, Master Corporal Mackenzie, did some trading to acquire ten fully loaded 30-round magazines. Not surprisingly, he liked 300 rounds better than 10 when on patrol.

Identification of Turkish Thompsons

The weapons first observed in 1968 had brass receivers and trigger frames. The smooth barrels (no cooling fins) had the compensator installed, which was not used on any M1 or M1A1 guns made in the U.S. The compensator was welded to the barrel rather than screwed on, probably because they were using M1 barrels which were not threaded at the muzzle. Some of the compensators were U.S.-made and some were Turkish-made. The proper threads were cut into the front of the receiver for barrel installation. The buttstock, rear grip and foregrip were all made of olive wood. Turkish Thompsons that Major Gagné observed during a later deployment had steel receivers and the standard M1 uncompensated barrels with the front ring sight.

It is not surprising that brass was used for some of the receivers, since it has been a common fabricating metal in the eastern Mediterranean for centuries. Its mass does mean that a brass Thompson weighs noticeably more than a steel one. A person who has shot the brass Thompson indicated that the extra weight essentially eliminates felt recoil and that barrel climb was minimal. It is not known whether the two receiver materials were used concurrently by different fabricators or the steel replaced the brass version.

All Turkish Thompson receivers are stamped TMT on the left nose of the receiver with the serial number below the TMT. TMT stands for TÜRK MUKAVEMET TESKILATI, the major Turkish resistance organization on Cyprus. The earlier serial numbers have a T prefix, while the later ones have only the number. These are the only markings on the receiver. It appears that the T prefix was dropped for four-digit serial numbers, but there are currently too few identified examples to confirm this.

The trigger frames contain the markings for the selector and safety the same as on U.S.-made Thompsons. However, the brass trigger frame markings are in English while the markings on the steel trigger frames are Turkish. The English markings apparently copied a Savage-made M1 as the FULL AUTO is on two lines instead of one line like the Auto-Ordnance-made M1s. The lettering on the brass frame is a much finer font than on the steel version and is not deeply struck, and the arrow lines appear to have been scribed rather than stamped.

A number of both versions were brought back to Canada in 1974 by Canadian Airborne commandos. Some went to museums and others were retained by soldiers, which was allowed by Canadian law at that time as long as the weapons were registered.

There is no documentation indicating how many of the Turkish Thompsons entered Canada, but known examples are rare. So far, four have been specifically identified. They are serial numbers T272, T457, T525 and 1150. The first two, T272 and T457, are the brass receiver version. The latter two are the steel receiver version. This limited sample does not provide enough information to determine whether there were unique serial number ranges for the brass and steel versions.

The RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) took ownership of T272 and 1150 in 1978. T272 is now a specimen in the RCMP firearms reference library, but the location of 1150 is not currently known. TMT T272 was valued at 10,000 U.S. dollars in 1976, so today’s value would be considerably higher, even in the restricted Canadian market.

Some examples of the Turkish Thompsons were imported into the U.K. in 1970 by a dealer. These included a few with the brass receiver and others with the steel receiver. One of those steel versions, serial number 2630, was recently identified, but unfortunately was also just deactivated according to current U.K. specifications.

Turkish Thompson Detailed Analysis

Serial number T457 is in the Canadian Airborne Forces Museum in Petawawa, Ontario. It is an intact example of the brass Turkish Thompson. A compensator is welded to the front of the barrel and all of the wood is olive, both features that Major Gagné had observed. However, the compensator on T457 is Turkish-made rather than U.S.-made, a departure from what Major Gagné had originally seen. All of the trigger frame internals appear to be Turkish-made based on their quality and the absence of the manufacturer marks seen on U.S.-made components.

Other interesting features of T457 beyond its brass receiver and trigger frame are: (1) a hand-made 1921/28 style magazine catch with crude hand “checkering” and held in place on the right side of the receiver with a steel washer and cotter pin; (2) a cross-bolt reinforced buttstock using a standard bolt, nut and washers; (3) a unique front swivel made from a brass sling buckle; (4) the front support of the foregrip mount is welded to the barrel; and, (5) the rear angled profile of the trigger frame does not match the receiver angled profile as it does on a U.S.-made gun.

Serial number T525 is in the hands of a private collector in Canada, but has been significantly modified from its original configuration. The receiver, trigger frame and rear sight are Turkish, but the barrel, all of the wood and internals have been replaced with aftermarket or U.S. surplus parts that are not original to the weapon. The weapon was modified or “deactivated” according to current Canadian law, which involved welding the selector to semiautomatic only.

