Indeed, the Thompson became so widely known in that era that it is commonly (but erroneously) believed to be the first submachine gun. The U.S. Army adopted the Thompson submachine gun in 1928. Both the U.S. and British armies used it in World War II, as at various times have other armed forces.
During the Vietnam War, some South Vietnamese army units and defense militia were armed with Thompson submachine guns, and a few of these weapons were used by reconnaissance units, advisors, and other American troops.
Originally developed by John Thompson as a lightweight, automatic rifle to be used by American soldiers, the Tommy gun was invented in 1918—too late for mass distribution during World War I—and wasn't officially adopted by the U.S. Army until World War II.
It was used during the Korean War and later during the Vietnam War. The Thompson submachine gun was retired in 1971 after 33 years of service.
The Thompson was an American designed and built sub machine gun and used in limited numbers by British airborne forces in the Second World War. It was commonly known as the “Tommy gun”. It was invented by John T Thompson in 1918 and made available to both military and civilian markets.
Peaky Blinders is fiction, albeit loosely based on fact, but newly released files from the Military Service Pensions Collection show the IRA really did use Birmingham gangs to procure guns for the War of Independence.
Thompson submachine guns, known as Tommy guns were sometimes called "Chicago typewriters" because the clatter of rapid shots sounds like an old-time typewriter. They were combat weapons invented in the World War I era that were repurposed by 1920s Chicago gangsters Al Capone and Bugs Moran.
A Formidable Weapon
It's well-made, robust, capable of firing more than 800 rounds a minute in some models and chambered for the formidable . 45-caliber ACP round.
Three remain – mostly for nostalgia. Tucked among the sleek, synthetic-stocked arsenal in the building's gun vault, the Tommy guns are the stars.
Vietnam was considered the “last great war” for the Tommy Gun. Though it saw less use than in previous wars, it was a popular weapon for American and South Vietnamese soldiers. The Thompson was a “warhorse” which was relied on for its superior stopping power and dependability.
The Firearm Owners' Protection Act of 1986. On May 19, 1986, as part of the Firearm Owners' Protection Act (FOPA), Congress banned the transfer and possession of machine guns with two exceptions, described below.
It weighed almost 10 pounds (4.5 kg) empty and fired . 45-calibre ammunition. The magazine was either a circular drum that held 50 or 100 rounds or a box that held 20 or 30 rounds.
Frank McErlane (1894–1932) was a Prohibition-era Irish American gangster. He led the Saltis-McErlane Gang, allied with the Johnny Torrio-Al Capone Gang, against rival bootleggers, the Southside O'Donnell Brothers. He is credited with introducing the Thompson submachine gun to Chicago's underworld.
The Thompson's high rate of fire and large magazine capacity saw it catapulted to infamy as the weapon of choice for lawmen and gangsters during the 1920s and 30s. Thompsons quickly entered the vernacular of popular culture as Tommy Guns or Chicago Typewriters.
Big-time criminals liked them because by removing the buttstock and replacing the drum magazine with a 20-round clip, they could conceal them in their overcoats and fire them with one hand. George “Machine Gun” Kelly got his nickname because the Thompson submachine gun was his weapon of choice.
Naturally, then, it makes sense that the Tommy Gun has gone through a few names during its existence, each of which highlights a certain point in time or a certain function and intent. The full name of the gun, The Thompson Submachine Gun, or just the Thompson Machine Gun, is based on its creator, John T. Thompson.
Authentic, fully automatic Thompson machine-guns can fetch tens of thousands of dollars if functioning, in good condition and true to the period. It does require a buyer to have an ATF class III license to own.
Annihilator: Origins and Development of the “Thompson Gun”
Its rate of fire was 1,500 rounds per minute (rpm) and could only be fired in full automatic mode, but did not have cooling fins fitted, vital on a gun capable of such a rate.
Its versatility, accuracy, and astoundingly fast firing rate made it as famous an accessory to prohibition-era gangsters as a three-piece pinstripe suit and goofy accent. Those same great features also made it a favorite among police and federal agents.
Both are durable. The Tommy gun is accurate up to 75 meters. The AK is accurate up to 300 meters.
The Thompson Submachine Gun had another noteworthy advantage: it was chambered for the . 45 ACP cartridge. The U.S. military already used this caliber for 1911 sidearms.
By 1937, federal officials reported the sale of submachine guns in the U.S. had nearly ceased. In 1939, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the law constitutional. The law so effectively ended the spread and use of submachine guns the federal government didn't get around to actually banning civilian ownership until 1986.
Thomas Gaetano Lucchese (born Gaetano Lucchese; Italian: [ɡaeˈtaːno lukˈkeːse]; December 1, 1899 – July 13, 1967), sometimes known by the nicknames "Tommy", "Thomas Luckese", "Tommy Brown" or "Tommy Three-Finger Brown" was an Italian-American gangster and founding member of the Mafia in the United States, an offshoot ...
John Thompson: John Thompson is shown here holding his famous invention. Image in the public domain. John Thompson House: The house in which John Thompson was born still stands today on 3rd Street in Newport, Kentucky.