Global InformationThompson submachine gun information
| Thompson Submachine Gun, Caliber .45 | |
|---|---|
 Colt Model 1921A Thompson with a 100-round drum magazine. | |
| Type | Submachine gun |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1921–present[1] |
| Used by | See Users |
| Wars |
|
| Production history | |
| Designer | John T. Thompson |
| Designed | 1917–1920 |
| Manufacturer |
|
| Produced | 1921–1945 |
| No. built | Approximately 1.75 million of all variants,[23] including:
|
| Variants | See Variants section |
| Specifications | |
| Mass |
|
| Length |
|
| Barrel length |
|
| Cartridge |
|
| Action | Blowback, Blish Lock |
| Rate of fire |
|
| Muzzle velocity | 935 ft/s (285 m/s) |
| Effective firing range | 164 yds (150 m[28]) |
| Feed system | 20 or 30 round box magazine, 50 or 100 round drum magazine[24] (M1 and M1A1 models do not accept drum magazines) |
The Thompson submachine gun (also known as the "Tommy gun", "Chicago typewriter", "trench sweeper", or "trench broom") is a blowback-operated, selective-fire submachine gun, invented and developed by United States Army Brigadier General John T. Thompson in 1918. It was designed to break the stalemate of trench warfare of World War I, although early models did not arrive in time for actual combat.
The Thompson saw early use by the United States Marine Corps during the Banana Wars,[29] the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Irish Republican Army, the Republic of China, and the FBI following the Kansas City Massacre.
The weapon was also sold to the general public. Because it was so widely used by criminals, the Thompson became notorious during the Prohibition era as the signature weapon of various organized crime syndicates in the United States in the 1920s. It was a common sight in the media at the time, and was used by both law enforcement officers and criminals.[30]
The Thompson was widely adopted by the U.S. armed forces during World War II, and was also used extensively by other Allied troops during the war. Its main models were designated as the M1928A1, M1 and M1A1 during this time. More than 1.5 million Thompson submachine guns were produced during World War II.[31]
It is the first weapon to be labelled and marketed as a "submachine gun".[32]
The original selective-fire Thompson variants are no longer produced, although numerous semi-automatic civilian versions are still being produced by the manufacturer Auto-Ordnance. These models retain a similar appearance to the original models, but have various modifications in order to comply with US firearm laws.
- ^ "What Weapons Did Ukraine Capture in the Soledar Mines?". The Armourer's Bench. 21 May 2023. Archived from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ "Diario de la Guerra de Honduras: 30 de enero-30 de abril 1924, Mario Rivas".
- ^ Toivo Miljan, Historical Dictionary of Estonia, Scarecrow Press, 2004, ISBN 0-8108-4904-6
- ^ Hart 2003, pp. 187–188
- ^ Marshall, Alex (August 11, 2010). The Caucasus Under Soviet Rule. Routledge. ISBN 9781136938245.
- ^ Onokoy, Vladimir (September 19, 2019). "Forgotten History of Thompson SMG in Secret Police and Army of Soviet Russia". TheFirearmBlog.
- ^ "The Sandino Rebellion, 1927–1934". Sandinorebellion.com. Retrieved 2011-12-25.
- ^ Scarlata 2014.
- ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference
bishop1998was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Silah Report Podcast V33: Iranian Submachine Guns (1941–1979)". 21 June 2021. Archived from the original on June 22, 2021.
- ^ McNab 2002, p. 47.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Indochinawas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Sazanidis 1995, pp. 293–294.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Arabswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Weapons of the Malay CTs 1948–1960". 17thdivision.tripod.com. Archived from the original on June 3, 2023.
- ^ Hart 2003, p. 191.
- ^ "A GUERRILHA DO ARAGUAIA: Memória, esquecimento e Ensino de História na região do conflito" (PDF).
- ^ Herbst, Robert (13 December 2008). "Turkish Thompson Submachine Guns". Small Arms Review. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023.
- ^ "SOMALIA: Weapons We Used, Weapons We Captured". August 1999. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Yugoslav Armywas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
SAS 2012 10was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "What Weapons Did Wagner Capture in the Soledar Mines?". The Armourer's Bench. May 21, 2023. Archived from the original on May 22, 2023.
- ^ Yenne 2009, p. [page needed].
- ^ a b c d e War Department (1943-10-11). TM 9-2200 Small Arms, Light Field Mortars and 20-mm Aircraft Guns. War Department. p. 59.
- ^ a b c War Department (1943-10-11). TM 9-2200 Small Arms, Light Field Mortars and 20-mm Aircraft Guns. War Department. p. 57.
- ^ "Full Power/Full Auto: The Thompson Goes Metric And the MP5 Goes American". www.americanrifleman.org.
- ^ McCollum, Ian (2018-10-09). "The Marines' First SMG: 1921/28 Thompson Gun". www.forgottenweapons.com. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
- ^ "Thompson 1921 Submachine Gun". Modern Firearms. 27 October 2010.
- ^ Schroeder, Michael J. (2019-03-26), "Digital Resources: The Sandino Rebellion Digital Historical Archive, Nicaragua, 1927–1934", Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Latin American History, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199366439.013.77, ISBN 978-0-19-936643-9, retrieved 2021-07-05
- ^ Bearse 1994, p. 210.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Iannamico 1999was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ James, Gary (1996–2006). "Development of the Thompson Submachine Gun". Archived from the original on 2020-10-28. Retrieved 2006-12-18.