The TMT and T prefix on T457 and T525 use a large handmade font, but the serial numbers are the same size font that is used on the steel trigger frame markings and are struck deeper into the metal than the letters. Interesting features of T525 are: (1) the protected rear sight has been installed slightly canted to the side; (2) the hole drilled at the rear of the receiver is off-center; and, (3) the corner profile at the back of the receiver does not align with the trigger frame corner profile, a characteristic it shares with its brass brethren.

A Steel Turkish Trigger Frame and Internals

Parts of Turkish Thompsons occasionally show up on the market in the U.S. A thread on Frank Iannamico’s “Thompson Message Board” in October of 2003 discussed the origins of Turkish-made Thompson trigger frames, apparently started as a result of one being sold online. One individual indicated that he owned a Turkish trigger frame and had seen several for sale in recent years. Unfortunately, he could not be contacted for further information.

A steel trigger frame from a Turkish Thompson came up for sale in May of 2006 and is described below. It has the Turkish markings that are standard on the steel version of the Turkish trigger frames. The seller indicated that this frame came out of Ohio as part of a trade of a large number of parts, but he did not know anything more about its history.

The finish on this trigger frame is not spectacular, but appears to have been originally blued. The trigger frame did not include the buttstock assembly, rear grip screw, magazine trip or rocker. The U.S.-made rear grip included was not original to the frame because it is walnut instead of olive wood and could not be attached without interference with the magazine catch. Both the rocker and magazine trip are present on the intact examples studied (T457 and 2630), so the missing parts were apparently pilfered or lost from this trigger frame at some point over the years.

All of the trigger frame markings are original, strong and deep, including special Turkish characters. Three of the four markings translate easily, even with the special letters. On one side of the selector switch, SÜREKLI translates to continuous, ceaseless, or the author’s personal favorite, unrelenting. On the other side, TEK translates to single or one. The one marking on the safety lever, EMNIYET, translates to safety. However, ATES did not appear in any Turkish dictionary. It is obvious what it should mean, but direct translation was not readily available.

Several months after the trigger frame was acquired, an article appeared in the Wall Street Journal that included a reference to the Farsi (Persian) command to fire a weapon, Atesh. Previous research in Turkish had indicated that the special character S in ATES (with punch under S) is a special consonant that is pronounced “sh”, which means ATES is pronounced “Atesh”. Translation mystery solved. ATES means Fire. Apparently Turkish has borrowed a number of words from other regional languages, including Farsi, especially in the period that this trigger frame was probably made.

This trigger frame is an interesting mix of U.S.-made and Turkish-made parts, which ties in with comments by Major Gagné about their source. The U.S. parts are the pivot plate (Apex), pin style selector (Savage), paddle style safety (Savage) and sear lever (Stevens). The remaining internal parts are all Turkish-made, including the trigger, disconnector, sear and springs.

The number 13 is stamped on the larger parts (frame, trigger and magazine catch). This numbering may have been an assembly number or a maker number since the various parts were suspected to have been made by many different sources in different locations on the island.

The trigger frame on the privately-owned example in Canada includes the number 14 stamped on the bottom of the trigger frame behind the rear grip rather than inside the frame. However, since the internals of this weapon were all replacements, it is not known if the original Turkish parts also had the 14 present. The number 3 is stamped on the inside of the T457 trigger frame but not on any of the internal components and 39 is stamped on the inside of the receiver on 2630 but not on its trigger frame.

The dimensions of the trigger frame are similar to a U.S.-made frame, but a number of differences indicate that the tolerances used in U.S. manufacture were not strictly followed by the Turkish makers, or perhaps the equipment being used was not capable of maintaining those tolerances. The Turkish trigger frame does not readily fit a U.S.-made receiver.

The metal of the frame behind the trigger is much thinner than a U.S.-made frame. The side-to-side thickness of the frame in the grip area is 0.030 inch less on the Turkish example, which means a U.S.-made rear grip will not fit properly without significant sanding, especially under the magazine catch. The slot cut for the magazine back rib has squared corners rather than the rounded corners found on U.S.-made frames.

Although similar in design, the contours of the disconnector are very different from a U.S.-made example. The M1-style magazine catch is crudely made compared to the other parts, a characteristic that all of the Turkish Thompsons seem to share. It’s attachment by a washer and cotter pin on the right side of the receiver is also common to all of the Turkish Thompsons observed.

Each of the magazine catches has its own unique method and pattern of checkering on the pad portion, obviously hand-made like the rest of the part. Most are the M1-style catch, but the early Turkish Thompsons sport a 1921/28-style catch designed originally for use with drum magazines. Standard Thompson drum magazines cannot be used with M1 or M1A1 Thompsons, so this style catch is likely a result of the Turkish Cypriots simply copying a U.S.-made part without knowing the reason for the different profile.

Though small in number like their Chinese-made counterparts, the Turkish Thompsons still represent an important part of the military history and lore of the Thompson submachine gun. Anyone with information on the Turkish Thompsons is asked to contact the author through Small Arms Review.

(The author would like to thank the following people for their invaluable assistance in the research for this article: Major J.M.G. Gagné, Canadian Airborne, Retired; Ainsley Christensen, Collections Manager, Canadian Airborne Forces Museum; Gary Dare, RCMP, Ottawa, Canada; John Cross in the U.K.; and, Richard Jones, SLA Resource Manager, National Firearms Centre, U.K.)

By David Albert

The Thompson submachine gun (TSMG) is arguably the most intriguing and history-rich automatic weapon in existence. Many variations and hundreds of TSMG accessories generate collector interest similar to Lugers, Colt Revolvers, M1 Rifles, and Carbines. A multitude of paper items associated with the Thompson provide glimpses into its long history, and document its diverse use by police, gangsters, military forces, and civilians during the past 85+ years. The most frequently encountered Thompson paper items are manuals, company catalogs, advertisements, and other ephemera.

Items generally fall within three Thompson eras, beginning with the Colt era from 1921 to 1939, followed by the World War II era, and lastly the Kilgore/Numrich/Kahr era from 1949 to present. Early developmental paper items between 1916 and 1920 are rarely encountered. Like most Thompson items, original paper examples are expensive.

Auto-Ordnance produced high quality handbooks to accompany their Model of 1921 Thompsons, and their catalogs and advertisements featured beautiful illustrations that add to the Thompson mystique today. Six different Model of 1921 Handbooks were produced between 1921 and 1936, as the inventory of 15,000 Colt produced Thompsons sold slowly until the outbreak of hostilities in Europe. A handbook, and sometimes an instruction sheet accompanied each weapon, and additional Manuals of Instruction were produced by the company in 1936 and 1937. Auto-Ordnance catalogs and sales flyers produced between 1921 and 1936 showcased the TSMG variations made from the standard Model of 1921A, intended to generate greater interest while utilizing existing inventory. The 1923 Catalog contains remarkable historical content, and is also the catalog generating the most reproductions. Originals are scarce, and many may believe theirs to be original, but most are reproductions dating back to the early 1960s. The 1923 Catalog featured the Model of 1923 Thompson with a bipod and bayonet, chambered for the more powerful .45 Remington-Thompson cartridge, intended as competition to the BAR. Also featured was a Thompson submachine gun mounted on a motorcycle sidecar, and 30 TSMGs mounted in a Larsen all-metal attack plane, with 28 remotely operated, facing downwards, loaded with C-drums to strafe enemy positions. This setup was referenced as partial inspiration for later aerial gunships. While none of the unique offerings of the 1923 Catalog became commercially successful, it generated much greater interest decades after it was originally published.

Ownership of Auto-Ordnance transferred to Russell Maguire in 1939, who seized the opportunity to revive the struggling company. His timing proved perfect, providing him much wealth, and the contribution of his company’s TSMG to allied victory is well documented. A vast number of Thompson paper items are associated with the war years, including examples from Great Britain, Australia, France, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Norway, India, and the U.S. The weapon was primarily used by the Allies, but some Axis use resulted from capture. Examples of post-war Thompson manuals also exist from Yugoslavia and Israel.

The U.S. Marine Corps issued the first military manual for the TSMG in 1935, followed by an Army Standard Nomenclature List (SNL A-32) in 1936, and the classic War Department Field Manual (FM 23-40) in 1940. Each wartime TSMG shipped with an Auto-Ordnance Edition of 1940 Handbook, of which 5 different versions exist. Two War Department Technical Manuals were produced. (TM 9-1215 for the M1928A1, and TM 9-215 for the M1 Thompson) Upper echelon level repair manuals also exist, but are rarely encountered.

World War II era Thompson manuals, as well as other weapons manuals often tell fascinating stories. They may include unit markings, dates, weapon serial numbers, and even soldier’s names and personal information recorded in them. These features can leave a new owner wondering just what kind of action the soldier saw who previously used the manual. In some cases, a soldier’s information is accessible on the internet; since they may have been involved in a famous military event, gone on to do other things after their wartime experiences, or even given their life for their country.

Thousands of Thompsons were acquired by Britain through their Purchasing Commission and the U.S. Lend-Lease Program. As a result, several publications for Home Guard instruction were produced by companies such as Nicholson and Watson, John Murray, Whitcombe and Tombs, and Hodder and Stoughton. One such manual, in two variations, was published by Gale and Polden, and titled “The Thompson Mechanism Made Easy.” It was extremely well produced, and reproductions are prevalent today, but original examples can still be found. It features pictures of Colt Thompson #3386. The British War Office also produced several versions of Thompson manuals, three of which accompanied the “Small Arms Training” series of field manuals used during World War II. The 1944 version combined both the Thompson and the Sten SMG into one manual.

Three versions of a Model of 1921 Thompson manual were produced for the Vichy French government in 1941, 1942, and 1944 by Charles Lavauzelle & Co. They were prepared under Nazi occupation, due to the large number of Colt Thompsons purchased by the French in 1939, many of which ended up being used as police weapons after the French surrendered. Germany also referenced the French Thompsons in a small arms manual. Norway published two versions of a Thompson manual, the first of which was produced in Britain by exiled Norwegian forces. Some intriguing Italian Thompson manuals exist based upon British military manuals, and these were probably produced during the allied occupation of Italy. Many other examples exist that provide further history of the distribution of TSMGs to various forces.

Auto-Ordnance was sold to the Kilgore Manufacturing Company in 1949, and Kilgore produced at least one style of sales flyer for the M1A1 Thompson, which they intended to produce after their attempts to sell the Thompson to Egypt failed. For a short period of time, Frederick Willis, the former Maguire executive who brokered the deal to Kilgore, purchased back the Thompson, and sold it to Numrich Arms in 1951. Many examples of Numrich sales flyers, brochures, and periodical advertising exist referencing their ownership of the Thompson. In 1974, Numrich received approval to produce a semi-automatic model first considered in the mid-1960s. They revived the Auto-Ordnance name in West Hurley, NY for use with their new production models, which later included the fully automatic Model of 1928 and M1. Several collectible catalogs, sales flyers, and manuals exist from the era that can be found at reasonable prices. Numrich paper items hearkened back to the style of Colt era advertising. In 1999, Kahr Arms purchased Auto-Ordnance from Numrich, and the company has produced four different catalogs featuring Thompsons, as well as manuals and various advertisements.

A manual is a necessary accessory, like a cleaning rod or gun case. Military manuals represent experience gained from spending vast sums of taxpayer money on weapons projects, and we can benefit from the information produced. However, operators using old manuals for instruction should exercise caution, common sense, and consult others when operating their live guns. While most information is reliable, changes were often made, and in some cases, incorrectly printed information may exist. It is best to use the latest edition of a manual if intended to aid in the operation and maintenance of a firearm.

Caution should always be exercised when purchasing expensive “original” paper items to ensure the buyer remains well informed regarding reproductions. Collecting Thompson paper items provides exciting historical content to accompany the guns and other accessories. Through collecting efforts, many items have been recently “rediscovered,” providing more pieces to the larger Thompson historical puzzle, and there are probably many more out there to find.

(David Albert is co-author of the book “Thompson Manuals, Catalogs, and Other Paper Items,” a collector guide privately published in 2005. The book is out of print, and a second edition is in the works.)

There were originally two separate Marine Corps museums. One was located in Washington, D.C., the other at Quantico, Virginia. The Marine Corps Air-Ground Museum that was located on the Quantico Marine Base featured displays documenting the Marine’s achievements on the ground and in the air during World War I, World War II and many other campaigns. The museum itself was housed inside one of the early World War I aircraft hangers. The Marine Corps Historical Center and Museum was located forty-miles north of Quantico at the U.S. Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. At this facility there was a standing exhibit that chronicled Marine Corps history from 1775 to modern day with uniforms, weapons, photographs and documents.

On 13 November 2006, after many years of careful planning and hard work, the new National Museum of the Marine Corps opened its doors to the public. This new ultra modern facility is situated on over 135 acres adjacent to the Marine Base at Quantico, Virginia. Currently, the display area inside of the museum building covers approximately 118,000 square feet, with a planned future expansion of over 181,000 square feet. A 210-foot iconic spiral protrudes from the roof of the facility and is clearly visible for miles on Interstate 95, especially when lit-up at night.

The word to describe the new museum is “impressive.” The facility and displays are all first-class, using state of the art multimedia technology to replicate the sights, sounds and even the temperature of being there. When you first enter through the museum doors you will encounter the Leatherneck Gallery. The stainless steel base of the 210-foot spire rises from the center of the gallery and its design was inspired by the famous raising of the American flag on Iwo Jima during World War II. On the walls surrounding the display area are the portraits of eight Marines and overhead are four Marine aircraft representing different eras: from the 1920 Banana Wars, a Curtiss JN-4 Jenny armed with a Lewis Gun, two Corsair fighters from World War II and an AV-8B Harrier VSTOL (Vertical Short Take Off and Landing) jump jet that saw action during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. On the ground, an LVT-1 (Landing Vehicle Tracked) armed with a .50 caliber Browning machine gun breaches defenses on a Pacific Beach. Across the room a Marine machine gun crew with a M1919A4 Browning, disembark from a Korean War era Sikorsky HRS-2 helicopter to take up positions.

The visitor with a critical eye will notice that careful attention has been given to all of the weapons and equipment in the displays to insure the correct configurations for the time period depicted.

The next gallery on the tour is Making Marines, which conveys the anxiety experienced by recruits during basic training. The display features a Marine Corps bus, from which voices of nervous recruits can be heard, and on the ground are the famous yellow footprints. There is even a military barbershop to bring back memories for visiting veterans. One of the more pleasant displays in the gallery is an M16 laser rifle range where visitors can test their marksmanship skills. In the Marine Corp despite your job description, “Every Marine is a Rifleman.”

The Legacy Walk captures the more than 230 years of Marine Corps history featuring displays of the earliest Colonial Marines atop sailing ships. On a wall above, two-time Medal of Honor recipient Marine Dan Daly struggles with an opponent during 1900 in Peking, China. From World War I, a Marine engages a German soldier in hand to hand combat. During World War II, a Navy Corpsman attends to a wounded Marine. Displayed overhead is the actual UH1E Iroquois “Huey” helicopter that Medal of Honor recipient Marine Major Stephen Pless flew during the Vietnam War. Life-like figures, aircraft, photographs and artifacts create a Marine history timeline from 1775 to the modern day.

World War II Gallery

The story of the U.S. Marines in their Pacific island-hopping campaigns is told with displays of tanks, artillery pieces, aircraft, small arms and personal items that belonged to individual Marines. Highlighted are Marine innovations in tactics, equipment and special units. An excellent display is a Marine aiming his water-cooled .30 caliber M1917A1 Browning machine gun at enemy aircraft. Weapons fielded by the Japanese Imperial Army are also displayed.

One exhibit briefs visitors for an assault landing on Iwo Jima before boarding a Higgins Boat for the hazardous trip to the beach. Sound and video combine to provide a realistic experience. One of the most historically important artifacts in the museum is the actual flag that was raised by Marines atop Mount Suribachi on the island of Iwo Jima and photographed by Joe Rosenthal. The resulting image is the most famous and inspiring photograph of World War II, with the image almost immediately becoming a Marine icon. The World War II Gallery honors the sacrifices and accomplishments of America’s Greatest Generation.

Korean War Gallery

This gallery documents the Marine’s involvement in the Korean War that took place from 1950 to 1953. After World War II ended both the Marine Corps and U.S. Army had been drastically reduced in size. On 25 June, 1950, at approximately 4 a.m., a rainy Sunday morning, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Army (North Korea) invaded the Republic of Korea (South Korea). At 11 a.m., North Korea announced a formal declaration of war. An unprepared United States military scrambled to train and deploy troops to Korea. Korea was the first combat action of the cold war era.

Included in the Korean Gallery is a display of Marine positions near the infamous Chosin Reservoir. The temperature in the display area is twenty degrees lower than the rest of the museum, the sky is dark, and voices of approaching Chinese troops can be heard; all contributing to an eerie feeling felt by the visitor. Other displays include a machine gun position in a sandbagged bunker, and a LCVP landing craft representing General MacArthur’s bold plan for an amphibious landing at Inchon to get behind the enemy and cut off his supply lines.

Another display depicts a U.S. Pershing tank moving through the streets of the war-torn capital city of Seoul, about to run over an abandoned Communist 12.7mm DShK machine gun position.

Vietnam Gallery

Marine units were first deployed to Vietnam in 1965, unaware that this would be the longest engagement in their history. Visitors are taken into the fight through a series of displays featuring both enemy and Marine uniforms, weapons and equipment. In one display, a Marine armed with an M79 grenade launcher peers around a wall. Behind him is a rare Marine Ontos tracked anti-tank vehicle armed with six 106mm recoilless rifles. During its service in Vietnam, the Ontos often fired fleshette filled “beehive” rounds to clear paths through the dense jungles. Another display depicts a Marine armed with an M14 rifle patrolling past a series of hooches lead by a German Shepard. Next, one enters a hot landing zone on Hill 881 through the fuselage of a CH-46 helicopter. The floor of the aircraft vibrates and sounds of rotor blades and weapons engulf the visitor’s senses. Scanning the landscape reveals Marines assisting wounded buddies and attending to a dead comrade. One of the many weapons on display in this gallery is the actual 7.62mm M40A1 Remington sniper rifle used by Marine Lance Corporal Benjamin “Chuck” Mawhinney. Corporal Mawhinney scored 103 confirmed enemy kills and 216 probables during his 16 months in country.

Global War on Terrorism

By using combat photographs, art, maps, and text, this gallery features images from Marines serving in ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Most of the photographs in this exhibit were taken by any one of the 400 personnel serving in the Marine Combat Camera Units today. This gallery was designed to help the families of deployed servicemen and women understand why their loved ones have been called to serve.

When the National Museum of the Marine Corps opens its second expansion phase, it will feature a permanent gallery that highlights Marine contributions during the Persian Gulf wars, and the continuing Global War on Terrorism.

USMC Combat Art Gallery

The Corps’ early association with combat art began during World War I when Colonel John W. Thomason, Jr. drew a series of battlefield sketches. Since that time, art has been used to help convey Marine Corps history. Works in the museum’s display are those of both Marine and civilian artists and illustrators and represents a small sample of the nearly 8,000 pieces in the Marine Corps art collection.

Semper Fidelis Park

Overlooking the Marine Corps National Museum is a three-acre park dedicated to honoring all Marines who have served their country. Throughout the park are many monuments honoring the accomplishments of various Marine organizations. The walkways through the park are lined with special commemorative bricks that have been purchased and donated by family members and friends of Marines.

This article has described but a few of the displays of weapons, vehicles, aircraft and artifacts fielded by both the Marines and their adversaries featured in the museum. This is a tremendous museum with much more to see and experience in a first-class facility and is definitely worth a trip to see.

A special thank you is in order to Al Houde, Ordnance Curator of the National Museum of the Marine Corps, for his valuable time and assistance.

Directions to the Museum

The National Museum of the Marine Corps is located near the town of Triangle, Virginia just off I-95, 36 miles south of Washington, D.C., and 76 miles north of Richmond, Virginia. From I-95, take the VA-619 exit 150 toward Triangle/Quantico. Merge onto VA-619 East. Turn right onto the Jefferson Davis Highway/US-1. Travel approximately 1/4 mile and turn right into the National Museum of the Marine Corps parking lot. Parking is free and there is no admission charge to visit the Museum. The National Museum of the Marine Corps is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every day except Christmas.

National Museum of the Marine Corps
18900 Jefferson Davis Hwy.
Triangle, VA 22172
(877) 653-1775
info@usmcmuseum.org

The .30 caliber M1 Carbine, introduced into the US Army in the first year of U.S. engagement in WWII, quickly gained favor of the officers and men who carried this handy new weapon in training for combat in Europe and the Pacific. Intended as a replacement for the old .45 caliber M1911 automatic pistol and the .45 caliber Thompson submachine gun, it was compact, lightweight, accurate, simple to operate and maintain. But, combat experience soon showed that theory and reality are not always compatible.

In June 1940, on the eve of America’s reluctant entry into the ongoing war with Germany and Japan, the US Army Ordnance Department began a crash development program toward fielding a “Light Weight Semiautomatic Rifle.” After rejecting several entries for various reasons, six prototype designs were extensively tested at Aberdeen Proving Ground in May and June of 1941. Only two test weapons survived; one from the government-owned Springfield Armory and another from Bendix Aviation, although neither could be considered ideal.

Luckily, representatives from Winchester Repeating Arms company — busily making the new ammunition specified by the Army for its Light Rifle — had been on hand for the testing. Soon convinced that their firm should give it a try, Winchester presented a hastily thrown-together weapon on August 8th, 1941.

Subsequent engineering tests and field trails showed the prototype Winchester Light Rifle to be superior in all details. Its basic operating principle was a gas tappet designed by David M. Williams, where a quantity of propellant gas is bled from the barrel and enters an expansion chamber where it causes a short piston to sharply move outward. Not surprisingly, since Winchester was at the same time deeply involved in a crash program to mass produce the M1 rifle, their bolt and locking system was essentially a scaled-down version of John Garand’s excellent weapon.

Carbine

Winchester’s Light Rifle significantly outperformed its rivals and was formally accepted by the Army on October 22, 1941. In order to avoid likely confusion in ammunition and parts supply as well as tactical employment, a distinctive name was called for to separate it from the M1 “Garand” rifle. Since horse cavalrymen had long been armed with short versions of standard rifles called “carbines”, it was decided to officially designate this new weapon as CARBINE, CALIBER .30, M1.

Ammunition

Drawing on experimentation with such familiar rounds as the 9mm Luger, .45 cal. ACP and .32 cal. Winchester Self Loading, the Army Ordnance Corps decided on a straight-sided case for ease of manufacture, feeding and extracting. The “rimless” brass case was necessarily elongated to accommodate a larger powder charge than most pistol rounds. Because this intermediate cartridge was to be used exclusively in a short rifle, its greater power and recoil were readily acceptable.

A relatively light full metal jacket round nosed 110 grain bullet was pushed out by 14.5 grains of IMR 4227 ball powder producing a chamber pressure of some 31,000 pounds per square inch. This had a muzzle velocity of 1860 feet per second and would remain stable in flight well beyond 300 yards. Test experience and manufacturing considerations dictated some changes, and the CARTRIDGE, CARBINE, CALIBER .30 M1 was standardized on September 30, 1941.

War Baby!

With Europe and Asia already embroiled in war, it was obvious to all but the most naive that America would soon be pulled into the conflict. The Army ordered 350,000 from Winchester on November 24, 1941 — just a couple of weeks before the Pearl Harbor attack. As demand for the little rifle exploded, eight other firms — including Winchester — began production. Inland was the major contributor with over 2,640,000 out of a grand total of 6,117,827 carbines of all types by the end of the war in 1945.

Early Production Model

After the usual fits and starts, fixes and modifications, the first real production model Inland guns began rolling off the line in June 1942. This gas operated, magazine fed, air cooled, semiautomatic shoulder weapon was characterized by its walnut “sporter” stock, machined steel receiver, detachable 15 round magazine, and rudimentary “L” type rear sight. Its overall length was 36 inches weighing 5.8 pounds with canvas sling and loaded magazine in place.

Paratroopers

Although originally intended for issue to soldiers manning crew-served weapons such as mortars, heavy machine guns and artillery pieces, the newly formed parachute regiments got most of the first guns off the assembly lines. This was a logical development given the tactical employment of airborne troops as fast moving light infantry. Training exercises had shown the effectiveness of the heavy and sometimes dirt-sensitive M1928A1 Thompson Submachine Gun to be particularly limited by its short range pistol cartridge, and the more powerful M1 Rifle to be too long and heavy. It seemed, at first glance, that the carbine would be ideal….

The M1A1 is the first major modification of the basic carbine. Standardized in May of 1942, it replaced the sporty traditional wooden stock with a metal folding version specifically designed with airdrop in mind. Inland engineer, Paul Hamish, is credited with the winning design, a skeleton frame of heavy wire attached to a modified wooden pistol grip. Folded up, the M1A1 was a compact 25.4 inches, and could be fired almost like a pistol without extending the stock.

Stopping Power?

Although light, compact, accurate and reliable, the M1 and M1A1 carbines were not so successful in battle. Many soldiers and Marines who had eagerly carried these “Baby Garands” in training soon even more eagerly cast them aside for the real thing after their first combat. Simply put, the 110 grain carbine slug had pathetically little stopping power compared to the pointed and fast 150 grain .30-06 bullet fired by the M1 rifle. Enemy soldiers hit even multiple times would often keep coming, causing real life nightmares.

The laws of physics are not to be circumvented, and with Geneva Convention prohibitions against soft point ammunition, there was nothing that could be done to increase the wounding and lethality of the full metal jacket carbine round. About the only avenue for exploration was in ways to increase multiple hits —more holes in an enemy make him more likely to be put out of action.

Selective Fire

It is interesting to note that, while the original concept for the carbine included provision for automatic fire, this was not a feature of the Winchester design. But, the American GI being quite ingenious, field modifications for automatic fire soon came to the attention of Ordnance personnel. According to contemporary reports, these relatively crude attempts tended toward extremely high rate of fire with inevitable controllability problems.

Although a mixed success in combat due mostly to its marginally adequate ammunition, the short rifle was a largely successful compromise between the pistol and the rifle, suitable armament for those whose duties did not require full powered performance. It was not until the advent of the German STURMGEWEHR with its “intermediate” cartridge that the carbine concept was fully validated.

Primary Reference Source: WAR BABY! by Larry L. Ruth, Collector Grade Publications, Toronto, Canada, 1992.

By Scott R. Lynch

For three consecutive Mondays in July and the first Monday in August, the general public, ROTC cadets, and Allied military personnel are treated to an outstanding show of U.S. Army Combined Arms Warfare. The display demonstrates the destructive capabilities and lethal results that are obtained when you combine the power of Armor, Field Artillery, Infantry and Close Air Support. The show is presented by the 1/16th Cav Regiment (The largest squadron in the Army ) and takes place on the Lawley/O’Brien Ranges at “The Home of Armor” Fort Knox, Kentucky.

From a central parking area on the post, Army buses carry the visitors out to the range. Upon arriving at the range you have a couple of hours to climb in, on, and around the various pieces of equipment that make up the modern Army. Qualified personnel are on hand to explain weapon systems operation and answer any questions. All the vehicles in the show, as well as a few from WWII, Korea and Vietnam are on display for several hours before and after the show. Infantry soldiers in full combat gear and camo painted faces display their M16’s and M249’s while describing the tools of the trade. While at the range, cold water and sunscreen are provided, with food and other refreshments available for purchase.

The show opens with a “BANG,” and two M1A1 Abrams tanks roar past the seating area, firing on the run at enemy tank silhouettes down range. The shaded bleachers give you a first hand perspective of the battlefield, and for the next hour your heart pounds and the earth shakes under the explosive barrage being sent down range. The commander leaps from his tank, welcomes the crowd, and signals one by one the start of the individual firepower demonstrations.

First two infantry squads patrol the hill below us, as Ghillie suited snipers dig in at the left and right flanking positions. Reactive targets pop up from a trench line and the squads hit the deck as machine gun fire erupts. The enemy drops back and the squads advance using the SAW’s for covering fire. Spotting enemy tanks, they drop flat again. A soldier from each squad springs up, aims and fires an M136 (AT4) Light Anti-armor Weapon, which explodes into the tank. M2/M3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles (BFV) roll in with 7.62mm coaxial machine guns blazing, drop their rear doors and pick-up the squads. As they move to safety, the M3’s launch TOW missiles at the advancing armor.

Next, a demonstration of the power and accuracy of the “King of Battle,” Artillery. An M109 Paladin Self Propelled Howitzer unlocks its barrel in front of the bleachers and lobs several 155mm rounds on a distant hilltop. To the left of the crowd the MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) unloads its tubes firing 227mm rockets in six-second intervals. As the artillery moves off the firing area, an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter flies in, spinning 360 degrees in front of the crowd while hovering 100 feet off the ground. The pilot moves it to the edge of the grandstand and lights up the 30mm cannon under its nose. He finishes the demo by launching 2.75 inch rockets from the side pods to the excited clamor of the crowd.

It’s time for a battle! The section commanders exit their vehicles and meet the squadron commander in front of the seating area. Using a terrain model board of the range area, each leader explains his unit’s objectives and their plans for achieving them. Smoke grenades are ignited downrange to highlight areas of importance for the spectators as they listen to the battle plan. Enemy vehicle silhouettes have been strategically arranged in various formations downrange.

As the battle begins, the vehicle to vehicle communications is piped over the P.A. system. A team of M3 Bradley mounted scouts have identified an enemy recon element and report the grid position back to the unit.. The enemy recon element discovers the scouts and launches a Rocket Dispensed Minefield, effectively cutting off the BFV’s retreat route. A thunderous explosion rocks the range as the scouts deploy a Trailer Mounted mine Clearing Device consisting of a tethered projectile and a couple hundred pounds of C-4. The blast clears the road and allows the scouts to make their getaway.

Once the scouts are clear of the engagement area, an M1A1 tank platoon, Mechanized Infantry, and a platoon of Apaches work together to destroy the forward security forces. Paladin 155mm Howitzers suppress enemy air defenses clearing the skies for two USAF A-10 Warthogs. The A-10’s make several low passes, blasting deep at the enemy with their GAU-8/A 30mm Gatling guns. While the opposition scrambles to establish a firing line on what has (intentionally) been exposed as an area of weakness, the MLRS destroys follow-on forces isolating the main element from any reinforcement.

The finale unfolds as the main body attempts to penetrate the U.S. position and are cut to ribbons by six M1A1’s firing a series of 120mm volleys. (NOTE: If your pulse isn’t racing at this point call for a doctor…’cause you may be dead!) The Apaches join in firing rockets and the 30mm chain guns, while the BFV’s take out dismounted troops with 25mm cannons, and 7.62mm machine guns. To end the battle the tanks pop a solid wall of smoke, masking their movement to a defensive position.

The show, although very expensive to produce, is free of charge, and open to all ages. For information on CALFEX ’99 contact: Fort Knox Public Affairs Office (502) 624-3351